A participatory activity exploring the local, national and global scales of where we live, based on the Geoscapes activity.

KEY QUESTION: How do I imagine different places and their links to each other?

Background

Learners can develop their ideas and feelings about places and their place in the world through this activity; by imagining the space is their local area, then the nation, then the world.

Activity

1. Clear a large space in the classroom or use the school hall.

2. First the teacher needs to explain that the middle of the room is the school, as she/he is standing there. Next show the pupils some other places, by moving a few metres away and describing a local place that they all know – a park, shop, roundabout etc.

3. Ask children to move to where they think their house is in the room, and stand there (be aware of children for whom ‘home’ might be a question they don’t know the answer to, and be sensitive to those children, supporting them in deciding where to stand).

4. Next they could stand somewhere else that they go regularly in the local area, and that they feel positively about. A few children can be interviewed at this stage: “Where are you? Why do you feel good when you are here?”

5. Now turn the space into the UK. Children can stand somewhere they’d like to visit (another city maybe) or somewhere they’ve been: Where would you like to be in the UK right now?

6. Lastly turn the room into the world. If children could be anywhere in the world right now, where would they like to be? Again ask a few to explain why, and give children the chance to tell each other where they chose and why, before moving on.

CREDIT

SLN would like to thank Janine Waters for introducing them to the idea of Geoscapes