For the Sustainable Development serial day tasks, we were given the following instructions:
Mapping of school grounds/area.
Evidence of existing engagement with sustainable education within the school
Consideration of actual play space for children and its suitability.
Discussion with children on these aspects of sustainable education.
To achieve these objectives, I discussed with the class teacher, the possibility of getting the children involved in an activity that would incorporate all of the above. The class teacher was very keen for me to plan and lead this activity, as it would fit in with their knowledge and skills developed through their recent topic of vandalism, and also link into their current minibeasts topic. I explained my idea of taking the children outside to explore the school grounds, and she was encouraging and supportive of this. She helped me to consider how to presen
t the activity to the class, and we discussed which resources would be needed. To prepare for this activity, I used Digimaps for schools to produce an aerial photograph of the school and grounds. I printed enough copies to allow one between two children, so the children could work in pairs. I gathered clipboards for each map.
I introduced the activity by gathering the children on the carpet area, and asking questions to recall their prior learning of sustainability and environment from their vandalism topic. I explained that we were going to go outside and look for certain items related to s
ustainability, and record these on the aerial map. I made sure the children could find their classroom on the map, and asked them to point out certain landmarks to allow them to get their bearings on the map. I then explained what things they were looking for, giving them three categories: recycling bins, play areas/equipment, and wildlife areas. I asked them to use simple symbols as a legend, using an X to record recycling bins, a circle for play space and a triangle for wildlife areas. I also asked the children to see if they could see any litter in the school grounds whilst we were outside. I gave the children the opportunity to ask any questions before putting coats on and going o
utside. The children engaged excitedly with the task, as they showed me around the school grounds and pointed out the various elements of sustainable practice in the school. I have included a copy of the annotated map at the end of this post.
Upon returning inside, I again gathered the children on the carpet and we discussed their findings. The children had identified lots of evidence of sustainability and were very knowledgeable on t
he purpose of each piece; they understood the importance of recycling waste and providing space for wildlife. One particular area caused much excitement; the compost bin was both an area for recycling waste and a wildlife spot! The children confidently explained how the worms turn the food waste into compost for growing plants in the school garden. I asked the children to tell me about the play space and equipment available in their playground, and how they felt about it. The children told me they enjoyed having a variety of different spaces to play, from a tarmacked basketball area to the wooden trim trail and
sand pit in the natural garden area. We finished off the discussion with a chat about the importance of taking responsibility for our local area and how much nicer the playground looked without any litter present, reinforcing the need to be responsible citizens.
The theme of disasters is arguably one of the most interesting and engaging topics of this module. We are quite lucky in that Scotland is a relatively stable country in terms of extreme weather, and as such disasters tend to be more of a fascination than a real concern to children here. There are a multitude of hands on, practical experiments that can be done with children on a topic of disasters, making it an exciting and active area to cover. In the science workshop, we tried out some of these experiments, recreating volcanic eruptions with bicarb, vinegar and fairy liquid, and investigating which parts of the world are more at risk and which phenomena they are at risk from.
In the second input, we considered the political and economic aspects involved in this theme. Focusing on the four stages of a natural disaster – mitigation, preparation, response, recovery – we discussed the role of governments, NGOs, and international aid agencies. Looking at case studies to compare the differences between wealthier, developed countries such as USA and Japan, and poorer developing countries like Haiti and the Philippines, clear disparities can be seen in a nation’s ability to cope with a natural disaster.
This led on to a discussion on the importance of sensitivity when introducing this topic to children, particularly when thinking about images. Whilst powerful and great for sparking discussion, some images would be too graphic and distressing to show children. Whilst children will likely be exposed to some imagery in the media etc, it’s crucial to keep in mind that some visuals may be too close to home for some pupils and cause unnecessary anxiety, for instance children living in high-rise flats may be disturbed by the pictures of the recent Grenfell Tower fire in London earlier this year. There is a careful balance to be sought between protecting our pupils from worry and upset, and avoiding disempowering them and failing to provide them with the opportunity to explore this topic.
It’s also useful to remember that less “sensational” disasters should also be explored, such as flooding, sink holes and landslides as these are the types of disasters more likely to occur in the UK. Keeping the topic relatable is imperative to engaging the attention of pupils.
The direct study tasks for this theme enabled me to expand my knowledge of disasters and develop several skills; the micro teaching task encouraged me to think about how I would teach this topic in the classroom, whilst the tsunami forecast padlet extended my research skills and my knowledge of the procedures involved in preparing for and responding to a natural disaster. I was also able to develop my presentation skills, take part in group discussions, use criticality in my research and reflection and improve my academic reading abilities through the preparation and research for our group micro teaching task.
The theme of Interdependence saw us visit two strikingly diverse dairy farms: Strandhead Farm in Tarbolton and Mossgiel Farm in Mauchline. Both successful family-run farms, they vary greatly in their methods and ideology. This was by far the most interesting input for this module to date, and I not only had my preconceptions challenged, but also greatly increased my skills and knowledge, in terms of my own development and in the context of teaching.
Strandhead is one of the most technologically advanced farms in Scotland. The traditional methods of milking and feeding cows have all been replaced by computerised machinery; feed is mixed and distributed by a robotic device, with cows deciding for themselves when and how often they wish to be milked by entering the computerised milking vestibule. Whilst the cows seemed to be happy (after all, how accurately can one interpret bovine emotions?), the fact that they are prohibited from leaving the barn raises significant animal rights issues for me. I also left this farm feeling appalled at the seemingly heartless practice of separating new-born calves from their mother within hours of their birth. The youngest of the calves, who are confined to a relatively small solitary pen, seemed extremely distressed at only four days old.
High-tech methods revolutionise farming at Strandhead – but at what cost?
Mossgiel farm was a breath of fresh air after that; a small, family-run organic farm which strives to be as ethically and environmentally conscious as it possibly can. The owner, Bryce Cunningham, took the decision to move to organic methods to ensure the farm could continue to be financial viable after the wholesale price of milk plummeted in recent years, resulting in a drop in income of over £10,000 per month at its lowest. Being an organic farm, they are restricted in the use of pesticides and use only natural fertilisers; not too difficult given the abundance of manure that comes with dairy farming. The aspect that fascinated me the most was the cows’ diet: having looked into the scientific research, Farmer Bryce incorporated seaweed into the cows’ feed as it not only provides nutritional benefits to the animals, but also reduces the methane levels that the cows produce. He also feeds them fresh Ayrshire potatoes (tatties!) which, importantly, he purchases from a local arable farmer’s excess stock that have been rejected by supermarkets. These two habits not only provide a superior diet for the cows, leading to a better quality milk, they both significantly reduce the overall environmental impact of the farm by lowering emissions and reducing waste.
Two other things struck me at Mossgiel: the breed of cows kept are native Ayrshire cattle, better suited to the soil and weather conditions present in this part of the country. This also means that the grass native to this area is perfect for the cows, reducing the cost of additives that other non-native breeds may require. This farm also used Mother Nature’s way of adding to their stock – four eager bulls are permanent Mossgiel residents, unlike the previous farm which favours artificial insemination to selectively ensure female offspring only. This does in turn increase the number of male calves born at Mossgiel, however this has led to Bryce creating Ethical Veal, an innovative brand development that enables the farm to continue with its ethos of ethical, organic sustainability.
The cows, affectionately called the “Mossgiel Girls” by Farmer Bryce, who makes the effort to know each of them by name, are milked twice a day. This is done by Bryce himself, who takes the time to check each cow over and ensure they are all at their best. The milk is then pasteurised on site, using a slow heating and cooling process which produces a superior quality froth on the milk, before being packaged and sent out to the farm’s customers. We were treated to a sample of the milk, and they are not lying when they attest to its superior quality.
The newest addition to the Mossgiel Girls – two day old calf
The most remarkable aspect for me, was the issue of separating calves from their mothers. At Mossgiel, they too separate the calves, but this was an issue that challenged me to reconsider my stance on this process. Farmer Bryce explained that when he took charge of the farm, he too disliked the practice of separation, and insisted that the calves and their mothers were kept together for the first few weeks. However, within the first couple of days, sixteen calves had died. This was discovered to be caused by bacteria that lives on the mother’s udders, which are normally cleaned and disinfected prior to milking, but the cows were not milked whilst feeding their offspring and therefore the bacterial disease had cultivated in the young calves and killed them. The birth of his first child gave Bryce the inspiration for a “moses basket” system, whereby the calves are placed in a crib-like enclosure, safe from the hooves of the collective herd but within their mother’s reach. This method certainly seemed to be tremendously effective as even the youngest calf, at only 2 days old, seemed content and settled in her crib.
The two farm visits had a significant impact on my own thoughts and opinions, and initially I felt that I would rather take a class of schoolchildren to the organic farm rather than the high-tech farm. However, upon reflection, I realised that it would be better to give children the chance to experience both farms, and allow them to draw their own comparison between the two methods, using a critical approach and analysing the merits of each of the diverse processes involved. The visits have encouraged me to think about how I would teach the theme of Interdependence; I would probably incorporate this into a farm to fork topic aimed at second level CfE.
The second part of the Interdependence theme entailed a group research project. Under the topic of Sustainable Seas, our group was required to undertake investigation of several sources and create an infographic to present our findings using a website called Picktochart. Taking responsibility for exploring the global aspect of ocean sustainability using the WWF website, I increased my own knowledge in this area, and gained a comprehensive understanding of the impact of human activity on our oceans, from the disappearing coral reefs leading to drastically reduced costal defences and severe implications to the food chain, to the results of seabed mining and gas and oil extraction industry on the ocean’s ability to absorb carbon dioxide. Our infographic can be viewed here:
This theme challenged my views and beliefs on several issues, and allowed me to develop my critical thinking skills and develop a healthy respect for differing ideologies regarding sustainability and ethical practices. I also found my knowledge of sustainability in both farming and fishing/marine tourism has been extended. I have also added to my ICT skills using web resources to create an infographic – this could be a useful resource to use in the classroom.
Climate Change is a controversial topic most of the time. The term Global Warming, often used synonymously with climate change, can bring out a range of strong opinions; is it really happening? Is it a natural phenomenon that happens repeatedly throughout history, or is it a man-made issue? Regardless of where you stand on this, the evidence is there to show that since the Industrial Revolution, the Earth’s temperature has risen immensely compared to patterns throughout history (Met Office, 2015). Whether we have caused climate change or not, there is no denying that we are exacerbating the problem.
It is easy for us here in Scotland, to say that climate change is not a problem, where is the evidence of global warming when we only get one day of summer a year?! However, in the short film Antarctica on the Edge (2017), it is obvious that the effects of climate change are most clearly seen in the more remote biomes of our planet. The Antarctic and southern oceans influence the whole world’s weather systems and ocean currents. This means that we are all affected by the melting ice from the region, whether we want to believe it or not.
When a piece of the Mertz Glacier measuring over 26 square kilometres broke away in 2010, it had massive repercussions. Enabling scientists to explore the large area of the ocean floor now exposed for the first time, they discovered vast holes and caverns in the underwater ice. Referring to the ice as “rotten”, the scientists explain this as the result of warmer ocean currents causing the core of the glacier to melt. The presence of air bubbles seven metres down in the ice show signs of salt water infiltrating the glacier and weakening the ice.
I found the film very informative. Although I was aware that the remains of dead marine creatures contained carbon and were fossilised or ground into tiny particles in the sea bed, I had not made the connection between this and the role nature plays in the removal of carbon in the ocean to beneath the sea floor until I witnessed the brittle starfish immobilise and devour the fish on the ocean floor.
I also increased my knowledge of the role of aerosol particles in the air, and the implications on our water cycle of the air quality. It was interesting to hear how knowledge of how clouds are formed and the variations of this from before the Industrial Revolution can impact climate change, as this was not something I had ever considered. I did however have some concerns about the impact this scientific voyage would have on the environment of the Antarctic, particularly observing the blasé way the ship seemed to crunch through the sea ice. It seemed slightly ironic that they would break the ice up even further, in their quest to prevent the ice breaking up!
Climate Change Scotland Act
In terms of how this has affected my own life, I would say that it has not had much of an effect as I almost feel as if I am one step ahead of the government on this issue. Having been a teenager in Ireland when the plastic bag levy was introduced there in 2002, it quickly became habit to bring your own bag. I incurred strange looks for a few years when producing my own reusable bags in supermarkets in Scotland. However, I have not once paid for a plastic bag since the levy was enforced here, as it was already second nature to me. Similarly, I had been separating my waste for recycling in Ireland, long before it was rolled out in Scotland and so my family were already in the habit of separating waste before municipal refuse was recycled in Scotland.
I was delighted to see that the Scottish Government’s initial interim target of reducing CO2 emissions by 42% of the 1990 baseline by 2020 was exceeded six years early in 2014 (Scottish Government, 2017).
One issue I would really like to see the government tackle, is the amount of plastic used by our supermarkets. The human race managed to survive for thousands of years before the invention of plastic, so there is no reason why we couldn’t cope without it again. With 9 out of 10 people calling for a plastic free aisle in UK supermarkets, it wouldn’t take long for big businesses to see that a complete overhaul of the way we shop would be a welcome change for most people (A Plastic Planet, 2017). There is provision in the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 for this to happen (section 83 ), however my search for any information on any proposals towards this came to nothing.
Carbon Footprint:
I was very satisfied with the results of my carbon footprint test, however I do feel that some questions were quite vague and made assumptions that may not be accurate, for example my monthly spend on cosmetic products is quite high, and this is obviously taken to equate to overconsumption by the diagnostic test. It doesn’t take into consideration that the reason I spend so much, is that I only buy cosmetic products that have been made using all natural, ethically and sustainably sourced materials and ingredients, using only recycled/biodegradable containers and packaging. This is something I am quite zealous about, as I try very hard to avoid the ethical and moral consequences of purchasing popular branded products using palm oil, animal testing etc.
Although the test results indicate I am saving 5% of my carbon share, the implications of my travel are quite high. This is due to the fact that travelling to university is a 68 mile round trip, four days a week by car. Unfortunately, this is due to the excessive costs of travelling by train: the price of a weekly train ticket to university is £15 more than my weekly petrol costs, and this includes my husband using the car at the weekends, along with taking children to afterschool activities etc. I definitely feel that the government could do more to improve public transport for people, for example improving reliability and lowering costs.
Johnstone is a relatively medium-sized town in the royal burgh of Renfrewshire, in the west of Scotland. Under electoral ward designation, Johnstone is split into two categories: Johnstone North, which is categorised together with the nearby villages of Kilbarchan and Lochwinnoch, and Johnstone South, which is teamed up with the village to its immediate east, Elderslie. The combined population of these two electoral wards in 2016 was 30,639 (Scottish Neighbourhood Statistics Guide, 2017).
Johnstone has a variety of different buildings, from the recently refurbished remains of the 16th century castle right in the middle of the Johnstone Castle housing scheme, to the strikingly modern town hall built in 2015.
Johnstone Town Hall – by Paisley Scotland CC BY 2.0Johnstone Castle – by Alex McGregor CC BY-SA 4.0
The town centre has two public squares,Ludovic Square and Houston Square, both named after the family of estate owners who founded the basis of the current town in the late 18th century. Houston square boasts a war memorial and a band stand, both of which are unfortunately given very little attention outwith Remembrance week. The town centre also hosts many retail business, with three supermarkets, numerous restaurants and cafes, hairdressers and beauty salons. Recently opened in the old registry office building is a café/ice cream parlour, with a games room and outdoor space for local teens to hang out.
Originally a mining town in the 16th & 17th centuries, the 18th & 19th centuries saw Johnstone grow as a cotton mill town, with Paton’s Mill and bootlace factory being a cornerstone of the town. The old mill still lies in ruins, a pain in the backside of the local fire service as the local arsonists regularly try to destroy what is left. The Hannah’s sweet factory on Walkinshaw Street is now the most notable manufacturing business in the town, with the firm’s infamous white mice being exported all over Europe.
Within the new town hall, are many community services. Police Scotland and Renfrewshire Council both have access points within the building. There is also a performance area, where a number of local schools took part in a collaborative dance initiative led by YDance, titled “Look Up, Look Out, Look Under” in March of this year. The town library is also located within the town hall building, and is a valued resource for many of the town’s residents.
Residential dwellings are a mixture of terraced and semi-detached houses, maisonettes, flats and some more modern apartment blocks. Two new private housing estates have been built within the last 18 months at the outskirts of the town. There is also one tower block of high flats in the town centre. Most of the properties are council and ex-council houses and flats, which were built to accommodate the overspill from Springburn in the 1950’s and 60s.
Johnstone has four non-denominational primary schools, three Catholic primary schools, four nurseries and pre-5 centres and one high school. Located within the grounds of Johnstone High is the Johnstone Sports Hub, run by Renfrewshire Leisure. It boasts a swimming pool, sports facilities, gym, fitness classes and astro turf pitches. Local schools operate a rota system for pupils to take part in swimming lessons during school term.
Johnstone has several green spaces, most notably Thomas Shanks Park, known locally as ‘the public park’. However, most of these areas contain little or no playground equipment for children to use, and those that do are poorly maintained and often unsafe. Corseford, a council housing scheme to the south west of the town, has no facilities whatsoever for young residents. Community centres are few and far between, leaving young people in the area to try and find their own entertainment, meaning the area does experience bouts of anti-social behaviour.
Johnstone has two train stations, Johnstone station to the north-east boundary of the town, and Milliken Park to the south west, both of which are on the Ayr/Largs to Glasgow line. Bus services to Glasgow city centre and nearby towns are run by McGill’s, who have a depot located close to the Milliken Park railway station, and local shuttle bus services by Keycoaches. Johnstone is also located in the flight path for Glasgow Airport, and this causes some noise pollution to the town. By way of compensation, Glasgow Airport Flight Path Fund provide financial assistance in the form of grants to local community groups who are affected (Glasgow Airport, 2017).
For such an urbanised town, Johnstone does have a remarkable natural environment right on its doorstep; the stunning Rannoch and Bluebell woods surrounding the Johnstone Castle estate provide a variety of wildlife, from foxes, squirrels and deer, to owls and bats at night time. The woods lead right up to the Glennifer Braes in the south, and provide beautiful and stimulating walks for dog walkers, children and amateur hikers alike. The numerous streams and burns are rich in pondlife and on a summer’s day, the woods are peppered with the sound of local children playing ‘tig’.
Bluebell Woods – author’s own image
I was pleasantly surprised to find the air pollution of Johnstone rated at level 2 – low, but also quite shocked to find that this was higher than Glasgow city centre’s rating of 1 (Air Quality in Scotland, 2017). I had wrongly assumed that the air quality of the city centre would be worse than a suburban town, however research shows that due to shorter commuting distances, and the close proximity of services in cities, cities residents expend less energy per capita that their more rural counterparts (European Environment Agency, 2013).
To devise a lesson in which a class of primary 5 pupils can investigate their urban environment, I would start with a discussion on the different types of housing that exist both in Scotland and around the world, and the benefits and disadvantages of each (SCO 2-13a). I would then organise a walk for pupils around the local area, to investigate and record the different types of housing present and how prevalent each is. Back in the classroom, I would ask the children to think about and discuss what they think these types of homes were chosen, and what impact this has on the local area. I would then encourage the children to devise a plan for a proposed new housing development in their local area, and get them to research features of houses that they could include, and the impact these would have on the environment (SCO 2-10a, SCO 2-8a, SCO 2-8b). This could be extended across the curriculum to include literacy, art and design, technology and numeracy by creating brochures and advertisements for their proposed development, creating a model of their development and investigating potential costings for the development based on different materials and options.
REFERENCES
Air Quality in Scotland, 2017. [Online] Available: www.scottishairquality.co.uk [Accessed: 22 September 2017]
Curriculum for Excellence: Social Studies Experiences and Outcomes [Online] Available: https://www.education.gov.scot/Documents/social-studies-eo.pdf [Accessed 22 September 2017]
European Environment Agency, 2013. Urban Environment [Online] Available: https://www.eea.europa.eu/themes/urban/intro [Accessed: 22 September 2017]
Glasgow Airport, 2017 Flightpath fund [Online] Available: http://www.glasgowairport.com/community/flightpath-fund/ [Accessed : 22 September 2017]
Scottish Neighbourhood Statistics Guide, 2017. [Online] Available: http://statistics.gov.scot/resource?uri=http://statistics.gov.scot/id/statistical-geography/S13003082 and http://statistics.gov.scot/resource?uri=http://statistics.gov.scot/id/statistical-geography/S13003083 [Accessed: 22 September 2017]
Glow Blogs uses cookies to enhance your experience on our service. By using this service or
closing this message you consent to our use of those cookies. Please read our Cookie Policy.
