Geography at key stage 3 (Year 9)

Unit 23: Local action, global effects
Section 1: What leisure activities are located on and by the river?

Objectives

Children should learn:

to ask geographical questions and suggest appropriate sequences for investigation
to select and use appropriate techniques to present evidence, eg maps
to use fieldwork techniques to identify different leisure uses
to determine how conflicting demands on an environment arise
through a decision-making task, how and why attempts are made to plan and manage environments
to consider the effects of environmental planning and management on people, places and environments

Activities

Outcomes

Children:

How is a stretch of the local river used?

What conflicts of interests occur between different leisure users ?

Identify a stretch of local river to survey different uses and leisure activities. Involve pupils in preparing for the investigation and prepare them thoroughly for their fieldwork. On the visit, map all different uses and take photographs of and/or video the leisure facilities/activities - pupils can use these records to establish possible conflicts of interest between different uses and user groups later. Data-collection forms could be designed and loaded onto a palmtop computer for completion in the field.
Arrange a meeting with a leisure and recreation officer from the local authority or tourist board (either during the visit or back at school) to identify the planning and management issues involved in catering for different interest groups. Help pupils to prepare a suitable selection of questions and discuss the level of formality required for the meeting.
Ask pupils to record what they have found by drawing annotated sketch maps and diagrams. (For some rivers maps may already exist.) Also ask pupils to complete an 'impact matrix' to help them assess any conflict of interest between different leisure users.

How can the different leisure activities be managed to reduce conflict?

Who decides how the river and its environment are used?

Organise pupils into groups to identify and talk about conflict issues and to prepare a detailed plan for managing different leisure activities so that conflicts of interest are resolved. Ask pupils to write up their suggestions as notes for a presentation to the local planning department and the leisure and amenity committee.
As an extension task, ask pupils to plan the development of a local park to cater for different age and interest groups. Produce an information leaflet about the park for the local community, parents and children to show how they can play a part in protecting it.

produce a map of different uses and leisure activities along a stretch of river in the field
produce annotated sketch maps and diagrams of the leisure activities to summarise findings
take suitable photographs and/or video of the leisure facilities/ activities to identify potential conflict of interests between different uses and user groups
prepare a presentation with a suggestions plan to manage leisure activities
produce an information leaflet detailing leisure activities in a local park (higher-attaining pupils)

Points to note

The planning and leisure and recreation departments of the local council may be useful sources of information.
Prepare an impact matrix with the different leisure uses on both axes. How one activity might affect the other can be noted in the grid boxes.
ICT: a mapping/GIS package would enable a variety of uses and the impact they have on the area chosen to be illustrated spatially.
Citizenship: this activity provides an opportunity for pupils to use their imagination to consider other people's experiences, to think about, express and explain views that are not their own, and to reflect on the importance of resolving conflict fairly.
If the notes pupils make are good enough to speak from, they will have a permanent record of their thinking in their notebooks.

Sections in this unit

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This unit is divided into sections. Each section contains a sequence of activities with related objectives and outcomes. You can view this unit by moving through the sections or print/download the whole unit.


	1. What leisure activities are located on and by the river?
	2. How are rivers used and misused by people?
	3. What is a national park?
	4. Why is Antarctica a fragile environment?