Geography is life!
One of the 'must have' fashion accessories of the moment is a coloured silicon wrist band with writing on. News stories report the buying and selling of a whole range of these bands and even of schoolyard bullying in order to get them. I have lost count of the number of times I have heard pupils say "That's a fake...that's not real". So what is it all about then? What's this got to do with geography?
As you will begin to notice over the weeks geography has an enormous influence on us all. The white band is a symbol of the 'Make Poverty History' campaign. This is a high profile, celebrity endorsed promotion which aims to highlight the world poverty situation and the role we in the developed world play in it.
In Pencoed we study world development in a number of different topics from Year 7 through to Year 13. Year 10 and 11 pupils take part in world trade simulations and experience first hand what it is like to be a developing country trying to compete with the rich nations in the market place. Take a look at the map below. It shows the life expectancy for different countries. In Year 9 pupils begin to learn why there is such a difference in levels of development.
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on image for larger version
So before this particular trend goes the way of the 'gel pen' or the Play Station, take a moment to understand what the campaigns actually mean and are trying to do. Then if are interested in showing your support then take part. If you want to find out more about world development differences click here.
Be curious, ask questions and don't just follow the crowd!