On Fri, 18 Oct 2013 14:07:57 -0700 (PDT), Steve Jackson
wrote:



I couldn't possibly disagree with that; I am a humble grography teacher after all, with no pretentions of scinetific iluminary background.

As a matter of interest do you do AQA Geography 2030 and do the
Weather hazards module. I do Contemporary Conflict and Challenge as an
option module simply because the GCSE syll has no weather module and
therefore they have no grounding for A level. Shame

Regards

Robin

Robin asked

"As a matter of interest do you do AQA Geography 2030 and do the
Weather hazards module."

Yes Robin, as you would expect, weather is an important part of the curriculum at Bablake! The school have invested a quarter of a million pounds into our weather centre, so they do expect some return on the investmant!

I teach the AQA weather & climate A2 unit (it's not just weather hazards) in the AQA specification; the students do find it challenging to be honest, just been teaching "general circulation of the atmosphere" for example and some cannot quite pice it all together. We also teach GCSE AQA including the weather & climate unit there, so they all do have some background.

The A2 weather & climate course is similar in standard to the one I did at university, including tephigrams for example, so I do understand how they struggle. We have been looking at upper air charts this week, as they have to understand Rossby waves, hence our investigation of forecasting models.

We also teach the tectonics and world cities unit.

best wishes

Steve J

On Sunday, October 20, 2013 8:05:11 AM UTC+1, Robin Nicholson wrote:
On Fri, 18 Oct 2013 14:07:57 -0700 (PDT), Steve Jackson

wrote:

I couldn't possibly disagree with that; I am a humble grography teacher after all, with no pretentions of scinetific iluminary background.

As a matter of interest do you do AQA Geography 2030 and do the

Weather hazards module. I do Contemporary Conflict and Challenge as an

option module simply because the GCSE syll has no weather module and

therefore they have no grounding for A level. Shame

Regards

Robin

It's been a shame for weather in the curriculum ever since the demise of the old Meteorology GCSE circa late 80's/early 90's. That gave pupils a good grounding in basic meteorology, but unfortunately it wasn't popular nationally and few pupils sat the exam. Down to few teachers being confident enough of their meteorology and having enough interest to teach it, really.

Dawlish wrote philosophically

"It's been a shame for weather in the curriculum ever since the demise of the old Meteorology GCSE circa late 80's/early 90's"

Yes, I used to teach that to 20 or so pupils a year in the lower sixth as part of the general studies prgramme, and very enjoyable it was too, especially the coursework projects, investiating frost hollows, urban heat island effects, micro-climates etc.

Like geology, meteorology was put into the ket stage 3 science curiiculum, and science teachers haven't got a clud, nor an interest for that matter!

best wishes

Steve J

On Sun, 20 Oct 2013 00:57:32 -0700 (PDT), Dawlish
wrote:



It's been a shame for weather in the curriculum ever since the demise of the old Meteorology GCSE circa late 80's/early 90's. That gave pupils a good grounding in basic meteorology, but unfortunately it wasn't popular nationally and few pupils sat the exam. Down to few teachers being confident enough of their meteorology and having enough interest to teach it, really.


I think it is only about 25-30% taking that module: it is all very
routine BUT for the great amount of basics required at the start - and
one is up against the complete syllabus length anyway

R

On Sunday, October 20, 2013 10:56:14 AM UTC+1, Steve Jackson wrote:
Dawlish wrote philosophically



"It's been a shame for weather in the curriculum ever since the demise of the old Meteorology GCSE circa late 80's/early 90's"



Yes, I used to teach that to 20 or so pupils a year in the lower sixth as part of the general studies prgramme, and very enjoyable it was too, especially the coursework projects, investiating frost hollows, urban heat island effects, micro-climates etc.



Me too, actually and a dozen at night school too. I fondly remember one of my pupils winning the National FW prize!


Like geology, meteorology was put into the ket stage 3 science curiiculum, and science teachers haven't got a clud, nor an interest for that matter!

best wishes

Steve J

Yup. Waste of time from then on and just about has been ever since. Good to hear Robin talking about a decent level of meteorology in one "A" level syllabus though.

This is long, but here is the syllabus we teach for A2 AQA waether & climate unit

Major climate controls

The structure of the atmosphere, the atmospheric heat budget, the general atmospheric circulation, planetary surface winds, latitude, oceanic circulation and altitude.
The climate of the British Isles
Basic climatic characteristics: temperature, precipitation and wind.

Air masses affecting the British Isles.

Origin and nature of depressions. Weather changes associated with the passage of a depression.

Origin and nature of anticyclones. Associated weather conditions in winter and summer.
Storm events: their occurrence, their impact and the responses to them. One case study from within the last 30 years should be undertaken.

The climate of one tropical region - tropical
wet/dry savanna
Basic climatic characteristics: temperature, precipitation and wind.

The role of sub-tropical anticyclones and the inter-tropical convergence zone.

Tropical revolving storms. Their occurrence, their impact and the responses to them. Two case studies of recent (within the last 30 years) tropical revolving storms should be undertaken from contrasting areas of the world.

Climate on a local scale: urban climates
Temperatures: the urban heat island effect.

Precipitation: frequency and intensity, fogs, thunderstorms and their relationship to urban form and processes.

Air quality: particulate pollution, photochemical smog and pollution reduction policies.

Winds: the effects of urban structures and layout on variations in wind speed, direction and frequency.

Global climate change
Evidence for climatic change over the last 20 000 years.

Global warming: possible causes. Possible effects: on a global scale, on the chosen tropical region (above) and on the British Isles.

Responses to global warming: international, national and local.

On Sunday, October 20, 2013 3:18:16 PM UTC+1, Steve Jackson wrote:
This is long, but here is the syllabus we teach for A2 AQA waether & climate unit



Major climate controls



The structure of the atmosphere, the atmospheric heat budget, the general atmospheric circulation, planetary surface winds, latitude, oceanic circulation and altitude.

The climate of the British Isles

Basic climatic characteristics: temperature, precipitation and wind.



Air masses affecting the British Isles.



Origin and nature of depressions. Weather changes associated with the passage of a depression.



Origin and nature of anticyclones. Associated weather conditions in winter and summer.

Storm events: their occurrence, their impact and the responses to them. One case study from within the last 30 years should be undertaken.



The climate of one tropical region - tropical

wet/dry savanna

Basic climatic characteristics: temperature, precipitation and wind.



The role of sub-tropical anticyclones and the inter-tropical convergence zone.



Tropical revolving storms. Their occurrence, their impact and the responses to them. Two case studies of recent (within the last 30 years) tropical revolving storms should be undertaken from contrasting areas of the world..



Climate on a local scale: urban climates

Temperatures: the urban heat island effect.



Precipitation: frequency and intensity, fogs, thunderstorms and their relationship to urban form and processes.



Air quality: particulate pollution, photochemical smog and pollution reduction policies.



Winds: the effects of urban structures and layout on variations in wind speed, direction and frequency.



Global climate change

Evidence for climatic change over the last 20 000 years.



Global warming: possible causes. Possible effects: on a global scale, on the chosen tropical region (above) and on the British Isles.



Responses to global warming: international, national and local.

Good to see, but I don't see the drawing of weather maps from synoptic station data, or weather prediction from those charts 12 hours hence, in there. Sorry if you do that and I hope students do. Ah, memories!

Must also remember that most students sitting the old Meteorology GCSE were, in fact, 6th formers. The exam was beyond most Y11 pupils. (Not all, however; I had a particularly keen Y9 who did it in his own time, with after-school coaching and got a top grade.)

Synopitc charts, drawing of isobars, plotting of fronts, satellite photo interpretation etc are all on the skills syllabus, but can be tested on the written paper too, so it is very comprehensive IMO.

On Sunday, October 20, 2013 6:21:57 PM UTC+1, Steve Jackson wrote:
Synopitc charts, drawing of isobars, plotting of fronts, satellite photo interpretation etc are all on the skills syllabus, but can be tested on the written paper too, so it is very comprehensive IMO.

Nice. Glad to hear.

Paul