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Himalaya

Talk Curriculum Making

Curriculum Making

Using Himalaya

Author: Geographical Association

To mark the launch of the Action Plan every secondary school in England will be receiving a copy of Michael Palin's Himalaya, to inspire teachers and pupils with the landscapes and peoples he encountered on his journey. This will go to schools together with details of the Action Plan for Geography.

Michael Palin's Himalaya is a travel book. It is a potentially rich resource to use to support geography teaching and learning. It celebrates the uniqueness of people and places. Written through a western traveller's eyes, the text brings together different cultural perspectives. It is fun, sharing both the excitement and challenge of travel. It celebrates geography - literally, writing about the world - as a resource for education.

Michael Palin who is supporting the Action Plan for Geography has said:

"You can travel the seas, poles, and deserts and see nothing. To really understand the world you need to get under the skin of the people and places. In other words, learn about geography. I can't imagine a subject more relevant in schools. We'd all be lost without it."

His support for the APG is welcome. This initiative reinforces geography's distinctive contribution to the curriculum which is summarised in the launch leaflet. Schools Minister Andrew Adonis said,

"We strongly recommend that all teachers of geography join the organisations because we see membership as critical for subject specialist professional development and for maximising the impact of this significant push on geography."

 

Find out about joining the GA and RGS-IBG here.

More about the free CPD activities that the GA is offering through the Action Plan for Geography can be found in the Key Stage 1-3 Courses area. By participating in these courses you also get a free resource pack for your school as well as the time and support to develop your curriculum plans.

Copies of Himalaya can be purchased very cheaply via a variety of high street and online book stores. Additionally the website that accompanies the book is a rich resource, and provides a fascinating insight to the Himalaya region: http://www.palinstravels.co.uk/.

Teaching and Learning Ideas
Download a selection of materials from the grey box to the right of this page.

  • Some ideas on how to use the Himalaya website in the primary geography curriculum (Word)
  • Using the Himalaya website in Key Stage 2 Geography and with your Interactive Whiteboard (Word, SMART, PowerPoint)
  • Using Himalaya with Key Stage 3 students (Word)
  • Using Himalaya to develop the concept of place (Word x2)

If you have some ideas and activities that you have developed using Himalaya or a similar resource, or if you have visited the Himalaya region and have photos and/or experiences that you would be happy to share with other teachers of geography, then we would love to hear from you. Please email jbeattie@geography.org.uk - we will share as many of your resources as we can via these pages.

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