Teachers Notes

This school pack is based around the discussions relating to whether a quarry should be extended and is linked to the National Curriculum:  Key Stage 3 Unit 21 Citizenship: People and the Environment. It also links with the Leading, Learning and Thinking Initiative.

Premise:  Economic development always comes at a cost.  Sometimes the benefits outweigh the costs.  Pupils will have to participate in discussion and come to a joint decision on a planning issue.  In this instance, there is no correct answer to this conundrum.  The value in the exercise lies in the lessons learnt through debate.

The project supports...

  • An understanding of how local environment issues affect our community.
  • Map work.
  • Language work, involving discussion and debate; reflecting and orally reporting; role-play and drama.
  • Analysing a range of sources of information.

 

These resources are provided...

  • Press release
  • Maps of the area affected by the quarry expansion. (On CD and in hard copy)
  • Photographs of flora and fauna and significant features
  • Replica archaeological finds
  • Pupil cards

The project includes...

  • Structured activities to involve pupils in the debate
  • Map work based around maps of the area.

 

 

 

Information for Teachers

These notes contain essential information about the project and associated materials.

Information in this pack

You should have: -

  • Information for teachers (these notes)
  • Lesson plans
  • Evidence pack including map and photographic evidence
  • Copies of the press release                 
  • Pupil sheets for the following groups
    • Quarry Company Managers
    • Quarry Workers and locals in favour of the quarry
    • Councillors and Planners
    • Environmentalists
    • Locals against
    • Historic Environment

 

The Groups and Roles

Quarry Company

Managing Director

Quarry Manager

Planning and Environmental Consultant

Press officer*

Archaeological Consultant *

 

Quarry workers and locals in favour

Customer

Worker

Union Representative

Unemployed person (age 18-21)

Councillors and Planners

Councillor One

Councillor Two

Highway Department

Planner

 

Locals against

Guest House Owner

Cafe Owner *

Farmer *

Mother with Asthmatic Son (age 12)

Heritage Environment

Local Historian

Chesford Hall Owner

Archaeologist *

Tourist Board

 

Environmentalists

Environmental Activist

Extreme Activist

English Nature *

CountyWildlife Trust

* These roles can have more than one pupil

 

At the start of the lesson

The class should be divided into the six groups.

Some of the roles can be doubled for classes larger than 24.

Each pupil should be allocated a role from the appropriate list of occupations.

In Lesson 1 each pupil will

  • Read the press release
  • Read the basic guidelines for each occupation
  • Study the maps and photographic evidence provided
  • Have time to study their individual role
  • Prepare a presentation with their group (the Councillors and Planners group will use this time to prepare questions for the other groups)

In Lesson 2 each pupil will

  • Remind themselves of their role
  • Remind themselves of the group presentation (Councillors and Planners will use this time to remind themselves of the questions they wish to ask the other groups)
  • Present to the Councillors and Planners and answer any subsequent questions
  • Have a free vote at the end of the presentations

Large clear labels could be prepared for the pupils to wear during the presentation.

Note on map work

It would be helpful if children had experience of working with a 1:50,000 map and interpreting it using the key and scale.

 

Teacher notes for Introduction to Lesson 1

A quarry company wants to continue to extend gravel extraction in the area. The quarry has been in existence for 20 years.

The company already employs 30 people on the site and more jobs may be created.

If the quarry is not extended, available mineral deposits for extraction will become exhausted, the quarry will close and jobs will be lost. The quarry plays a significant role in supplying construction materials within the county, and there is a continuing requirement to maintain supplies within the area.

The planned extension is in the direction of an important archaeological site, this site might be damaged.

There is a small but thriving tourist industry in the nearby town and villages generated by a theme park 30 miles away.  A fear exists that If the quarry is extended the tourist trade may be adversely affected.

 

Should the company be allowed to extend their quarry?

 

At the end of lesson 2 pupils should be given a free vote on whether they are for or against the quarry expanding.

 

Download Teachers Notes

You can download a set of the teachers notes in PDF format here.