Explore with Guerrilla Explore with Guerrilla Geography!!Geography!!

Ruth PottsRuth PottsIn partnership with the Geography In partnership with the Geography

Collective.Collective.Friday April 13Friday April 13thth..

Who are the Geography Who are the Geography Collective?Collective?

We are a collective of Geography We are a collective of Geography activists, teachers, therapists, activists, teachers, therapists, academics, artists and guerrillas. academics, artists and guerrillas. We’ve come together to encourage We’ve come together to encourage (young) people to see our world in (young) people to see our world in new ways. new ways.

What is Mission Explore?What is Mission Explore?

Mission:Explore has a purpose. We Mission:Explore has a purpose. We think that the world is awesome and think that the world is awesome and that making sense of it is important. that making sense of it is important. We do this through an approach to We do this through an approach to exploring, questioning, playing, exploring, questioning, playing, experimenting and experiencing our experimenting and experiencing our planet we call guerrilla geography. Our planet we call guerrilla geography. Our children’s activities are developed to children’s activities are developed to encourage creative and critical thinking encourage creative and critical thinking about the world in which they live while about the world in which they live while having a great deal of fun.having a great deal of fun.

The booksThe books

Hay Festival and National Trust Outdoors Book of the Year 2011Hay Festival and National Trust Outdoors Book of the Year 2011

http://www.missionexplore.net/http://www.missionexplore.net/

Hay Festival and National Trust Outdoors Book of the Year 2011Hay Festival and National Trust Outdoors Book of the Year 2011

http://www.missionexplore.net/http://www.missionexplore.net/

How can these be used in How can these be used in schools?schools?

Find a mission and adapt it for use in Find a mission and adapt it for use in school.school.

Fit into the curriculum – lots of Fit into the curriculum – lots of mapworkmapwork

Eg - Create a river story – link to river Eg - Create a river story – link to river project or the river Nile.project or the river Nile.

“Geography without fieldwork is like science without experiments…”

River journeyRiver journey

Collect A- ZCollect A- Z

Finder PoetsFinder Poets

Write a poem about the things you find while exploring outdoors..

http://http://www.missionexplore.net/www.missionexplore.net/

mission/ID-a-problemmission/ID-a-problem

Identify a problem that faces young people in your Identify a problem that faces young people in your area: homelessness, kids without school supplies, area: homelessness, kids without school supplies, lack of playgrounds or another issue. lack of playgrounds or another issue.

Research the problem you are interested in and Research the problem you are interested in and write up and submit a plan for how you would go write up and submit a plan for how you would go about trying to fix or reduce the problem. See if about trying to fix or reduce the problem. See if there is a related organization you can volunteer there is a related organization you can volunteer with. If not, organize a campaign to try to change with. If not, organize a campaign to try to change things and raise awareness of the problem. things and raise awareness of the problem.

Use TES website for brilliant ideas for Key Stage 1 Use TES website for brilliant ideas for Key Stage 1 – 3.– 3.

Your turn!!!!Your turn!!!!

Form an Air BandForm an Air Band In groups can you form an air band In groups can you form an air band

to produce a piece of music to the to produce a piece of music to the others?others?http://www.missionexplore.net/mission/Form-an-air-band

Furthest and closestFurthest and closest

http://www.missionexplore.net/mission/Furthest-and-closest

Speak to five people in a public place. Who is Speak to five people in a public place. Who is furthest from you and who is closest to you in furthest from you and who is closest to you in terms of: where they live, their age, their taste in terms of: where they live, their age, their taste in music and their opinions on something that's music and their opinions on something that's important to you?important to you?

You can be close to someone who is very far away. You can also feel distant from someone sitting next to you. Consider creating a map to show the different relationships you discover. 

Tip: Take your time to have a good chat during this mission. As you talk you may become closer to the people you speak to.

Where is the Geography?Where is the Geography?

Play is deeply linked to geography. From being Play is deeply linked to geography. From being immersed in deep play and imagining alternative immersed in deep play and imagining alternative worlds to evading capture in foreign territories while worlds to evading capture in foreign territories while playing hide and seek, play is one of the most playing hide and seek, play is one of the most enjoyable engagements we ever have with our enjoyable engagements we ever have with our world(s). It’s also an immensely powerful way to world(s). It’s also an immensely powerful way to learn about people, social interactions, learn about people, social interactions, communication, risk-taking, management, fear, love, communication, risk-taking, management, fear, love, worms, trees, strangeness, experimenting, science, worms, trees, strangeness, experimenting, science, being creative and so much more. Despite all of the being creative and so much more. Despite all of the known advantages of outdoor play many children do known advantages of outdoor play many children do not have the opportunity experience it as much as not have the opportunity experience it as much as they should do.. and would want to. they should do.. and would want to.

Hide a………………..Hide a………………..

http://www.missionexplore.net/mission/Hide-a

Buy a simple old jigsaw from a charity Buy a simple old jigsaw from a charity shop, put it together and draw a map on its shop, put it together and draw a map on its back that leads someone to something or back that leads someone to something or somewhere special. somewhere special.

Post or plant the pieces so that the person Post or plant the pieces so that the person finds them over a long period of time. Make finds them over a long period of time. Make sure you're around when they find the final sure you're around when they find the final piece of the jigsaw and work it all out! piece of the jigsaw and work it all out!

Walk your footprintWalk your footprint

http://www.missionexplore.net/mission/Walk-your-footprint

Estimate the size of your ecological Estimate the size of your ecological footprint. How long does it take you to footprint. How long does it take you to walk from its centre to its edge? walk from its centre to its edge?

What is the total ecological footprint of What is the total ecological footprint of your household? school? community? your household? school? community? Create a piece of art to demonstrate what Create a piece of art to demonstrate what you discover by doing this mission.you discover by doing this mission.

Cartoon removed for copyright reasons

How to fit into school life.How to fit into school life.

Hold a “Mission Explore” club after Hold a “Mission Explore” club after school.school.

Hold Mission Explore whole school Hold Mission Explore whole school days/weeks.days/weeks.

Have a challenge board up in school, Have a challenge board up in school, change the missions regularly.change the missions regularly.

Trash Art (mission explore Trash Art (mission explore club)club)

Say Cheese!!!Say Cheese!!!

The FutureThe Future

Become one of the Mission Explore Become one of the Mission Explore Challenge groups.Challenge groups.

Become a private group where you and Become a private group where you and other teachers you invite, can create other teachers you invite, can create your own missions and badges.your own missions and badges.

Only your pupils can view them.Only your pupils can view them. Find resources on TES – Latitude festivalFind resources on TES – Latitude festival

Go out there and Go out there and get exploring get exploring

with your with your children !!!!children !!!!

Go the mint stintGo the mint stint http://www.missionexplore.net/http://www.missionexplore.net/

mission/Go-the-mint-stintmission/Go-the-mint-stint

How far can you travel while sucking the same mint?

Create maps of your attempts; you can use the space in your Mission:Explore book, or another notebook or journal, to record your efforts.