Go the Extra Mile
Key Stage 2 fieldwork competition
The Frederick Soddy Trust has relaunched the popular 'Go the Extra Mile' competition in conjunction with the Geographical Association as part of its mission to encourage field studies in schools.
Pupils are asked to make a journey of one mile in any direction from their school, looking at people, places and spaces on the way, then record their impressions on an A3 sheet.
Prizes
Pupils: An interactive globe, a mobile phone, a hand held GPS or a digital camera
Schools: £250 to be used for teaching geography, plus, if you wish to submit the work as part of a Primary Quality Mark application, the Trust will pay the enrolment fee.
Further information about the competition
Pupils are asked to walk for one mile in as near a straight line as they can manage (without danger or trespass) in any direction from the school. Working in pairs, they should note what they see of particular geographical interest and relevance. Then, based on an A3 sheet, the pupils are asked to describe their mile in the form of an illustrated map of their own making, showing on it what they observed and any significant comments about the features.
Look and record such aspects as:
- what words and images describe what there is
- why is the place used in this way
- how could it be used
- how does it make you feel
- what would you want to change and why
- what do the locals feel etc
The key task is to explore and uncover the geographical richness of what is immediately round you, however apparently unpromising that might seem at first glance. For example, even an alleyway of garages can provide geographical links.
Investigations into such things as the differential flows of traffic junctions, the flora and fauna of pavements and hedges, underground routings of sewers and wires, trees in the local park, street names and patterns, local places of worship, the age size and shape of houses, and the chains of supply to the local shops all have potential.
How to enter
Staff should limit the help they give (i.e. not direct exactly what should be written on the map), but can act as consultants in advising pupils about their choice of material.
Entries may include the listing of additional questions which could be followed up, thus taking the scope of the fieldwork further.
The competition is for one entry per school of one or a pair of pupils either in Years 3 or 4, or in Years 5 and 6. Submissions must state which years the pupils are in.
Please complete the application form and send your entries to:
Go The Extra Mile
C/O The Geographical Association
160 Solly Street
Sheffield
S1 4BF
The deadline for entries is 31 January. Please note that these cannot be returned.
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