Building Sustainable Communities
About the project
Building Sustainable Communities arises from two linked ideas. First of all the idea of living geography - at home and outside the front door - one of the GA's key concepts and one which we've developed over a number of years through our project work. The second is about participation now and for the future - how do students make a positive contribution to the community and how will they develop skills which will contribute to their future economic well-being?
The project also asks two questions: 'What is meant by sustainable communities?' and 'How do geographical skills lead to engagement?'.
Action Research
Groups of teachers have been engaged in action research in four regions - Kent and Medway, Milton Keynes and South Midlands, Humberside and Plymouth and South Devon. Find out more on the Action Research page.
Partners
This Key Stage 4 project is run in partnership with the Academy for Sustainable Communities and with the support of the Architecture Centre Network.
Places People Want CPD Unit
Have you refreshed your scheme of work on 'settlement' or 'my place'? This online CPD Unit entitled 'Places People Want' will support this process working on your own or with colleagues. It explores the skills required to enable place-making and sustainable communities.
Start the CPD Unit Places People Want >>>
Sustainable Communities: Places People Want?
Encouraging students to investigate their own communities is a key element of the new geography curriculum. This DVD package has been produced by Pumpkin TV in association with the GA and Academy for Sustainable Communities to serve an enquiry approach to 'My community' by showing everyday people in unexceptional circumstances.
The case studies featured are Hamstreet, Kent, Cornwall and the Dearne Valley, Yorkshire. The DVD comprises: and introductory video, three 15-minute programmes, Q&A cameos about careers, a PowerPoint presentation, teachers' guidance and student worksheets.
Price: £45.01 (£39.13 GA members)
Teaching and Learning Resource
'ASC about... place making' contains four copies of a pop-out and make pyramid and a CD-ROM photo-set. The pyramids serve a dual-purpose as an activity on settlement hierarchy and as an introduction to the eight components of sustainable communities. The 80 indexed photographs are easily accessible for inclusion in digital presentations.
To request a copy, without charge, contact the ASC.
Copies of the pyramid can be made from the template provided below:
Pop-out and make Pyramid
(916k)
note: this file requires the Adobe Acrobat Reader.
If you do not have this you can get it free from the Adobe website.
