[additional] Recommendations/Endorsements Endorsed by Edexcel for use with their Geography GCSE B specification and for their GCE Geography specification Endorsed by OCR for use with their GCE Geography specification Testimonials “A hugely beneficial resource for Geography departments to engage their students and to provide them with exciting, visual and up to date case study materials which help them to prepare for examinations from GCSE to A level and IB. I will use this title for revision of mangroves for the IB group” Trish West, Geography Department, The Redmaids' School, Bristol A great case study which was not only different, but made clear the links to how using the forest sustainably benefitted everybody involved. Clearly laid out with clear use of titles and it was good to have the option to watch it in sections or in its entirety. The geography terminology used throughout made it relevant to A level and accessible to GCSE. There was a balanced approach looking at strategies to improve the area, including ones that worked and ones that didn't, eg tourism. The resource also contained some excellent maps which saves a lot of time looking for them. Overall an interesting, focused case study that pupils will remember. Janet Neil, Redland High School, Bristol Not having a huge departmental budget, I have tended to steer clear of DVDs produced specifically for education. However, Biodiversity Under Threat is likely to become a well-used resource in my geography department. The 40-minute DVD begins with an introduction to the Sundarbans region of Bangladesh, and is organised into chapters which look at the region’s ecosystem, potential threats to the ecosystem and attempts to manage and conserve the Sundarbans. It is presented from an objective point of view and explores some of the difficulties faced by the people of the Sundarbans as they try to find a balance between exploitation of the wealth of resources on their doorstep and conservation of the fragile ecosystem on which they depend. The information presented on the DVD provides excellent case study material that fits well with the AQA, Edexcel and OCR A-level geography specifications and should spark some good discussion with students. It will also link well with a number of GCSE courses. It draws together a range of geographical ideas so if viewed in its entirety will support the development of students synoptic thinking – the DVD is easily navigable however, so use of shorter clips would also be possible. What I particularly liked, though, was the superb range of extra resources (student worksheets, teachers notes, links to GCSE and A-level specifications, maps, diagrams and useful weblinks) written by a geographer, that are provided on the disc. The commentary is not always exciting and the music may get on your nerves, but overall this would be an excellent addition to most geography department resource libraries. Victoria Ellis, Swanwick Hall School, Alfreton and member of the GA Secondary Phase Committee Suggested exam board specification links Cambridge iGCSE Theme 2 The natural environment 2.3 Coasts Edexcel iGCSE Section A The Natural Environment 2 Coastal Environments Edexcel iGCSE Section D Global Issues 7 Fragile Environments [/additional] Resource bank of video clips, interactive maps, student activities and teachers' notes. Bangladesh's Sundarban Mangroves is one of the world's most bio-diverse areas and home to the endangered Bengal Tiger. This interactive resource resource bank looks at why the Sundarbans is so important: as a bio-diversity hotspot, as a carbon bank and as protection against the impacts of tropical cyclones. It examines the threats, including climate change, shrimp farming, poaching and tiger killings. It then explores how they can be sustainably managed and by whom. Case studies include; a tiger conservation project, eco-tourism and government initiatives to control resource exploitation.
