Over the sea to Skye
In this lesson we emerge from underground and in contrast, visit and describe the characteristics of a Scottish mountain environment
Key question
What is it like to visit Skye?
What is it like to visit Skye?
The Isle of Skye is one of the few remaining unspoiled areas of Europe and some say the most alpine-like and rugged mountain range in Great Britain. This is The Cuillin, with dramatic peaks, vertical faces and precipitous ridges. At the same latitude, 57 degrees North, as ice-bound locations such as Hudson Bay and central Russia it could be presumed to be very cold and bleak, with long, hard winters. Skye's climate however owes its mildness to the presence of the warm waters from the Gulf Stream. The Gulf Stream is one of the strongest ocean currents in the world. It moves warm water from the Gulf of Mexico north into the Atlantic and eventually flows up the western side of Scotland, keeping the sea temperate and the climate mild, allowing tropical plants such as palm trees to flourish. There is often no snow in winter.
Links
Starter
In small groups think of an appropriate caption for the photo below or chose you own inspiring image from Photos of Skye (Creative Commons) on Flickr.
Choose an image of Skye from the photos and make your own motivational poster using the Flickr toys Motivator tool.
Each group could create a poster to motivate the following groups:
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Sightseers
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Geographers
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Climbers
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Conservationists
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Local residents
Main Activity
In pairs create a picture gallery or montage of photos of Skye at Flickr.
You can create your montage in PowerPoint or create a photo mosaic from your chosen digital photographs using Mosaic Maker.
Pick some key words that describe the physical geography and use your words to create a poem to go with your gallery or montage.
Key words:
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Sea lochs
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Bays
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Sea arches
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Stacks
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Caves
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Cliffs
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Waterfalls
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Fossils
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Tidal islands
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Peaks
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Ridges
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Corries
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Escarpment
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Landslip
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Mild climate
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Sandstone
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Glaciation
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Volcanic lava
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Limestone
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Caves
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Lava flows
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Eroded by rivers and ice
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Rockfalls
Plenary
Read your poems while projecting the picture galleries and montages on a screen in the classroom.
If you know how to use photo editing applications such as Photoshop Adobe Elements, your poem could be recorded and combined with the images.
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