Last assembly of 2014

Even if I have been talking to you all, let me wish you a merry christmas and a happy new year. Take these holidays like a break to come back with nice improvements and a new mentality to keep working hard and reach new goals and targets within the new year.

Projects Year 7s, 8s and 9s

Here you have some pictures about the projects you been working the last days of term.

Year 7s "Earthquakes, plate tectonics, volcanoes and tsunamis"
Year 8s "Coastal erosion"
Year 9s "TNCs / Multinationals"

Congratulations and keep it up next term!

Christmas Concert 2014

This Friday (12 / 12 / 14) we will celebrate the Christmas concert at 18:00 (Mataespesa site). As far as I know you have been working on the different songs and performances for that day. I just hope we all have a great evening and remember that we should collect as much as possible. Congratulations and thank you very much for all your effort in adavnce.

REMEMBER: All the money that we will collect will be for charity, and as we did last year we have chosen the important NGO.... "Asociación Española contra el Cáncer". So, we should devote our most serious efforts to collect lots of money for this organization. 

Important INFORMATION for 2nd TERM

Dear students,

Most of the information about the second term is ready on the web page. Have a look on your "year tag" and you will get the information in advance about test, books, projects, etc

Do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.

 

 

Geography in Key Stage 4 (year 10 & 11)

Dear parents and students of year 9,

I have got some requests about information a little bit more in detail about Geography in year 10 and 11. So, I have decided to make a brief summary of the important information to pay attention about this subject and posted on here. You may find this information and other, in the "portal de comunicación".

_____________________________________________________ 

KEY STAGE 4 – YEARS 10-11 

 
1.Aims 
In Key Stage 4, students in Montessori Mataespesa/Fresnos will be prepared for the International General Certificate of Education exam of the University of Cambridge Examinations Board (IGCSE), Syllabus number 0460. The aims are therefore the same as those specified by the exam board and are summarised as follows: - 
1. To develop a sense of place and an understanding of relative location on a local, regional and global scale; 
2. To develop an awareness of the characteristics and distribution of a selection of contrasting physical and human environments; 
3. To develop an understanding of some of the processes affecting the development of such environments; 
4. To develop an understanding of the spatial effects of the ways in which people interact with each other and with their environments; 
5. To develop an understanding of different communities and cultures throughout the world and an awareness of the contrasting opportunities and constraints presented by different environments.

 
2. Syllabus outline 
All students will follow the same teaching syllabus, based on the exam syllabus.

YEAR 10 (Physical Geography)
1. Plate Tectonics, Earthquakes, volcanoes, fold mountains, rift valleys, natural hazards and human response. 
2. Weathering and mass movement 
3. Fluvial processes and associated landforms, flooding, river pollution, water resources – uses, competition and conflict 
4. Marine processes and associated landforms, coastal flooding, coastal pollution, and coastal management 
5. The collection of meteorological data and factors affecting climate 
6. Tropical rainforests – climate and vegetation, plantation farming, small-scale subsistence agriculture, deforestation and global warming 
7. Deserts – climate and vegetation 

YEAR 11 (Human Geography)
1. World population distribution and density. World population growth, the concepts of overpopulation and carrying capacity. The demographic transition and variations in world population growth. Pro- and anti-natalist policies. Population structure, population pyramids. Population migration – causes and consequences
2. Settlement site, situation, pattern, morphology, function and growth. Settlement hierarchies and spheres of influence – shopping patterns. Urbanisation and associated problems. Urban land use models and comparisons between MEDCs and LEDCs. Inner cities and their redevelopment, ribbon development, dormitory suburbs/villages, green belts. Rural-urban migration in the LEDCs and shanty towns 
3. Employment structure 
4. Farming – changes in commercial and cash-crop farming 
5. Energy – significance of different energy sources, acid rain, the siting of power stations 
6. Industrial systems - motor vehicle assembly, high technology industries 
7. Leisure & tourism 
8. Revision 


3. Time allocation 

Students will have 3 x 55 minute periods of Geography and some homework per week. 


4. Resources 

Each student will have a copy of The New Wider World (Third Edition) by David Waugh (ISBN ). Each student will have access to the Oxford Practical Atlas (ISBN 0 19 831836 7). The textbook and atlas are supplemented my many teacher-prepared resources and by past examination questions. 


5. Assessment 

No assessment will be made of the students’ notes but assessment will be based on IGCSE style questions and the grades awarded will be equivalent to those that would have been obtained by the student under examination conditions bearing in mind the stage in the course. There will be tests at the end of most teaching units and formal examinations in June of Year 10 and in January of Year 11. All students will enter for Paper 1, Paper 2 and Paper 4 (Alternative to Coursework).

Year 8s Reina Sofía Modern Art Museum

Year 8C is just back from a wonderful day out visiting one of the most important modern art museum in the world. We have learnt a little bit more about modern art and we need to send a BIG thank you to our guide "Miguel". Next Monday... year 8A and 8B will enjoy this incredible place with the help of two other wonderful volunteers.

year 9s... Globalization and TNCs

We just have finished our topic about "TNCs and globalization" . The global test will not be next week but the following one and here you have news about something we have explained in our lessons, demonstration of people against G20 and WTO, trying to make people to open their eyes and change the way we use our natural resources and run our national economies and to stop inequality between rich and poor. You may click into the next link to get more information.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/australia/63210919/g20-merkel-and-key-downplay-russian-posturing

Year 8s.... Weather & Climate

We just have finished our topic about "Weather and climate". The global test will be next week and here you have news about something we have explained in our lessons, the link of global warming with changes in our weather and climate in the planet. You can click into the next link to get more information.

http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-30023536

Year 7s... Volcanoes on the news...

We just have finished our topic about "Earthquakes, plate tectonics and volcanoes". The global test will be next friday and here you have news about a volcanic eruption in Hawaii. You may click into the next link to get more information and see a time-lapse footage of Hawaii lava flow.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/30049341

History alive

This 2014 is a historic year for Berlin. Today marks the 25th anniversary of the most significant event in recent German history: the Fall of the Berlin Wall on 9 November 1989.The Berlin Wall was both the physical division between West Berlin and East Germany from 1961 to 1989 and the symbolic boundary between democracy and Communism during the Cold War.It was erected in the dead of night and for 28 years kept East Germans from fleeing to the West. Its destruction, which was nearly as instantaneous as its creation, was celebrated around the world. Have we learnt any lessons? Maybe not, despite we should learn from them and history.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-29974950

Year 9s OPTIONS TIME!!! Is Geography for me?

Dear year 9s

As you get closer to narrowing down your options, I have received some questions from pupils asking me about next year. Most of you are a bit excited and nervous about what to do and choose for year 10 and 11. Well, it is difficult for me to give an individual answer for each of you, for that reason you should think about a few things, and you can read them all down here. This applies just as well to any subject, not just Geography.

Step 1: Most important - do you enjoy it?
If you enjoy a subject you will work harder and be more attentive. That will lead to a happier couple of years, and a better grade at the end of it. If you enjoy several subjects, go to step 2...

Step 2: Are you good at it?
If you have several subjects you enjoy, think about which ones you are best at. Remember though, that if you haven't done well recently it doesn't mean you won't do better next year, especially as the people in your group will change which may help you concentrate better. If you are still struggling, go to step 3...

Step 3: The Department
If you haven't made your decisions based on Steps 1 and 2 (and even if you have), take a look at the department you will be working in. Every subject has huge strengths, and you need to decide which are appropriate for you. In last year's IGCSE exams, most of our Geography students at Montessori School Mataespesa got a grade C / B - and many A or an A*. Is this something that is important to you? You can also think about the classrooms, access to past papers, and the staff - but see the word of warning in Step 5!

Step 4: What will you study next year - is it interesting?
If you still can't decide, get details from other IGCSE students in the Options Meeting on Thursday 23rd and 30th of October about the course you are going to study. You might find Geography more interesting than you thought - from global issues like climate change and fighting poverty, right down to why you live in your house and why there isn't a cinema nearby, geography is an interesting subject. Remember also that some new subjects that sound fabulously exciting might not turn out the way you think they will. This brings us on to the next point...

Step 5: The teachers
You might want to study with the same teacher for the next two years. Or you might want to get away from one you have at the moment! :,( But don't let this be something that influences your decision to do any particular subject. Remember that teachers are unlikely to teach all the groups in your year for IGCSE, and even if they do, in all subject areas teachers move on from time to time. Mr. Vallely and "myself" Mr. Legaz.... we are very busy every year and last minute subject changes may occur.

Whatever you decide, make sure it is the right subject for you. The Geography Department naturally wants you ALL to do Geography because we think it is the most important subject you could take (where else will you learn about global warming, rainforest destruction, shopping patterns and coastal erosion?) but we also want you to make the right decision. Ask us at any time if you want more advice.

Here you have a couple of videos from a school in UK giving you reasons to choose GEOGRAPHY as IGCSE. I will try to publish some other videos on here to help you with your final decision. Show it to your parents so you make the right choice!!!

Year 9 Development in LEDCs

We are talking about development this term. We have been using Ghana as an example of development in LEDCs and we said that small projects could make a big difference. Here we have another example about this kind of projects, investing little money is going to make a huge change into other people's lives. Read more about it just clicking on the link or/and watch this video for further information.

http://elpais.com/elpais/2014/10/09/planeta_futuro/1412856806_874256.html

Revision of BOOKS and half term ORALS

Just a quick reminder to my 12 groups of teaching and all my students of Geography 7A, 7B, 7C, 8A, 8B, 8C, 9A, 9B, 9C 11, PSHE and History 8C..... Have a look to the updated information about revision of books and quick oral tests that we will do the following week. REMEMBER ...We will use these results as grade for the half term report. 

Happy first day of Autumn

Today is the first day of Autumn (fall for some) in our Hemisphere, but we must remember that Equinoxes are opposite on either side of the equator, so the autumnal (fall) equinox in the Northern Hemisphere is the spring (vernal) equinox in the Southern Hemisphere and vice versa.
Anyway... let's celebrate our Autumn as a season of change for better.

Climate Change 2014

As the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) says there is a strong scientific consensus that the global climate is changing and that human activity contributes significantly. This consensus is attested to by a joint statement signed in 2005 by 11 of the world’s leading national science academies representing Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Italy, India, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States. 

Their statement confirmed the likelihood of human-induced climate change. Many other science bodies have issued similar statements. Most of the scientific debate on climate change takes place through articles that climate scientists publish in peer-reviewed scientific journals. Peer review, while not perfect, is a highly effective system for ensuring that journals only accept articles that meet a good standard of scientific rigorand objectivity. 

Several surveys of the refereed literature on climate change science have confirmed that virtually all published papers accept the fundamentals of human-induced climate change.  Some of the following links provide further information about this issue and the demonstrations all around the world. Click on them to know more. We will talk about it in year 7 and 8.

BBC  

http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-29301969

EL PAÍS  

http://sociedad.elpais.com/sociedad/2014/09/21/actualidad/1411322966_435333.html 

THE GUARDIAN

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/sep/21/-sp-climate-change-protest-melbourne-london-new-york-protest

UN (United Nations)

http://www.unep.org/climatechange/

Year 11 Population

I am posting interesting and updated information about population. Remember... we will do a test about population and migration soon. Click on the link or picture to find out more.

http://sociedad.elpais.com/sociedad/2014/09/18/actualidad/1411055250_751320.html

Welcome.... back!

Dear students,

I would like to take this opportunity to welcome everyone back for the start of the 2014 – 2015 school year. Although I’m sure everyone hates to see their summer vacation come to an end, there is always a certain air of excitement about the start of a new school year. We did not even start yet and  here you have some information about our 1st term. Hope you find it useful and it will be all explained the first week we see all each other. Click on upper tags to know more. But anyway... most of you are more or less familiar with new timetables, rooms, books, and teachers.

It is going to be a challenging year for us all (students, parents and teachers), with many different issues to deal with academically or not, in and out the school. 
For that reason we all must make an extra effort in our own responsabilities, being supportive to each other.

- Students, I expect you work hard, study a lot, following school rules as you know them already.
- Parents, I know and appreciate your support and understanding of the hard work of teachers and special conditions we are going through at work. So, I give you all my biggest thank you in advance.
- Teachers (myself) As a teacher I understand the effort all of you (parents) are making to send your kids here and I will do my job as professional as ever to get outstanding and best academic results with every single student I am responsible in every subject, group and lessons I teach.

Ok, enough is enough... time to say bye for now.

I just wish you the best of luck to you all this year.

Mr. Legaz

Countdown....

Dear year 11s,

I hope you are enjoying yourselves the summer holidays. We are going through the equator of our holidays and we just started August, so it means less than 12 days for the IGCSE results... 

Good luck to everybody! Fingers crossed ;)

Summer time...

Empty school, corridors in silence and lonely lockers. Do not forget to revise and read during the summer to keep ourselves busy and active.

Every june I try to make a summary about my academic year. After many days, weeks, months, terms of hard work .... here we have the well deserved rest & holidays!... and some numbers.

Mr. Legaz academic year 2013-2014 in quick figures...
- I have been teaching 283 students
- 13 groups of teaching.  Geography: 7A, 7B, 7C , 8A, 8B, 8C, 9A, 9B, 11. 
                                        History: 7A, 7B, 7C, 8A 
                                       
- More than 1200 teaching hours (not included substitutions, duties, etc)
- More than 44 test, it means around 1000 tests and 283 exercise books marked 1000 times!!!
- Around 1132 grades and comments on reports.
- Countless notes in diaries and some phone calls to parents
- Many parents evenings, tutorial appointments and teacher meetings 
- And millions of SILENCE please and behave properly! Thank you!

SEE YOU AFTER THE SUMMER WITH NEW STRENGHT AND ENERGY!!!

Class of 1996... Congratulations!

Dear year 13 (class of 1996),

Congratulations for your graduation today (Friday). 

Wishing the BEST for the future to you all!

Summer letter ... Mr.Legaz

Estimados padres y alumnos de “Geography” en year 7A, 7B, 7C, 8A, 8B, 8C, 9A, 9B, 11 y “History” year 7A, 7B, 7C , 8A :

Estamos cerrando el curso académico 2013/2014. Este año ha sido un curso largo y duro en muchos aspectos, y no sólo en lo académico. Agradezco vuestro reconocimiento y apoyo durante todos estos meses.

Espero disfrutéis de un buen verano y merecido descanso. Recomiendo se siga en contacto con actividades relacionadas con la lectura y repaso de conceptos aprendidos durante el año. Algunos estudiantes de “year 7 y 8” han recibido un “summer-pack”. Son actividades de verano para aquellos que han suspendido o han aprobado pero creo que necesitan reforzar la/s asignatura/s de cara al curso que viene. No olvidéis traerlo hecho a la vuelta de vacaciones y entregarlo en la primera semana como “year 8 ó 9”.

También espero que este verano descansemos y el sol nos recargue a todos de energía para así empezar el nuevo curso con fuerza y energía renovada.

Un abrazo y gracias una vez más.

Félix Legaz

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Dear Parents and Students of "Geography" in year 7A, 7B, 7C, 8A, 8B, 8C, 9A, 9B, 11 and "History" year 7A, 7B, 7C, 8A,

We are at the end of this academic year 2013/2014. It has been a long hard year in many ways, not just academically. As usual, I really appreciate your support and understanding during all these months.

I hope you enjoy a great summer and deserved rest. I recommend you follow up with reading-related activities and review of concepts learned during the year. Some students in "year 7 and 8" will receive a "summer-pack". They are summer activities for those who have failed or they are at the edge and I think they need to strengthen their knowledge in my subject/s for next year. Please, do not forget to bring it done in September and hand it in the first week you are back to school again.

I also hope that this summer we rest a lot and we enjoy the sun, so we will be back to work with renewed strength and energy.

Regards and thank you very much one more time.


Félix Legaz

Year 9s Welcome to.... (posters)

Here you have your posters about tourism....

Year 8s Explaining a LEDC (projects)

Here you have your posters...

Year 7s Exploring Spain (projects)

Here you have your posters.... 

Merits Geography & History (Year 7s, 8s & 9s)

 You have got many merits today during the last assembly of this year. Despite I gave the list of names to management in advance it seems they forgot to include my merits in the list. Anyway, I think you deserve to receive them..... so I am posting them on here. Congratulations for you all!

Year 7 GEOGRAPHY (excellent effort, work and attitude during the whole year)

7A    Sergio P. /   Melinda L.

7B   Iker M.  /  Germán B.

7C   Markel B. /  Rafael V.

Year 8 GEOGRAPHY (excellent effort, work and attitude during the whole year)

8A   María N. / Inés C.

8B   Miriam M. / Rodrigo G.

8C   Ana B.  / Emma G.

Year 9 GEOGRAPHY (excellent effort, work and attitude during the whole year)

9A  Javier M. / Alberto A.

9B   Sergio V. / Miranda C.

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Year 7 HISTORY (excellent effort, work and attitude during the whole year)

7A   Alejandro G.  / Isolda S.

7B   Carla B./  Álvaro O.

7C   Sunny K.  /  Cristina E.


Year 8 HISTORY (excellent effort, work and attitude during the whole year)

8A   Pedro L.  /  Jimena S.

Year 7 visiting "Los Llanos" and Montessori School on the NEWS!!

We are visiting "Los Llanos Vital" next monday (10.00 to 14:00). You have been working on different projects in PSHE and some of you did an excellent job with the different radio programmes. It seems all your work and effort was very impressive and you have been on the news (Telemadrid). Here you have a link about it all.

CLICK ON HERE (TV CLIP)

World Environment Day

Today is the World Environment Day (WED), we should celebrate but thinking about what we do everyday and what we should do to improve our planet a little bit more. 
Useful information CLICK HERE

Geography on TV

Dear students, there is a new tv programme you will enjoy watching it. You will learn new geography issues and you will provide your own answers to many of the questions because we have been talking about them in our geography lessons. The tv presenter is a geographer and he will show you the importance of our subject to understand what is going on around us. I highly recommend you to follow it on RTVE.  
Do not miss it!!  TVE 1  Monday to Friday (20:30 - 21:00)

More information HERE

The link to the webpage HERE

Olympics (X Olimpiada Escolar) Collado Villalba

"Citius, Altius, Fortius" (Faster, Higher, Stronger)...... We are just back from a great day in the "Olympics" in Collado Villalba. Year 8s and 9s went yesterday and  enjoyed themselves as much as we did with years 7s today.

Well done everybody! You have shown a great fair play and sportive skills!

Montessori School Fresnos-Mataespesa in the Olympics (Collado Villalba)

Good luck to everybody in the Olympics (Collado Villalba). Year 8s and 9s on Wednesday....and year 7s on Thursday. I am sure you will give your best and you will enjoy yourselves during this competition. I will be with Year 7s on Thursday ...we will be back to the school before lunch!  Fair play everybody and enjoy yourselves!

IGCSE 2014 (GEOGRAPHY)

Dear year 11s,

Just a quick advice as you are about to go through the first IGCSE geography paper this Thursday and you have many other subjects to go through too, so it will be best if you concentrate on one thing at a time. If you have...let's say, an English paper coming up next....then concentrate on that one. Then move on to the next. Don't ever look at the "big picture" because that is when it becomes overwhelming. Just take it one step at a time and then move through each thing as they come. Best wishes and good luck. I am sure you will do all fine in IGCSE Geography and you could always have a second try in November if it is needed ;-)

Year 11s... IGCSE TIME!!!

Dear Year 11s .... THE IGCSEs ARE HERE!!!

Just a quick message on here to wish you the best of luck in your IGCSE (not just in the Geography papers but the other subjects too)

Here you have some reminders about the dates, papers and last minute news.

 DATES & PAPERS

- Paper 1 (08/05/14) (1 hour and 45 mins)

- Paper 2 (13/05/14) (1 hour and a half)

- Paper 4 (22/05/14) (1 hour and a half) Remember... This day is a FESTIVITY in Alpedrete but you MUST DO the IGCSE anyway.

LAST MINUTE NEWS & RIMINDERS

DO NOT FORGET to bring your own materials to every single exam (pen, pencil, 

ruler, calculator, etc). You are not allowed to ask for anything to anybody.

Revise as much as you can. Do not forget to use my photocopies to revise (not to study).

GOOD LUCK!!!