GLBALISATION

LESSON PLANS

This page last updated July 2008 and now ARCHIVED.

1. Well travelled JEANS

Other lesson ideas:

Quiz on logo recognition - to show the spread of global brands. Recognise that there are some logos that would be understood in Africa just as much as in the USA. Picture quiz of Coca Cola logos in various locations. There is a good one in the shanty town of Kibera.

Use of RIPPLE diagram. Different opinions of sweatshops. (Liz Taylor idea...)

Try the GA site for more details on GLOBALISATION resources to download.

Walter's Jeans are now also the subject of a movie on the GeographyattheMovies site which covers the countries involved in making the jeans.

A good starter.

Also use Victoria Ellis's PERFECT SWEATSHOP WORKER resource to trigger discussion. (Word Document)

Also Noel Jenkins' NIKIDAS simulation if you are feeling fruity...

2. A series of lessons on the theme of Globalisation. Collaborative work with Liz Taylor, from University of Cambridge. This now features in the GA Gold Award winning 'Re-Presenting Geography'

Resources: OUP Geog.3 textbook; World 2000 Programme 1 + GeographyPages web-links

Intro to the theme of Globalisation.

The aim of the series of sessions is to work towards an analytical piece of writing entitled: 'Is Globalisation a good thing ?', using the fashion industry as a case study.

Need to have a definition of the term: could be worded: "the way that companies, ideas and lifestyles are spreading more and more easily around the world" - this leads to the development of TNC's, and a concentration of the main brands into fewer and fewer companies. TNC's are Transnational Companies. These are companies which produce goods in a range of countries around the world, and whose goods are then sold in many more countries in addition to these.

There is a tendency for a concentration of global brands into just a few companies' hands.

We start out with an exercise looking at a pair of jeans. This is archived at the GUARDIAN site, and has also been the subject of a feature in the TES.

In the GEOG.3 textbook, the piece of work is called Walter's Global Jeans. See JEANS lesson above for more detail.

Collect global logos: Coca cola etc., which are recognisable. Could bring in the idea that children from an early age recognise logos, particularly the character merchandising from TV programmes.

Could also concentrate on a training shoe: give the students a training shoe outline: they can produce a percentage bar graph to show where the money goes when the shoes are bought.

We also had a non-uniform day during the period of time leading up to the written work, and my group did a little impromptu survey of pupils to see which training shoes they were wearing. The clear winner was Nike, followed by Adidas and Reebok, plus reasonable numbers of other makes. I even discovered a few brands I hadn't heard of before such as Vans - they're all the rage apparently.

Piece of extended writing: needs to address the various areas:

Is Globalisation a good thing:

for richer countries ?

for poorer countries ?

for the world ?

or not ?

I use a framework for the piece of writing to assist the groups who have problems sequencing or assembling an extended piece of writing, and also to remind them of the need to define what globalisation is, and consider the social and environmental consequences, as well as the economic ones.

One group have been producing draft copy and then writing up 'in neat' (a little like copying out for the wall...), and others have had access to a pre-produced framework on Word, or have been able to produce the document from scratch using Word. It'll be interesting to see whether it makes any difference.

I have also set a task to one group where they used the Internet to research the history of the TNCs, and try to see how they started out before they became all conquering e.g Ray Krock and McDonalds.

The labels can be reduced with lower ability groups: the first 3 pairs at the top of the table are the most crucial.

Can place the cards on a ripple diagram: strongly agree with globalisation goes in the middle of the archery target diagram, and disagree goes round the outside - or they can place them on a continuum from one extreme to the other.

The literacy work links in with work which forms part of the Standards and Effectiveness Unit's work on Literacy across the curriculum. It counts as non-fiction writing.

There is also work on analysing text types, and being careful with the layout of the work, and the development of writing with a purpose.

There is a useful article for higher level students on the online magazine: SPIKED. It is by Alan Shipman, and is called Lo: No Go, in reference to Naomi Klein's book. It gives a slightly positive slant on multinationals compared to the usual TNC bashing that goes on. NEW INTERNATIONALIST certainly give the negative viewpoint.

Can also investigate the various FREE TRADE organisation: these include LAFTA and NAFTA: North American Free Trade Association (between USA, Canada and Mexico)

Why not check out Naomi Klein's "No Logo".

3. TRAINER SURVEY and PICTOGRAPH.

Noel Jenkins' 'Juicy Geography' site includes details on how to use a picture you've previously saved as the basis for a pictograph. This is a very useful resource, and as an activity is RECOMMENDED. Do a TRAINER SURVEY of the makes that are being worn by students.

Also use POLLSTER to keep track of an 'in-lesson' poll, as the hands go up. See the PROJECTOR page for the link from the Teacher Resource Exchange.

4.

The problem with using a site like this is that you are in danger of only giving one point of view to the exclusion of others. However, the CLEAN CLOTHES site uses a range of resources to investigate the issues, and also gives you the chance to send some excellent e-cards, which make great images in themselves as they put across a strong message. I particularly like the picture of Tiger Woods with a smile distorted into the shape of the Nike Swoosh™

There is plenty here to explore, notably the information on FOOTBALLS in Sialkot. See the GEOGRAPHY OF SPORT section of the website for more.

There has also been a recent story about the investigation into sportswear made by various SPORTSWEAR firms.

5. COCA COLA are another company accused of various practices in LEDCs. A report on this is available to download from INDIARESOURCE. This campaign has also been supported by comedian and activist MARK THOMAS.

And don't forget to hang on to your souvenir bottles of DASANI, they may be worth something one day - apparently they're already being traded on E-BAY (but then what isn't...)

6. SUBVERT the adverts. There's a range of sites with images which take traditional LOGOs and subvert them. A friend of mine also used to sell T-Shirts with some of these subtly changed (or not so subtly in some cases.) There are some variations on this at the various NIKE sites where the 'SWOOSH' is changed to give other meanings...

Why not have students deconstruct adverts and then construct subverted versions in the vein of those at SUBVERTISE.

A resource I was alerted to by a colleague is a short video which has been made by Anthony Minghella, and available on the beginning of the video release to the film 'Notting Hill'. It's a 5 minute video which is related to aid, and repayments to the first world. The film is called 'We don't want it', and was produced for the Comic Relief 'Debtwish' campaign.

Don't forget the FLICKR MAGAZINE COVER maker for making 'alternative' magazines...

7. 'GLOCALISATION'

This is a recent introduction. Despite the importance of TNCs, the 'local' scale is still important. All human activities are grounded in local places, and all the global brands we have discussed have to locate themselves somewhere... This means that the company will come into contact with groups of local people.

Another benefit of this was demonstrated in the last few months. I bought a washing machine online from one of the UK's major high street retailers. I had to wait a week for delivery. It lasted 3 weeks before breaking down. After various hours on the phone with unhelpful call staff we finally got a refund, and I drove to a local electrical store (1 branch....) and got a washing machine within 24 hours for less than ...... the un-named retailer.

Farmer's markets are another good way of supporting local suppliers.

9. YEAR 9 EXTENDED WRITING TASK

The extended piece of writing also involves thinking about which level might be appropriate, or to which it might contribute. As the preparation for the extended piece we explore:

the need for an introduction

the purpose of the conclusion

the need for examples

the requirement for research: to include something which 'we haven't told them'

We MODEL examples of what we would expect students to include in a Level 4 or 7 answer, and suggest that we will place work somewhere on a continuum on the basis of the statements in the marking criteria. Need to ensure that you have defined globalisation, given arguments for and against (and weighed up the strength of those points), showed evidence for additional research and come to a structured conclusion.

We also give various levels of frame-working depending on the nature of the group itself.

Now fits in with our new levelling statements.

10a. THE SHIRT OFF YOUR BACK 1

The first possibility is a simulation game which has been produced by Noel Jenkins. Download the full majesty of his latest creation. It is called SWEATSHIRTS and is truly multimedia. This was the subject of a seminar at the SAGT CONFERENCE 2005

10b. THE SHIRT OFF YOUR BACK 2

This activity relates to sport.

At the start of each season, football clubs reveal their shirt sponsorship deals. The lower league clubs are perhaps sponsored by local double glazing or taxi firms, but the Premiership companies tend to attract larger companies. Why not research the GLOBAL COMPANIES which sponsor these clubs. Some examples of the sponsorship details are given below:

11. THE COMPUTER GAME

A free resource which can be obtained from CAFOD. This is a nicely put together simulation. The booklet includes all the various resources that you will need.

12. THE FOOD ON YOUR PLATE

FOOD MILES is an area for further development. More to come soon. There was a useful poster in the TES earlier in the year, and this has also been a focus of the GA's VALUING PLACES project.

13. ARSENAL.COM

Arsenal is a global football team. It has a useful website which has PLAYER FILES down the left hand column, which allows you to see the FIRST TEAM SQUAD players. Their place of birth can be plotted on a map, and this can be repeated for many of the premiership clubs who have websites.

Remember that merchandising opportunities are important for these clubs.

14. FAIRTRADE FOOTBALLS (New for November 2005)

Images from Fair Deal Trading. Com

These are available from a country called FAIR DEAL TRADING. They sell a range of sporting equipment and footwear which is guaranteed to be produced by workers who have a better deal in terms of the trade union and health benefits which they have. The company also pays a $2 additional premium for each ball that they purchase. You can read stories about the people who make the products. Order a pair of excellent NO SWEAT trainers too while you're at it! I have !

Why not get the students to use an idea from the Geog.3 Extensions support materials. They can produce a campaign aimed at a particular audience and purpose. In this case though, the target audience is the school's PE department. Why not try to get your PE department to purchase Fair Trade equipment (and get your canteen and vending machines stocking them too while you're at it...)

Thanks to Ollie Bray's blog for this link and curriculum idea.

This was shown on the More4 channel in December 2005, but is also available on DVD (and will undoubtedly be shown again...)

The video starts with a fast montage of the names of corporations in FLASH frame mode. Get the students to identify and write down as many of them as possible, and then use the Internet to research the particular area within which the corporation operates: FOOD, PHARMACEUTICALS, OIL etc.

16. OUTSOURCING or OUT'SAUCING' ? - New for May 2006

Outsourcing is the transfer of manufacturing and services from one country to another, generally in order to make savings on costs. This has been a common feature of the last decade, which has seen the movement of many thousands of UK jobs to other locations.

HP Sauce - this is a British classic, and has been made in the West Midlands from the start, but recently, plans were announced to move production to the Netherlands.

An online petition has been started up, and this has some rather good resources: visit the BROWN SAUCE website to view these excellent resources.

Helen Nurton has sent me an excellent MYSTERY resource to go with this (Word document), and also a MOVIE which will presumably soon be available on Adam Lawson's GeographyattheMovies blog.

Check out the image gallery at the site, and also some other media including some HP songs and other materials.

17. Daffodils from the Scilly Isles (Narcissi) - based on article in the Times magazine in February 2008 by Nick Haslam

• St. Agnes in the Isles of Scilly: population of only 65

• Some growers have been in the business for generations, such as the Hicks family

• Francis Hicks' business: fields are protected by tall windbreaks

• Has to grow 1.25 million stems before he can afford to employ pickers

• East Europeans are happy to work in Cornwall, but difficult to get them across to the Scilly Isles

• First narcissi bulbs arrived in the islands in the 18th Century (from the Mediterranean)

• Flowers flourished in mild climate where frosts are very rare - can start flowering as early as January (Mothers' Day in March)

• Flowers are made to bud early: soil is covered in sheeting, to keep it warm and dry, then expose in October

• Boat arrives 3 times a week from Penzance to take the blooms to the mainland - chilled containers

• Imported flowers nearly killed off the farms and the industry

• Some pickers, from Lithuania are here to pay for tuition fees back home

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