7 October 2008

Use the links below to navigate to each subject

Timetable

ICT
Maths
PE
Citizenship
Humanities
Music: Expressive Arts – Other Cultures in the Spring term
DT
Science
English

French

History

1. Each subject has been allocated one day. Where classes are split and have 2 teachers, there should be a second homework set.
2. Art, Music, ICT will probably set homework every other week.

Homework Projects

Year 8 PE homework project - Beginner 

Your task is to complete the following:

When complete present to your PE teacher for your extra stamp

Year 8 PE homework project - Intermediate 

Your task is to complete the following:

When complete present to your PE teacher for your extra stamp

Year 8 PE homework project - Advanced 

Your task is to complete the following:

When complete present to your PE teacher for your extra stamp

Year 8 key stage 3 Citizenship Homework Project

Aims:

1. To improve your knowledge and understanding about becoming an informed citizen.
2. To improve your skills of enquiry and communication.
3. To improve your skills of participation.

Your tasks:

Must:

1. Research one chosen charitable group or organisation. You can use the internet or use books in the library. You could contact your charity and ask them to send you information. For your chosen charity you must find out information to answer the following questions:-

•  What are the aims of the charity?

•  Who started the charity and what were their reasons?

•  What work does the charity do to help people to improve their lives?

•  How does the charity raise money?

•  How is the money raised spent?

•  How can individuals help?

1. This information should be written in your own words. There should be clear sections using the questions as side-headings.

1. Produce a piece of work for your group display/presentation in class.

Should:

1. Research into two very different charities.

1. The information should be written in your own words using the questions as side-headings.

1. Compare the two charities. In what ways are they similar and in what ways are they different?

1. Produce a piece of work for your group display/presentation in class.

Could:

1. Research into a project or campaign which you could become involved in.

1. Take part in or organise an event to raise awareness of a charity.

1. Organise a fund raising activity for your chosen charity.

1. Write an account of what you did.

Year 8 Major Project: Summer Term

Expressive Art joint theme:   Music and multiculturalism 

Starting Point

To investigate how composers and performers have used different stylistic and cultural characteristics to create new styles by:

• incorporating selected characteristics of folk music (melodic intervals, dance rhythms) to forge styles with a distinctive national.
• borrowing ‘unusual' characteristics from the music of other cultures to enrich a musical style
• examining ways in which historical and geographical factors have combined to bring together musicians from different cultural backgrounds and the creation of new distinctive styles: the influence of African and Western musics on jazz; the development of British Asian pop.

Core

Students will research the music of three contemporary styles which each have their roots in

music of more than one cultural tradition. They will investigate the historical and cultural

contexts of the root styles and the factors which caused the styles to have been brought together into a new style. Students will develop an understanding of:

• the features of the traditions which have been drawn upon to create the new style;
•   the processes of fusing together these features into a new style: the way in which musicians have worked together and the contributions of each root style to the new style;
• the distinctive characteristics of the new style.

The three styles for study are:

• Bhangra: originally a Punjabi folk dance which has interacted with Western Popular music traditions to form a distinctive British Asian style of pop;
• Salsa: a fusion of Cuban/Puerto Rican music (especially son ) and American Jazz;
• Minimalism: a new style of Western music, based on repeating structures such as those found in West African drum music and Indonesian gamelan , developed by Western composers through different compositional processes and through the use of ICT .

Language for Learning

Students should know the meaning of the following words which describe features of the music which arise in this piece of research homework:

• Bhangra: bhangra and chaal dance rhythms, rag, tal, dhol, sitar, tabla, tanpura , drone, electric guitar, bass, electronic keyboards, synthesisers.
• Salsa: son, clave , cross rhythms, montuno and choro (chorus), son bands; guitar, tres , instruments of the Big Band, swing, walking bass, comping.
• Minimalism: polyrhythm, cyclic, layering, phase, sequencing, sampling, editing, multitracking and mixing, tape loops.
• The names of composers/performers of the music studied should also be known.

Homework Topics

1)       Bhangra

Design an A3 poster to explain the style of Bhangra music. Include in your answer specific references to the types of instruments used and the style of the music.

You will find the following websites useful as they contain information on instruments, style and performers:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/music/worldmusic/indiatoindonesiarev2.shtml

http://4x4bhangra.co.uk/html/about.htm

http://www.cse.dmu.ac.uk/~hc02psd/mult1001/cw2/start.html

2)       Salsa

Visit the following website to learn more about Salsa:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/music/musicfordance/20th-21stcenturydiscorev3.shtml

http://www.salsa-merengue.co.uk/revealit/histsal/prologue.html

With a group of friends create a clapping piece of Salsa rhythm music. You will need to work in 4/4 time and incorporate some of the following rhythms:

This project should explore ways in which you can combine different rhythm patterns, the amount of people clapping at anyone time and have a clearly defined structure. You may like to vary the sound by introducing finger clicks, various other sounds made on the body, vocal sounds and dynamics. Record your rhythmic composition.

Write 50 words about your composition which an audience would find helpful when listening to your Salsa rhythm composition.

3)       Minimalism

Use the website link below to plan a presentation that will inform your audience about the minimalist style. Use the following questions to structure your presentations:

•  What is minimalist music?

•  What are the main features of a piece of minimalist music?

•  What were the influences on the development of minimalist music?

•  Who are the main composers

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/music/classicalorchestral/tccenturyartrev5.shtml

Yr 8 – Design Major Homework Project.

Winning entries will get prizes.

Mrs Williams would like to make a personalised year calendar for Guilsborough School to be sold to students, parents and staff with proceeds going to a charity.

Deadline – Monday 21st December 2007

Hand in to Mrs Williams with your name and tutor group marked clearly on the back.

Rules.

• You must use A5 plain paper in landscape.
• Use ONLY pencil crayons and a black fine liner pen.   Do not use felt pens!
• High quality presentation is essential.
• Depending on your house competition team, you must choose a month to enter.   You may enter for more than one month if you wish.
• Try to make the picture represent the school and activities that happen in that month both in school and in general, e.g. December - Snow, Christmas presents, snowmen, etc.

Neptune – January, February, March.

Jupiter – April, May, June.

Mercury – July, August, September.

Saturn – October, November, December.

First two weeks - Preparation. (By 23rd November)

• Identify which month you are designing for.
• Investigate what events occur in your chosen month to include both school activities, weather and any other important events.   (Be very careful that any specific dates you use are for next year and not this year.)
• Collect any images you may need to help with your ideas.  
• Collect a variety of different fonts that would suit your chosen month.

Second two weeks – Ideas. (By 7th December)

• Section a piece of A4 paper into quarters.
• Sketch out four different designs ensuring they are landscape in profile.
• Add some colour with pencil crayons to give an idea of how it will look when it is finished.

Third two weeks – Final design. (By 21st December)

• Draw out in pencil your final design onto a sheet of A5 paper in landscape.
• Using a black fine liner pen, carefully trace over your designs.
• Add colour with pencil crayons taking extra care to be neat.

Extension.

• Complete a front cover for the calendar to advertise it as being for Guilsborough School .  
• Include the school logo.
• Include the year (2007.)

Must

TASK 1 (LEVELS 4 - 5)
Describe the life of one of the following and explain how they took part in the campaign to abolish the slave trade.
Sam Sharpe Olaudah Equiano William Wilberforce Harriet Tubman

Should

TASK 2 (LEVELS 5 - 6)
Explain the reasons why the slave trade was abolished.
What were the slaves' views on the reasons why the slave trade was abolished?
What were the businessmen's views on the reasons why the slave trade was abolished?
What were the politicians' views on the reasons why the slave trade was abolished?
What were the religious reasons for abolishing the slave trade?

Could

TASK 3 (LEVELS 7 - 8)
"The British government should apologise for the involvement of British people in the slave trade 300 years ago." Do you agree with this view, explain your answer giving your reasons supported by factual details.

Year 8 Microbes and Disease Project 

Introduction

You are a medical writer who has been asked to produce a leaflet giving information to patients in GP's surgeries about an infectious disease.

Task

You are going to research an infectious disease of your choice. You will be finding out what type of microbe causes it, how it is spread (transmitted), what the symptoms are, what treatment is available and how the disease can be prevented. You will also have the opportunity to extend your research by finding out how many people suffer from the disease every year, where in the world it is most common and any medical research that is currently going on to help in its treatment / prevention.

Resources

To complete this project, you will need to go to the following sites on the Internet:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/conditions/ - Go to the fourth searching option (search by subject index) and click on ‘infectious diseases'. Then click on the disease you are researching. (A good site to start with if you don't know what disease to research).

http://www.nfid.org/factsheets/Default.html - National Foundation for Infectious Diseases. This is a list of factsheets giving information about infectious diseases, so this is also a good place to start if you don't know what disease to research.

http://www.prodigy.nhs.uk/PILs/index.asp - This is an NHS site that contains patient information leaflets about diseases – go to ‘leaflets – by condition' and click on ‘infections'. Then click on the disease you want information on.

http://www.medinfo.co.uk/conditions - this sit lists common medical conditions. When you click on the disease that you want, it gives you lots of information about symptoms, causes and treatment. However, not every condition listed here is an infectious disease, so be aware!

http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/ - this site contains an encyclopaedia – click on it, enter the name of your disease and it will give you information about the cause, symptoms and treatments. Again, you need to already know what disease you are looking for, as the encyclopaedia lists all diseases, not just infectious ones.

http://www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk/ - type your disease into the search box and it will display lots of useful information.

http://www.who.int/en/ - World Health Organisation. Click on ‘About WHO' to find out what this organisation does, then click on ‘Health topics' and search for your disease to find out the latest news about how many people have the disease, which countries are affected and the latest treatment or prevention measures.

Learning Resource Centre

Speak to Mrs Plowman, or use OPAC to find out titles of suitable books to help you with your project.

You can also book the computers in the LRC at breaktime and lunchtime, to search the internet using the sites above.

Encarta is installed on the LRC computers.

Format

Your leaflet can be produced on a computer, using Word or Publisher, or it can be hand-written on paper. Ask your teacher if you need any lined or plain paper. It could include pictures and diagrams as well as writing, to help the reader understand the information. Try to avoid copying information directly from the internet or from books; you should not include anything that you don't understand. You should also hand in a list of all the resources you have used to create your leaflet (references).

Weekly breakdowns

Check-list:

To achieve Level 4, you will have included information about:

• What type of microbe causes the disease you have chosen (bacteria, virus, fungi or protozoa)
• All the symptoms that the disease causes
• How the disease is spread
• Some of the treatments available

To achieve Level 5, you will have included information about:

• All of the above, plus:
• More detail about how the disease is transmitted
• More detail about the treatments available
• Evidence that you have looked at more than one resource

To achieve Level 6, you will have included information about:

• All of the above, plus:
• Information about the prevention of the disease. This should include information about any vaccines (immunisations) available, and preventative measures to stop the disease being transmitted.
• Evidence that you have looked at more than three resources.

To achieve Level 7, you will have included information about:

• All of the above, plus:
• The Latin name of the microbe that causes the disease
• Information about the aims of the WHO
• Information about the epidemiology of your disease – statistics about how many people contract the disease, which countries are worst affected, etc.
• News about the latest treatments for your disease.
• Evidence that you have looked at more than four resources.

Conclusion

By completing this project, you will have:

• Demonstrated your knowledge of a disease by providing information about its cause, transmission method, symptoms, treatment and prevention
• Completed research related to a disease in order to provide information for your patient leaflet.
• Communicated clearly and effectively the information you have organized in your research.
• Demonstrated the ability to work independently.
• Demonstrated your ability to find up-to-date information about on-going research about your disease.

Robots

Create a presentation, using PowerPoint or other presentation program, for your homework project based on the use of robots. Explain in your own words, using images and animation:

•  What the term 'robot' means. 

•  Discuss why robots are used.

•  Compare the use of robots for a task against doing that task manually.

•  Discuss the benefits and disadvantages that robots offer for society and the world of work.

•  Some of the information that you need is on the Robots presentation that you looked at in class. You will also need to do your own research using the Internet in order to be able to answer some of the questions in enough depth.

•  Your project should take around three hours to complete, and should be handed in to your ICT teacher in the first ICT lesson after half term . You can send it by e-mail or put it onto a CD or floppy disc.

Robots Presentation

Task: Write a short story of approximately 1000 words.

Deadline: Friday 24 th February.

More information on the task: During early January, your English teacher will be introducing you to the task. You are to write a short story of approximately 1000 words. There are two options that you may choose from:

Task A: Write a story following the conventions of a particular genre, for example, action, mystery or ghost story. Your teacher will be able to offer you advice about particular generic conventions.

OR

Task B: Write a story about a personal experience. This must be about a person, place or memory. Your teacher will be able to offer you advice about what you can write about and show you examples of work completed by students in previous years.

Task 1

Please take a few moments to think about the following questions and answer them in English.

•  How do you find learning a language?

•  What type of language learning activity do you prefer?

•  Do you prefer worksheets or working from the textbook and why?

•  Do you know what level you have achieved to date?

Task 2

Find a worksheet that you have been given in one of your French lessons.

Describe it in English, stating the advantages and disadvantages of the various tasks.

State why you liked particular tasks and why.

Task 3

(a) Make a checklist of the things a worksheet should include, in order to appeal to you and your individual learning style.

•  Make a list of anything that may appeal to someone with a different ability or learning style. (Is it accessible enough? Does it need to be more challenging?)

Task 4

Design a worksheet (in French) on the topic of ‘food and drink' and ‘restaurants' for your French class.

Brief:

You should include a variety of activities (a minimum of 4) and remember that you will need to think of all of the students in your group, who will have differing strengths and areas for improvement.

It should be accessible to a range of abilities from levels 1 -3.

(In short: Level 1= key words, Level 2= Complete sentences, Level 3= Complete sentences and opinions).

Don't forget that we (your Language Teachers), would like to use the best Worksheets to help us teach this topic next academic year.

The Worksheets will be judged in your French lessons by the class and the winner(s) of each tutor group will be awarded a prize, 2 extra stamps and 5 house points.

Remember that the presentation will play a major role, as will colour and clear instructions. You may handwrite this project or produce it using ICT.

Deadline: The week beginning 22 nd May. Please ask your French Teacher for the exact date.

MUST tasks (everyone must complete these):

1. Below is a list of areas that changed a lot at this time (and some of the people who were involved in each area).

Use the research skills you have learnt, borrow books from your teacher at lunchtime, visit the library, or use the internet.

You need to choose one area to research. Find out about the changes made in that area, the people involved, the inventions made, key dates, etc.

You must take notes about these things ready for task 2.

You could find a variety of primary and secondary sources that tell you about this area and that you can use in task 2.

Iron and steel:

• Abraham Darby
• Henry Cort
• Henry Bessemer
• William Siemens
• Sidney Gilchrist-Thomas

Textiles:

• John Kay
• James Hargreaves
• Richard Arkwright
• Samuel Crompton
• Edmund Cartwright
• Eli Whitney

Steam and Coal:

• Thomas Newcomen
• James Watt
• Humphrey Davy

Transport (Roads, Canals, Railways, Steamships):

• Duke of Bridgewater
• George Stephenson
• Isambard Kingdom Brunel

1. Your task is to make part of an exhibition for a museum to show some of the major changes of the industrial revolution.

For whatever area you have chosen you must put together an exhibition poster that describes the changes that took place, the people involved, the inventions made, key dates, etc.

Your exhibition should include key information and pictures.

It could include timelines, biographies, primary and secondary sources. You could also make and include some models for your exhibition.

SHOULD task (most people should have a go at this):

1. A written explanation of the changes that your exhibition shows.

You should be able to write at least a page explaining the significance of those changes and why you chose to include what you did in your exhibition.  

COULD tasks (many people could have a go at this):

4.    The exhibition you have just made shows some of the major events and changes during the industrial revolution, but it is only one area of change.

Your task is to repeat the activities you have just completed, but this time showing other changes from a different area.

You may choose to research just one of these areas; or several more, showing several areas of change.

1. Remember to also produce a written explanation / conclusion of these changes.                  You could consider questions such as these: What were the biggest changes during the industrial revolution? How much changed in Britain between 1750 and 1900? How important were these changes? What were the effects of these changes?

Good luck, we hope you enjoy researching and putting your exhibition together.

Your teacher looks forward to some good work for display.