Tall Ships Race 2015

Every month DiScoro writes about resources that can be used in schools and about inspirational issues. See Services in the Menu for workshops, training etc.

The Tall Ships Race is a huge event which takes place every five years. A large fleet of large sailing boats visits several ports in Europe.

We offer several activities for kids around the theme Tall Ships Race 2015. However, they can be used by anyone who wishes to introduce their students skills and knowledge related to sailing just before the summer holidays.

1. Knots: how to tie knots their function and when to use them 
2. Signal Flags: the use of nautical flags, the phonetic alphabet.
3. Units of measurement at sea: knots, nautical mile, fathom, degrees, minutes and seconds on charts.
4. Navigation: heading on the compass, coastal navigation, tides and tidal currents, recognising lighthouses’ characteristic.

Knots

Sign language

Units of measurement

Navigation

Tall Ships Race 2015 sails from Belfast to Ålesund (Norway), further to Kristiansand and finnaly to Aalborg (Denmark). The ships will also visit Bremer harbour and Amsterdam.

What is the Tall Ships Race?

Tall Ships Race Belfast, 2 – 5 July

Tall Ships Race Ålesund, 15-18 July

Tall Ships Race Kristiansand, 25 – 28 July

Sail Amsterdam, 19 – 23 August

You can order (Norway, Denmark and The Netherlands):

• Workshop for teachers based on Inquiry-based learning  and around the activities mentioned above.
• Guest lesson whereby guest teacher will instruct your class and bring all the necessary materials.

Download the lesson plans for free, (adapt) and use them in your classroom. See other posts for details.

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Tall Ships Race: Knots

Every month DiScoro writes about resources that can be used in schools and about inspirational issues. See Services in the Menu for workshops, training etc.

See Tall Ships Race for an introduction and links.

KNOTS is the first activitiy within the theme Tall Ships Race.

Use the webiste about Knots. We will mainly work will the parts about Basic Knots and Boating Knots.

Task 1: Tie some of the knots using the animations on the website Knots. Click on the picture to view how to tie the knot.

• First try some of the knots from Basic Knots : Square Knot, Sheet Bend, Figure of 8 Knot, Slip Knot.
• Afterwards try to tie some of the knots from Boating Knots for example: Stopper Knot, Bowline (= the king of knots), Clove Hitch.
• A good test to check if you master the knot is to tie it blindfolded.

Task 2: categorise the different knots from Basic Knots and from Boating Knots making your own groups. That could be several groups and sub-groups.

• Move your mouse over the picture to see the explanation about when to use this knot.
• Think for example about what you need to tie the knot.

Task 3: If English is not your first language, make a list of the names of the knots in English and the translation in your own language.

• You can also include the pictures of the knots in the list.
• Search for a website on knots in your own language. This could be from Scouting in your country.

Task 4: Discuss the questions below and write down the answers in a way that you can present them.

• Why would you use a well-known knot instead of a knot you make yourself?
• What is the purpose of well-known knots in general?
• What are the characteristics of a good knot?

Task 4b (optional) : Design your own knot.

• Take into consideration the characteristics of a good knot.
• Think of the use and purpose of the knot.
• Ask someone else to test your knot and give feedback.

Task 5: Which knots should you use to rig and moor a/the boat?

• Use a small sailing boat (Optimist, Pirate, Laser or any boat you have access to) or use a model of a boat.

Download:

• Task for the students on Knots
• Tips for the teacher on Knots

Create your own Animation

Every month DiScoro writes about resources that can be used in schools and about inspirational issues. See Services in the Menu for workshops, training etc.

It is quite challenging to create your own animation from skratch, using your own sketches. Yet, this process is much more creative, rewarding and instructive than when you use ready made pictures.

There are many different programs you can use. Below you just find a suggestion of resources in order to create you own animation.

• Videos by Richard Williams for introduction as well as for instruction
• Paint or any other drawing program to draw the pictures
• A GIF animation program such as gifmaker.me

Richard Williams shows how simple and how complex it is to animate the movements of an animal or a person. This requires close observation and analysis of what the animal looks like and how the different body parts move. After this research you start with the actual drawing  and the sequencing of the pictures. Test and make the animation with an animation program. The process of fine tuning will make the difference in the end result.

If you wish to publish the animations, use a website, the school’s learning environment, or a blog.

Purchase	Free (all three resources mentioned)
Hardware	PC*
Requirements	Browser for videos

* You can certainly create animations on a tablet. You only need a different drawing program.

Interactive Body

Every month DiScoro writes about resources that can be used in schools. Please, see the MENU under Services for workshops, training and other services.

The BBC offers a collection of games or animations on the Anatomy of the Body. Users are asked to move the correct muscle, bone, organ etc. into the correct position in the body.  The Drag&Drop function together with helpful clues and hints make it into a real learning tool.

Advantages:

• Easy navigation
• Helpful clues and hints
• The game pays attention to knowledge on location, name, and function of the muscle, bone or organ
• No advertisements or other non-functional information

Disadvantage:

• The window cannot be enlarged to full screen size.

Use Inner Body website if you wish to zoom in on detailed parts of the body while instructing in front of the class.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Advantages:

• Very precise and detailed pictures
• Detailed written information on fysiology on the side
• Excellent zoom (in) function.

Disadvantages:

• The screen builds up again after an action, which results in a restless screen-image
• Advertisements appear on the righthand side of the window.

However, if you have an Interactive Board you can use the board’s function to cover the righthand part of the screen.

Purchase	Free
Hardware	PC, Android tablet
Requirements	browser,Flash 5