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Contours - teaching visual learners

Jim Riley

9th December 2013

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This week I have been teaching contours by getting pupils to create a knuckle mountain range. First I ask pupils to make a fist and set it down on the table, like they are knocking on it. Then get them to contour the knuckle mountain with felt tip pen circles. Get them to try to keep every part of each circle the same distance from the table (in other words, flat).They can then add a triangulation point to the main summit and draw blue rivers in the finger "valleys".When pupils put their hand flat they have a contour map and when they make a fist they have a mountain range.

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Jim Riley

Jim co-founded tutor2u alongside his twin brother Geoff! Jim is a well-known Business writer and presenter as well as being one of the UK's leading educational technology entrepreneurs.