Gang Development And Control Essay

Below are descriptions of gang development theories. Copy and paste the correct description into the table below next to the appropriate theory. There are five descriptions and four theories. One description is not valid. Theory Gang members are violent and rarely show remorse or feelings regarding their violent and criminal actions. Members may join a gang because it provides them a release for their personal problems, which may include drug abuse, low self-esteem, and family problems. Gang members typically come from low income areas and may even be considered to have been â€Å"forced† into gang life in order to survive. The gang provides a sense of belonging in a world where members may lack positive role models and the ability to attain status in a way considered acceptable by society. Joining a gang is a way to obtain money and protection. It is often seen as a personal decision to gain success. Members who join for this reason feel pride when they get away with a crime and were most likely committing illegal acts long before joining a gang. Members join a gang to have a safe social circle and to learn techniques to communicate through graffiti. Gang members use those techniques to display their gang’s strength and power in their neighborhood. Members who join a gang for this reason are typically involved in drug use and truancy but rarely violent acts of delinquency. Individuals who join gangs for this reason may have an older family member who is a gang member. They may go through distinct hazing rituals before they can join. The hazing rituals offer assurance that the individual is capable and ready to start his or her new life as a gang member. Description: Anthropological †¢Individuals who join gangs for this reason may have an older family member who is a gang member. They may go through distinct hazing rituals before they can join. The hazing rituals offer assurance that the individual is capable and ready to start his or her new life as a gang member. Sociocultural †¢Gang members typically come from low income areas and may even be considered to have been â€Å"forced† into gang life in order to survive. The gang provides a sense of belonging in a world where members may lack positive role models and the ability to attain status in a way considered acceptable by society. Psychological †¢Gang members are violent and rarely show remorse or feelings regarding their violent and criminal actions. Members may join a gang because it provides them a release for their personal problems, which may include drug abuse, low self-esteem, and family problems. Rational Choice †¢Joining a gang is a way to obtain money and protection. It is often seen as a personal decision to gain success. Members who join for this reason feel pride when they get away with a crime and were most likely committing illegal acts long before joining a gang. Gang Control In the table below, describe the gang control methods in your own words and use the Internet to provide an example of a program based on each type of gang control method. Include the name of the Web site and the working URL address in the table. Gang Control Methods Descriptions Examples Law Enforcement Efforts Law enforcement is looked at for gang control and it takes three forms. Youth service program where they are given responsibility for gang control. Gang details are assigned exclusively to gang control work. Gang units are to deal solely with gang problems. Chicago officers have an intelligence unit that will use the gang members name in the computer to see if they have gotten arrested or picked up for anything. Gang Awareness https://portal.chicagopolice.org/portal/page/portal/ClearPath/Communities/Gang%20Awareness Community Control Efforts They used to have the YMCA where there were people there to work with gangs. Now they have prevention services for kids to prevent them from joining a gang. Like counseling and parent kid activities. They also want to find a way to involve programs into the schools. Gang Free http://www.gangfree.org/who_index.html

The Da Vinci Code EPILOGUE

Robert Langdon awoke with a start. He had been dreaming. The bathrobe beside his bed bore the monogram HOTEL RITZ PARIS.He saw a dim light filtering through the blinds. Is it dusk ordawn? he wondered. Langdon's body felt warm and deeply contented. He had slept the better part of the last two days. Sitting up slowly in bed, he now realized what had awoken him†¦ the strangest thought. For day she had been trying to sort through a barrage of information, but now Langdon found himself fixed on something he'd not considered before. Could it be? He remained motionless a long moment. Getting out of bed, he walked to the marble shower. Stepping inside, he let the powerful jets message his shoulders. Still, the thought enthralled him. Impossible. Twenty minutes later, Langdon stepped out of the Hotel Ritz into Place Vendà ´me. Night was falling. The days of sleep had left him disoriented†¦ and yet his mind felt oddly lucid. He had promised himself he would stop in the hotel lobby for a cafe au lait to clear his thoughts, but instead his legs carried him directly out the front door into the gathering Paris night. Walking east on Rue des Petits Champs, Langdon felt a growing excitement. He turned south onto Rue Richelieu, where the air grew sweet with the scent of blossoming jasmine from the stately gardens of the Palais Royal. He continued south until he saw what he was looking for – the famous royal arcade – a glistening expanse of polished black marble. Moving onto it, Langdon scanned the surface beneath his feet. Within seconds, he found what he knew was there – several bronze medallions embedded in the ground in a perfectly straight line. Each disk was five inches in diameter and embossed with the letters N and S. Nord. Sud. He turned due south, letting his eye trace the extended line formed by the medallions. He began moving again, following the trail, watching the pavement as he walked. As he cut across the corner of the Comedie-Franà §aise, another bronze medallion passed beneath his feet. Yes! The streets of Paris, Langdon had learned years ago, were adorned with 135 of these bronze markers, embedded in sidewalks, courtyards, and streets, on a north-south axis across the city. He had once followed the line from Sacre-Coeur, north across the Seine, and finally to the ancient Paris Observatory. There he discovered the significance of the sacred path it traced. The earth's original prime meridian.The first zero longitude of the world.Paris's ancient Rose Line. Now, as Langdon hurried across Rue de Rivoli, he could feel his destination within reach. Less than a block away. The Holy Grail ‘neath ancient Roslin waits. The revelations were coming now in waves. Sauniere's ancient spelling of Roslin†¦ the blade and chalice†¦ the tomb adorned with masters' art. Is that why Sauniere needed to talk with me? Had I unknowingly guessed the truth? He broke into a jog, feeling the Rose Line beneath his feet, guiding him, pulling him toward his destination. As he entered the long tunnel of Passage Richelieu, the hairs on his neck began to bristle with anticipation. He knew that at the end of this tunnel stood the most mysterious of Parisian monuments – conceived and commissioned in the 1980s by the Sphinx himself, Fran;ois Mitterrand, a man rumored to move in secret circles, a man whose final legacy to Paris was a place Langdon had visited only days before. Another lifetime. With a final surge of energy, Langdon burst from the passageway into the familiar courtyard and came to a stop. Breathless, he raised his eyes, slowly, disbelieving, to the glistening structure in front of him. The Louvre Pyramid. Gleaming in the darkness. He admired it only a moment. He was more interested in what lay to his right. Turning, he felt his feet again tracing the invisible path of the ancient Rose Line, carrying him across the courtyard to the Carrousel du Louvre – the enormous circle of grass surrounded by a perimeter of neatly trimmed hedges – once the site of Paris's primeval nature-worshipping festivals†¦ joyous rites to celebrate fertility and the Goddess. Langdon felt as if he were crossing into another world as he stepped over the bushes to the grassy area within. This hallowed ground was now marked by one of the city's most unusual monuments. There in the center, plunging into the earth like a crystal chasm, gaped the giant inverted pyramid of glass that he had seen a few nights ago when he entered the Louvre's subterranean entresol. La Pyramide Inversee. Tremulous, Langdon walked to the edge and peered down into the Louvre's sprawling underground complex, aglow with amber light. His eye was trained not just on the massive inverted pyramid, but on what lay directly beneath it. There, on the floor of the chamber below, stood the tiniest of structures†¦ a structure Langdon had mentioned in his manuscript. Langdon felt himself awaken fully now to the thrill of unthinkable possibility. Raising his eyes again to the Louvre, he sensed the huge wings of the museum enveloping him†¦ hallways that burgeoned with the world's finest art. Da Vinci†¦ Botticelli†¦ Adorned in masters' loving art, She lies. Alive with wonder, he stared once again downward through the glass at the tiny structure below. I must go down there! Stepping out of the circle, he hurried across the courtyard back toward the towering pyramid entrance of the Louvre. The day's last visitors were trickling out of the museum. Pushing through the revolving door, Langdon descended the curved staircase into the pyramid. He could feel the air grow cooler. When he reached the bottom, he entered the long tunnel that stretched beneath the Louvre's courtyard, back toward La Pyramide Inversee. At the end of the tunnel, he emerged into a large chamber. Directly before him, hanging down from above, gleamed the inverted pyramid – a breathtaking V-shaped contour of glass. The Chalice. Langdon's eyes traced its narrowing form downward to its tip, suspended only six feet above the floor. There, directly beneath it, stood the tiny structure. A miniature pyramid. Only three feet tall. The only structure in this colossal complex that had been built on a small scale. Langdon's manuscript, while discussing the Louvre's elaborate collection of goddess art, had made passing note of this modest pyramid. â€Å"The miniature structure itself protrudes up through the flooras though it were the tip of an iceberg – the apex, of an enormous, pyramidical vault, submerged below like a hidden chamber.† Illuminated in the soft lights of the deserted entresol, the two pyramids pointed at one another, their bodies perfectly aligned, their tips almost touching. The Chalice above. The Blade below. The blade and chalice guarding o'er Her gates. Langdon heard Marie Chauvel's words. One day it will dawn on you. He was standing beneath the ancient Rose Line, surrounded by the work of masters. What better place for Sauniere to keep watch? Now at last, he sensed he understood the true meaning of the Grand Master's verse. Raising his eyes to heaven, he gazed upward through the glass to a glorious, star-filled night. She rests at last beneath the starry skies. Like the murmurs of spirits in the darkness, forgotten words echoed. The quest for the Holy Grail is the quest to kneel before the bones of Mary Magdalene. A journey to pray at the feet of the outcast one. With a sudden upwelling of reverence, Robert Langdon fell to his knees. For a moment, he thought he heard a woman's voice†¦ the wisdom of the ages†¦ whispering up from the chasms of the earth.

Race, Ethnicity, & Prejudice

Race, Ethnicity, and Prejudice-Online Project At one point in time the U. S. Census defined someone as a â€Å"negro† if they were one-sixteenth black. That is, if one of your sixteen great-great grandparents was of African descent (and the other fifteen were of â€Å"white† European descent), you were defined as â€Å"negro†. In Jamaica, people believed to be of â€Å"pure† African descent are described as black. People who are bi-racial are usually described as â€Å"colored†. In Brazil, there are even more differentiations of those believed to be of African descent.The point of all this is that our definitions are culture-bound and socially constructed. They are, therefore, not particularly scientific and change over time. This does not mean that race and ethnicity have no real meaning. They have meaning because we give them meaning. 1. What method do census enumerators use to classify people according to race? A census enumerator is a person who collects census data. Before 1960, census enumerators were themselves responsible for classifying people according to race. However, in 1960 there was a switch to self-reporting.From this point on, individuals were in control of classifying themselves. It was no longer the census enumerators who classified individuals, but individuals who classified themselves. Census enumerators would just compile the results. 2. Which categories of ethnicity are used by the census bureau? The categories of ethnicity and race used by the census bureau have undergone numerous changes over the years. At first, from 1790 to 1880, the census recorded only â€Å"color. † During this time period it was a person’s skin color that was of importance and there were three categories: White, Black, and Mulatto.The categories expanded in 1890 and consisted of five gradations: Black, Mulatto, Quadroon, Octoroon, and White. It was in 1900 that the word â€Å"race† actually appeared in the ce nsus. The question now asked for each person’s â€Å"color or race. † At this time the census used only two categories: White and Black. It wasn’t until 1950 that the word â€Å"color† was completely dropped and the census only asked for the person’s race. In 1960 people were able to classify themselves. Shortly following the census added the category â€Å"other. In 1977 there were four racial categories established: American Indian or Alaskan Native, Asian or Pacific Islander, Black, and White. Plus there was the â€Å"Other† category. Also, the census added two ethnicity categories: Hispanic origin and Not of Hispanic origin. 3. How have categories changed for the 2000 Census? Since 1977, the racial and ethnic makeup of the country changed significantly. There were no questions as to whether the previous standards still reflected the diversity that was present in the United States. So, with that, the categories for the 2000 census were r evised.The categories now consisted of: American Indian or Alaska Native; Asian; Black or African American; Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander; and White. The category of â€Å"Some Other Race† is also included. In regards to ethnicity, there are two categories: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino. Aside from changes in the categories, another significant change for the 2000 census is that respondents are allowed to check off multiple â€Å"race† boxes. 4. What problems do you see with the Census definitions? The diversity in our society is increasing.Putting people in categories is becoming more problematic because the categories are arbitrary; none of the groups have clear or unambiguous boundaries. Classifying people into a certain category is restrictive and doesn’t take into account that â€Å"people classified as â€Å"Asian and Pacific Islander† represent scores of different national and linguistic backgrounds, and â€Å"America n Indian or Alaska Native† includes people from hundreds of different tribal groups† (Healey 13). The census definitions are very limiting and they don’t do diversity justice. Also, there is still no place for a number of groups among the categories listed. For example, where should we place Arab Americans and recent immigrants from Africa? † (Healey 13). I understand that it is unrealistic to have a category for every single group, but we should realize that the definitions used by the census, the classification schemes, have limited utility and application. In addition, there is a growing number of mixed-race individuals for whom there are no categories. Although currently that number is relatively small, it is projected to increase rapidly due to a growing number of marriages across group lines.How should those individuals be classified? Sources: Healey, Joseph F. (2010). Race, Ethnicity, Gender, and Class: The Sociology of Group Conflict and Change. (5th Ed. ). Pine Forge Press, an Imprint of SAGE Publications, Inc. Sweet, Frank W. (2011, Feb. 25). A Brief History of Census â€Å"Race†. Retrieved from http://knol. google. com/k/a-brief-history-of-census-race U. S. Census Bureau, Population Division. Racial and Ethnic Classifications Used in Census 2000 and Beyond. Retrieved from http://www. census. gov/population/www/socdemo/race/racefactcb. html

Innovation and Sustainability Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Innovation and Sustainability - Essay Example We are currently the principal species on the earth in all respects. And the environmental effects of our supremacy, as depicted by our overwhelming consumption and technological progress, can be seen in each and every corner of the human race. Such transformation in population and their shock necessitate cautious research so that scientists can comprehend and suggest thoughts for resource management (Turk & Bensel 2011). To be able to follow population trends in due course, scholars proposed the field of demography. Demographers’ focal point is on a few key variables namely— birth rates, death rates, and fertility rates—to find out and forecast how a populace changes over a point in time. Demographers have recognized the chief cause of the exponential growth in human popu ­lation of the ancient times as discrepancy between death rates and birth rates. All the way through nearly all of human history, both birth and death rates were high, but more or less consta nt, and hence the population was kept the same as well. Developments in science, medicine, sani ­tation, and nutrition over the last tens of two hundred years contributed to increasing the life expectancies and consequently a decline in mortality rates. Since birth rates did not instantaneously drop, as fatality rates declined, the overall human population increased. in the present day, birth rates in various nations have gone down to levels close to fatality rates, and their populations have started to become stable. On the other hand, other nations are still in the middle of a demographic evolution on the road to low overall birth and death rates. Reducing birth rates is the heart of nearly every country population policy, and there is much discussion over what strategies to employ. Without a doubt arguments between and among political, social, and reli ­gious realms frenzy over whether stricter, more forceful actions are required to shrink birth rates. Furthermore, a rising n umber of ecological scientists at present make out that besides the absolute numbers, wealth and the consumption patterns of persons in a certain population also have force on the surroundings. The relations between increasing human numbers, expanding levels of material comfort and consumption, and impacts on the environment are devastating. Human beings have related environmental resources as with respect to consumption is how citizens use resources matters a lot more. a number of of the people leave much bigger track than others. Global warming is an excellent case in point. Carbon emissions from fossil fuels are mounting fastest in China, thanks to its protracted economic growth, but fertility there is by now below replacement; not much more can be done to be in charge of popula ­tion. Where population is on the increase fastest, in sub-Saharan Africa, emissions per head are no more than a few percent of what they are in the U.S.— hence population control would have slig ht effect on climate. Man has regarded environmental resources as finite. That is why it is imperative to sustainably mange the environmental resources. Water, land and fossil fuels are scarce and are in high demand (Nafis, 2001). Therefore, in order to save human kind from these habits there is need to Change Our Patterns of Production and Consumption to Save

Management of information technology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 1

Management of information technology - Essay Example in this hostile environment and to cope with such dynamic environment brought by information technology, it is extremely important to keep pace with management, technological and organizational issues concerned with the development and use of information systems. There are massive issues in this field and they need to be thoroughly evaluated in order to reap maximum benefits. This report explores the management and other issues related with information technology in the leading bank of Middle East, Eskan bank. Eskan bank has a huge customer base and it has been consistently expanding for the past few years. With increased competition from the rival banks entering the market and with consumers demanding a wider range of financial services, the bank was looking for ways to exploit the available technology to sustain its lead. It took a major shift in its direction and invested in information technology and acquired a core banking solution for its banking operations from a well-renowned software service provider Misys. Information Systems Strategic Planning (ISSP) refers to the â€Å"activities directed toward (1) recognizing organizational opportunities for using information technology, (2) determining the resource requirements to exploit these opportunities, (3) and developing strategies and action plans for realizing these opportunities and for meeting the resource needs† (Boynton and Smud, 1987, p.59). Strategic planning is a top level management activity and it requires absolute commitment from those positioned at the higher level of organizational hierarchy. The strategic plan charters the mission, short term and long term plans of the organization. The need for improved information systems project planning has been obvious because the cost of information system has risen rapidly and it’s approximately forty percent of the total expenses in some organizations (Hoffer, George and Valacich 2002, p. 141) As the Eskan bank was embroiled in a competitive

Climate change impacts on local food production (Shrimp farming) in Research Paper

Climate change impacts on local food production (Shrimp farming) in Nha Trang , Vietnam - Research Paper Example Such climate changes never attained any fearful proportions and hence the there were no serious treats for the sustainment of life on earth till the last few centuries. An Inconvenient Truth was a documentary film directed by Davis Guggenheim, in 2006, in which former United States Vice President Al Gore tried to educate the citizens about the necessity of preventing global warming. He has mentioned that it is crucial to change the attitude and behavior of the public to counter the climate change problems. In his opinion, climate change problems should be taken as a moral one rather than a political one (An Inconvenient Truth, 2006) But over the last few decades, the balancing between the energy liberated from the sun and the energy reached on earth was destroyed seriously because of many known and unknown reasons and as a result extreme weather conditions started to appear on earth’s atmosphere/surface. Even though the exact reasons for the climate changes on earth is still unknown or controversial, many people believe that the destructions forests, injudicious industrialization, long- and short-term variations in solar intensity, deviations in the Earths orbit, mountain-building and continental drift, and changes in greenhouse gas concentrations etc are the major reasons for the drastic climate changes on earth’s surface. In short, â€Å"climate change is already happening and represents one of the greatest environmental, social and economic threats facing the planet† (Climate change, 2010). Climate changes can affect the human life on earth in many ways. In this paper the climate change impacts on local food production in Nah Trang, Vietnam is described. Nah Trang sits within a coastal province in south central Vietnam with an area of 3352.27 km2, coastline of 105km and annual rainfall of 600mm. Shrimp farming is one of the major revenue source for the people in Nah Trang. The lack of

A Study of Partnering Sustainability in Construction Industry Essay

A Study of Partnering Sustainability in Construction Industry (Dissertation Proposal) - Essay Example In recent times, multi-stakeholder sustainable partnership has become the norm for major world industries. It is therefore of the essence that the construction industry stays abreast with the partnering sustainability movement. As a matter of fact, partnering for sustainability in the construction industry is not a preserve of the government but also all the private stakeholders in the industry. Partnering sustainability efforts in the construction and other sectors thus combine governments, non-governmental organisations and private players in the sector (Graham-Rowe, 2012). As a consequence of this inclusive partnering, stakeholders have been able to exploit the emerging opportunities for extensive and comparable sustainable construction technique and new theoretical and empirical insights into the sustainable construction. There are several reasons for which construction organisations should embrace sustainable partnering practices. First, an organisation’s partners are its extension, making it necessary that firms collaborate with others with similar corporate social responsibilities (Soederbaum, 2008). This research will therefore explore the concept of partnering sustainability in construction industry. ... Second, the paper aims to establish whether partnering sustainability is beneficial to all the industry’s stakeholders by strengthening brand for firms, increasing employee engagement and employer respect and enhancing client trust. Third, the paper aims at establishing the economic importance of partnering that emphasizes social and environmental sustainability in the construction industry. Fourth, the project will explore the strategic advantages of aligning one’s construction firm with partners that embrace good corporate citizenship. Problem Statement This project has been prompted by the numerous partnership challenges that the construction industry faces. First, the industry is in dire need of reforms as far as partnerships for sustainability, growth and productivity is concerned. Therefore, how, when and what should be done to improve the framework for sustainable multi-stakeholder partnership are some of the problem areas that prompted this study. Second, organi sations and their institutions that support sustainable partnership and development need to be reformed and reorganized to provide better services for partnerships for sustainable developments (Neumayer et al, 2007). The ineffectiveness of organizations such as the UN’s Commission on Sustainable Development has, to quite a large extent, hampered the formation of sustainable partnerships. Consequently, the public, governments, international organisations and private actors such as businesses and civil society groups have failed to pull their efforts together to implement sustainable partnerships and developments in the construction sector (Bennett &

The role of Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) in Research Paper

The role of Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) in increasing the social equality in United States - Research Paper Example ons ultimately triggered SNCC and SCLC to be at prospects, the two establishments functioned next to each other all through the initial years of the civil rights activity. Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), also known as (after 1969) Student National Coordinating Committee, United States political group that presented a main role in the civil rights action in the 1960s. Started as an interracial cluster encouraging nonviolence, it implemented better militancy overdue in the decade, reflecting countrywide fads in black activism. 1 The Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee was established in initial 1960 in Raleigh2, North Carolina, to make the most of the results of a rise of sit-ins in Southern college places, in which black students turned down to go away from dining places wherein they were refused a job depending on their ethnic group. This type of nonviolent protest carried SNCC to nationwide interest, tossing a severe public light on white racism in the Southwest. In the many years following, SNCC reinforced its endeavors in local community group and backed Freedom Drives in 1961, together with the March on Washington in 1963, and activated for the Civil Rights Act (1964). In 1966, SNCC formally threw its assistance behind the much wider protest of the Vietnam Struggle. 3 As SNCC grew to become a lot more energetic politically, its people confronted amplified hostility. In reaction, SNCC migrated from a belief of nonviolence to certainly one of better militancy after the mid-1960s, as a supporter of the burgeoning â€Å"black power† activity, an area of late 20th-century black nationalism. The transition was personified by Stokely Carmichael, who substituted John Lewis as SNCC president in 1966–67. Although many initial SNCC participants were white, the newfound focus on African American identification resulted in larger racial separatism, which frightened parts of the white local community. More-radical aspects of SNCC, for example,

Movie review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Movie Review Example Walter Lee is sure that investing the money in a liquor store will provide the most long-term financial security for the family. He has some friends that want to invest in the business with him, but they are not willing to put up any of their own cash. Momma Younger, played by Phylicia Rashad is sure that getting out of the dismal housing situation they are in would help the entire family most. She has dreams of a nice neighborhood and a spacious house where there is enough room for all the family members to breathe. She has set her sights on a pleasant little house in the Clybourne Park neighborhood. The only problem is this neighborhood is all white. The Youngers would be the first African-American family to live there. Other major characters that have their own dreams and desires that are attached to the money in some way are Benethea and Ruth. Benethea is the sister of Walter Lee and Ruth is Walter Lee’s wife. Their young son’s name is Travis. The updated production is loosely based on the original play. Some of the updating is unfortunate because the feel of the story is altered tremendously. I feel that Phylicia Rashad and Sean Combs are woefully miscast in this production. The original story is about a family that was less polished and more real than the one portrayed in this production. Rashad and Combs are too smooth in their delivery to have credibility as the matriarch and oldest son of a family struggling to get out of the ghetto. Their presence gives the story an air of people pretending (not very convincingly) that they are salt of the earth. Stylistically, the updated feel of the story robs the original of the edginess in the original story. Some of the criticism I feel towards this updated version stems from the way the family reacts to the blatant racism they face from their white neighbors. The family doesn’t seem shocked or even truly angry. Walter Lee seems to be resigned

Language and Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Language and Culture - Essay Example Language can affect the  culture  of a society, especially when the  society  borrows, and then modifies  alien  words from other cultures to  fit  in their own. As such this changes the  culture  making it evolve with time. Language use within a text refers to the combination of various forms of the  linguistic  and  grammatical  technique used within the context with the aim of communicating a message to another party. Its uses can  be  in many different ways and purposes; it  is spoken, written, and referred, from visual representations. Language  is used  to  work, play, praise, insult, court and reduce among other reasons. Throughout the use of language,  various  techniques  are applied  to  simplify  its meanings also to  create  interest  and  humor  such as through the use of rhyme and repetition to create a  musical  effect. The use of  language  can be categorized into much broader uses categories which are the  evocative, the expressive, the performative, the evaluative and the informative. This is for  clear  communication of information and there the use of  various  linguistic techniques. ... For instance, throughout the website the  writer  uses terms such as â€Å"you are not alone† in the start of a  sentence  when describing the  occurrence, effects and handling of peer pressure. This is an already constructed  phrase, and it passes information relating with most people within the society; thus, effectively and  immediately  passing the information to the readers. It also reduces the necessity of  grammatical  correction and the  application  of  further  grammatical  techniques within this part of the text. Within the various passage texts in the website, there are  various  words used that are of other and similar linguistic  background.  These are words obtained from other languages, or are a combination of two or more different ancient  language  words that sum up to the meaning of the intended, in the English context.  Words used such as microscope derived from the Greek words "mikros" referring to  puny  and "skopein" referring to look or  see, the two combined in English forms the word microscope meaning an  instrument  used in the viewing and investigations of objects that minute, and cannot be seen by the naked eye. Semantics The  linguistic  statement  semantics developed from the Greek word semantic, and it refers to the study of meaning focusing on the relation between the use of signifiers such as phrases, words, signs and what they  denote  in the text, in linguistics. It tries to  denote  meaning through the understanding of  different  human expressions through language.  This includes the use puns and conations, among others, in an English language  context  to  magnify  the expressed  message  and to ensure the readers' undivided attention.  It also acts as a  way  of reducing monotony, thus,

1917 - 1970 World History Overview Research Paper

1917 - 1970 World History Overview - Research Paper Example The United States aimed at stopping communism at costs as seen in the Truman doctrine, Marshall Plan, Berlin airlift, and the Korean War. All these plans did, in fact, led to the end of cold war. Containment and cold were related in that the policy of containment aimed to stop the emerging tension between the two superpowers. The Marshall Plan and cold war The European recovery program or the Marshall plan was enacted at the Paris conference to enhance economic recovery in European countries after world war two. The plan was formulated to foster and promote European production and enhance internal trade in certain European countries during this period of heightened tension between the United States and the Soviet Union. The Marshall plan was enacted in order to contain the growing nature of Soviet influence, especially in Czechoslovakia. From the beginning, the Soviet Union opposed this plan while other Nations in Eastern Europe ignored or denounced it. The Marshall plan was an eleme nt of foreign aid plan of the United States and it led to the economic recovery of European states during the cold war period. Truman doctrine and cold war President Harry S.   The doctrine provided that it was the duty of the United States of America to assist those people who resisted subjugation from external or internal pressures. This doctrine led to an end of America’s policy of isolationism and embraced global leadership by assisting other nations to recover from the effects of the war. The cold war on the other influenced American local or domestic policy in that the consequences of the cold war affected positively on American people in America as they had an opportunity to expand their trading activities with other democratic nations in the world.  

Argumentative Essay on Gay Marriage Essay Example for Free

Argumentative Essay on Gay Marriage Essay Marriage is the ceremonial binding of two people, male and female, into one couple. Historically, marriage has been the institution when a man and a woman join together with the promise of love, devotion, to always stay together, to be there for each other, to take care of one another and to start a family together. Biblically, marriage has been all the aspects above, but including honoring, loving and growing closer to God and raising their family in ways that the Lord would have them, by abiding to the Word of God. Now days the traditional view of marriage is being changed by gay and lesbian couples demanding the same right to love, honor and cherish each other. This argumentative essay on gay marriage will explore both sides on the debate of gay and lesbian marriages. Historically, marriage was seen as a religious and civil union that brought together a man and woman for the purpose of joining family and to live the rest of their lives together. Biblical marriage was seen with the same purposes but including God in their marriage and to honor and obey the laws of marriage in His Word. Love may have been a big part of choosing a mate, or asking the person to marry you, but not the only factor. For Christians, we would not choose a mate; neither friends, nor family nor parents, but the Lord would choose â€Å"the one† for us. If you choose a mate, you would choose one that you could live with the rest of your life, who could put up with you and your shenanigans and vice-versa, who may have a lot in common or may not and so forth. Over time society has came to believe that love is the only reason to marry. No longer is marriage a union that is based on the future together forever and for starting a family, but just for enjoyment and emotional satisfaction. If it were to go wrong, or you just stopped loving that person, you could always back out and find another person to love. With these shifts in why to marry, what we have come to expect from marriage has also changed. Modern American society has changed its view of marriage. Society sees marriage as an institution whose purpose is to provide emotional satisfaction to the person concerned, and whose terms are negotia ble and revocable. Marriage, traditionally limited to unions between men and woman, in its modern state is slowly beginning to include the idea of same sex  couples. When love becomes the primary driving force to marry not the need to set up your own family then marriage can be open to any forms of partnerships. God institutes marriage in the Bible in Genesis chapter 2 verse 18, â€Å"And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone.† The Word of God states that a man and woman be married in verse 24 of chapter 2, â€Å"Therefore shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.† Not a man and another man or a woman and another woman, but one man and one woman would leave their families to start a new one together, by marriage. God didn’t create Adam and Steve, but Adam and Eve! The book of Leviticus gives God’s rules to us for everyone, everywhere for all time, here on earth. Leviticus 18:22 â€Å"Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.† Leviticus 20:13 â€Å"If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: â€Å" God commanded that homosexuality is wrong, gay and lesbian marriage alike. It is an abomination is His sight. Romans 1:26b â€Å"for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:† Romans 1:27 â€Å"And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men†. It is not natural for man to like another man and want to be with him. It is the same with woman! As stated in the above paragraph, God created woman to be a help meet for men. Adam was lonely in the garden, so God created a woman from him! He didn’t create another man to be with Adam, but a woman. If homosexuality is an abomination unto the Lord, then certainly gay marriage is wrong in G od’s eyes too! Marriage, between a man and a woman, husband and wife, is to be enjoyable, pleasurable, romantic, long-lasting and holy in God’s sight! God made men and women to live with, walk with, speak with, love, to be together and enjoy life together, not the other way. I believe in the way I was reared and taught, I believe in God’s holy, infallible, inspired and preserved Word, I believe in Biblical marriage – do you?

Classroom Management And Discipline Plan Education Essay

Classroom Management And Discipline Plan Education Essay Students must understand the behaviors that are expected of them. The students will help the teacher make classroom rules the first few days of school. Each student will brainstorm and give a classroom rule that they would like to include. The student will give a rule or rules as the teacher list them on the board and the teacher would consolidate the rules to 4 or 5 basic classroom rules. This will give the students a sense of involvement and acceptance in the class if they help with the rules. The classroom rules help keep the rules simply and the students on task as well as helping the student succeed in the classroom. Be polite and kind The teacher will give an example for better understanding of the rule such as no name-calling and listen carefully when others are speaking. Respect others and yourself as well as their property. This is a general rule that all students need to understand. Return borrowed materials, do not write on desks, pick up litter, do not use other persons things without permission. Talk only with permission. Dont talk when others are talking. This rule is another general rule that must be explained such as when the teacher is giving instruction do not talk or interrupt. If you are in small group talk quietly in the group and do not disturb others. Obey all school rules. This is an important rule that helps with general school rules such as no talking or running in the hallway. It also suggests to the students that they must abide by all school rules. REWARDS AND CONSEQUENCES Maintaining good student behavior requires good communication, monitoring and consequences. Young children are more likely to follow a rule just by the teacher asking but motivation is a good way to maintain appropriate behaviors. Sometimes a deterrent is needed to avoid negative behaviors of students. REWARDS Positive feedback is a great motivation for most students. Explain what is expected of the students. Positive verbal praise such as good job, way to go, great idea. Positive written comments on papers such as stickers with sayings such as great job, star student, etc. Reward improvement Recognition by giving awards or certificates. Display student work Material incentives after earning certain number of points such as pencils, stickers, erasers, other materials Extra recess time for good work or group cooperation. CONSEQUENCES Rely on corrective feedback for struggling students Communicate dissatifiacation with student behavior Demerit System is totaled daily and weekly (Start over daily) 1st violation warning 2nd violation student will have extra written work such as writing spelling words 5 times. 3rd violation loss of privileges 4th violation referral to principal/note sent home to parents Student grades will be affected, such as reductions of grades for late, missing or incomplete assignments. 4. If the student bring items to school that are not allowed that item or items would be confiscated. Starting School First few days of school, learning names of the students, teaching and sending messages. The first few days are a very important time especially for classroom management. There are several ways the teacher can prepare the students for management. Students will feel more comfortable in the classroom if the learn other student names in the classroom and students realize that everyone has similarities and differences. The main goal of the school year is to obtain student cooperation with following the rules and learning the rules and successfully completing classroom assignments. If the students feel comfortable and welcome in the classroom they are more likely to listen and respect the teacher and other students in the classroom. Below is a list of procedures to be used for the beginning of the classroom activities. Play a game that will help introduce each other to the classroom. Such as introduce myself to the classroom and tell a little something about myself to the classroom. Then let students introduce him or her and tell something special about themselves. What are my expectations? Introduce my love of music and explain the different activities that the student will be involved in during the school year? What is the grading system? Keep it simply. Help students with uncertainties and make them feel comfortable enough to ask questions, etc. Let the student know that I am available for them, being visible, monitoring the classroom and letting them know the class can have fun and still learn without disrupting others. B) Starting School First Day Activities Greet students Welcome students and have nametags on each desk so the student will know where they are sitting. Introduction Brief introduction of myself Use a game to let students introduce themselves. Have work sheets or other activities for students to complete after introductions. Room description Describe class schedule such as classroom time, lunchtime, recess, etc. Set a positive tone. Teach procedures, as they are needed and step-by-step instructions. Content Activities Give whole group instruction to the classroom. Plan activities so students can succeed. Have extra activities for students who finish early. Time fillers Be prepared for the unexpected Have ideas ready for the classroom such as handouts, work sheets, word puzzles, coloring pages. Administrative activities Complete list of students for the roll book, give out school handbooks and other paperwork for the students/parents to complete and return to school. Have textbooks, texts, and forms for the students Materials or supplies checklist for each student Available conference times and contact information Special information Closing activities Set aside a few minutes before the end of the day and go over with the students before they leave a brief review of the day activities and discuss with the students what they have learned, found difficult, and liked about the day. Comment on students good work and good behavior to reinforce expectations and keep the tone position. C) Daily Schedule times, procedures A list of daily activities will be posted in the classroom as well as weekly activities for the students to know what is expected. Schedule will include: Reading This will include language arts, writing skills Bathroom break Math This will include math work sheets and work with manipulatives Lunch/Bathroom break Library /computer lab/art or music Social studies Science Time to clean up, get backpack ready Time to leave D) Within class and weekly schedule times for specific activities Since some activities will change within the daily schedule such as library, computer lab, art and music it is important to highlight activities that will change. Special activities such as group activities with the school and different groups or clubs that will have special events for the students will also be a change for the classroom. School pictures, field trips as well as other activities will change your schedule. The daily schedule as a teacher will have to be flexible and ready for the unexpected. E) Procedures and routines for critical times and activities Beginning day, periods Each day briefly review major materials and focal points from the previous day. Ending day, periods Make sure that each student understand what they are expected to learn form the material and give the students time to ask questions. Transitions within day, within class The class will follow the teacher cues and learn routines for changing into whole group and small group instructions. The classroom will also become familiar with centers and time for transitions for lunch, library and other activities. Planning times Planning times will occur before and after school. In the afternoon to prepare for the next day such as making sure materials that are needed for the lessons are available. Materials locations, distribution and collection. The teacher will have shelves for books, cabinets/drawers for large materials such as paper, crafts, math manipulatives, etc. Each student will have their own materials that are left at their desk such as pencils, paper, erasers, crayons or markers, individual dry eraser boards, etc. The teacher will also have a center that has extra pencils, crayons, scissors and other materials that would be needed in the classroom. Collection of schoolwork would depend on the activity or assignment such as individual or group work. Individual work would be collected and graded as well as group work as appropriate. Attendances, tardiness , make -up work, etc. The teacher will keep a roll book of student and take attendance daily, tardiness will also be noted . If a student is absent then the student will complete their schoolwork within 3 days after their return or as determined by school policy. If students are absence for extended periods such as serious injury or illness or surgery for example then the teacher would work with the student and his or her parents on a case by case basic or as determined by school policy, etc. F) Student accountability systems Supervision and monitoring The teacher will walk around the room as necessary for supervision and monitoring of schoolwork. The students will be spaced out for testing such as spelling, reading, science and social studies tests. In-class work Class work will be turned in daily and graded by the teacher or with older students they will self-grade some of their daily work Homework When introducing new skills to the students or the students need extra practice then homework will be sent home to help with further understanding. Returning papers Homework and other papers will be returned daily or the next school day. Papers will be graded daily and returned to the student so they will know what areas they are doing well in and also the areas that they need to work on. Communicating grades Homework and other graded papers will be sent home daily for the parents to be aware of the students progress. Each Monday the teacher will send home progress reports with each subject listed and the grade for each subject for the parent to sign and return weekly so the parents are aware of the students progress. Quizzes, other assessments Quizzes will be given to make sure the students are learning a new skill or skills that is introduced. Other assessments that will be used to grade students activities such as science projects or experiments and students can work together in groups. Other hands -on activities may include reading maps or work globes, etc. G) Structuring instruction Notebooks Notebooks will be used to keep activities and daily homework. Each day the student will place their notebooks in their desks and keep paperwork in them. For older students, notebooks will be kept for paperwork, materials and other paperwork for each subject. Folders Individual students folders will be keep and will also be put in their backpack and took home each day with daily work, homework and other paperwork. Other systems for instructional activities Weekly schedule and weekly newsletter will be sent home each Monday that lists each subject and the skills that will be taught for the week as well as any weekly reminders of upcoming events. Filler activities Activities will be set up in small groups or centers needed for extra educational activities. Education games will be used for the centers such as word games, reading activities, matching games, math games, etc. Giving instructions steps, posting etc. Each activities will be given specific instructions such as verbal or written instructions. H) Dealing with discipline problems in the classroom As a teacher there are many ways for classroom disruptions that are beyond our control such as intercom announcements and other classroom disruptions. In order to maintain appropriate behavior it is best to teach desirable responses regarding classroom interruptions. Reinforcing desirable behaviors When a student is behaving appropriately let the student be aware of the good behavior. For example, by stating, I really like the way James or Sally is sitting quietly and listening. I like the way Molly is raising her hand before asking a question. I am happy to see John, Amy and Matt standing in line quietly in the hallway. Praising good behavior helps others want to do the right behavior. Techniques for dealing with minor disruptions If minor disruptions occur the first approach would be to response to the student by the following procedures: Ignore Eye Contact Move closer in proximity Gesture or shoulder touch Questioning Techniques for dealing with chronic misbehaviors Dealing with chronic misbehaviors would include using some form of accountability by using a tally or other system to keep up with misbehavior as follows: Warning Written work Additional schoolwork Lose of privileges Send to principal/Note to parents/guardian Referral to principal or other personnel Referral to principal or other personnel would result as a last resort such as student refusing to listen to the teacher or being a disruption to the whole class. If the student were not responding to any action that the teacher has tried or offered then the student would be sent to the principals office for consequence of his/her actions. Techniques for dealing with severe problems If a student is threatening others, fighting or bringing inappropriate items into the classroom that the school has determined dangerous or illegal then I would follow school policy in regards to inappropriate behaviors. Student actions may result in the students being placed in school detention, expelled for a few days or in extreme cases expelled for the school year. Desists and desisting If a student has numerous issues regarding inappropriate behaviors and nothing seems to work to deter a negative behavior and the student still desists then it may be necessary to remove the student from the classroom and place the student in detention. Sending a written letter home to the parent or guardian to explain the student actions/behaviors. NOTE: Select the least intrusive strategy to gain students compliance. Avoid lecturing/nagging. Parent communication Communication systems- letters, notes, calls One of the easiest ways a teacher can communicate with a parent or parents is to send home weekly progress reports and weekly classroom newsletters with identified areas or skills to learn for the week. Another good way to communicate is through the school website. E-mail is also a great way to communicate but not all families especially in rural areas have Internet access. The teacher can also provide contact numbers or contact hours for parents to communicate with them. Conferences Parent teacher conferences are a great way to get to know the parent and the type of family that the student comes from. Understanding a students background will help understand their styles of learning and what works best for each individual student. Involvement Teachers can also involve parents in school activities or invite parent if they have the time and opportunity to volunteer for a day in the classroom. Most parents like to stay involved even if they are unable to volunteer and another way for them to be involved is to donate materials, money or other things needed for the school or classroom. Dealing with moods, changes in weather, illness, etc. There are different situations that will affect the school day. Changes in moods are often related to weather. Some children do better when it is a sunny day versus a rainy or snowy day. Another distraction for children regarding the weather is a forecast of snow and the anticipation of a snow day. Sometimes illness of a child affects the classroom schedule. A child may not be sick when they arrive at school but during the day may develop a fever or sudden illness such as stomach virus or other illness. If this occurs, the teacher would refer the student to the school nurse to contact the parent or guardian to pick the student up from school. Modification of activities for specific times There are certain times that modification of class schedule will occur such as field trips, student assemblies, school fire drills, tornado drills, pep rallies or other activities. The teacher will adjust the class schedule and be flexible and prepared for any situation. Preparation and procedures for substitute teachers As a teacher I would have lesson plans for each week that would list daily schedule and list subject areas for each day/week. If the teacher is planning on being absent then materials, textbooks, paperwork and other materials would be listed and given to the substitute teacher in advance if the teacher has made plans to be absent. In other cases, if the teacher is ill or has other emergencies then the substitute would follow the lesson plans and use material that are in the classroom to help teach the class. K) Management of various instructional formats Whole group instruction As a teacher I would complete whole group instruction by explaining to the classroom the activity or subject they will be completing. Whole group instruction for younger children learning to read would be completed with the students gathered in a semi circle on the floor the teacher would start with echo reading to help the students with fluency, comprehension and reading with expression. Another example of whole group instruction in the subject are of math the teacher would use math manipulatives to show fractions using blocks representing how many triangle in a rectangle. Small group activities (and reading groups for elementary) Small group activities would include different activities set up for the students to learn computer skills, math games, and reading. Small groups of reading for elementary students will also allow the teacher to assess the students in the small group reading fluency and comprehension as well as phonics being able to sound out letters and words. Other formats particularly appropriate to the grade level or subject matter. Setting up simple science experiments for younger children to let them explore and complete hands-on activities seem to help motivate children to learn about science and their environment. In older students the students would be able to have a science lab or science workshop to perform experiments to create their own hypothesis.

Designing a Natural Play Environment

Designing a Natural Play Environment Introduction ‘Natural Play is a fundamental aspect of a childs development and physical exercise. Through play, a childs personality develops and they gain a greater control of mind and body. Play has opportunities for social, ethical and emotional development. Environmental based play initiates instinctive play as well as self-reliance, confidence and maturity [1] Play is used as a medium for translating one childs personal culture to another, this quote portrays findings from the psychologist Arnaud in 1984 [2] ‘ I really believe there is something about nature that when you are in it , it makes you realise that there are far larger things at work than yourself.Being in nature can be the a way to escape without fully leaving the world. [3] Landscape architects have recently been given the responsibility to design ‘natural play schemes under the 2006 Play England initiatives which have provided the largest ever national investment in natural play. [4] Under these initiatives, the traditional concept of equipped play areas has been disregarded and instead, a greater emphasis is given to creating ‘naturalistic play environments for different age groups. Consequently, landscape architects have now a greater role in the development of play areas rather than the installation of equipment for play solutions. However, there are constraints which determine the extent to which landscape architects can give a ‘natural play experience. This study will explore and review recent projects in order to evaluate the success of such schemes. The research for this study is based upon the authors experience working on Newcastle City Councils Play Englands Play Pathfinder schemes during the summer of 2009 as well as design ing and building an aerial walkway on a woodland adventure trail which was developed on a farm open to the public. [5], [6] The study will be informed by examples from published literature, studies and information from play companies. Firsthand experience of the subject gained through designing, building and managing natural play areas as well as observations on regular visits to Skelton Grange Environmental Centre (Leeds) and during a field trip to Denmark (2009) will also be used. Aims and Objectives The aim of the study is to identify the principles behind the planning and design of natural play areas, as well as discussing constraints which affect the implementation. Factors that affect the design of natural play areas will be discussed; childhood development, social context, aspects of the site, management and expenditure as well as possible avenues which have not been considered under the Play England initiative. In doing this, it is hoped to determine to what extent ‘natural play environments can be designed and implemented in England. What is ‘natural play? Before discussing the design of ‘natural play schemes it is important to define ‘natural play and how it has evolved. Natural play provides play opportunities in a changing natural landscape. Natural play can enable children to feel more confident in themselves, often revealing their deeper feelings and sharing of their ideas. Natural play has many invaluable qualities that cannot be taught through structured learning activities; the theories of natural play are robustly supported by researchers from varied disciplines including psychology, education, philosophy, anthropology and recreation. [7] The evolution of natural play spaces The essence of childrens play has changed little over the centuries. The links between the play patterns of un-modernised and developed societies have been shown to be very similar. For example ‘!Kung children in the Kalahari desert use an object, in their case the sheath of a banana leaf, to symbolise a baby and these mothering games are similar to those played by children in developed societies who play with dolls. [8] However, adults controlling childrens lives have imposed a series of changing theories as to how they should play. During the age of enlightenment when all sorts of theories were being examined Rousseau (1712-1778), the French philosopher, valued the importance of good experiences to mental development in children. When he heard of children forced to read and not play he wrote â€Å"those who would rob these little innocents of the joys that pass so quickly, he went on to say, ‘We must never forget all this should be play, the easy and voluntarily control of movement which nature demands of them, the art of varying their games to make them pleasanter without the least bit of constraint. To a child of 10 or 12 work or play are all one, with the proviso that the activity of play is ‘with the charm of freedom. [9] The case studies for this essay have been chosen following observations of natural play schemes during 2008 2009. The sites cover the fundamental aspects and current trends of natural play used by after school clubs, Play England, Natural England initiatives, and environmental learning projects. Play pathfinders and play builder explain Skelton Grange Skelton Grange Environment Centre, Leeds is located 5 km from Leeds City Centre (figs.). The site is a gentle sloping 8 Acre site with woodland, open meadows, lawns and riverside walks. The site is located in a large industrial area on the periphery of Leeds City Centre and is leased from the National Grid. The project is an innovative, award winning, environmental education project that aims to bring alive the issues surrounding sustainable development. [15]The project is hoped to help people develop an understanding and appreciation of the environment by educating its visitors on ways to safeguard our future. The scheme funded by BTCV (British Trust for Conservation Volunteers) aims to use the Eco Centre and surrounding landscape to support a wide range of activities working mainly with children, young people and adults on school trips, play schemes, community groups as well as teenage individuals. The site is used for education and training sessions, practical conservation, and BTVC volunteer development. BTCV staff at the centre work with young people and adults, schools, play schemes, community groups and individuals on developing an understanding appreciation of their environment, and their role in safeguarding its future. The children who visit annually are from inner city West Yorkshire primary schools. These children gain many valuable experiences of environmental play which can be absorbed and provide inspiration for similar forms of play at home or school. The most striking issue which was observed on the site was the willingness to the children o learn and play in a rugged natural environment as many of the inner city children have a very limited horizons when it comes to getting out of town. Broom House Farm ‘Adventure trail Broom House Farm ‘Adventure Trail is Located in the Durham countryside approximately 6 miles east of Durham City (figs.). The adventure trail is set on land belonging to a diverse ‘organic farm enterprise. The surrounding landscape has a significant impact on the adventure trail as it is visible from the trail and relates to educational material within the trail. The woodland where the adventure trail is located is predominantly coniferous however there are many mature broadleaved species in the woodland. Most of the coniferous woodland was established over 50 years ago when the land was set aside by the farming tenants after it was open cast for coal. The woodland is very diverse in flora and fauna. The trail is open to the public and has approximately 4,000 public visitors, 60 school parties per annum. These include visits through a recent Natural England initiative (name it) . There are also visitors from institutions for people with special needs. The wood offers a wi de range of natural based learning activities and many outlets for un-structured natural play. The site has been designed to enable a sense of discovery for visiting children, consequently giving a strong bond with the environment. The site is unique in the area and proves very successful with all users, the blend of natural play, education and playing within a woodland environment strongly complement each other. Visitors with special needs gain special interaction with nature when visiting. The bonding with nature is also highly significant for children visiting the site from deprived inner city areas of Newcastle, Gateshead, Sunderland and Durham. During my experience as education/safety officer at Broom House Farm (2008), I supervised and carried out educational activities with the children. This was an important experience for me as over a period of time I was able to observe the children using the natural play setting. During the summer of 2009 I designed and helped build new additions to the adventure trail including a 100m raised board walk and other play zones (figs.). Denmark Junk Playground The play site is located in Fredriksberg, a central district of Copenhagen, Denmark. The site consists of a large clearing in a Beech woodland. The perimeter has mature trees which overhang much of the site. Shrubs have been integrated next to structures built by the children . This unique ‘Junk Playground also caters as an after school club for the adjoining school. The site offers a safe environment for children to be supervised from a distance, allowing them to construct a variety of custom built play equipment from shelters to play structures. This resource is run by adults employed by the council and funding from parents, all staff have a degree in some form of child development or education. The facility is also open at weekends when it is supervised by parents. The site is a huge success and is very popular. The value of this resource to the local community is very high; children are left at the after school club everyday so they have to be very imaginative in the playspace to keep them occupied. The outcome of what the children design and build is usually well implemented. The community involvement of many parents also helps safeguard the success of the site on weekends. The site has an importance policy which allows children to construct play equipment, this is a good example of allowing risk in the play environment. It was interesting to observe the competence of children as they explained what they had built and the construction methods learnt. More importantly the children explained that everyone uses the tools in a responsible manner, consequently there are few injuries. ADD? Children are constantly encouraged to be creative within the education system. Depending on their age many have a drive to create constructions. Through natural play, natural materials can be used to create personal play equipment. This adds a further dimension to the benefits of natural play. When children construct anything they feel more confident of another intuitive childhood process. Within the Danish junk playground, children are issued with and allowed to bring their own construction tools such as hammers, nails, saws and other materials to construct play equipment from the abundance of materials provided. These materials include wood, block paving and other recycled materials. The quality of the constructions made is inspected by adults for strength and any other irregularities. Through this process errors can be corrected and the equipment passed as being safe. The individuals responsible for the construction then shows their play mates and they share their special creations with each other and revise there constructions and equipment with a greater knowledge of construction. The constructions are often nestled and integrated within site, composed of mature trees and shrubs. The success of the natural environment is the popularity of building these structures and games within the greener areas of the site. Fagan refer to sketch book for his opinions and feelings about the thriving site from a childs perspective? Skrammellegepladsen A scheme in place in Fredriksberg, Copenhagen, Denmark were by children build natural play environments adding a different dimension to natural play, combining out of school care and natural play recreation. The results of this scheme is of huge significance to my study and is very popular on the streets of Copenhagen. Parents pick children up from the centre up to as late as 5 o clock. The children are fed with healthy meals which they often cook themselves, children are then free to roam the site playing and constructing play spaces. The children are issued with hammers, nails, wood, hard landscaping materials. The teaching staff all have degrees orientated around primary and youth education. The centre accommodates for ages up to 15 Years of age. There is a strong drive within Play England Guidelines to accommodate teenagers, in particular girls within natural play schemes within Britain. The site in Fritsberg is adjacent to a large inner city school so the visiting children have a quick transition between the two spaces. This could be more common as schools both within the inner cities and rural areas have a wider perimeter to their site with scope to expand, typically a site composed of wasteland grasslands, gravel, mud and pockets of trees with huge potential for transformation to create natural play spaces to socialise and spend countless hours in order to develop. The possibility for making the most of school yard sites would be of double affect as playground play is one few occasions children get to play in a safe environment. If developed playgrounds were open to the community more and not as segregated. As much of the school site in un used within the school timetable with limited Sport, Outdoor play and education it would make sense to make more use of these spaces as natural play sites. One of the biggest bonuss to the scheme adjacent to the school in Fritsberg is the lack of Adult intervention. The children when playing are left outside to their o wn devices yet could seek help, if needed from staff who located themselves near to the building entrance. Newcastle play sites Location Distance from city etc / Add type of landscape, fields, water, woodland and surrounding area flat, hills etc? These play sites have been identified by the council to be improved, using funding from Play England. These playgrounds up graded from a play pathfinder to play builder, Some of these sites have been completed ADD Observations not mentioned in table. How children use it. What you thought was good about it. The activities carried out in these environments have many benefits enhancing childrens ability to recognise and appreciate the natural play environment. Sketches of the natural settings within these sites have been included. The natural qualities deployed create stimulating surroundings with opportunities for more imaginative play and wonder. Adults may view nature as a surrounding for the childs activities. However children seem to view a natural play space as a sensory experience and a place where they can interact within a fantastical environment. Children develop their imagination continually through everyday experiences, which is essential in the childs development as a well rounded individual within society. Why is natural play important today? Natural play environments offer a diversity of natural landscape experiences such as trees, vegetation, wildlife, plants, shaded areas, shelter, water, rivers and hiding spaces create a timeless naturalistic landscape. Children using natural play environments can become thoroughly engaged with nature. [16] The wide variations of the natural elements to play schemes can trigger unique spontaneity, for example playing with living creatures such as insects, building dens with natural materials or setting physical challenges within the environment such as climbing trees. [17] Children seem to have a natural affinity with nature and love for the natural outdoors but today opportunites for this can be limited. Natural England carried out a survey in 2009 which identified that less than 10% of children have the opportunity to play in woodland settings, the countryside or parks. The research also discovered that only 24% of children visit a natural environment once a week in comparison to 53 % of adults who did so in their childhood. [18] The benefits to children from playing in natural play environments A recent lecture by Paul Walker the Director of Timbercare (designers and builders of natural play landscapes, mainly manufacturing wooden play units) highlighted his personal opinions of many elements of natural play. He concluded his speech by saying that ironically the investment within the surrounding landscape of a play area was more valuable to children than a collection of individual equipment which the company specialises in providing. [19] Walker felt strongly about his childhood experiences of natural play, he told many stories of his freedom one of which was how by the age of 11 he had a 6 Mile radius to roam within central Sheffield. The complexity of his different play spaces were therefore hugely diverse including post industrial landscapes, derelict buildings, woodland areas, canals and streets. Walkers primary concern for his industry today is the necessity for low risk in play. Although safety standards now take a more balanced approach he felt they could go further. [20] He felt his childhood experiences of natural based play had a variety of different elements of danger and risk taking, making children of that era much more adventurous and evolving life skills in the changing environment around Sheffield. Another professional who believes that children should have similar opportunities to Paul Walker is an American journalist Richard Louv whose revolutionary phrase ‘Saving Our Children from Nature Deficit Disorder sums up the restrictions facing the majority of children in modernised society. The quote below illustrates trends in child play. ‘ONE EVENING WHEN (sic) my boys were younger, Mathew, then ten, looked at me from across a restaurant table and said quite seriously, â€Å"Dad, how come it was more fun when you were a kid?†. Within the space of a few decades, the way children understand and experience nature has changed radically. The polarity of the relationship had been reversed. Today, kids are aware of the global threats to the environment but their physical contact, their intimacy with nature, is fading. Thats the exact opposite of how it was when I was a child. [21] Louv feels that our affinity to nature is innate and in jeopardy across the modernised world. Quoting Sobel he discusses the changes which have occurred in the experience of obtaining food suggesting that food has become almost abstract now being a product in a supermarket which has little connection with the field or farm it came from. Children are now having to learn where food comes from through schemes such as Natural Englands ‘Learning Outside initiative.[22], [23] School trips to farms in England are limited as they take up considerable financial and staffing resources and often only occur once a year as seen at Broom House Adventure Trail. [24] Urban living can be an experience which is disconnected from nature and can create â€Å"ecophobia† a term which Sobel devised to explain a fear that nature can be physically dirty and dangerous. While working at Broom House Adventure Trail it was apparent from children and teachers that children were warned not to get dirty and were wearing expensive designer clothing. This made a barrier to the children fully experiencing natural play and it would be beneficial to the children if teachers made it clear to parents that there would be a strong possibility of clothes getting dirty and damaged. Some of the children also seemed initially hesitant and detached from the natural environment. [25] Benefits to Childrens Health from Natural Play Watching children using the play sites described in this study it is obvious they expend a great deal of energy and burn many calories. Not all children prefer sport and some do not like organised activities, but all children want to play. Natural play offers less structured opportunities for refining skills such as balance, endurance and confidence and provides a valuable solution for steering children away from childhood obesity. Many children are at risk from health problems caused by their life styles which include poor diet and lack of exercise. In 2009 it was reported that ‘25% of boys and 33% of girls between two and 19 are overweight. [26] It was noted in this survey that â€Å"parents are getting so used to seeing overweight kids, they do not recognise their own children are obese†. These problems cost the National Health over  £2 billion annually. County Durham is one of the worst areas in England for childhood obesity. [27] At Broom House Farm Adventure Trail it was noted that the obese children had less self confidence, were more negative in their approach to playing on the equipment and were teased by classmates. Benefits to Childrens Mental Health from Natural Play The BMJ group estimate that 2 children in every class of 30 schoolchildren will have ADHD. [28] There is a strong belief that children with behaviour and learning difficulties, such as ADHD, are thought to be deprived from the experience of natural play. [29] Louv reports that parents of children with these problems are being taken to natural play environments in order for them to experience situations which require intense concentration, the children are compelled to observe what is around them and become part of the environment rather than separate from it. [30] Children with special needs at Broom House Adventure Trail were seen to greatly enjoy the sensory experience of being close to vegetation, running around and watching others playing on equipment. The carers commented that the escapism of being in such a calming atmosphere was beneficial to their state of mind and they would appreciate access to such a facility more often. One respite care home arranged for their children to attend the adventure trail weekly in conjunction with their other activities. Benefits to Children from interaction with playmates Today many children in England lead less active lives as they are able to watch non-stop television or play indoors on computer games. This decreases the amount of interaction they have with parents, siblings and friends. Curry and Arnaud noted that ‘By the age of four and five children are extremely sensitive to each other and acutely tuned to what interests, pleases or provokes another child. [31] Decreased opportunities to interact through observation, collaboration and discussion during play can have a damaging effect on the confidence of a child and their ability to interact in play environments and in their future lives. Playing with others give children the chance to learn about equality and become integrated within wider cultures. During a consultation process at Kippax Ash Tree Primary School the children discussed their visit to Skelton Grange where they worked together making a shelter and a ‘pebble island to simulate an imaginary civilisation in the woodland. The idea of the project was to encourage the children to integrate through constructive play and say how they would survive on the island. The outcome was a number of sustainable solutions which they had learnt about during the course of the day. Opportunities to develop self reliance Natural play environments develop a childs independence and self sufficiency. When a child enters a natural play environments they can develop a distance from their carers or parents either individually or with other children exploring. This opportunity for play can be achieved in any outdoor space, however in a natural play environment it is enhanced by the magical natural surroundings. This process is important to children who live in confined conditions and are restricted from access to natural play by the location of their accommodation and poverty. White and Stoecklin state ‘While the development of greater independence from toddlerhood to middle childhood can happen within the confines of indoor spaces, safe space outdoors greatly adds to the ability of children to naturally experiment with independence and separation, and the adults willingness to trust the childs competence which is essential for separation to happen. [32] When children accompanied by parents played in the woodland at Broom House they were often heavily restricted by parents who would not allow them to explore the zoned play spaces alone. This was seen on many occasions and created a barrier to the full potential of the natural play experience for their children. It was interesting to note that although school children stayed within their small teaching groups and despite not being in the comfort of their friendship groups, they were sufficiently stimulated to play together. It was also interesting to observe that the children moved quickly from the natural based play equipment to evolve new imaginative games, making maximum use of the woodland. It was also observed that the paths were used as catalyst for exploring the site within a time limit. [33] Opportunities for exposure to nature Our interactions with nature can be hugely diverse depending upon the environment which a child lives in or is exposed to. The experience of different materials, changing seasons and making connections to nature are important components in natural play. [34] The provision of living material in natural play landscapes incorporates the underlying processes of nature and therefore gives a strong understanding of nature gained through physical interaction and watching seasonal changes in the landscape. ‘Plants and vegetation as a medium within play spaces develop interactive skills. Plants stimulate discovery, dramatic pretend play, and imagination. Plants speak to all of the senses, so its not surprising that children are closely attuned to environments with vegetation. Plants, in a pleasant environment with a mix of sun, shade, colour, texture, fragrance, and softness of enclosure also encourage a sense of peacefulness†[35]. When children experience nature, it can be in a v ariety of sensory experiences its value is precious and can be remembered for a long time. Children appreciate the natural layers of the earth no matter how small the play space. Moore recorded a conversation with girls about playing in sand ‘We make streams in the sand when it rains and comes down the hill the girls said. The got down on their hands and knees and embarked on a sequence of sand play. Within a few moments they had laid out a network of â€Å"roads† running around the humpy surface of the fine, hard-packed, sandy soil. Other infrastructure such as houses and an imaginary manor house was also built. [36] * Water play The outdoor environment provides a variety of contrasting surfaces with different textures and play qualities. Recent heavy snowfall in England (2009) triggered instinctive responses to an element which acted as a catalyst for all ages to enjoy excitement and freedom without hesitation or social barriers. Natural materials are used to enhance environmental play for deprived inner city schools of Leeds such as Skelton Grange Environmental Centre in Leeds (West Yorkshire). One of the many natural based activities completed by school visitors is to construct components of the imaginary settlement described above using, sand, soil, water, twigs and leaves. This exercise although educational connects the children with natural materials. Design Design of Natural play environments can produce a range of natural play experiences rather than a single type as per traditional equipped play area†¦ DISCUSS HOW How can a landscape architect in the UK create ‘natural play environments? The previous section outlined an understanding of what natural play is, case studies and the benefits of designing natural play areas. Play England have given landscape architects the opportunity to design natural play areas in many parts of England what considerations need to be taken into account when designing them? New Initiatives of Play England between the years 2006 2009 Play England began working for the childrens play programme in 2006 and 2007, with funding gained from ‘The Big Lottery fund. The recent Play England guidelines show the design principles of Play England. Play England has produced many documents summarising the commitments announced for the Play Strategy of England. The two most relevant one to this study include the ‘Play Strategy and ‘Design for Play. [37] ‘Weve recently moved over to assessing the tenders on play value much more and this has forced the quality standards up, with suppliers now trying to outdo each other for natural play as well as good design and sheer quantity of features †¦ we score each activity and feature for points and use this information to guide us in consideration of the tenders. In the end though it still comes down to us trying to decide which will offer the best play opportunities for the next 15 years or more. Play England have worked in tune with a range of professionals to ensure the best possible guidelines for Landscape Architects to work towards during implementation of the national Play Strategy in their work. Play England is supporting local authority Playbuilders and Play Pathfinders (focusing on 8-13 yrs olds). Their purpose is to deliver the governments  £235m investment in play and natural play in order to create innovative and adventurous play spaces across the UK. This level of investment has not been made before in England. The Play Pathfinder scheme is intended to provide free play opportunities for children and young people in the country over the next 10 years. The Government announced in April 2009 that the overall success of the schemes would be reviewed by children in their local areas. A conference is planned in March 2010 and will explore the future and momentum of the campaign after the last four years. Play England Guidelines Since 2006 Landscape Architects have been required by Play England to adopt design principles which take into consideration the summarised guidelines below for new and refurbished natural play schemes (please see appendix 1 for Play England Design Principles in full); [38] Enhancing the site. Site analysis work ensuring the spirit of the chosen site is enhanced, complementing attractive parts of the site and enhancing poorer environments. Using the best location. A balance in defining the exact location of the proposed park, between safety of the child user and seclusion. Enhancing natural features of the site as well as adding new features./Adding a variety of new soft landscape material and natural landscape features in urban and rural play sites. Providing opportunities for diverse play./This includes accommodating natural play for all age ranges including devising social spaces for parents and carers onsite. Provide the opportunity for children of all abilities and needs to mix./ There should be no barriers for people with special needs which may include carers or parents. Encourage community participation in the design process./ The design required has to work for the community and captivate preferences of the neighbours of the site. Ensure the play space can be used by all ages./ The play site must incorporate many aspects of risk for its users to develop an understanding of risk. Design to develop childrens experiences of taking r Designing a Natural Play Environment Designing a Natural Play Environment Introduction ‘Natural Play is a fundamental aspect of a childs development and physical exercise. Through play, a childs personality develops and they gain a greater control of mind and body. Play has opportunities for social, ethical and emotional development. Environmental based play initiates instinctive play as well as self-reliance, confidence and maturity [1] Play is used as a medium for translating one childs personal culture to another, this quote portrays findings from the psychologist Arnaud in 1984 [2] ‘ I really believe there is something about nature that when you are in it , it makes you realise that there are far larger things at work than yourself.Being in nature can be the a way to escape without fully leaving the world. [3] Landscape architects have recently been given the responsibility to design ‘natural play schemes under the 2006 Play England initiatives which have provided the largest ever national investment in natural play. [4] Under these initiatives, the traditional concept of equipped play areas has been disregarded and instead, a greater emphasis is given to creating ‘naturalistic play environments for different age groups. Consequently, landscape architects have now a greater role in the development of play areas rather than the installation of equipment for play solutions. However, there are constraints which determine the extent to which landscape architects can give a ‘natural play experience. This study will explore and review recent projects in order to evaluate the success of such schemes. The research for this study is based upon the authors experience working on Newcastle City Councils Play Englands Play Pathfinder schemes during the summer of 2009 as well as design ing and building an aerial walkway on a woodland adventure trail which was developed on a farm open to the public. [5], [6] The study will be informed by examples from published literature, studies and information from play companies. Firsthand experience of the subject gained through designing, building and managing natural play areas as well as observations on regular visits to Skelton Grange Environmental Centre (Leeds) and during a field trip to Denmark (2009) will also be used. Aims and Objectives The aim of the study is to identify the principles behind the planning and design of natural play areas, as well as discussing constraints which affect the implementation. Factors that affect the design of natural play areas will be discussed; childhood development, social context, aspects of the site, management and expenditure as well as possible avenues which have not been considered under the Play England initiative. In doing this, it is hoped to determine to what extent ‘natural play environments can be designed and implemented in England. What is ‘natural play? Before discussing the design of ‘natural play schemes it is important to define ‘natural play and how it has evolved. Natural play provides play opportunities in a changing natural landscape. Natural play can enable children to feel more confident in themselves, often revealing their deeper feelings and sharing of their ideas. Natural play has many invaluable qualities that cannot be taught through structured learning activities; the theories of natural play are robustly supported by researchers from varied disciplines including psychology, education, philosophy, anthropology and recreation. [7] The evolution of natural play spaces The essence of childrens play has changed little over the centuries. The links between the play patterns of un-modernised and developed societies have been shown to be very similar. For example ‘!Kung children in the Kalahari desert use an object, in their case the sheath of a banana leaf, to symbolise a baby and these mothering games are similar to those played by children in developed societies who play with dolls. [8] However, adults controlling childrens lives have imposed a series of changing theories as to how they should play. During the age of enlightenment when all sorts of theories were being examined Rousseau (1712-1778), the French philosopher, valued the importance of good experiences to mental development in children. When he heard of children forced to read and not play he wrote â€Å"those who would rob these little innocents of the joys that pass so quickly, he went on to say, ‘We must never forget all this should be play, the easy and voluntarily control of movement which nature demands of them, the art of varying their games to make them pleasanter without the least bit of constraint. To a child of 10 or 12 work or play are all one, with the proviso that the activity of play is ‘with the charm of freedom. [9] The case studies for this essay have been chosen following observations of natural play schemes during 2008 2009. The sites cover the fundamental aspects and current trends of natural play used by after school clubs, Play England, Natural England initiatives, and environmental learning projects. Play pathfinders and play builder explain Skelton Grange Skelton Grange Environment Centre, Leeds is located 5 km from Leeds City Centre (figs.). The site is a gentle sloping 8 Acre site with woodland, open meadows, lawns and riverside walks. The site is located in a large industrial area on the periphery of Leeds City Centre and is leased from the National Grid. The project is an innovative, award winning, environmental education project that aims to bring alive the issues surrounding sustainable development. [15]The project is hoped to help people develop an understanding and appreciation of the environment by educating its visitors on ways to safeguard our future. The scheme funded by BTCV (British Trust for Conservation Volunteers) aims to use the Eco Centre and surrounding landscape to support a wide range of activities working mainly with children, young people and adults on school trips, play schemes, community groups as well as teenage individuals. The site is used for education and training sessions, practical conservation, and BTVC volunteer development. BTCV staff at the centre work with young people and adults, schools, play schemes, community groups and individuals on developing an understanding appreciation of their environment, and their role in safeguarding its future. The children who visit annually are from inner city West Yorkshire primary schools. These children gain many valuable experiences of environmental play which can be absorbed and provide inspiration for similar forms of play at home or school. The most striking issue which was observed on the site was the willingness to the children o learn and play in a rugged natural environment as many of the inner city children have a very limited horizons when it comes to getting out of town. Broom House Farm ‘Adventure trail Broom House Farm ‘Adventure Trail is Located in the Durham countryside approximately 6 miles east of Durham City (figs.). The adventure trail is set on land belonging to a diverse ‘organic farm enterprise. The surrounding landscape has a significant impact on the adventure trail as it is visible from the trail and relates to educational material within the trail. The woodland where the adventure trail is located is predominantly coniferous however there are many mature broadleaved species in the woodland. Most of the coniferous woodland was established over 50 years ago when the land was set aside by the farming tenants after it was open cast for coal. The woodland is very diverse in flora and fauna. The trail is open to the public and has approximately 4,000 public visitors, 60 school parties per annum. These include visits through a recent Natural England initiative (name it) . There are also visitors from institutions for people with special needs. The wood offers a wi de range of natural based learning activities and many outlets for un-structured natural play. The site has been designed to enable a sense of discovery for visiting children, consequently giving a strong bond with the environment. The site is unique in the area and proves very successful with all users, the blend of natural play, education and playing within a woodland environment strongly complement each other. Visitors with special needs gain special interaction with nature when visiting. The bonding with nature is also highly significant for children visiting the site from deprived inner city areas of Newcastle, Gateshead, Sunderland and Durham. During my experience as education/safety officer at Broom House Farm (2008), I supervised and carried out educational activities with the children. This was an important experience for me as over a period of time I was able to observe the children using the natural play setting. During the summer of 2009 I designed and helped build new additions to the adventure trail including a 100m raised board walk and other play zones (figs.). Denmark Junk Playground The play site is located in Fredriksberg, a central district of Copenhagen, Denmark. The site consists of a large clearing in a Beech woodland. The perimeter has mature trees which overhang much of the site. Shrubs have been integrated next to structures built by the children . This unique ‘Junk Playground also caters as an after school club for the adjoining school. The site offers a safe environment for children to be supervised from a distance, allowing them to construct a variety of custom built play equipment from shelters to play structures. This resource is run by adults employed by the council and funding from parents, all staff have a degree in some form of child development or education. The facility is also open at weekends when it is supervised by parents. The site is a huge success and is very popular. The value of this resource to the local community is very high; children are left at the after school club everyday so they have to be very imaginative in the playspace to keep them occupied. The outcome of what the children design and build is usually well implemented. The community involvement of many parents also helps safeguard the success of the site on weekends. The site has an importance policy which allows children to construct play equipment, this is a good example of allowing risk in the play environment. It was interesting to observe the competence of children as they explained what they had built and the construction methods learnt. More importantly the children explained that everyone uses the tools in a responsible manner, consequently there are few injuries. ADD? Children are constantly encouraged to be creative within the education system. Depending on their age many have a drive to create constructions. Through natural play, natural materials can be used to create personal play equipment. This adds a further dimension to the benefits of natural play. When children construct anything they feel more confident of another intuitive childhood process. Within the Danish junk playground, children are issued with and allowed to bring their own construction tools such as hammers, nails, saws and other materials to construct play equipment from the abundance of materials provided. These materials include wood, block paving and other recycled materials. The quality of the constructions made is inspected by adults for strength and any other irregularities. Through this process errors can be corrected and the equipment passed as being safe. The individuals responsible for the construction then shows their play mates and they share their special creations with each other and revise there constructions and equipment with a greater knowledge of construction. The constructions are often nestled and integrated within site, composed of mature trees and shrubs. The success of the natural environment is the popularity of building these structures and games within the greener areas of the site. Fagan refer to sketch book for his opinions and feelings about the thriving site from a childs perspective? Skrammellegepladsen A scheme in place in Fredriksberg, Copenhagen, Denmark were by children build natural play environments adding a different dimension to natural play, combining out of school care and natural play recreation. The results of this scheme is of huge significance to my study and is very popular on the streets of Copenhagen. Parents pick children up from the centre up to as late as 5 o clock. The children are fed with healthy meals which they often cook themselves, children are then free to roam the site playing and constructing play spaces. The children are issued with hammers, nails, wood, hard landscaping materials. The teaching staff all have degrees orientated around primary and youth education. The centre accommodates for ages up to 15 Years of age. There is a strong drive within Play England Guidelines to accommodate teenagers, in particular girls within natural play schemes within Britain. The site in Fritsberg is adjacent to a large inner city school so the visiting children have a quick transition between the two spaces. This could be more common as schools both within the inner cities and rural areas have a wider perimeter to their site with scope to expand, typically a site composed of wasteland grasslands, gravel, mud and pockets of trees with huge potential for transformation to create natural play spaces to socialise and spend countless hours in order to develop. The possibility for making the most of school yard sites would be of double affect as playground play is one few occasions children get to play in a safe environment. If developed playgrounds were open to the community more and not as segregated. As much of the school site in un used within the school timetable with limited Sport, Outdoor play and education it would make sense to make more use of these spaces as natural play sites. One of the biggest bonuss to the scheme adjacent to the school in Fritsberg is the lack of Adult intervention. The children when playing are left outside to their o wn devices yet could seek help, if needed from staff who located themselves near to the building entrance. Newcastle play sites Location Distance from city etc / Add type of landscape, fields, water, woodland and surrounding area flat, hills etc? These play sites have been identified by the council to be improved, using funding from Play England. These playgrounds up graded from a play pathfinder to play builder, Some of these sites have been completed ADD Observations not mentioned in table. How children use it. What you thought was good about it. The activities carried out in these environments have many benefits enhancing childrens ability to recognise and appreciate the natural play environment. Sketches of the natural settings within these sites have been included. The natural qualities deployed create stimulating surroundings with opportunities for more imaginative play and wonder. Adults may view nature as a surrounding for the childs activities. However children seem to view a natural play space as a sensory experience and a place where they can interact within a fantastical environment. Children develop their imagination continually through everyday experiences, which is essential in the childs development as a well rounded individual within society. Why is natural play important today? Natural play environments offer a diversity of natural landscape experiences such as trees, vegetation, wildlife, plants, shaded areas, shelter, water, rivers and hiding spaces create a timeless naturalistic landscape. Children using natural play environments can become thoroughly engaged with nature. [16] The wide variations of the natural elements to play schemes can trigger unique spontaneity, for example playing with living creatures such as insects, building dens with natural materials or setting physical challenges within the environment such as climbing trees. [17] Children seem to have a natural affinity with nature and love for the natural outdoors but today opportunites for this can be limited. Natural England carried out a survey in 2009 which identified that less than 10% of children have the opportunity to play in woodland settings, the countryside or parks. The research also discovered that only 24% of children visit a natural environment once a week in comparison to 53 % of adults who did so in their childhood. [18] The benefits to children from playing in natural play environments A recent lecture by Paul Walker the Director of Timbercare (designers and builders of natural play landscapes, mainly manufacturing wooden play units) highlighted his personal opinions of many elements of natural play. He concluded his speech by saying that ironically the investment within the surrounding landscape of a play area was more valuable to children than a collection of individual equipment which the company specialises in providing. [19] Walker felt strongly about his childhood experiences of natural play, he told many stories of his freedom one of which was how by the age of 11 he had a 6 Mile radius to roam within central Sheffield. The complexity of his different play spaces were therefore hugely diverse including post industrial landscapes, derelict buildings, woodland areas, canals and streets. Walkers primary concern for his industry today is the necessity for low risk in play. Although safety standards now take a more balanced approach he felt they could go further. [20] He felt his childhood experiences of natural based play had a variety of different elements of danger and risk taking, making children of that era much more adventurous and evolving life skills in the changing environment around Sheffield. Another professional who believes that children should have similar opportunities to Paul Walker is an American journalist Richard Louv whose revolutionary phrase ‘Saving Our Children from Nature Deficit Disorder sums up the restrictions facing the majority of children in modernised society. The quote below illustrates trends in child play. ‘ONE EVENING WHEN (sic) my boys were younger, Mathew, then ten, looked at me from across a restaurant table and said quite seriously, â€Å"Dad, how come it was more fun when you were a kid?†. Within the space of a few decades, the way children understand and experience nature has changed radically. The polarity of the relationship had been reversed. Today, kids are aware of the global threats to the environment but their physical contact, their intimacy with nature, is fading. Thats the exact opposite of how it was when I was a child. [21] Louv feels that our affinity to nature is innate and in jeopardy across the modernised world. Quoting Sobel he discusses the changes which have occurred in the experience of obtaining food suggesting that food has become almost abstract now being a product in a supermarket which has little connection with the field or farm it came from. Children are now having to learn where food comes from through schemes such as Natural Englands ‘Learning Outside initiative.[22], [23] School trips to farms in England are limited as they take up considerable financial and staffing resources and often only occur once a year as seen at Broom House Adventure Trail. [24] Urban living can be an experience which is disconnected from nature and can create â€Å"ecophobia† a term which Sobel devised to explain a fear that nature can be physically dirty and dangerous. While working at Broom House Adventure Trail it was apparent from children and teachers that children were warned not to get dirty and were wearing expensive designer clothing. This made a barrier to the children fully experiencing natural play and it would be beneficial to the children if teachers made it clear to parents that there would be a strong possibility of clothes getting dirty and damaged. Some of the children also seemed initially hesitant and detached from the natural environment. [25] Benefits to Childrens Health from Natural Play Watching children using the play sites described in this study it is obvious they expend a great deal of energy and burn many calories. Not all children prefer sport and some do not like organised activities, but all children want to play. Natural play offers less structured opportunities for refining skills such as balance, endurance and confidence and provides a valuable solution for steering children away from childhood obesity. Many children are at risk from health problems caused by their life styles which include poor diet and lack of exercise. In 2009 it was reported that ‘25% of boys and 33% of girls between two and 19 are overweight. [26] It was noted in this survey that â€Å"parents are getting so used to seeing overweight kids, they do not recognise their own children are obese†. These problems cost the National Health over  £2 billion annually. County Durham is one of the worst areas in England for childhood obesity. [27] At Broom House Farm Adventure Trail it was noted that the obese children had less self confidence, were more negative in their approach to playing on the equipment and were teased by classmates. Benefits to Childrens Mental Health from Natural Play The BMJ group estimate that 2 children in every class of 30 schoolchildren will have ADHD. [28] There is a strong belief that children with behaviour and learning difficulties, such as ADHD, are thought to be deprived from the experience of natural play. [29] Louv reports that parents of children with these problems are being taken to natural play environments in order for them to experience situations which require intense concentration, the children are compelled to observe what is around them and become part of the environment rather than separate from it. [30] Children with special needs at Broom House Adventure Trail were seen to greatly enjoy the sensory experience of being close to vegetation, running around and watching others playing on equipment. The carers commented that the escapism of being in such a calming atmosphere was beneficial to their state of mind and they would appreciate access to such a facility more often. One respite care home arranged for their children to attend the adventure trail weekly in conjunction with their other activities. Benefits to Children from interaction with playmates Today many children in England lead less active lives as they are able to watch non-stop television or play indoors on computer games. This decreases the amount of interaction they have with parents, siblings and friends. Curry and Arnaud noted that ‘By the age of four and five children are extremely sensitive to each other and acutely tuned to what interests, pleases or provokes another child. [31] Decreased opportunities to interact through observation, collaboration and discussion during play can have a damaging effect on the confidence of a child and their ability to interact in play environments and in their future lives. Playing with others give children the chance to learn about equality and become integrated within wider cultures. During a consultation process at Kippax Ash Tree Primary School the children discussed their visit to Skelton Grange where they worked together making a shelter and a ‘pebble island to simulate an imaginary civilisation in the woodland. The idea of the project was to encourage the children to integrate through constructive play and say how they would survive on the island. The outcome was a number of sustainable solutions which they had learnt about during the course of the day. Opportunities to develop self reliance Natural play environments develop a childs independence and self sufficiency. When a child enters a natural play environments they can develop a distance from their carers or parents either individually or with other children exploring. This opportunity for play can be achieved in any outdoor space, however in a natural play environment it is enhanced by the magical natural surroundings. This process is important to children who live in confined conditions and are restricted from access to natural play by the location of their accommodation and poverty. White and Stoecklin state ‘While the development of greater independence from toddlerhood to middle childhood can happen within the confines of indoor spaces, safe space outdoors greatly adds to the ability of children to naturally experiment with independence and separation, and the adults willingness to trust the childs competence which is essential for separation to happen. [32] When children accompanied by parents played in the woodland at Broom House they were often heavily restricted by parents who would not allow them to explore the zoned play spaces alone. This was seen on many occasions and created a barrier to the full potential of the natural play experience for their children. It was interesting to note that although school children stayed within their small teaching groups and despite not being in the comfort of their friendship groups, they were sufficiently stimulated to play together. It was also interesting to observe that the children moved quickly from the natural based play equipment to evolve new imaginative games, making maximum use of the woodland. It was also observed that the paths were used as catalyst for exploring the site within a time limit. [33] Opportunities for exposure to nature Our interactions with nature can be hugely diverse depending upon the environment which a child lives in or is exposed to. The experience of different materials, changing seasons and making connections to nature are important components in natural play. [34] The provision of living material in natural play landscapes incorporates the underlying processes of nature and therefore gives a strong understanding of nature gained through physical interaction and watching seasonal changes in the landscape. ‘Plants and vegetation as a medium within play spaces develop interactive skills. Plants stimulate discovery, dramatic pretend play, and imagination. Plants speak to all of the senses, so its not surprising that children are closely attuned to environments with vegetation. Plants, in a pleasant environment with a mix of sun, shade, colour, texture, fragrance, and softness of enclosure also encourage a sense of peacefulness†[35]. When children experience nature, it can be in a v ariety of sensory experiences its value is precious and can be remembered for a long time. Children appreciate the natural layers of the earth no matter how small the play space. Moore recorded a conversation with girls about playing in sand ‘We make streams in the sand when it rains and comes down the hill the girls said. The got down on their hands and knees and embarked on a sequence of sand play. Within a few moments they had laid out a network of â€Å"roads† running around the humpy surface of the fine, hard-packed, sandy soil. Other infrastructure such as houses and an imaginary manor house was also built. [36] * Water play The outdoor environment provides a variety of contrasting surfaces with different textures and play qualities. Recent heavy snowfall in England (2009) triggered instinctive responses to an element which acted as a catalyst for all ages to enjoy excitement and freedom without hesitation or social barriers. Natural materials are used to enhance environmental play for deprived inner city schools of Leeds such as Skelton Grange Environmental Centre in Leeds (West Yorkshire). One of the many natural based activities completed by school visitors is to construct components of the imaginary settlement described above using, sand, soil, water, twigs and leaves. This exercise although educational connects the children with natural materials. Design Design of Natural play environments can produce a range of natural play experiences rather than a single type as per traditional equipped play area†¦ DISCUSS HOW How can a landscape architect in the UK create ‘natural play environments? The previous section outlined an understanding of what natural play is, case studies and the benefits of designing natural play areas. Play England have given landscape architects the opportunity to design natural play areas in many parts of England what considerations need to be taken into account when designing them? New Initiatives of Play England between the years 2006 2009 Play England began working for the childrens play programme in 2006 and 2007, with funding gained from ‘The Big Lottery fund. The recent Play England guidelines show the design principles of Play England. Play England has produced many documents summarising the commitments announced for the Play Strategy of England. The two most relevant one to this study include the ‘Play Strategy and ‘Design for Play. [37] ‘Weve recently moved over to assessing the tenders on play value much more and this has forced the quality standards up, with suppliers now trying to outdo each other for natural play as well as good design and sheer quantity of features †¦ we score each activity and feature for points and use this information to guide us in consideration of the tenders. In the end though it still comes down to us trying to decide which will offer the best play opportunities for the next 15 years or more. Play England have worked in tune with a range of professionals to ensure the best possible guidelines for Landscape Architects to work towards during implementation of the national Play Strategy in their work. Play England is supporting local authority Playbuilders and Play Pathfinders (focusing on 8-13 yrs olds). Their purpose is to deliver the governments  £235m investment in play and natural play in order to create innovative and adventurous play spaces across the UK. This level of investment has not been made before in England. The Play Pathfinder scheme is intended to provide free play opportunities for children and young people in the country over the next 10 years. The Government announced in April 2009 that the overall success of the schemes would be reviewed by children in their local areas. A conference is planned in March 2010 and will explore the future and momentum of the campaign after the last four years. Play England Guidelines Since 2006 Landscape Architects have been required by Play England to adopt design principles which take into consideration the summarised guidelines below for new and refurbished natural play schemes (please see appendix 1 for Play England Design Principles in full); [38] Enhancing the site. Site analysis work ensuring the spirit of the chosen site is enhanced, complementing attractive parts of the site and enhancing poorer environments. Using the best location. A balance in defining the exact location of the proposed park, between safety of the child user and seclusion. Enhancing natural features of the site as well as adding new features./Adding a variety of new soft landscape material and natural landscape features in urban and rural play sites. Providing opportunities for diverse play./This includes accommodating natural play for all age ranges including devising social spaces for parents and carers onsite. Provide the opportunity for children of all abilities and needs to mix./ There should be no barriers for people with special needs which may include carers or parents. Encourage community participation in the design process./ The design required has to work for the community and captivate preferences of the neighbours of the site. Ensure the play space can be used by all ages./ The play site must incorporate many aspects of risk for its users to develop an understanding of risk. Design to develop childrens experiences of taking r