Urban Studies: Marrakech
Overview
Globalisation, development and sustainability are key topics studied across all AS/A level specifications (2016). Students need to understand and be able to apply a range of concepts and issues, such as the impacts and challenges (social, economic, environmental, political and cultural) of globalisation, regeneration and urban management, and the concept of sustainability, particularly in light of the COP22 held in Marrakech in 2016.
Marrakech provides excellent opportunities for students to reinforce their understanding of these areas of human geography, and to apply them to the context of an evolving LIC city. An ideal location for an overview of the Djemma el-Fna is the roof top terrace of Café De France (see map).
Resources
- Resource 1:
Download Background to Marrakech. - Resource 2:
Download Fieldwork tasks.
A comprehensive range (19) of quantitative and qualitative data collection techniques, with instructions and data collection frameworks, suggested data presentation techniques, statistical analysis and points for discussion. These can be modified to suit your students using the variations suggested. - Resource 3:
Download Djemma el Fna land use map.
This provides students with a basic outline of the main square that will support the fieldwork tasks on land use in the previous resource. - Resource 4:
Download Wideworld article.
Written for GCSE students, this article still provides a good background to the issues surround economic development in Morocco as a result of climate change. - Resource 5.
Download The Mohammed VI Museum of Water Civilization
The Mohammed VI Museum of Water Civilization, the first of its kind dedicated to Moroccan, Arabic and Muslim’s hydraulic heritage, is a mix of archaeological museum that demonstrates the importance of water in the country.
Student activities
With its vibrant and dynamic environment, Djemma el-Fna provides a fantastic opportunity for students to apply their knowledge and understanding to a setting unfamiliar to them. In order to build on layers of understanding, it is worth introducing students to their own perceptions prior to the trip, and to challenge those perceptions throughout your stay. For example:
- Before the trip: perception challenge, use the images supplied by Discover Ltd to do 5W tasks on, CIA fact file investigation (website).
- During the trip: data collection techniques supplied, consolidation and quizzes in the evening, get students to write a haiku poem, wordscape or acrostic poem based on their observations, get students to write a story in the form of an original storyteller.
- After the trip: NEA practice with data consolidation, data presentation and statistical analysis practice, evaluation of techniques.
Resource 2 has 19 activities in total. It is unlikely all of these techniques would be used during a single trip, but it provides an indication of the exciting variety of elements that could be studied. Resource 2 contains the following:
- Perception challenge (1)
- Perception challenge (2)
- Field sketch
- Souq transect
- Land use survey (using Resource 3 base map)
- Pedestrian counts
- Transport tally
- Bi-polar on the surrounding environment
- Movement flow
- Building decay survey
- Evidence of globalisation
- Soundscape (1)
- Soundscape (2)
- Trade count
- Plastic bag use
- Photo op
- Land use survey (2)
- Land use survey (3)
- Urban greening
- Download all resources (zipped folder)
- To download resources in Microsoft Word format for editing etc., please contact us via the contact page.
