Loci

2. Narrowing the search

Required Resources

• Video: MRT Operations and communications
• Slides 1-7
• Student Worksheet 2

Delivery

• This task introduces the work of the RAF Mountain Rescue Service across the UK. Slides 1-7 and Video: MRT Operations and communications, give students further insight into the operational aspects of their work, and detail its role in locating crash victims and civilians stranded in the mountains. You may wish to lead a classroom discussion to how / why use of loci might aid their work (even where a specific point cannot be identified) e.g. helps narrow the search, aids co-ordination of rescue efforts and reduces associated manpower which might be required elsewhere. The scale of this map is 1cm: 1km.
• In this instance an RAF aircraft has crashed, somewhere in the Brecon Beacons. Though the RAF Mountain Rescue Team has made contact with the pilot, radio contact is limited. Student teams must try and define a reduced search area for the plane in order that a helicopter can be sent to the site. Presented with various information, students compile a search brief for the RAF Mountain Rescue Team.
• Students have limited information: namely the speed of the aircraft prior to the crash (120kph). At point B on the map the aircraft disappears from the radar. Assuming that the aircraft must crash within 3 minutes of lost contact, students should identify the area in which it has come down.
• However some further information then comes to light (Student Worksheet 2, part a). A radio mast (C) received the pilot's Mayday call at a range of up to 3km. Students should draw the corresponding circular loci and shade the reduced search area in which the aircraft must have come down.

Differentiation

Lower Ability:

Alternatively project Student Worksheet 1, calling out descriptions of the points on Student Worksheet 1a with the class responding. Every time a point is successfully identified, students should be asked to describe its location in another way through use of loci.
It may be helpful to project specific elements of this Student Worksheet and demonstrate each step. Students can either complete these alone or can call out their suggested next steps.

Higher Ability:

Consider dividing the class into an equal number of teams of 5. Teams play a game of charades (but spoken) against their opponents, each member taking it in turns to describe the location of their respective points on the map. Teams incur a penalty for use of inappropriate language (e.g. close to or west of).