Ideas and evidence in Science

5. Plenary - A vision for 2020

Required Resources

• Student Worksheet 3

Delivery

• Drawing on their findings in previous Episodes, students present a vision for 2020. This asks them to discuss which global issues the MOD should, (as they see it), offer support to and identify any that they think should not be supported.
• If time and facilities permit, you may ask students to present their views and could give them access to an ICT suite to prepare their presentation formally.
• There are no right or wrong answers to this final task. What is most important is that students understand the need for effective evaluation of all available research data to support DCDC's planning and the decisions that governments must take when planning long-term.
• In addition to long term planning, the MOD builds a resource capability that allows it to respond to immediate need. It cannot be certain that there will be (for example) civil unrest in Africa following climate-related famine, but it can ensure sufficient overall resources and capabilities to address a wide variety of needs.
• Some of the main capabilities of the MOD are listed:
  • a) Support to the civil community
  • b) Search and rescue
  • c) Intelligence and anti-terrorism
  • d) Bomb disposal and mine clearance
  • e) Peacekeeping
  • f) Protection and removal of UK citizens trapped in war zones or areas of natural disaster
  • g) Protecting vital infrastructure such as power stations and dams
  • h) Humanitarian aid post natural disasters
  • i) Security.

Differentiation

Lower Ability:

It may be preferable to omit Student Worksheet 3 from delivery and instead ask students to list their key learnings from the lesson under three headers: 1) what I knew before this lesson, 2) what I learnt, 3) what I would like to know more about.

Higher Ability:

This might be run as a debating forum, with three students at a time presenting their recommendations and the class questioning the panel of three before voting.