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The Clyde as a classroom
16/06/2008
The regeneration of the River Clyde is helping turn the river into a unique education resource and classroom for thousands of pupils under a project launched today.
The Clyde Waterfront Curriculum Resources for Schools project involves a new website offering teachers specially prepared lesson plans linked to aspects of the river's development and complemented by the opportunity to bring it all to life with a Classroom on the Clyde boat trip on board a floating classroom, The Kenilworth.
It was created, developed and funded by Clydewaterfront, the strategic partnership responsible for coordinating and promoting the £5.6 billion revival of the river.
A bank of 200 lesson plans written by local teachers for Clyde Waterfront linked to the eight curricular areas and themed around 12 aspects of activity relevant to the regeneration of the river has been developed for teachers to use.
It is the first time a national regeneration project has been used to create a comprehensive teaching resource linked to the Scottish Government's Enterprise in Education programme in which business and education work together to give children and young people positive attitudes to work and life.
Communities Minister Stewart Maxwell, said:
"The River Clyde is synonymous with shipbuilding, and historically is renowned as the world's greatest engineering power house."
"This innovative activity is offering young people the opportunity to learn in a truly exciting and engaging way, linking what they hear in the classroom to life beyond school and encouraging them to become enterprising citizens."
"I welcome the opportunity for pupils to hear about the history of the River Clyde and the exciting opportunities arising from the major investments that are driving the regeneration of the Waterfront. This initiative will allow them to see first hand the work of the many employers represented along the riverside and encourage them to become involved in making their local area a better place to live."