A child-led introduction to Veere, in the province of Zeeland, Netherlands, suitable to support study of a European location at KS2.
The video
TRANSLATED:I am Robert.I am nine years old.I live in Vera,in the province of Zeeland.Zeeland is in the south-westof the Netherlands.The province consistsof islands and water.Did you know that almosthalf of our province is water?
After the big North Sea floodin 1953, the Delta works were built.My home is locatednear the Delta works.The Delta works isa network of sluices.When there's a really big stormthey protect our land from the sea.There are 13 Delta works dams.Without this dam,half of the Netherlands would flood.
What is so special about the dam?The sluices can remain open.The sea water canflow in with the tides.This is good forthe fishermen and nature.Famous engineers from all overthe world have come to see it.
I live in the centre of Vera. It'sa town of about 1,600 inhabitants.I live with my family, justa few minutes' walk from school.There are 72 pupils at my school.School starts at 8:30 AM,but I get there a few minutes earlierso I can play around with my friends.We usually play ball.
Our school is Protestant and classstarts and ends with a prayer.Afterwards, we sing a song and I lovetaking part. We also sing in English.My favourite subject is maths.I really enjoy mathsbecause it is easy.
ALL:
And we are ready to go
Ready to go, ready to go
We are ready to go, you and me
Where we can see
Are you ready? Yeah! #
Whilst I'm at school, my mum works ata nice restaurant in the town centre.Lots of tourists gothere in the summer.And their favourite meal is mussels.Tourists come from all overthe world to just eat mussels,oysters and lobster.Hundreds of people living in Zeelandearn their livingfrom mussels and oysters.In Europe, the Netherlands isthe biggest producer of musselsafter Spain and France.
We have differenttypes of mussel farming.One method is called hang culture.Where the mussels growon ropes in the water.The baby mussels take about 30 monthsto grow into big, juicy muscle.These mussels are bigbut they are not yet big enough.These are from near the river mouth,where the water mixes withthe seawater from the North Sea.
My dad, grandpa and my unclesare fish wholesalers.This is Friday. This is theday when dad gets backwith a lorry full of fish.They buy, sell and transport fish.My dad fetches fish from allover Europe.Sometimes I go and help himwhen he comes back from a trip.When he arrives we offloadedthe fish into containers.I've been doing itsince I was three years old,and I also joined him on trips.Your hands get really cold,but it's still fun!
My great-grandfather foundedthe business.At the time, he traded fishfrom the local area.Sometimes I travelwith my dad in his lorry.This is great fun and I can visitlots of other places in Europe.
My favourite thing of all isfootball. That's my passion.I train twice a weekand then I have a match on Saturdays.My older sister,Nina, also plays football.My position is striker.I support Ajax. It's the bestteam in the Netherlands.I love footballbecause I love to score.If you are passing Vera any time,come and watch me play.
Video summary
Nine-year-old Robbert introduces his hometown of Veere in the province of Zeeland in the Netherlands.
His province is made up of islands and water, and after a very large flood in 1953 the government built the Delta works, a network of 13 dams and sluices on the coast.
The area is famous for inland lakes and attracts lots of people who like sailing.
The area is also famous for its shellfish, especially mussels, lobster and oysters. Robbert鈥檚 father is a fish wholesaler, selling fish all over Europe from his fleet of lorries.
Robbert shows us his school and how his fellow pupils often sing English songs at the start of the day. Robbert has a passion for football; he鈥檚 a striker and supports Ajax, one of the most successful Dutch teams.
Teacher Notes
Pupils could consider the similarities and differences between their own town and the town of Veere in the province of Zeeland in the Netherlands, by presenting this information in a Venn diagram or writing an information report.
Using the clip as a stimulus, the children could complete further research on the different methods to prevent flooding used within the UK and the EU.
The children could design their own poster or travel brochure advertising Veere in the Netherlands using persuasive language and information about its unique features shown in the clip.
This clip is relevant for teaching Geography at KS2 in England and Wales and 2nd and 3rd level in Scotland. The National Curriculum for Geography at Key Stage 2 emphasises study of a European location and making comparisons with a location in the United Kingdom.
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