Children in Dorset and Devon will be able to learn about the Jurassic Coast through a new DVD to be used as a study aid in schools.

The Jurassic Coast DVD Pack for Schools, funded by the Jurassic Coast Trust and Devon Education Services (DES), has been made specifically for schools and showcases the rocks, fossils and landforms across 95 miles of the World Heritage Site.

In creating the DVD, education specialists at DES and the Jurassic Coast Team based at Dorset County Council have given careful consideration to the teaching materials that accompany the film to create relevant, engaging and challenging activities that aim to raise children's attainment.

The DVD includes accompanying classroom materials and focuses on the physical processes that form the Jurassic Coast and also the issues that arise from communities that live along the coast.  It has been written to the new National Curriculum programme of study in geography and is suitable for use with pupils at Key Stages 2, 3 and 4.

The resources are divided into easy-to-navigate sections that enable the teacher to support pupils to understand:

• The importance of the Jurassic Coast and its designation as a World Heritage Site
• The processes of coastal erosion and the classic landforms they create
• How engineers seek to defend the coast from erosion
• How conflicts arise and need to be managed when people and property are threatened by coastal erosion.

The resource pack culminates in a real decision-making exercise in which pupils must decide on a sustainable management plan for Pennington Point at Sidmouth in Devon, where 11 properties and their inhabitants are faced with collapse into the sea.

James Weld, Chairman of the Jurassic Coast Trust, said:

"The Trust supports a number of educational tools, and this DVD is the latest in our learning support material.  It will benefit both pupils and teachers alike in an engaging and informative way to learn about the causes and effects of erosion on the Jurassic Coast."

Hilary Cox, Dorset County Council's cabinet member for environment, added:

"This DVD provides an exciting way for children and young people to learn about the Jurassic Coast with their teachers.  A major appeal of this education resource will be the different points of view put forward from people living and working along the coast.  This brings a sense of realism to the classroom, especially as the pupils will be debating the same issues that experts consider in the planning process."

The DVD is on sale for £39.99 from www.deseducation.org or telephone 01392 384839.