Focusing on the curriculum development and issues of continuity, progression and assessment in geography as well as key management issues relating to the monitoring and evaluation of subject provision throughout the school.
Reasons for Attending:
In considering how to improve and develop a more creative curriculum in Geography these courses always offer great ideas and resources.
Tutor – David Weatherly DES
A point to note with regard to Geography is that there is likely to be a curriculum view within the next 18 months.
All too often studying a contrasting locality is studied as a singular unit in one year but ….. what if we teach it across the Key Stage(s)? i.e., a drip feed year on year. There is no reason why it would not be successful providing we are ‘robust’ and clear in the expectations for each year group.
1. Whatever our children do in geography, we must ensure that we have the appropriate expectations.
2. Enquiry based learning in every activity; where the children are not aware of the outcome. This could be a very short activity or a longer research project. Enquiry Learning allows the freedom to think, discuss and explore.
3. Programmes of Study. At present there are only 5 prescribed topics in Geography.
a. Rivers / Coasts
b. Contrasting Locality -Overseas
c. Contrasting Locality –UK
d. Local are of the School
e. Environmental Issue
Excellence and Enjoyment: be creative and imaginative, exciting new and innovative– just be robust in expectations. Don’t necessarily rely on QCA!
Remember there is a place for learning facts (consider different learning styles – sometimes children just want to be told the answer). Also we should not be locked into recorded evidence in books – consider other ways of presenting evidence. When presenting image to the children we must ensure that they get these images / concepts correct from an early age as these things ‘stick’.
It is Possible to take a study of the Gambia and use different elements of the study across the Key Stages 1 and 2.
In the Foundation Years it is simple enough to study photographs of children and their families in Gambia. “What do I like doing with my family and friends?” Find matching photos of children / families doing similar activities here in UK. Discuss the similarities. So much of contrasting localities is often about the differences, yet for younger children we should be focusing on the similarities. All children, no matter where in the world, have the same needs – family, food, water, play and education.
In Key Stage 1 (early key Stage 2) we might pick up work on the Gambia by focusing on a key question such as “Where do Gambians get their water?” This could be part of an exploration of water as an environmental issue / climate change / drought / sustainability. This could be cross matched with key questions from the Mountain Unit presented by David at the focus day in June.
In the upper key stage 2 a topic on sustainability / Recycling / Environmental issue on waste could include work on recycling in the Gambia – e.g cooking pots which are made from recycled aluminium. In the Gambia recycling is an economic necessity. Consider what happens to clothes which are taken to charity organisations – are we really doing the right thing?
Another environmental issue to explore at the upper end of Key Stage 2 is the issue of the building of an Oil Storage facility near a village in the Gambia. Consider the pros and cons. Give the children the information, the opinions and let them debate the issue.
For level 5 provision there should be opportunities where the children can weigh up the advantages / disadvantages and then reach a judgement that they can articulate. Making links and connections.
Fully resourced for Foundation / KS1 / Ks2—great resources from David yet again!
NB Global Action Plan – based at County hall will conduct energy and waste audits in schools.
Follow up actions:
· Meet with Julie Downs (Infant Coordinator for geography) and consider ways in which we can implement geography across the key Stage
· Look at the current curriculum and consider ways of implementing a drip feed of a contrasting locality through topics which are already covered in the Key Stage
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