Geography

Subject Overview

Geography not only involves locating continents, countries and major cities in relation to where the children are, but also the physical and human geography that surrounds them. Geographical tools are used, such as maps and compasses to locate places and features which also includes technology like Google Earth. The world around us is constantly changing and keeping up to date with the latest news is key to children understanding the context of where we live.

Geography asks questions about the natural and human worlds and examines the relationships between these. It enhances children’s spatial awareness and enables pupils to develop a range of investigative and problem solving skills, both inside and outside the classroom. Geography also provides a focus through which children can explore environmental issues relating to sustainable development, both locally and globally. The study of different societies also helps children to understand their own place within an interdependent global community, and to recognise their individual responsibilities both to other people and to the environment.

Curriculum Intent

We aim to stimulate a natural fascination for the world around the children and impart a sense of wonder and intrigue, and in turn, for the children to be inquisitive and ask questions. Geography also instils many transferable skills, such as research, recording, observation, measurement, recording and presentation. For us, a knowledge-rich curriculum is an entitlement for every child, regardless of background, which enables children to develop the knowledge, and love of geography. Subject content is crucial to this approach which helps provide engagement and can plant the seeds for a lifetime love of learning. The children deserve to have a broad and rich vocabulary, and the ambitious and explicit teaching of this is paramount within, not just this subject, but all at Cordwalles.

Curriculum Implementation

The schemes we use are varied and depend on the context of what is being taught. Hamilton, Plan Bee, and Reach are a few, but teachers are given autonomy to create rich lessons that will build on their children's knowledge and link into any current news, for example, any erupting volcanoes, climate emergencies or human migration to name but a few.

Locational knowledge examines latitude, longitude and time zones. Your child will use maps to focus on Europe, North and South America, concentrating on regions, key physical/human characteristics, countries, and major cities. They will also work on locating the counties and cities of the United Kingdom, and start to explore their human and physical characteristics.

Children also examine geographical similarities and differences by comparing the geography of a region of the United Kingdom with a region in a European country, and with a region in either North or South America. This is part of the place knowledge aspect of the curriculum.

For human and physical geography, your child will be taught to describe and understand key aspects of geography, for example: climate zones, rivers, mountains, volcanoes, earthquakes, the water cycle, types of settlement, economic activity and the distribution of natural resources.

Location or locations are investigated and the differences between these locations.
The local climate.
Features (physical geography).
Human geography.
Comparison between areas.
In depth study or field study.

Curriculum Impact

Learning is assessed regularly using questioning, quizzes and will end with a double page spread to allow the children to express what they have learnt in their own way. We also recap on what they have been taught previously, using links to other parts of the curriculum to reinforce the values of teaching geography.

We encourage the children to research more about what they are learning independently with homework tasks. Geographical issues like climate change and its effects will be discussed in the news and assemblies to help children understand the influence we have on our planet. Reading books like ‘The boy at the back of the class can prompt discussions about migration and the reasons for it.

The children took part in the Let’s Count scheme run by the Office of National Statistics to understand why we need to monitor human geography and what effect it has on today and the future. They will be investigating the results of the 2021 census as it is announced.

What a ‘typical’ lesson looks like:

Teachers will plan a variety of approaches to ensure there is continuity and progression:

Planning will outline a clear curriculum knowledge driven objective.
Organise differentiated tasks for children which provide appropriate challenges for all abilities.
Provide the opportunity for children to ask and answer geographical questions as well as discussing topical issues.
Allow children to communicate their findings using a variety of ways including the use of computing.
Provide feedback to the children in accordance with the school policy and offer challenges in the feedback where appropriate based on a geographical skill.
To keep organised and on-going records of the progress of their class.

With geography a typical lesson can be varied depending on the content, but will usually consist of:

A recap on previous learning
Discussion of the intention of the lesson.
What the children should know and convey by the end of the lesson.
Teacher led discussion about the subject with children sharing their ideas with each other.
Drama/role play if applicable.
A task which is linked to the learning intention.
A plenary to share ideas or ask deeper questions possible linked to the next lesson.

Teaching & Learning

Geography is taught every half term for an hour a week usually comprising six lessons per term.
Work is differentiated to enable all children to access the learning and remember what the intention of the lesson is.
Vocabulary walls and displays are added as the lessons progress to help the children commit the learning to their working memory so they can complete tasks, but also increase their language and spelling ability.
Lessons are presented with fun visual and verbal information so as not to burden their cognitive load and impart knowledge in a clear and precise way.
Teachers will assess learning using afl questioning and quizzes. At the beginning of the topic, the children will be asked what they already know. This will be recorded in their books. At the end of the unit, the children will complete a double page spread including pictures and writing to show what they have learnt.
Expectations will be that the child will include similarities and differences of areas they have studied, be able to locate the area on a world map and know the continent and any physical or human geography pertinent to that area.

How do I teach my child geography?

If you're a parent/carer, and you'd like to remind your child of the world beyond your window, then here's a list of ways you can engage them in learning about geography:

Try to keep a map or globe within reach. This way, whenever you learn about a far-away place or country, you can show its location to your class or child.
Encourage your child to learn another language. Remember: geography is as much about people as it is about places.
Try cooking from other cultures. Food is a fantastic lens for exploring far-flung people and places, given that it's often a reflection of the local landscape and climate.
Get your child involved in planning holidays. You don't have to defer any big decisions, but having them part of the conversation is a fantastic way for them to learn about new places.
Travel online. There are plenty of satellite navigation tools out there for you to try, which means that money doesn't have to be any object when it comes to exploring new places.

SEND

Lessons are planned so as to engage all children with differentiated tasks as applicable. In line with our policy, we are committed to providing a teaching environment conducive to learning. Each child is valued, respected and challenged regardless of race, gender, religion, social background, culture or disability. We recognise this importance to ensure that children with identified Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities have access to an ambitious Geography curriculum. Within the curriculum area of Geography, SEND children will be provided with reasonable adjustments through their tasks and the level of challenge provided.

Cross Curricular Links

There are many cross curricular links we can use in geography including, but not limited to:

Numeracy

Measuring distances and areas of places learners know – their walk to school or their favourite park.
Convert measurement units..

Literacy

Looking at place names and discussing how and why they have come about e.g. Anglo-Saxon place names and locating these on a map.
Considering the settings for novels or poetry or their authors.

History

Compare and contrast beautiful hand-drawn maps from the 1890s with today – considering what the local town looked like at the end of the Victorian era and why.
Considering post war mapping of 1950s Great Britain – seeing the growth of new towns.
Linking the current 2021 Census - Let’s Count and investigating how the area has changed over time.

Outdoor Learning

Investigating the location of the school residential trip.
Looking at distances travelled for other school trips e.g. swimming, games fixtures.
Orienteering with the Getset4PE scheme.
Community links and the human population in the area.

Home Learning

Topic tasks e.g. make a volcano or a Greek temple or research an area in more depth. Children are encouraged to talk about where they or their parents are from and understand that if they have moved here from away, why their parents or other ancestors have relocated.

Gaps in Learning

Any gaps in learning are addressed in numerous ways from assemblies, field trips or virtual trips, Newsround, English reading books (guided reading), local geography, links with the community, Delight - Art and the rainforest, festivals of religion from around the world, food and the differences in cultures and natural resources and music from around the world.