Year 7

Aims of Course
Key Stage 3 Geography provides students with the opportunity to:

• investigate and develop knowledge and understanding about places and geographical themes
• develop a range of geographical skills and appropriate use of geographical terms
• describe and explain geographical patterns and physical and human processes
• consider how people interact with their environments and how interdependent people and places in the world are becoming
• develop the ability to think about, organise and present ideas in an appropriate way
  

Students are encouraged to learn and develop their use of a wide range of basic geographical skills. This is achieved through the study of the following themes, incorporating aspects of: Place; Physical Geography; Human Geography:

• Making Connections – An introduction to a range of basic geographical concepts and skills.
• Exploring Britain (including the home region) - A study of the basic geography of Britain and the local area.
• Mapping Connections – Developing the use of specific map-reading skills.
• Settlement – An introduction to the characteristics of settlements and how they change.
• Transport – An investigation into the types of benefits, impact and issues associated with transport.

Core text book – “Geog.1”

Homework/Independent Study
The nature of homework/independent study in Geography varies. Some straightforward tasks are set to reinforce class work, other tasks may require research and preparation of information essential for the next lesson. Whatever task is set students are expected to complete the work to the best of their ability and bring it to the appropriate lesson. "I have done it but left it at home", is not a valid excuse. Homework/independent study must be recorded in the student planner to aid personal organisation and to help with the monitoring of homework/independent study.

How Parents/Carers can help

• Value your child's work.
• discuss the work that is done. Encourage students to explain what they have learnt.
• ask to see exercise books and/or homework/independent study on a regular basis.
• encourage students to take an interest in the wider world and the events that are happening around them by reading newspapers and watching news and current affairs programmes on television.
• home access to a computer and to the Internet is valuable. The facilities available at school can be used otherwise for ICT based tasks.

Equipment Required
Pen, pencil, ruler, eraser, a basic selection of coloured pencils (preferable to felt pens), protractor, pair of compasses, basic calculator. This equipment should be brought into every lesson so that it is available for use, along with a student planner.

Contact: Subject Leader – Mr P Seward

Year 8

Aims of Course
Students are encouraged to learn and develop their use of a wide range of basic geographical skills. This is achieved through the study of the following themes; incorporating aspects of: Place; Physical Geography; Human Geography:

• Weathering and Erosion - An introduction to the main features of weathering and erosion.
• Rivers and Flooding
• Environment - A study of the concept of environment and the factors that affect environmental change.
• Population and Development - An introduction to the main global population and development issues, including Fair Trade and in-depth study of Ghana.
• France - An in-depth study of France and the geography of two regions in France.
  

Core textbooks – Geog 1, 2, 3

Year 9

Aims of Course
This is achieved through the consideration of a series of units of work including:

• Volcanoes and Earthquakes - a study of the main features of plate tectonics
• Japan – Against all Odds – How has Japan become so economically successful in the last 50 years.
• Tourism/Images of a Country – an investigation into the benefits and problems brought about by the growth of tourism.
• Resources – a short study of the nature of resources and how they are used? Energy is used as a focus for the work.
  

Theme 5 is the start of the GCSE Geography course - Weather – a detailed investigation into the types, causes and effects of weather and climate in Europe.

Students are encouraged to apply skills and concepts in order to make their own decisions and judgements on matters of people and place in this rapidly changing world. The skills developed include:

• the use and understanding of maps, graphs, photographs and diagrams.
• the understanding of written texts.
• an appreciation of change and developments.
• the presentation of information in a variety of appropriate ways.
• use of ICT in a geographical context.