YEAR 10 GEOGRAPHY COURSE SYLLABUS

Course Outline

Overview

The Humanities Department Syllabi at GEMS Wesgreen International Secondary School strive to enable students to acquire knowledge, skills and attitudes so as to develop an informed and critical understanding of social, environmental, historical and political issues so as to reinforce and stimulate curiosity and imagination about local and wider environments. The Curriculum provides a strong foundation to enable students to foster an understanding of, and concern for, the interdependence of all humans, all living things and the earth on which they live. To foster in students a sense of responsibility for the long-term care of the environment and a commitment to promote the sustainable use of the earth’s resources through his/her personal life-style and participation in collective environmental decision-making. 

Learning Outcomes

The aims of all subjects state what a teacher may expect to teach and what a student may expect to experience and learn. These aims suggest how the student may be changed by the learning experience.

The aims of the Humanities Syllabus are to encourage and enable students to:

  • Understand the processes that give rise to key physical and human geographical features of the world, how these are interdependent and how they bring about spatial variation and change over time.
  • Are competent in the geographical skills needed to:
  • Collect, analyze and communicate with a range of data gathered through experiences of fieldwork that deepen their understanding of geographical processes.
  • Interpret a range of sources of geographical information, including maps, diagrams, globes, aerial photographs and Geographical Information Systems (GIS).
  • Communicate geographical information in a variety of ways, including through maps, numerical and quantitative skills and writing at length.

Unit Overviews

Term 1

Unit 1 – Map Skills                                   

Approximate length: 4 weeks                                                                   

In this unit, students will describe what is Geography and the key features of OS map, different type of maps, 4/6 figure grid references and map symbols. Understand map scale and the use of the scale line and representative fractions. To interpret heights, contours and relief on a map. Interpret, construct or complete a cross-section and interpret graphical techniques.

Specific National Curriculum Objectives Covered:

build on their knowledge of globes, maps and atlases and apply and develop this knowledge routinely in the classroom and in the field

interpret Ordinance Survey maps in the classroom and the field, including using grid references and scale, topographical and other thematic mapping, and aerial and satellite photographs

use Geographical Information Systems (GIS) to view, analyze and interpret places and data

Unit 2 – Graphical Interpretation                    

Approximate length: 3 weeks

In this unit, students draw inferences about the physical and human landscape by interpreting map evidence (including patterns of relief, drainage, settlement, communication and land use) and identify and draw graphical techniques in geography.

Specific National Curriculum Objectives Covered:

  • Interpret Ordinance Survey maps in the classroom and the field, including using grid references and scale, topographical and other thematic mapping, and aerial and satellite photographs use Geographical Information Systems (GIS) to view, analyze and interpret places and data.
  • Communicate geographical information in a variety of ways, including through maps, numerical and quantitative skills and writing at length.
  • Interpret a range of sources of geographical information, including maps, diagrams, globes, aerial photographs and Geographical Information Systems (GIS).

Term 2

Unit 4 – Theme 1 Population and settlements                                                              

Approximate length: 4 weeks

Specific National Curriculum Objectives Covered:

Describe and give reasons for the rapid increase in the world’s population. Show an understanding of over-population and under-population Understand the reasons for contrasting rates of population change.

use fieldwork in contrasting locations to collect, analyse and draw conclusions from geographical data, using multiple sources of increasingly complex information.

human geography relating to: population and urbanization; international development; economic activity in the primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary sectors; and the use of natural resources

Unit 5 – Population change    

Approximate length: 3 weeks                                                                  

In this unit, students will identify the impacts of social, economic and other factors (including government policies, HIV/AIDS) on birth and death rates Factors affecting fertility, mortality, case study.

specific National Curriculum Objectives Covered:

human geography relating to: population and urbanization; international development; economic activity in the primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary sectors; and the use of natural resources.

Understand, through the use of detailed place-based exemplars at a variety of scales, the key processes in:

Unit 6 –   Population Migration                                    

Approximate length: 3weeks

In this unit, students will describe the causes and consequences of Migration. How migration contribute to the population of a country increasing or declining. Explain internal and external migration. Identify and give reasons for and implications of different types of population structure.

Specific National Curriculum Objectives Covered:

  • understand how human and physical processes interact to influence, and change landscapes, environments and the climate; and how human activity relies on effective functioning of natural systems.
  • Interpret a range of sources of geographical information, including maps, diagrams, globes, aerial photographs and Geographical Information Systems (GIS).

Term 3

Unit 7 – Population Policy and Urban growth                                                                                                                                         

Approximate length: 4 weeks

In this unit, students will be able to give reasons for contrasting rates of natural population change. Describe and evaluate population policies and understand the impact of government policies on birth rates. Explain and give reasons for population migration, demonstrate an understanding of the impacts of migration.

Specific National Curriculum Objectives Covered:

  • understand how human and physical processes interact to influence, and change landscapes, environments and the climate; and how human activity relies on effective functioning of natural systems.
  • human geography relating to: population and urbanization; international development; economic activity in the primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary sectors; and the use of natural resources.    

Assessment

Formative: Throughout the units, the children will complete graded work, quizzes and investigation activities which allows the teacher to assess the students’ attainment and inform their planning.

Remote / Blended Learning Pathways and Assessment:

Small groups, (up to 15 students) will meet F2F. Where there are more than (15) Blended Learning will take place. According to the timetabling of classes also, there will be RL sessions where specified. All subject Units can be taught using any of these pathways. Students will collaborate and engage more with each other on set tasks in the break out rooms and collaboration spaces online. Lessons will be taught live as opposed to asynchronously. If a teacher is ill to point of being unable to deliver a lesson online, this lesson will be done asynchronously. During live lessons students will be requested to demonstrate a skill or understanding in short audio/ video recordings of themselves analysing, evaluating, explaining, showing (restricted time period). They will create Sway and othe MS document presentations as instructed. Discussions will ensue among students and their peers and they will engage, respond and feedback using the chat feature. Students will be asked to watch video clip(s) and read a print/ broadcast/ another medium link and do a review, summary, explanation, give their opinion regarding the topic. They will be asked to design storyboards using a MS document for presentation. Rubrics will be attached as additional guide to support students’ progress and attainment. These are only a few of the techniques and methods that will be engaged during lessons.

Assessments:

Option 1: We will have a designated assessment week. All classes scheduled to complete online assessments that day will remain at home. On this day they can complete maximum 2 assessments for the day (grades 6 –8), 3 assessments for (grades 9 and above).

Option 2: During blended learning sessions the students who are at school will bring their laptop/device and complete the assessment online while the others who are at home (RL) will complete it on their device at home. Each assessment lesson will request an additional supervisor/invigilator to monitor those in the class while the teacher monitors the screen. Students in the class can even have their desk/back facing the teacher to create an extra precaution/ awareness to students that the teacher along with the supporting invigilator is also supervising. If a student forgets their device the school will have other provisions in place accordingly. Teachers could also have the printed copies to distribute. The school devices will then be recollected and sanitised at the end. This option will also take place during a designated assessment week.

Option 3: We will continue to conduct continuous assessment as was done during RL/Term 3 in the AY 2019/2020.

Next Steps

Next Steps