Geography - The Leigh UTC

Intent

Geography at the Leigh UTC will provide KS3 students with a means of exploring, appreciating and understanding the world in which we live and how it has evolved. It is concerned with the physical, environmental and human systems and the interrelationships that exist among them.

One of the primary goals of KS3 Geography is to facilitate an understanding of both the issues emerging from the exploitation of our natural resources and how these natural resources may be managed to ensure their sustainability. It contributes to an awareness and understanding of the natural environment and fosters an appreciation of its sustainability. It also encourages the development of a sense of responsibility in using and conserving the natural resources of the planet.

The study of Geography at The Leigh UTC is not limited to the UK but also focuses on particular events across the world. By being engaged in field studies, both physical and virtual,the students’ curiosity and imagination will be spurred. Hence, the field studies will give students an opportunity to observe, experience, reflect on, and draw conclusions about the intricate interdependence and interrelationships that comprise the human, environmental and natural systems in order to become knowledgeable global citizens.

Implementation

In year 7 students will be immersed in exploring their local environment, the UK and the world around them. This will provide the perfect opportunity for us to explore weather and climate and how they relate to our latitudinal and longitudinal position. Students will be able to appreciate how migration plays a very strong role in the growth of populations and population distribution across the globe. The amazing environments that exist in the world will be brought to life in our classrooms through the use of virtual field trips aided by students’ prior knowledge and experiences.

Curriculum Outline

Module 1

UK and the local environment
- Division of the British Isle
- Geological features of the UK
- Settlements (form and function)
- Land Use
- Grid reference
ATL: Knowledge and Understanding
Assessment Criteria: A

Module 2

Around the world
- Continents of the world
- Differences across continents
ATL: Investigating and Communicating
Assessment Criteria: B & C

Module 3

Weather and climate
- Tracking the weather
- Climate across the UK
- Impact of weather events
ATL: Thinking critically & Knowledge and Understanding
Assessment Criteria: D & A

Module 4

Population and migration
- Global populations
- Understanding population pyramids
- Population control
ATL: Knowledge and Understanding & Thinking critically
Assessment Criteria: A & D

Module 5

Desert and drought
- Deserts around the world
- Animal adaptation in the desert
- Reasons droughts occur
- Desert biomes
ATL: Investigating & Communicating
Assessment Criteria: B & C

Module 6

Polar and taiga environments
- Adaptations to the polar and taiga environment
- Threats to the taiga
ATL: Investigating & Communicating & Knowledge and Understanding
Assessment Criteria: B & C

In year 8 students will be studying a variety of exciting topics that will be enhanced by virtual field studies. Our resources and sustainable use of them will be in sharp focus as counties try to keep stock of their resources to meet the needs of their population. As part of our focus for the year group students will explore urbanisation, building on the year 7 knowledge on population and migration. It is felt that students will benefit tremendously from learning about rivers and geology.

Curriculum Outline

Module 1

Tectonics
- Earthquakes and volcanoes
- Impact of earthquakes and volcanoes
- Reducing the impact of earthquakes and volcanoes
- Types of plate boundaries
ATL: Critical thinking
Assessment Criteria: D

Module 2

Resource Pressure
- Threats to global resources
- Dependence on fossil fuels
- Sustainability of fossil fuels
- Positive and negative effects of resource use
ATL: Investigating and Communicating
Assessment Criteria: B & C

Module 3

Urbanisation
- Megacities
- Urban pressure
- Migration
- Sustainable future of cities.
ATL: Investigating and Communicating
Assessment Criteria: B & C

Module 4

Urban rural living
- UK living spaces
- Rural issues and improvements
- London settlements
- Changes in urban and rural living
ATL: Investigating and Communicating
Assessment Criteria: B & C

Module 5

Rivers and geology
- River basin features and processes
- Long profile of a river
- River process
- Flooding
ATL: Thinking Skills – Transfer
Assessment Criteria: A

Module 6

Rivers case study
- River Thames
ATL: Thinking skills – Creative thinking
Assessment Criteria: B,C & D

In year 9 students will be expanding their global knowledge by focusing on weather phenomena and the impact that climate change has been having on various parts of the world including our coastal environments.

As part of making our students global citizens, it is important that studies of places and cities outside of the UK be undertaken. Students will be equipped to compare global developments and tourism within these countries to the UK.

Curriculum Outline

Module 1

Extreme weather
- Formation and location of tropical storms
- Tropical storm management
- Tropical storm events in developed and developing countries.
- Wildfire formation, location and management.
ATL: Critical thinking
Assessment Criteria: D

Module 2

Climate change
- Global climate system
- Natural theories of climate change
- Trends and impact of climate change
- The greenhouse effect
- UK climate future
ATL: Thinking critically Knowledge and Understanding
Assessment Criteria: D & A

Module 3

Global Development
- Development models
- Development indicators
- Development theories
- HIPCs
ATL: Thinking Skills – Transfer
Assessment Criteria: D & A

Module 4

Place and city study
- Emerging India – Impact of globalisation
- India – Uneven development
- Kerela – model of social change
- Economic changes in Mumbai
- Mumbai slums
ATL: Thinking skills – Creative thinking
Assessment Criteria: A

Module 5

Global tourism
- Weather, climate and tourism
- Benefits of tourism
- Problems of tourism
- 21st century tourism
- UK tourism.
ATL: Investigating and Communicating
Assessment Criteria: B & C

Module 6

Coasts
- Waves
- Coastal erosion processes and features
- Coastal transportation and deposition
- Coastal Management
ATL: Knowledge and Understanding
Assessment Criteria: A

Curriculum End Points

The Geography curriculum at The Leigh UTC seeks to equip students with the relevant geographical knowledge and spatial awareness about places, people, resources and physical and human environments in our local area and across the world. Equally, it is important that our students learn important skills like reading maps, interpreting diagrams and photographs, and using numbers to understand and interpret geographical data.

The aim is to help students to make comparisons and understand similarities and also establish links between different regions through the study of human and physical geography.

It is imperative that students understand how human interaction influences our landscapes, environments and the climate and recognize the importance of engaging in sustainable actions as a means of helping to preserve what is left of our planet.

By the end of year 9 students should be able to:

Explain the occurrence and impacts of tropical storms
Assess the impact of human activities in accelerating climate change
Explain how an improved economy can have a positive impact on quality of life
Assess the impact of development on the creation of mega cities
Describe the impact of waves and coastal management on the shaping of coastlines

By the end of year 8 students should be able to:

Explain the occurrence of tectonic activities
Describe the effects of energy and use of resources impacts the environment
Describe the effect of urbanisation on the quality of life of people living in urban centres
Assess the ways in which rivers help in shaping landscapes
Analyse the effect of human activities on the River Thames

By the end of year 7 students will be able to: