Geography

What does Geography look like at Dovedale Primary School?

Children are taught Geography throughout a half term alternating between Geography and History. Many of our knowledge blocks have links between both subjects and these are used throughout knowledge blocks. Children focus on a variety of skills and knowledge and are taught through engaging lessons. Knowledge Organisers are used so children can see how some knowledge relates to other knowledge and use this as a revision tool throughout their learning. 

Intent

Our Geography Curriculum aims to teach children in a way that inspires them to want to learn more about our wonderful world around them and the diverse nature of our planet and those that live on it. Geography affects where we live, work and how we live our daily lives. We consider it very important that children are provided with both the skills and the knowledge in order to navigate a world that is ever changing and modernising year on year. Our children will learn geographical skills such as using maps, atlases and globes as well as learn new skills in fieldwork and grid references. The children will develop both their locational and knowledge during their time at Dovedale Primary School

Implementation

Our Geography lessons are taught in “Knowledge Blocks” throughout the year with some lasting half a term with others lasting a full term. Knowledge Blocks lasting a full term allow teachers to go into depth with the subject and the pupils to have a much broader experience of a certain area. Children complete a KWL grid at the beginning of each knowledge block to identify their prior knowledge, what they would like to learn and then as the knowledge block goes on, what they have learnt.

Impact

Pupil voice surveys have shown that children enjoy their Geography lessons at Dovedale Primary School. They enjoy the chance they are given to learn about different cultures and countries and compare them to their own life. Children have said they enjoy fieldwork lessons because it gives them a chance to get outside and do something a little bit different. Teachers' comments include that the knowledge blocks are engaging and cover a variety of skills and concepts.

Geography is continually assessed within lessons by children completing flashback tasks about something they have learnt prior to the lesson in a different year group or previous lesson in that knowledge block. Children are also given a series of questions at the end of a unit that they answer in as much detail as possible. The teacher then identifies any gaps in their learning and revisits or revises particular areas of difficulty.

Enrichment Opportunities

Our children are fortunate to be given the chance to take part in an Eco Hub group, which focuses on their local environment. They take part in a variety of activities linked to helping to look after our environment. This takes place at the end of our school assessment weeks.

National Curriculum - Subject content

Key stage 1

Pupils should develop knowledge about the world, the United Kingdom and their locality. They should understand basic subject-specific vocabulary relating to human and physical geography and begin to use geographical skills, including first-hand observation, to enhance their locational awareness.

Pupils should be taught to:

Locational knowledge

- name and locate the world’s seven continents and five oceans

-name, locate and identify characteristics of the four countries and capital cities of the United Kingdom and its surrounding seas

Place knowledge 

- understand geographical similarities and differences through studying the human and physical geography of a small area of the United Kingdom, and of a small area in a contrasting non-European country

Human and physical geography 

- identify seasonal and daily weather patterns in the United Kingdom and the location of hot and cold areas of the world in relation to the Equator and the North and South Poles

- use basic geographical vocabulary to refer to:

key physical features, including: beach, cliff, coast, forest, hill, mountain, sea, ocean, river, soil, valley, vegetation, season and weather 

key human features, including: city, town, village, factory, farm, house, office, port, harbour and shop Geographical skills and fieldwork

-use world maps, atlases and globes to identify the United Kingdom and its countries, as well as the countries, continents and oceans studied at this key stage 

-use simple compass directions (North, South, East and West) and locational and directional language [for example, near and far; left and right], to describe the location of features and routes on a map

-use aerial photographs and plan perspectives to recognise landmarks and basic human and physical features; devise a simple map; and use and construct basic symbols in a key 

-use simple fieldwork and observational skills to study the geography of their school and its grounds and the key human and physical features of its surrounding environment.

Key stage 2

Pupils should extend their knowledge and understanding beyond the local area to include the United Kingdom and Europe, North and South America. This will include the location and characteristics of a range of the world’s most significant human and physical features. They should develop their use of geographical knowledge, understanding and skills to enhance their locational and place knowledge. Pupils should be taught to:

Locational knowledge 

- locate the world’s countries, using maps to focus on Europe (including the location of Russia) and North and South America, concentrating on their environmental regions, key physical and human characteristics, countries, and major cities 

- name and locate counties and cities of the United Kingdom, geographical regions and their identifying human and physical characteristics, key topographical features (including hills, mountains, coasts and rivers), and land-use patterns; and understand how some of these aspects have changed over time 

-identify the position and significance of latitude, longitude, Equator, Northern Hemisphere, Southern Hemisphere, the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, Arctic and Antarctic Circle, the Prime/Greenwich Meridian and time zones (including day and night)

Place knowledge 

- understand geographical similarities and differences through the study of human and physical geography of a region of the United Kingdom, a region in a European country, and a region within North or South America Human and physical geography.

-describe and understand key aspects of:

physical geography, including:

climate zones, biomes and vegetation belts, rivers, mountains, volcanoes and earthquakes, and the water cycle 

-human geography, including: types of settlement and land use, economic activity including trade links, and the distribution of natural resources including energy, food, minerals and water

 Geographical skills and fieldwork 

-use maps, atlases, globes and digital/computer mapping to locate countries and describe features studied

- use the eight points of a compass, four and six-figure grid references, symbols and key (including the use of Ordnance Survey maps) to build their knowledge of the United Kingdom and the wider world 

-use fieldwork to observe, measure, record and present the human and physical features in the local area using a range of methods, including sketch maps, plans and graphs, and digital technologies.