Geography in Years 7, 8 and 9.

WHAT IS GEOGRAPHY?

Geography is the study of the physical and human conditions of the Earth's surface. These conditions, their causal processes and their interactions form the content and process of Geography.

Our aims are for your child to develop a keen interest in the environment around them and to understand the main processes, both human and physical, that affect our world. We aim for your child to acquire a well-developed sense of place through learning about a variety of different environments on local, national and global scales. Particularly, we aim for them to begin to understand the diverse range of cultural, physical and economic differences that exist in the world so that they can develop an empathy for different regions, and also to develop a greater understanding and appreciation of the physical world around them.

Your child will acquire the necessary geographical skills and move from studying familiar to unfamiliar environments. We will encourage numeracy, literacy and ICT skills through the application of geographical information.

Your child will:

· develop a sense of environmental responsibility especially with respect to the conservation of the world's resources and the idea of environmental sustainability
· develop a greater awareness of other cultures, viewpoints, economies, societies, thereby contributing to world citizenship, understanding and tolerance
· develop their competence in practical skills, using fieldwork to investigate the area outside the classroom and be encouraged to work with others in these tasks: to develop life skills for home and the workplace

What will your child study?

YEAR 7

· An introduction to Physical, Human and Environmental Geography
· The skills of map reading
· Settlement, including its growth and change
· Shopping patterns
· Aspects of British Isles Geography

YEARS 8 AND 9

· Aspects of Physical Geography, including the study of plates, rivers, volcanoes and earthquakes
· Aspects of Environmental Geography including ecosystems and climate
· Issues of development including population
· Economic issues such as the globalisation of industry and energy resources
· Aspectsd of Ghanaian Geography

How will your child be assessed?

· Your child's classwork and homework will be regularly assessed
· Your child will be aware of the criteria against which assessments of their work are made
· Your child will be praised with constructive comment from teachers used at every opportunity

Work set for your child will be differentiated
· By providing extension tasks where necessary
· By using a variety of teaching methods and modifying our approach as and where appropriate
· By setting open-ended tasks whereby the provision of basic material supports the less able, whilst enabling the more able to develop the material more fully
· By being praised according to the effort put into their work
· By asking for LSA support where your child will benefit from it

Homework is used to support work done in class.

Your child may be asked to
· Answer questions
· Complete worksheets on topics covered in class
· Do research on an agreed topic
· Learn locational details of places

What fieldwork and activities will your child take part in?

Your child's learning of Geography will be enriched by appropriate fieldwork and to this end it is incorporated, where practicable, into each year group. These studies are integrated into classroom work helping the pupils to relate to real places. In Year 7 we undertake a walk along the North Norfolk Coast studying Coastal Erosion and Human Management of the coastline. We also visit the London Docklands to study the redevelopment of this area. In Year 8 we go to Epping Forest and undertake a practical study of river channels.