Geography
Geography is the subject which holds the key to our future
As referred to in Pope Francis’ message, Laudato Si, God’s wonderful world is broken, and it is time to be healed. We are the stewards of God’s Earth and it is our responsibility to look after it . Through our carefully planned geography curriculum, with RE and catholic social teaching interwoven within, the children at St Clare’s learn how to look after our world and to live alongside God’s creation.
Intent:
The curriculum areas are taught as specific individual lessons . We ensure that humanities subjects- (History and Geography) are given equal weighting across the school year.
To inspire children to develop a fascination about the world and its people which will remain with them for the rest of their lives and ignite a natural curiosity.
To promote the children’s interest and understanding of diverse places, people, resources and natural and human environments,
To develop a deep understanding of the Earth’s key physical and human processes.
To develop knowledge and skills that are transferable to other curriculum areas and which can and are used to promote their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.
Teaching will bring learning to life, encouraging children to learn about different continents around the world and different geographical features such as rivers and volcanoes. We will learn about the similarities and differences between the way we live and other countries.
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Implementation
All classes to use the new CUSP curriculum framework , ensuring skills and knowledge are built on year by year and sequenced appropriately to maximise learning for all children.
All children will have an individual Geography Book
Our curriculum is shaped by our school mission statement which aims to engage hearts and minds in the joy of learning about our world and each other.
Geography lessons will follow the same structure as set out in our teaching and learning policy, – Retrieval, explain and model, check for understanding and applied learning.
∙ Geography will be taught through investigation and inquiry. Children will develop an understanding of how Geography has had an impact on our lives today both locally, nationally and internationally.
∙ Children will be encouraged to be independent and critical thinkers, fostering an understanding of ‘why’ as well as ‘who’, ‘what’, ‘when’ and ‘where’.
∙ Lessons will be planned so that there is time for retrieval of previous lessons to ensure deep understanding . Children are taught to revise and justify their opinions as well as asking questions about why certain events or phenomena occur.
∙ Cross curricular links with other subjects such as Music, Art and English will be evident.
Visits within Geography are encouraged, with children learning about their own local environment as well as visiting places of interest to study concept such as map-reading, physical and human features etc.
∙ Children will gain a good understanding of geographical terms and be able to use these both orally and in their written work.
∙ The learning taking place in each class in Geography will be evident though engaging and interactive classroom. Each classroom will have a geography display, showing relevant vocabulary and geographical terms.
Long Term Plan
History
‘Geography has made us neighbours. History has made us friends.‘
– John F. Kennedy
The curriculum areas are taught through our creative topic planning with History and History acting as the driver for whole school themes. We alternate between having a History focus or History focus each half term to ensure that both subjects are given equal weighting across the school year.
Intent:
∙ History will be taught as an interactive subject which strives to ignite a child’s natural curiosity
∙ Teaching will bring learning to life, encouraging children to discover the past and understand how it connects with the lives we lead today
∙ Children will be encouraged to become inquisitive Historians by asking and answering questions about past lives and societies through handling and analysing a wide range of historical evidence
∙ In History, children will develop the skills to make links and connections, engage and respond, analyse and evaluate using sources of evidence. By understanding the lives of those of the past, children will gain a better understanding of their own identity
∙ Children will develop a sense of chronology in relation to Britain’s past and that of the wider world
∙ The individual talents and abilities of pupils will be promoted to ensure that each child fulfils his or her full potential.
Implementation
History will be taught through investigation and enquiry. Children will develop an understanding of how History has had an impact on our lives today both locally, nationally and internationally.
Children will have an individual history book. Topics will be assessed throughout the year.
∙ Children will be encouraged to be independent and critical thinkers, fostering an understanding of ‘why’ as well as ‘who’, ‘what’, ‘when’ and ‘where’.
∙ The curriculum provides a rich variety of topics that cover significant people to World War II.
∙ The key historical skills (set out in the National curriculum) underpin the planning, teaching and learning of History at St Clare’s. We will use the CUSP curriculum to deliver key skills which we aim for the pupils at Saint Clare’s to develop are; analysing and debating the reliability of sources, a sense of chronology, making comparisons between historical periods and civilisations, , devising historically valid questions, drawing conclusions from sources and making links between events and studying teh significance of our locality. By focusing on these skills we aim for the pupils at Saint Clare’s to become inquisitive, enquiring and informed Historians.
Lessons will be planned so that there is time for discussion and debate, fostering an environment of enquiry which enables children to revise and justify their opinions as well as encouraging children to ask as well as answer questions about history.
History lessons will follow the same structure as set out in our teaching and learning policy, – Retrieval, explain and model, check for understanding and applied learning.
∙ Lessons will be planned so that there is time for retrieval of previous lessons to ensure deep understanding . Children are taught to revise and justify their opinions as well as asking questions about why certain events or phenomena occur.
∙ Children will also be taught historical facts and be encouraged to gain a factual base of historical knowledge, they will be encouraged to remember for example key dates and events in British and World History and the names and impacts of important historical figures
∙ Cross curricular links, particularly with History, Art and English will be evident. Children will consolidate writing skills and reapply them in an alternative and more independent context, this type of activity may for example allow the children to put themselves in the shoes of the historical characters they are learning about and approach their learning from a different perspective.
∙ Learning will extend beyond the classroom, with children being given challenging homework projects linked to their chosen Unit of work and the opportunity for children to present their learning in History in Key Stage assemblies. Throughout the Year, History learning at Saint Clare’s will be celebrated, with a celebration days where children can showcase their learning. Visits within History will enrich the lives of the children and they are able to discuss how the experience impacted their knowledge and understanding.
∙ Children will gain a good understanding of historical terms and be able to use these both orally and in their written work.
Long Term Plan
Click below to view useful links and websites to support teaching and learning of the humanities in schools:
Hundred objects from museums across the UK with resources, information and teaching ideas to inspire your children’s’ interest in history: http://teachinghistory100.org/
Enter ancient worlds, meet famous people and discover fascinating facts by exploring a wide selection of historical games and activities: http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/forkids/
Fun, history and geography educational websites for primary aged children (7 to 11): http://www.teachingandlearningresources.co.uk/funhistory.shtml
http://www.kidsgeo.com/geography-games/
dlearningresources.co.uk/funhistory.shtml
Geography games for kids: http://www.teachingandlearningresources.co.uk/fungeography.shtml
