Curriculum overview for geography
Intent
The geography curriculum at Oakfield is designed to develop in our pupils a sense of place, an understanding of their surroundings and an appreciation and understanding of diverse physical and human features around the world. We seek to inspire in them a curiosity to find out more about the world and to develop their understanding of their role as world citizens. Over the course of the primary phase, pupils acquire knowledge about people and places alongside a secure understanding of the ways in which places are interdependent and interconnected, and how much physical and human environments are interrelated.
The sequencing of the geography curriculum has been carefully planned to allow pupils to build on prior learning and make connections both within geography and across other subjects, ensuring that pupils know more and remember more. Geography is taught throughout the year and has particular focus in the summer term, when it is closely linked to the texts selected for the school’s book-led curriculum
Threshold concepts
Investigate places
This concept involves understanding the geographical location of places and their physical and human features.
Investigate patterns
This concept involves understanding the relationships between the physical features of places and the human activity within them, and the appreciation of how the world’s natural resources are used and transported.
Communicate geographically
This concept involves understanding geographical representations, vocabulary and techniques.
.
Knowledge categories
Location
Physical processes
Physical features
Human processes
Human features
Diversity
Nursery Where we live
Different countries in the world - India
Celebrate and value cultural, religious and community events and experiences - Hannukah and Christmas
Reception Immediate family
Familiar people in school
Places that are special to members of their community
Synagogue and Church
Similarities and differences between life in this country and life in other countries - India
Places in the world that contrast with locations known wellIndia
Understand that some places are special to members of their community
Church- what people do there at Christmas
Information from a simple map
Look at aerial views of the locl area and church
Familiar routes
Different countries in the world - China
Cultural, religious and community events and experiences -
Lunar New Year and Easter
Different countries in the world - Nepal
People around us - range of occupations and introduce new vocabulary related to the occupation
Emergency services/ train driver/ author
Routes and locations
Environments that are different from the one in which they live - Woods
Similarities and differences between life in this country and life in other countries - Nepal
China- Lunar New Year
Brazil, Amazon Rainforest
Trinidad and Tobago
London
Information from a simple map
Simple maps
Maps of home
Name of the road and town that school is in
Aerial maps of the school setting
Familiar people around us in the community, such as shop staff, hairdressers, police, nurses and doctors
Draw simple maps of immediate environment
Environments that are different from the one in which they live:
Gardeners and allotments
Lighthouse
Coastal environment
Ponds
Farms
Autumn Spring Summer
Year 1 Belfast, NI
What are the human features of Belfast?
New York
What human features do tourists visit in New York?
Sydney, Australia
Focus: What are the human features in Sydney?
Year 2 London, UK
What happens in the houses of parliament?
St Ives, UK
How is St Ives similar and different to Hyde?
San Francisco
How are San Francisco and London similar and different?
Hyde, UK
What are the human and physical features of Hyde?
Cardiff, Wales
What human features are there in Cardiff?
Mount Everest, Nepal
Why would it be difficult to climb Mount Everest?
Lima, Peru
How is Peru similar and different to Hyde?
Dublin, ROI
How can you travel to Dublin?
Edinburgh
Which human feature would you want to visit in Edinburgh and why?
Hyde, UK
How have the human features changed in our local area?
Chester, UK
What human features do tourists want to see in Chester?
Antarctica
Why is it not possible for people to live permanently in Antarctica? (seasons and weather)
Birmingham, UK
Why do people want to visit Birmingham?
Kathmandu, Nepal
Where do people go to worship in Kathmandu?
Florence, Italy
Why do people visit Florence?
Year 3 UK England counties
Orkney and Dumfries
What similarities and differences are there in the human features of the Orkney Islands and Dumfries?
Pembrokeshire - Pentyr Ifan
What is a river?
UK local study - Manchester
How did the Industrial Revolution change Manchester?
Year 4 Europe – Denmark, Sweden and Norway
What similarities and differences are there between the landscapes of Denmark, Sweden and Norway?
UK counties Portland, Dorset
How has erosion changed Chesil beach?
Lindisfarne, Northumbria
How has Lindisfarne changed over time?
Cities of UK
Cardiff
How and why has Cardiff changed over time?
Asia - Nepal
How are the lives of people in Nepal affected by earthquakes?
Europe – Tenerife, Spain
Why would it be dangerous to live near Mount Teide?
Counties and cities of UK
Wales - Brecon Beacons
Explain the key stages of the water cycle.
Shetland islands, Scotland
How are the mountains of the Shetland islands similar to those of the Brecon Beacons?
Europe, Greece – Santorini
What impact have earthquakes had in Santorini?
Europe - Italy
What are the main human and physical features of the Alps?
London
What similar tourist attractions can be found in London, Cardiff and Manchester?
Yorkshire –York
What are the main stages of the water cycle?
Cities of UK, Local area
Manchester - River Irwell
How have the physical and human features of the river Irwell changed over time?
Chester - River Dee
What are the human and physical features of the River Dee and the River Irwell?
Europe, Greece
Why do people choose to settle near a volcano?
Year 5 Asia – India (Delhi)
How and why has the population density in Delhi changed over time?
Asia - China
What are the main natural resources found in the Taklimakan desert?
North America - Gulf of Mexico
How has the gulf of Mexico been affected by pollution over time?
Year 6 Europe - Poland
How and why has the population of Poland changed between WW1 to present day?
Asia - Japan
How are the Japanese rainforests different to other rainforests in the world?
Europe – Russia, Moscow
Which countries trade natural resources with Russia?
Europe - Greece
How have the flora and fauna of the scrublands adapted to survive?
North America - Mount St Helens
AWhat is the Ring of Fire?
Asia – Nepal, Kathmandu
Explain the water cycle relating to the Bagmati river.
Antarctica
What is the impact of climate change on the Antarctic?
Europe - Russia
What resources does Russia trade with other countries?
Africa – Algeria, Algiers
How has the Ring of Fire changed over time?
Asia – India
How does the tea trade support communities in India?
Australia
How has climate change affected coral reef?
Africa – Tanzania
How is Mount Kilimanjaro different to other volcanoes?
South America – Brazil, Amazon
Difference to other rainforests in the world
How are human processes affecting the Amazon rainforest?
South America - Venezuela
How are the natural resources of South America distributed across the world?
North America - USA
What impact have cyclones had in North America?
Lesson and task design
Links to prior learning and retrieval practice
Through planned textsEYFS
Postcard and enquiry question - KS1
Enquiry question – KS2
Introduce and reinforce key geographical vocabulary
Investigate
Answer the enquiry question, using the information and relevant geographical vocabulary
The Nature of Thinking
The Nature of Thinking supports our task design within different year groups
Year 1, 3 and 5 focus on the basic
Years 2, 4 and 6 progress to advancing and deepening
Basic Advancing Deepening
Name
Describe
Follow instructions or methods
Complete Recall
Observe Use
Match Report
Measure
List
Illustrate Label
Recognise Tell Repeat Arrange
Define
Memorise
Calculate Recite
Draw recall
Apply skills to solve problems
Explain methods
Classify Infer
Categorise
Identify patterns
Organise
Modify Predict Interpret Summarise
Estimate Compare Use Experiment
Demonstrate Practise
Show Arrange Point out
Graph
Separate
Solve non-routine problems
Appraise
Explain concepts
Hypothesise
Investigate Cite evidence Design
Create Prove Judge
Recommend
Justify Generalise
Propose Discover Arrange
Rate
Evaluate Revise
Conclude Formulate Construct Develop Connect
Prioritise