geography
Introductory Statement
This policy is a record of the teaching and learning of geography in our school.
The policy was originally formulated by the staff of Cloughduv N.S. following various in-service, planning days, a PDST planning meeting and much consultation. It was reviewed several times and it is now being updated to keep it in line with our SSE PLAN and many staff changes. (January 2020)
It was informed by the Primary Professional Development Service, School Development Planning Support (SDPS) National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) Department of Education (DES), the needs of the children and the experience and expertise of the teaching staff.
Rationale
This policy was devised:
Vision and Aims
Vision
It is the ethos of our school to enable each and every child to reach his/ her full potential. We are aware of the contribution SESE makes to the harmonious development of the child. We hope to create opportunities for children to experience a rounded geographical education that is not exclusively focused on the transmission of a body of knowledge. We envisage the children being enabled to work as geographers, which will help them to understand more fully the natural and human environments in which they live and in the wider world. We also hope that the geography curriculum will assist in fostering an appreciation and responsibility for the environment, among the children.
Aims
We endorse the aims of the SESE Geography curriculum, as outlined on page 14 of the SESE Geography curriculum document and listed below:
Curriculum Planning
Strands and Strand Units
Each teacher is familiar with the strands, strand units and content objectives for his/ her class level. All strands and strand units must be covered each year but not all content objectives need to be addressed within a strand unit.
The three stands of the Geography curriculum are: Human Environments, Natural Environments and Environmental Awareness & Care.
Junior Infants – 2nd Class
We are aware that the content of the Geography curriculum in these classes is as follows:
Human Environments
Natural Environments
Environmental Awareness & Care
3rd and 4th Classes
We are aware that the content of the Geography curriculum in these classes is as follows:
Human Environments
Natural Environments
Environmental Awareness & Care
5th and 6th Classes
We are aware that the content of the Geography curriculum in these classes is as follows:
Human Environments
Natural Environments
Environmental Awareness & Care
From 3rd to 6th classes, we are aware that the children’s knowledge and sense of awareness is extending to wider environments at county, regional, national and international level, however, we never forget the children’s growing knowledge of their own local environment.
We are aware that undue repetition of content is to be avoided, and to this end, teachers in our school co-operate in the choice of contrasting parts of Ireland and European and non - European countries to be studied.
See appendix with our selections of contrasting parts of Ireland and European and non – European countries to be studied. As the class groupings in our school change on a yearly basis, this appendix will be updated each year to reflect these changes.
Skills Development
We are aware that the development of geographical skills is of equal importance to strand content in this curriculum.
The skills which we endeavour to develop, as outlined in the curriculum are:
The use of maps, globes and atlases will be used in an age appropriate way from Infants - 6th Class and will encompass a wide range of graphical activities.
The geographical investigation skills will be included in various indoor and outdoor investigative work.
By following the content of this curriculum and by developing the geographical skills, the children in our school are given opportunities to work as geographers at each class level.
Children’s Ideas
We plan to use the children’s ideas of places and spaces as a starting point for all geographical activity. This will help us to build on the children’s prior knowledge or to address any misconceptions they may have.
There are many methods of finding out what the children already know and these may include the following:
- Talk & Discussion - Play & Experimentation
- Exploration of materials - Enquiry process & Questioning
- Brainstorming - Drawings & Diagrams
Approaches and Methodologies
We plan to use the six key methodologies of the Primary Curriculum in the teaching of Geography:
Linkage:
When we are studying the local environment, we will study both the natural and human dimensions and the effect that one has on the other. When we are studying distant places, we will also consider both the human and natural environments of these places and how one affects the other. The strand Environmental Awareness & Care is strongly linked with the other two strands.
Integration:
We will explore possibilities to integrate the SESE subjects at all class levels. Likewise, opportunities exist for integration with many curricular areas and teachers will endeavour to make use of these. i.e. S.P.H.E, Mathematics, Visual Aids, Physical Education, Language and Literacy, Gaeilge.
Multi – Grade Teaching
The use of an integrated approach within SESE and indeed the wider curriculum, may be helpful in terms of utilising our time in an efficient way. Work will be differentiated for the different class levels in terms of the complexity of tasks set and the outcomes expected. Due to the class splits and grouping arrangements in our school, we need to ensure that the choices for areas and countries to be studied in classes from 3rd – 6th, are reviewed on a yearly basis to avoid any undue repetition.
Assessment & Record Keeping
As in all subject areas Assessment is an integral part of the teaching and learning of SESE Geography.
Assessment in Geography will fulfil the following roles:
We recognise that assessment techniques used in Geography must seek to assess progress in
The assessment tools we will use will range from the informal means to the more structured approaches. Methods we will use are: Teacher observation / Teacher designed tasks and tests / Work samples e.g. finished projects, worksheets, workbooks and copies etc.
These records will inform the teacher of the progress of the child, the effectiveness of teaching methodologies employed and will also inform future planning. The assessment records will form the basis for reporting and discussing the child’s progress. This information will be relayed at Parent Teacher Meetings and through school reports.
Children with Different Needs
As previously stated we are cognisant of the distinct role Geography can play in the harmonious development of each and every child. We will do our best to ensure that all children have the opportunities to engage in learning activities appropriate to their abilities
In the same way as we endeavour to provide for individual difference in every curricular area, we will also strive to make the Geography curriculum accessible to as many children as possible.
In order to do this we will consider:
Equality of Participation and Access
Organisational Planning
Timetable
In keeping with the recommendations of the Primary School Curriculum, we allocate three hours per week for SESE in classes from 1st – 6th and two and a quarter hours per week in Junior and Senior Infants. Generally, one hour of this time will be spent on geography. On occasion, however, time may be blocked into longer periods, if the children are engaged in fieldwork or completing project work etc.
Health and Safety
We have a health and safety policy in our school which covers safety concerning outdoor activities and fieldwork. Teachers will refer to this document prior to undertaking fieldwork, trails and outdoor activities.
Resources
We have discussed our immediate locality and the wider environment of the school and we intend to use it as a resource.
We use textbooks as a resource in Geography.
We use our Interactive Whiteboards as a resource in the teaching of Geography.
We have access to the internet so that we can use the web as a geographical resource for photos, maps and information.
We have a selection of large maps in our school which are displayed in classrooms and in corridors to create a map rich environment. These include maps of Ireland, maps of Europe, maps of the world.
We will make use of resource packs such as those produced by “Trócaire” to enhance the delivery of the Geography curriculum in our school.
We have attached a list of current resources in our school for use in geography lessons. (c/f appendix)
Individual Teachers’ Planning and Reporting
Staff Development
Parental Involvement
Parents (and grandparents) have an important role to play as custodians of local knowledge that can be shared with the children as they explore various aspects of the local environment.
Parents may also be required to help in the delivery of the geography curriculum, by talking to their children about aspects of their lives, participating in interviews / surveys etc.
Community Links
We endeavour to foster in the children a sense of pride in their local area and in belonging to the local community.
People in the local community who have an interest and knowledge of its geography may be invited to speak with the children, when possible.
The mobile library and libraries in nearby towns will be a source of knowledge for the children i.e. books, atlases, maps etc. Parents from other lands will be encouraged to share their heritage with the rest of the school.
Success Criteria
We will review this whole school plan under the following headings
Ways of assessing this plan will be:
Implementation
The plan will be supported, developed and implemented by all staff members.
Review
This policy will be reviewed if the curriculum changes or when necessary to ensure optimum implementation of the Geography Curriculum.
We will
Those involved in the review will be: Principal & all teachers
This review was done in March 2020
Ratification
This plan was ratified by the Board of Management
This policy is a record of the teaching and learning of geography in our school.
The policy was originally formulated by the staff of Cloughduv N.S. following various in-service, planning days, a PDST planning meeting and much consultation. It was reviewed several times and it is now being updated to keep it in line with our SSE PLAN and many staff changes. (January 2020)
It was informed by the Primary Professional Development Service, School Development Planning Support (SDPS) National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) Department of Education (DES), the needs of the children and the experience and expertise of the teaching staff.
Rationale
This policy was devised:
- To provide clear guidelines for teachers
- To insure consistency throughout the school
- To comply with legislation
Vision and Aims
Vision
It is the ethos of our school to enable each and every child to reach his/ her full potential. We are aware of the contribution SESE makes to the harmonious development of the child. We hope to create opportunities for children to experience a rounded geographical education that is not exclusively focused on the transmission of a body of knowledge. We envisage the children being enabled to work as geographers, which will help them to understand more fully the natural and human environments in which they live and in the wider world. We also hope that the geography curriculum will assist in fostering an appreciation and responsibility for the environment, among the children.
Aims
We endorse the aims of the SESE Geography curriculum, as outlined on page 14 of the SESE Geography curriculum document and listed below:
- To develop knowledge and understanding of local, regional and wider environments and their interrelationships
- To encourage an understanding and appreciation of the variety of natural and human conditions on the Earth
- To develop empathy with people from diverse environments and an understanding of human interdependence
- To develop the ability to use a range of communicative methods, especially those concerned with the development of graphicacy.
- To encourage the development of a sense of place and spatial awareness
- To encourage the development of caring attitudes and responsible behaviour towards the environment, and involvement in the identification, discussion, resolution and avoidance of environmental problems
- To develop an understanding of the appropriate geographical concepts
- To encourage all children to become involved in helping to improve the appearance of our school, in terms of litter management and gardening.
Curriculum Planning
Strands and Strand Units
Each teacher is familiar with the strands, strand units and content objectives for his/ her class level. All strands and strand units must be covered each year but not all content objectives need to be addressed within a strand unit.
The three stands of the Geography curriculum are: Human Environments, Natural Environments and Environmental Awareness & Care.
Junior Infants – 2nd Class
We are aware that the content of the Geography curriculum in these classes is as follows:
Human Environments
Natural Environments
Environmental Awareness & Care
- Living in the local community
- People and places in other lands
- The local natural environments
- Weather
- Planet Earth in Space
- Caring for my locality
3rd and 4th Classes
We are aware that the content of the Geography curriculum in these classes is as follows:
Human Environments
Natural Environments
Environmental Awareness & Care
- People living and working in the local area
- People living and working in a contrasting part of Ireland
- People & communities
- Natural environmental features & people
- Settlement – Homes and other buildings
- People at Work
- Transport & Communication)
- People and other lands
- County, Regional and National Centres
- The local natural environment
- Lands, rivers and seas of my county
- Rocks and soils
- Weather, climate and atmosphere
- Planet earth in space
- Environmental awareness
- Caring for the environment
5th and 6th Classes
We are aware that the content of the Geography curriculum in these classes is as follows:
Human Environments
Natural Environments
Environmental Awareness & Care
- People living and working in the local area
- People living and working in a contrasting part of Ireland
- People & communities
- Natural environmental features & people
- Settlement – Homes and other buildings
- People at Work
- Transport & Communication)
- People and other lands
- County, Regional and National Centres
- Trade and development issues
- The local natural environment
- Lands, rivers and seas of my county
- Rocks and soils
- Weather, climate and atmosphere
- Planet earth in space
- Physical features of Europe and the world
- Environmental awareness
- Caring for the environment
From 3rd to 6th classes, we are aware that the children’s knowledge and sense of awareness is extending to wider environments at county, regional, national and international level, however, we never forget the children’s growing knowledge of their own local environment.
We are aware that undue repetition of content is to be avoided, and to this end, teachers in our school co-operate in the choice of contrasting parts of Ireland and European and non - European countries to be studied.
See appendix with our selections of contrasting parts of Ireland and European and non – European countries to be studied. As the class groupings in our school change on a yearly basis, this appendix will be updated each year to reflect these changes.
Skills Development
We are aware that the development of geographical skills is of equal importance to strand content in this curriculum.
The skills which we endeavour to develop, as outlined in the curriculum are:
- A sense of place and space
- Mapping and graphicacy skills
- Geographical investigation skills (Questioning, Investigating & Experimenting, Observing, Predicting, Estimating and Measuring, Analysing, Recording & Communicating, Evaluating)
The use of maps, globes and atlases will be used in an age appropriate way from Infants - 6th Class and will encompass a wide range of graphical activities.
The geographical investigation skills will be included in various indoor and outdoor investigative work.
By following the content of this curriculum and by developing the geographical skills, the children in our school are given opportunities to work as geographers at each class level.
Children’s Ideas
We plan to use the children’s ideas of places and spaces as a starting point for all geographical activity. This will help us to build on the children’s prior knowledge or to address any misconceptions they may have.
There are many methods of finding out what the children already know and these may include the following:
- Talk & Discussion - Play & Experimentation
- Exploration of materials - Enquiry process & Questioning
- Brainstorming - Drawings & Diagrams
Approaches and Methodologies
We plan to use the six key methodologies of the Primary Curriculum in the teaching of Geography:
- Active Learning - Talk and Discussion
- Problem Solving - Co-operative Learning
- Skills through content - Use of the environment
- Fieldwork & Trails - Survey
- Interview - Models
- Maps - Photographs
- Artefacts - Story
Linkage:
When we are studying the local environment, we will study both the natural and human dimensions and the effect that one has on the other. When we are studying distant places, we will also consider both the human and natural environments of these places and how one affects the other. The strand Environmental Awareness & Care is strongly linked with the other two strands.
Integration:
We will explore possibilities to integrate the SESE subjects at all class levels. Likewise, opportunities exist for integration with many curricular areas and teachers will endeavour to make use of these. i.e. S.P.H.E, Mathematics, Visual Aids, Physical Education, Language and Literacy, Gaeilge.
Multi – Grade Teaching
The use of an integrated approach within SESE and indeed the wider curriculum, may be helpful in terms of utilising our time in an efficient way. Work will be differentiated for the different class levels in terms of the complexity of tasks set and the outcomes expected. Due to the class splits and grouping arrangements in our school, we need to ensure that the choices for areas and countries to be studied in classes from 3rd – 6th, are reviewed on a yearly basis to avoid any undue repetition.
Assessment & Record Keeping
As in all subject areas Assessment is an integral part of the teaching and learning of SESE Geography.
Assessment in Geography will fulfil the following roles:
- A diagnostic role – to identify areas of difficulty in order to respond to the needs of the child.
- A summative role - to establish the outcomes of learning after completing a unit of work.
- An evaluative role – to assist teachers in assessing their own practice.
We recognise that assessment techniques used in Geography must seek to assess progress in
- Children’s knowledge of the environment and of the world
- Children’s ability to use geographical skills
- Children’s development of attitudes
The assessment tools we will use will range from the informal means to the more structured approaches. Methods we will use are: Teacher observation / Teacher designed tasks and tests / Work samples e.g. finished projects, worksheets, workbooks and copies etc.
These records will inform the teacher of the progress of the child, the effectiveness of teaching methodologies employed and will also inform future planning. The assessment records will form the basis for reporting and discussing the child’s progress. This information will be relayed at Parent Teacher Meetings and through school reports.
Children with Different Needs
As previously stated we are cognisant of the distinct role Geography can play in the harmonious development of each and every child. We will do our best to ensure that all children have the opportunities to engage in learning activities appropriate to their abilities
In the same way as we endeavour to provide for individual difference in every curricular area, we will also strive to make the Geography curriculum accessible to as many children as possible.
In order to do this we will consider:
- Using a mixture of whole class teaching and focused group work
- Use a range of questions spanning from simple recall to the more complex and analytical
- Different ways of recording and communicating findings will be encouraged
- Map work may be graded according to the abilities of the children
- The exceptional child will be encouraged to undertake additional research and record their findings in a variety of ways
- Content, methods of recording and desired learning outcomes will be differentiated for children with general learning difficulties.
Equality of Participation and Access
- Equal opportunity will be given to all children to experience all strands and to participate in all class activities.
- Provision for children with physical difficulties will be made so that they can access the geography curriculum.
- Children whose first language is not English will be supported in accessing the geography curriculum also, should the need arise.
Organisational Planning
Timetable
In keeping with the recommendations of the Primary School Curriculum, we allocate three hours per week for SESE in classes from 1st – 6th and two and a quarter hours per week in Junior and Senior Infants. Generally, one hour of this time will be spent on geography. On occasion, however, time may be blocked into longer periods, if the children are engaged in fieldwork or completing project work etc.
Health and Safety
We have a health and safety policy in our school which covers safety concerning outdoor activities and fieldwork. Teachers will refer to this document prior to undertaking fieldwork, trails and outdoor activities.
Resources
We have discussed our immediate locality and the wider environment of the school and we intend to use it as a resource.
We use textbooks as a resource in Geography.
We use our Interactive Whiteboards as a resource in the teaching of Geography.
We have access to the internet so that we can use the web as a geographical resource for photos, maps and information.
We have a selection of large maps in our school which are displayed in classrooms and in corridors to create a map rich environment. These include maps of Ireland, maps of Europe, maps of the world.
We will make use of resource packs such as those produced by “Trócaire” to enhance the delivery of the Geography curriculum in our school.
We have attached a list of current resources in our school for use in geography lessons. (c/f appendix)
Individual Teachers’ Planning and Reporting
- Teachers will consult this whole school plan and the curriculum documents for Geography when they are drawing up their long and short term plans.
- Each teacher will have a long term plan for the term / year drawn up.
- Individual teachers include more detail regarding content, skills, methodologies, resources needed, recording of work and assessment in their short term planning.
- Where it is meaningful and suitable, geography will be taught in a thematic way to integrate with the other SESE subjects
- Cúntas miosúil will assist in recording work covered, in evaluating progress in geography and in informing future teaching
- Parents are informed of children’s progress in history at parent teacher meetings and in end of year reports.
Staff Development
- Teachers will have access to reference books, additional text books, resource materials and websites dealing with geography
- Staff will be encouraged to try out new approaches and methodologies
- Individual teachers will be responsible for keeping resource material up to date and will purchase resources and materials when possible.
- Teachers will consider attending in - service workshops, summer courses, online courses in the area of Geography
Parental Involvement
Parents (and grandparents) have an important role to play as custodians of local knowledge that can be shared with the children as they explore various aspects of the local environment.
Parents may also be required to help in the delivery of the geography curriculum, by talking to their children about aspects of their lives, participating in interviews / surveys etc.
Community Links
We endeavour to foster in the children a sense of pride in their local area and in belonging to the local community.
People in the local community who have an interest and knowledge of its geography may be invited to speak with the children, when possible.
The mobile library and libraries in nearby towns will be a source of knowledge for the children i.e. books, atlases, maps etc. Parents from other lands will be encouraged to share their heritage with the rest of the school.
Success Criteria
We will review this whole school plan under the following headings
- Does individual teachers’ preparing, planning and teaching reflect this plan?
- Are we using a variety of methodologies?
- How are the children’s geographical skills progressing?
- How well are geographical concepts learnt by the children?
- Are the children being exposed to a variety of countries, both European and non – European as they progress from 3rd – 6th Class?
- Are we assessing geography as outlined in the plan?
- Have we acquired new resources / replenished stocks when necessary?
Ways of assessing this plan will be:
- Revisiting the plan as a staff
- Teacher feedback / Parental feedback / Children’s feedback
- Inspectors reports and suggestions
Implementation
The plan will be supported, developed and implemented by all staff members.
Review
This policy will be reviewed if the curriculum changes or when necessary to ensure optimum implementation of the Geography Curriculum.
We will
- co-ordinate the progress of the plan
- encourage and accept feedback on its implementation
- ensure teachers have the resources needed to implement this plan
- ensure each teacher has a copy of this plan
Those involved in the review will be: Principal & all teachers
This review was done in March 2020
Ratification
This plan was ratified by the Board of Management
