Geography
The aim of geography at KAA is to inspire in students a fascination of the world around them which will stay with them throughout their lives. Geographical learning at KAA is framed around a fertile question or problem to be solved. By exploring these fertile questions together, students and teachers will embark upon a learning journey that unlocks the mysteries of a variety of the world’s landscapes and cultures.
Our Year 7 geography curriculum explores key concepts such as locational knowledge, physical and human processes, connections between places, landscape change over time and the complexity of human-environment relationships. Fieldwork skills and map interpretation are also central to becoming excellent geographers and these skills will be developed to ensure KAA students are confident geographers at GCSE and A-level.
All of the core geographical concepts and skills outlined above will be will be explored through the topics shown in the table below. We hope that a topical, relevant and exciting curriculum will help students to develop a passion for learning that equips them for the globalised and complex world they will enter as adults.
Curriculum Map
| Year | Term | Fertile Question |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | Autumn 1 | Are we lost without geography? |
| 7 | Autumn 2 | Are places challenges to be tackled or opportunities to be celebrated? |
| 7 | Spring 1 | How many people is too many people? |
| 7 | Spring 2 | Is there blood on your bling? |
| 7 | Summer 1 | Is there a perfect power source? |
| 7 | Summer 2 | Can a river really rage? |
| Year | Term | Fertile Question |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | Autumn 1 | Which tribe is the toughest? |
| 8 | Autumn 2 | Should you take your conscience shopping? |
| 8 | Spring 1 | Could there ever be world without war? |
| 8 | Spring 2 | What kind of weather is the 'wildest'? |
| 8 | Summer 1 | Does wealth equal happiness? Is our world equitable? |
| 8 | Summer 2 | Oh we do like to be beside the seaside... or DO we? |
| Year | Term | Fertile Question |
|---|---|---|
| 9 | Autumn 1 | Who puts the super into superpower? |
| 9 | Autumn 2 | Is living on a plate boundary a crazy choice? |
| 9 | Spring 1 | Should Mr Benson be worried about climate change? |
| 9 | Spring 2 | Should the Middle East be it's own continent? |
| 9 | Summer 1 | Is tourism a blessing or a curse? |
| 9 | Summer 2 | Can sporting events be truly sustainable? |
Assessments
All assessment will be based on work around the fertile question of the term and be set in GCSE style examination formats, involving shorter answer questions, leading onto longer responses. Fieldwork skills will also be assessed and students will be expected to analyse, conclude and evaluate results that they collect in the field.
Homework
Students have one thirty minute homework each week. These are set on different (but fixed) days depending on which teaching group a child is in. The homework varies and may involve preparation for a future lesson or activities which will consolidate the learning students have enjoyed in the classroom. Homework is uploaded to the geography section of KAA online and there are differentiated resources available if students need extra support or have lost worksheets.
How can I support my child?
You can support your child’s progress using:
• The geography area within KAA Online to find support resources and skills practice for each fertile question which is being investigated.
• Atlases and maps from the library to improve their locational knowledge.
• Documentaries on the television that cover a range of exciting human and physical geographical issues.
• Excellent geographers are informed about what is happening in the world around them and therefore should regularly read the newspapers or visit bbc.co.uk to keep up with global current affairs.