Geography

Curriculum Intention  

In Year 7 students learn about the concepts of Geography & History. Students will learn about what it means to be a Geographer and a Historian. The essential skills required are practiced through the investigation of a variety of place and time case studies. Later in the year students will focus in specific detail on the topics of The Roman Empire and Antarctica.  

In Humanities at year 7, using the topics mentioned above, students are taught how to practice and develop the following skills: 

1. Graphing

2. Data Analysis

3. Primary & Secondary Source Analysis

4. Extended Answer Writing

As well as having specific learning objectives and success criteria, each lesson also ties in with a big question idea. This will be referred to throughout each scheme of work, allowing students to make connections between lessons within the topic and across the year. 

Humanities at year 7 acts as the perfect bridge between topics covered at KS2. The topics chosen are different from those covered by the KS2 curriculum and the specific skills students will acquire to be successful. The topics chosen for Year 7 Humanities are chosen to excite, engage and challenge our students. They are also chosen so links between the two subjects can be allowing for greater coherence. 

Curriculum Implementation  

Students are taught through various approaches and methods including: 

1. Lessons clearly structured with Learning Objectives and Success Criteria.

2. Each topic is centered around a Big Question that is regularly referred to throughout the topic.

3. Lessons are challenging and engaging with tailored differentiated tasks and support for those. who need it and extension tasks for the most able.

4. Each lesson has an IB Learner attribute focus to develop students holistically.

5. The use of ICT to enhance student learning.

6. A range of teaching methodologies employed throughout each unit such as inquiry-based learning, group discussions, independent learning and guided discovery. 

Assessment  

Throughout the year formative and summative assessment will take place. These include: 

1. Students will complete summative assessments as outlined in the learning journey. Assessments will be cumulative in their nature, whereby the second assessment will contain a proportion of questions related to the first topic and so on throughout the year. This will cause students to re-visit their work and thus help them with their retention of the topics covered.

2. Formative assessments throughout the year such as low stake quizzes. 

3. Long and Short answer exam style questions similar to that of IGCSE.

4. Group Presentationsand research tasks. 

5. Assessment will be cumulative in their nature, whereby the second assessment will contain a proportion of questions related to the first topic and so on throughout the year. This will allow students to re-visit their work and thus helpthem with their retention of the topics covered. 

Wider Curriculum Opportunities  

1. Field Trip to the Dubai Creek and Museum

2. Geography and History in the News Flipboard. This allows students to do further reading on the topics covered and other interesting Geographical and Historical stories. The wider reading helps student to improve their knowledge, make connections between topics and improve their literacy whilst investigating interesting topics.

Curriculum Impact  

“Without Geography you are nowhere, without History you don’t know where you are coming from and where you are going” 

As with other subjects’ success in Humanities, Geography and History will be demonstrated to a large extent by students developing their knowledge base and skill set, and therefore, achieving outstanding internal assessment results. However, the Humanities department strongly believes in developing well rounded students. The learning and discussion of the content of Geography and History naturally ties in with the focus of the IB learner profile. By the end of year, students will have developed all areas of the learner profile and be able to make clear connections to humanities.  

By the end of Year 7 students should be able to understand how humans interact with one another and the natural environment. Describing how and why this varies between places and how this has changed over time. 

Geography at Deira International 

Curriculum Intention  

In Geography the year begins with students learning about the ‘physical health of our planet’ by exploring different Biomes, investigating their characteristics, the impact that they have on the planet and the impacts that humans have on them. Students will move onto discover the causes, impacts and responses to Tectonic and Extreme Weather events. 

In the final term students will undertake a topic based on the book ‘Prisoners of Geography’ by Tim Marshall, exploring the concept of how the world has been and continues to be defined by physical and political boundaries. 

In Geography at year 8, using the topics mentioned above, students are taught how to practice and develop the following skills:  

1. Mapping and spatial awareness skills

2. Graph interpretation skills

3. Extended writing skills

4. Data collection and analysis – field trip and subsequent assessment

5. Teamwork skills and creativity

6. Research skills enabling students to become independent learners

As well as having specific learning objectives and success criteria, each lesson also ties in with a big question idea. This will be referred to throughout each scheme of work, allowing students to make connections between lessons within the topic and across the year. 

The scope for choosing Geographical and Historical topics is vast, we of course have the entire world and everything that has ever happened on it to choose from! The topics mentioned above are selected to instill within students a passion for Geography. They have been carefully chosen to interest, engage and challenge our students. The knowledge gained from the chosen topics give the perfect base of understanding and the skills required for further study at IGCSE and IB. 

As well as learning about fascinating topics and developing key skills, the study of Geography naturally allows students to develop key life skills, such as those listed in the IB Learner Profile. The very nature of the content covered for example will result in student being open minded, caring inquirers. 

Year 8 is the first year that students will specialize in these fields as standalone subjects. The curriculum helps develop key Geographical and hopefully a sense of wonder about people, places and significant events past, present and future. 

Curriculum Implementation  

1. Students are taught through various approaches and methods including:   

2. Each topic is centered around a Big Question that is regularly referred to throughout the topic.

3. Lessons are challenging and engaging with tailored differentiated tasks and support for those who need it and extension tasks for the most able

4. A range of teaching methodologies employed throughout each unit such as inquiry-based learning, group discussions, independent learning and guided   

Focus on developing IB Learner Profile attributes throughout the curriculum.

Assessment: 

1. Students will complete summative assessments as outlined in the learning journey. Assessments will be cumulative in their nature, whereby the second assessment will contain a proportion of questions related to the first topic and so on throughout the year. This will cause students to re-visit their work and thus help them with their retention of thetopics covered. 

2. Formative assessments throughout the year such as low stake   

3. Long and Short answer exam style questions

4. Research Projects

5. Presentations

6. Assessment will be cumulative in their nature, whereby the second assessment will contain a proportion of questions related to the first topic and so on throughout the year. This will cause student to re-visit their work and thus help them with their retention of the topics covered.

Wider Curriculum Opportunities  

1. Field Trip to the Green Planet

2. Geography in the News Flipboard. This allows students to do further reading on the topics covered and other interesting Geographical stories. The wider reading helps student to improve their knowledge, make connections between topics and improve their literacy whilst investigating interesting topics.

Curriculum Impact 

“Without Geography you are nowhere, without History you don’t know where you are coming from and where you are going”. 

Success in Geography will be measured by the ability of students to do the following: 

1. Develop skills in order to observe, analyse, compare, relate, and explain for them to have a deeper understanding of the importance of space, and how they can effectively use and improve space.  

2. Analyse societies differing perspectives on how to use space and understand how communities and societies organise, locate and use spaces.

3. Develop an understanding of the impacts which both physical and human geography can have and the processes which affect their development. 

4. Acquire a sense of place and an understanding of relative location on a local, regional and global scale; and to appreciate the differing levels of development and inequalities. 

5. Understand communities and cultures around the world and how they are affected and constrained by different environments in order to acquire a critical and sympathetic awareness of interactions between humans and the environment.

6. Appreciate the links between Geography and History. 

Geography at Deira International 

Curriculum Intention  

In Year 9 the year begins with students learning about the concept of global development, the topic is influenced by and links investigating with the Book Factfulness by the demographer Hans Rosling.  

Students will move onto exploring Population, investigating the causes, impacts and responses to the Population Explosion. The year will conclude with a focus around the theme of Sustainability. Students will, investigate the causes, impacts and responses to Climate Change 

In Geography at year 9, using the topics mentioned above, students are taught how to practice and develop the following skills: 

1. Research skills – global population data, climate change, facts, megacities case studies  

2. Graph descriptions and analysis  

3. Research skills 

4. Empathy and understanding – sweatshop workers  

5. Justification skills 

6. Teamwork skills  

7. Map skills 

8. Explanation of natural processes 

As well as having specific learning objectives and success criteria, each lesson also ties in with a big question idea. This will be referred to throughout each scheme of work, allowing students to make connections between lessons within the topic and across the year. 

During year 9 students will select their option subjects, the topics mentioned above are selected to inspire engagement and enjoyment in these subjects hopefully resulting in high numbers of students electing to continue their studies within these fields. As with year 8, the possible choice of topics to cover in Geography is vast. As well as interesting and challenging our students the specific topics chosen to provide excellent foundation for IGCSE in terms of the knowledge acquired and skills that are practiced.  

As well as learning about fascinating topics and developing key skills, the study of Geography naturally allows students to develop key life skills, such as those listed in the IB Learner Profile. The very nature of the content covered for example will result in student being open minded, caring inquirers. 

Regardless of whether students continue with Geography we seek to instill within students a lifelong desire to be inquisitive about people, places and significant events past, present and future

Curriculum Implementation  

Students are taught through various approaches and methods including:   

1. Each topic is centered around a Big Question that is regularly referred to throughout the topic. 

2. Lessons are challenging and engaging with tailored differentiated tasks and support for those who need it and extension tasks for the most able 

3. A range of teaching methodologies employed throughout each unit such as inquiry-based learning, group discussions, independent learning and guided discovery.   

4. Focus on developing IB Learner Profile attributes throughout the curriculum. 

Assessment  

1. Students will complete summative assessments as outlined in the learning journey. Assessments will be cumulative in their nature, whereby the second assessment will contain a proportion of questions related to the first topic and so on throughout the year. This will cause students to re-visit their work and thus help them with their retention of the topics covered. 

2. Formative assessments throughout the year such as low stake quizzes.   

3. Long and Short answer exam style questions 

4. Research Projects 

5. Presentations  

Wider Curriculum Opportunities  

1. Field Trip to the Green Planet 

2. Geography in the News Flipboard. This allows students to do further reading on the topics covered and other interesting Geographical stories. The wider reading helps student to improve their knowledge, make connections between topics and improve their literacy whilst investigating interesting topics. 

Curriculum Impact  

“Without Geography you are nowhere, without History you don’t know where you are coming from and where you are going”. 

1. Develop skills in order to observe, analyse, compare, relate, and explain for them to have a deeper understanding of the importance of space, and how they can effectively use and improve space.   

2. Analyse societies differing perspectives on how to use space and understand how communities and societies organise, locate and use spaces. 

3. Develop an understanding of the impacts which both physical and human geography can have and the processes which affect their development. 

4. Acquire a sense of place and an understanding of relative location on a local, regional and global scale; and to appreciate the differing levels of development and inequalities.  

5. Understand communities and cultures around the world and how they are affected and constrained by different environments in order to acquire a critical and sympathetic awareness of interactions between humans and the environment. 

6. Appreciate the links between Geography and History.