Key Stage 3
Geography is the study of the Earth’s people, places, landscapes and environments. It mixes the arts and the sciences, and bridges the learning gap between many other subjects.
At STCM, Geography will inspire a curiosity and fascination about the world and its people. It will equip students with knowledge about diverse places, people, resources, human and physical environments, and a deep understanding of the Earth’s key human and physical processes. Our curriculum is designed to be exciting, creative and dynamic, meeting the needs of all our students so they acquire skills for future learning & employment in an ever-changing world.
Students have the opportunity to engage which a wide variety of learning resources and styles. For example, students develop their problem solving and researching skills by using ICT, fieldwork and diagrams, internet, maps, videos, newspaper articles, photographs and books. The following units are covered:
Year 7
- Being a Geographer in Our World – in this unit we will learn about being a Geographer and asking Geographical questions. We will be understanding how to use geographical information, in particular maps to help us to locate and describe places in the world.
- Our Populated World – In this unit we will learn about world population distribution and reasons for change. We will also be considering the causes and consequences of migration. The growth of urban areas around the world with their different challenges and opportunities will be explored
- Our Fluvial World – In this unit we will be learning about rivers and how water flows in them. We will also be considering how weathering, erosion and transportation create river landforms, and how to identify these on OS Maps. The importance of river flooding, causes and impacts on communities and an evaluation of strategies will also be examined.
- Our Economic World – In this unit we will learn about economic activities and what they are like at different scales, from local to global. We will also examine the range of jobs people do and how this has changed. Trade links and the UK economy will be considered, and an understanding of globalisation through a case study of Apple.
- Our Coastal World – In this unit we will learn about how erosion, transportation and deposition create and change coastal landforms over time. We will consider how the coast is used by people and the impact of different coastal management strategies. We will be using our map skills to identify coastal landforms on OS maps.
- Our Weather World – In this unit we will learn about the concepts of weather and climate, and the elements that make them up. We will also be finding out about how to measure the weather and using synoptic weather maps to understand and interpret conditions. We will consider the different climates around the world and learn about the reasons for these variations, and finally understand some of the weird weather events taking place.
Year 8
- Our Risky World – In this unit we will explore how the Earth’s surface in some places is very unstable and how this can lead to natural disasters. We will also consider the effects such disasters have on places around the world and how changes can be made to make places safer
- Our Unequal World – In this unit we will explore how some places are rich whilst other places are poor, and how development can be measured. We will also consider what life is like in a poorer country and what the impacts of inequality are, and look to the future in supporting development.
- Our Living World – In this unit we will be learning about global ecosystems and their distributions. We will be considering how different biomes have adapted and learning about the importance of bamboo and coral reefs, the reasons for them being under threat and how we can manage these ecosystems. ·
- Our Diverse World – In this unit we will explore the diversity of the Middle East region by considering the human and physical geographical features, but then linking these to the ongoing conflicts and controversies in the region. We will also be examining the importance of this area to the Wider World.
- Our World Full of Challenges and Opportunities – In this unit we will consider the human and physical geography of Africa, and look at its colonial past. We will also be considering some of the challenges facing the area and then looking at the opportunities to develop and change. Finally, we will compare the challenges and opportunities to those being experienced in the UK.
- Our World’s Future – In this unit we will explore the controversial issue of climate change and the evidence presented. We will also be considering the causes and consequences of climate change and examining the options for our planet’s future.