|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Geography from Square One - What about the QCA schemes of Work?
| Question: Can I adapt QCA units? |
Answer: Yes! As much as you like, as long geographical learning is still taking place. You, in liaison with your subject co-ordinator, are in charge. Take ownership of the QCA units - there is no need to plan to teach the whole of the unit. In the context of your time allocation and your objectives, it may make sense to do some parts of the unit in depth and leave other parts out.
|
|
| Question: Can I link parts of geography units with other subjects? |
Answer: Yes. You may need to select parts of units which fit well with the objectives and activities in one or more other subjects. A good example is Technically Geography, published by the Geographical Association, which gives examples of lessons combining geography and ICT - the GA's online shop for more details.
|
| Question: Can I go for breadth rather than depth? |
Answer: Yes, provided that your objectives make geographical sense! You may want to look at several contrasting localities rather than just one. For example, you may want to make comparisons between a seaside resort, another town that you visit in your region and your own locality, previously studied. Here you would be covering a contrasting UK locality in breadth so you could not possibly spend as long focusing on each place.
When studying a locality beyond the UK, India for instance, after looking at some aspects of India as a whole, you may wish to compare, for example, urban Bangalore or New Delhi with a settlement in a rural area such as Chembakolli. You will not be able to achieve the same depth as if you had focused on Chembakolli alone but you will have covered greater breadth of environments and geographical scales.
|
| I’m getting a bit fed up doing the same locality year after year - do I have to? |
Answer: You could change your locality every year! There are resources available for many, many localities. You may have collected your own from holidays and the web. If you have strong ethnic links in your class, then change to the countries involved and a range of localities within them. Your pupils and their families will be a motivating way into a resource. It might also be a good idea to introduce some world knowledge activities, using maps, games, etc., so children begin to develop an understanding of how all the localities are linked together.
|
|
|
|
|
