GTIP Think Piece - Physical Geography (primary)
Ben Steel (Manchester Metropolitan University) offers ideas on focusing on physical geography in PGCE sessions.
Introduction
Geography helps us make sense of the world as a whole. Traditionally, however, geographers have tended to concentrate on the physical or the human aspects in order to simplify a complicated business. Sometimes it is appropriate for teachers to do this in their classrooms, but in the end, the thing that makes geography special is its holistic view of the world.
Many believe the primary curriculum should always take this integrated and holistic view. Children do enjoy studying about people. However, there are opportunities to explore and enjoy the physical environment for what it is in its own splendour and glory. Pupils’ natural curiosity should be utilised to allow them to explore and be inspired by their immediate physical world and use the wider physical world that is, for the moment, beyond their reach.
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Physical geography in the curriculum
The links and references to physical geography in the national curriculum (DfEE/QCA, 1999) can be found in the following strands:
Knowledge and understanding of places
- Identify and describe what places are like – landscapes
- Identify and describe where places are – in relation to physical features
- Recognise how places have become the way they are and how they are changing - these places could be ‘natural’ places – rivers, coastlines, mountains
Knowledge and understanding of patterns and processes
- Make observations about where things are located and about other features in the environment – the physical landscape, landforms and features
- Recognise changes in physical features – vegetation, rivers, coasts
- Recognise and explain patterns made by individual physical features in the environment (KS2)
- Recognise some physical processes (KS2)
Themes
- Water and its effects on landscapes and people, including the physical features of rivers or coasts and the processes of erosion and deposition that affect them.
And, opportunities to teach physical geography arise in the following topic areas: Rivers, Coasts, Weather and climate, Locality studies and Environmental geography.
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What is physical geography?
It can be defined as the study of the spatial and temporal characteristics and relationships of all phenomena within the Earth’s physical environment.
In pupils’ language – the ‘natural’ landscape and features (the things that stand out) – why things are where they are, how they got there and how they change. ‘Physical geography is less a series of facts to be learned than a series of questions about the processes shaping environments’ (Lewis, 2005).
In teaching aspects of physical geography, trainee teachers should not only instil an understanding of the natural environment but also a critical appreciation of it. This includes:
- awareness of change. One of the challenges here is dealing with timescales that can vary from what you can see happening to changes over millions of years.
- It includes a preparedness to ask big questions, which may include elements of awe and wonder. How did those mountains get there?
- And, crucially, the interdependence of the physical world with human activity. Where appropriate, links should be made with stewardship, conservation and environmental education.
‘Developing understanding of the physical landscape is in some ways the most difficult aspect of geography but very worthwhile because that understanding can enrich appreciation of the natural environment and so feed the desire to protect and conserve it thoughtfully’ (Lewis, 2005).
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Suggested teaching strategies
Field sketching, painting, producing wordscapes (fill the sketch with adjectives – in big letters – describing the landscape and the feelings we have about it). Pupils could use templates or draw their own (see right).
Field sketch, painting and poetry to describe landscapes creatively (Durbin and Russell, 2003).
Use digital photographs to build up a ‘David Hockney style’ photo montage of the landscape or environment.
Fieldwork and data collection.
Re-creation of landforms and features in the classroom with modelling clay or play dough, e.g. relief models.
Photos of physical features from different angles or viewpoints and at different times of the day or in different seasons. Get pupils to ask questions about how the feature changes. Does this feature change or is it the environment changing around it?
Video – pupils make their own geography video explaining patterns, processes, formation and changes. (For the budding geography presenter, beards are optional!)
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Creativity and physical geography
Consider the landscape as a living thing. Get pupils to imagine what the sea or a river feels about a flood management scheme or new sea defences. Link to analogies and metaphors comparing rivers and coasts to living things.
Teach physical geography features (cliffs, plateau, gorges, etc.) then get pupils to go outside and use their imaginations to explore comparable features in the school grounds (e.g. walls, flat roofs, alleyways) .
For more on creativity and ideas for creative fieldwork see Primary Geographer, 2003.
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A cross-curricular approach to physical geography
| Subject/topic area | Inspiration | Can also include/Example |
| Art in the landscape | Andy Goldsworth’s work in order to recreate natural sculptures that have a place within the physical environment. | artistic impressions/ representations of landscapes, and artistic patterns and boundaries in the physical landscape. |
| Dance and movement, music | Pratchett, 1998 – recreate the sounds, form and/or movement of the natural environment, e.g. waves, rivers. | Landscapes, weather |
| History of landscapes and their role in history | Religious and cultural significance of features and landforms. | Stone circles usually found in areas with a stunning physical geography, e.g. Castlerigg near Keswick, Cumbria |
| Sacredness and beauty | Get pupils to identify physical landscapes that are special to them. | The sense of awe and wonder they find in a special place could be the basis of their spirituality – whether they are religious or not (Rowley, 2003). |
| Citizenship | Material from SLN website, QCA ESD website | Do we have a responsibility to preserve and sustain physical features for future generations? |
Bibliography and weblinks
Hutchings, M. and Ross, A. (1995) Bright Ideas – Geography. Leamington Spa: Scholastic. (Has many illustrated ideas for indoor and outdoor activities that develop an understanding of physical geography.)
Scoffham, S. (ed) (2004) Primary Geography Handbook. Sheffield: Geographical Association. (Lots of sensible advice and tips for the specialist and non-specialist.)
Durbin, C. and Russell, K. (2003) 'Spaces and places', Primary Geographer, 50, pp. 38-9.
Lewis, L. (2005) 'Rivers, coasts and the landscape', Primary Geography Handbook. Sheffield: Geographical Association. (Provides an excellent source of inspiration.)
Martin, H. (2003) 'Creative work with rivers', Primary Geographer, 50, pp. 14-15. (Includes games of river snap and dances, etc.)
Mackintosh, M. (2003) 'The art of geography', Primary Geographer, 50, pp. 35-7. (Inspirational ideas linking art and the landscape.)
Rowley, C. and Lewis, L. (2003) Thinking on the Edge. Bowness-on-Windermere: Badger Press. (An inspirational book with ideas to get pupils to ask philosophical questions and engage in creative thinking activities in the Morecambe Bay environment.)
Appropriate issues of Primary Geographer include: number 25, April 1996 on Rivers; number 31, October 1997 on Weather and number 41, April 2000 on Coasts.
Weblinks
QCAs ESD site includes Case Studies that may provide some useful ideas for links to physical geography
QCAs Innovating with Geography - includes lots of quick bright ideas and more developed ideas for fieldwork
Staffordshire Learning Net Geography pages - see also the Geosculptures in the creativity section
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Journal Abstracts
Mackintosh, M. (2005) 'Children's understanding of rivers', IRGEE, 14, 4, 316-322. Abstract
Newton, L. & Newton, D. (2006) 'To what extent can children's geography books help a primary school teacher explain cause and purpose?' IRGEE, 15, 1, 29-40. Abstract
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(Updated 26.03.07)
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