Geographical Association

The leading subject association for all teachers of geography

Geography of Disease

Geography of disease

Visit our Swine Influenza page for information about the current Swine Flu pandemic.

Reasoning with Biomedical Evidence:
Understanding Disease Spread and Risk at KS3

In June 2008, an article in the Independent newspaper carried a warning from the Health Protection Agency (HPA) that measles had become endemic in Britain. The article cautioned that 'the number of unvaccinated children was now large enough to sustain the "continuous spread" of the potentially lethal virus in the community'.

But what has measles got to do with geography? As part of this project, Aston comprehensive school developed a scheme of work that focuses on the global spread of measles, developing key geographical skills in the process (view this scheme of work). This, along with the other schemes of work created in the project, will hopefully demonstrate the importance of geography for properly understanding disease.

What are the local-global issues that we and young people need to understand in the early 21st century? In a globalised world the spread of infectious diseases ignores boundaries and potentially affects us all. The education and promotion of healthy citizens who make informed decisions to manage their own well being is an essential first step to reducing the ever increasing rise in infections. Geography helps us to explore the distribution and spread of disease, risk taking behaviours, prejudice and lack of understanding of issues such as appropriate methods of control at local, national and international scales.

Thinking geographically encourages us to explore how we are connected personally and in our communities to wider global issues and examine the responsibilities we and young people have to engage in considered action for change.

Through this project funded by the Wellcome Trust, the GA and Durham University have worked with teachers from Maths and Geography departments to explore ways to contribute to the development of spatially aware, informed, numerate citizens through developing a greater understanding and application of a range of complex higher order skills.

Resources such as lesson plans, activities and presentations are available from the three schools that were involved with the project. A collection of relevent and useful links to aid teaching has also been compiled.

 

 


(Updated 26.08.09)

The Wellcome Trust

Comment on this page

Comments made by GA members appear instantly - make sure you're logged in! Guest comments will be sent to a moderator for approval.

GA members can add a profile picture and their comments appear instantly

Join the GA

Please complete all fields

1 Comment

Guest

anoopa

Guest

05:32 - 12/08/11

am very satisfied with this.am a teacher,it help in my work

You may also be interested in...

Swine Influenza

Information about the current pandemic.

Mapping Disease

Watch it Spread: a KS4 ICT project idea.

Journal Article

Health, Disease and Young People.

Page Tags

Disease Key Stage 3

Members

Join the GA today for professional journals, huge discounts on publications and CPD events and online access to all member only resources.

Journals - Free Access for GA Members

Primary Geography

The summer issue of Primary Geography focuses on a wide variety of aspects of the geography of our food.

GeogEd - Free online access for everyone

Teaching Geography

The focus of the summer issue of Teaching Geography is challenge. The articles examine some of the challenges of geography teaching.

GeogEd - Free online access for everyone

Geography

The spring 2013 issue of Geography features articles on living with difference, the changing geography of data centres, education in Kenya, school-based assessment of fieldwork and much more.

GeogEd - Free online access for everyone

JSTOR archive

A searchable archive of Geography and The Geographical Teacher from 1901.

FREE access for all Geography subscribers

Online Shop - Up to 30% Discount for all GA Members

GIS Made Easy: Geography lessons using GIS

£16.99/£11.99*

Add to basket

Geography Plus: Primary Teachers' Toolkit
Living in ..

£5.99/£4.99*

Add to basket

Geography Plus: Primary Teachers' Toolkit
Australia H..

£5.99/£4.99*

Add to basket

Badges - pack of 100

£16.99/£11.99*

Add to basket

Geography Plus: Primary Teachers' Toolkit
Living in ..

£16.99/£11.99*

Add to basket

Geography Plus: Primary Teachers' Toolkit
Australia ..

£16.99/£11.99*

Add to basket
<-- -->

Your shopping basket is empty.

Items in basket 0

Basket Total £0.00

View/Edit Basket

* Applies to Full Personal, Group and
Concessionary members only

Resource Finder

Enter a keyword below or click 'advanced search' for more options


Advanced Search





Resources section

Adverts

Find out more
Advertisement: Geography Education at the IOE
Advertisement: Earthworks-Jobs.com

© Copyright The Geographical Association 2009

Website design and development by Ledgard Jepson