Places, patterns and processes

Geography

Primary

Using local surroundings to enhance primary geography

This programme looks at how using the local environment can enhance geographical learning at Key Stage 2. We follow teacher Sam Jones as he delivers the KS2 topic, "Investigating the Local Environment", to his class at St. Leonard's Primary School in Exeter. Sam's approach is to ask his pupils to test the hypothesis that environmental quality is better near the school than by the local river. The topic, which can be taught across a day and a half or over a couple of weeks, includes a field trip to survey local streets. Geographical understanding is developed through numeracy as pupils learn to measure distance to scale and use a scattergraph to reach their conclusions. The lesson is evaluated by Devon Curriculum Services Geography Advisor, David Weatherly and Natalie Toulson from St. Michael's Church of England Primary School in Exeter.

KS1/2 Geography - Investigating the Local Environment

KS2 geography pupils map their journey through the school's woods

Inspirational KS2 geography specialist Jane Whittle leads her class on a magical journey through the school's own woods, with the aim of creating a map of their route. The children explore the woods, picking up reminders of their experience along the way, including leaves, moss and bottle tops, which they fix to their own personal "journey sticks". Armed with sticky tape, drawing pins and tonnes of enthusiasm, Jane and her class explore the personal nature of geography, the countryside code and all the most important elements of map making.

KS1/2 Geography - Journey Sticks

A focus on the River Severn and the individuals it effects

This programme focuses on the upper, middle and lower courses of the River Severn, and those individuals who are influenced by it. In just over two days a Welsh mountain stream travels 354 kilometres, transforming itself into the majestic Severn estuary. On its journey the stream has shaped the landscape, powered industry and impacted the lives of millions of people. Travelling downstream we explore seven snapshots of the River Severn, meeting a retired farmer who used to farm mountain sheep at the source, an Ordnance Survey field surveyor updating the map to include houses newly built on the riverbank in Newtown, and the leader of the Environment Agency Team who designed the innovative portable flood defences at Bewdley.

KS1/2 Geography - Seven Severn Snapshots

A music specialist teaches primary pupils about rivers

This programme sees Woolacombe School's specialist music teacher Maggie Foster teaching a Year 5 and 6 class about rivers. Maggie is passionate about the benefits of hands on learning so she organises two days of geography fieldwork based around the stream that flows through their north Devon village. On the first day the whole class, armed with maps, walk the lower section of the stream. On the second day one team undertake an erosion experiment, whilst two further teams embark on a quest to find the northern and eastern sources of their stream. She may be the specialist music teacher but, just like primary teachers across the country, Maggie Foster needs to be knowledgeable about many subjects.

KS1/2 Geography - Tales from the River Bank

A Year 4 class learns about invaders in Somerset

As part of a geography lesson on invaders, settlers and settlements, teacher Deborah Lord takes her Year 4 class on a trip to the hill behind their school, from which there is a clear view of the Somerset Levels. From here the children can see the various villages and how they are connected. Deborah sets the class a series of tasks. They must note the details of the landscape as they journey up the hill and fill out worksheets and a sketch map once they have reached the top, based on their observations. Coming along on the trip are two geography experts who comment on the organisation and content of the lesson. We see how the pupils are able to extend their knowledge of place and environment by studying their own locality. Their geographical vocabulary, as well as their fieldwork skills, are improved by looking at features of both human and physical geography. This programme discusses: <ul> <li>Making short trips runs smoothly</li> <li>Analysing knowledge, place and environment</li> <li>Learning to draw worksheets and sketch maps</li> </ul>

KS2 Geography - Invaders and Settlers 1

A Year 4 class learns about change in settlement patterns

This programme offering teachers advice on how to incorporate and build on geographical enquiry and skills in the classroom by using evidence collected on a field trip. A Year 4 class follow up a local geography field trip in the classroom. The work done reinforces their knowledge and understanding of place and locality by analysing how settlements differ and change. The class is divided into groups. One group looks at a series of maps with different scales; one looks at digital photographs of the areas depicted on the maps, and the third adds to their field sketches by working in pairs and comparing and contrasting what they recorded on the trip. Two geography experts assess the organisation and content of the lesson. This programme discusses: <ul> <li>Analysing local settlement patterns</li> <li>Learning about place and locality</li> <li>Comparing data</li> </ul>

KS2 Geography - Invaders and Settlers 2

Teaching the weather to Year 4

At Frampton Cottrell C of E Primary School in South Gloucester, Claire Taylor is teaching the weather to her Year 4 class. This programme shows how Claire uses the weather to access other subject areas and to deepen her pupils' understanding of geography. In an English lesson, Claire uses the pupils' knowledge of different weather conditions to write poetry. In the dance lesson, Claire's students create their own weather dances. The next day, in maths, the class use weather data they have been collecting to learn about line graphs. Finally, the class presents their learning to a real audience by performing a weather forecast. This programme provides a chance to see a well-planned series of lessons in action, aiming to ensure a broad and balanced curriculum that enriches learning.

KS2 Geography - Weather Across the Curriculum 1

Improving gym lessons at KS2

At Frampton Cottrell Primary School in South Gloucester, Claire Taylor has been teaching weather to her Year 4 class, using the subject across the curriculum. In this programme we see Claire using the weather to teach poetry, dance, data handling and ICT. Her class are drawing on their prior knowledge and understanding to develop their learning and access other areas of the curriculum. Our two experts, Alison Bailey, a geography tutor at the University of West of England and Angela Craig, an advanced skills teacher, are watching Claire teach. They comment on Claire's teaching approaches and offer ideas on how the activities Claire uses can be developed and extended.

KS2 Geography - Weather Across the Curriculum 2

A Year 5 class have fun exploring their local built area

In this programme, teachers and pupils from a primary school in Hackney, east London, discover how exploring their local built environment is a great resource for learning. A group of 30 Year 5 pupils are taken on a trip to the nearby Building Exploratory - an urban studies centre - to find out more about their local area. The children learn about their borough through a series of large-scale models and maps and are also given the chance to draw their own maps of the area that surrounds their school. Later, we visit the children back in the clasroom, where the maps drawn at the Building Exploratory are used as a starting point for the lesson.

Local Explorers

Using a storybook to teach geography at primary level

CPD trainer and geographer, Howard Lisle, introduces a storybook as a primary geography lesson resource, for KS1 and KS2. Howard uses the book The Day of Ahmed's Secret as an effective resource for teachers delivering primary geography lessons. He demonstrates how the book can become a springboard for a geographical investigation into one of the world's most famous cities. Under Howard's instruction, the teachers get a sense of Cairo by making a 3D model of a scene. This exercise can easily be recreated in the classroom from just card, paper, scissors, glue and the teacher's own photographs. This video is an inspirational CPD resource.

Professional Development for Quality Teaching

Subjects

> Primary Geography

> Places, patterns and processes