Water, landscapes and people

Geography

Primary

How one school benefits from its work with the National Trust

In this programme, pupils from St Catherine's Primary School in Bridport conduct a river survey at Dorset's Golden Cap Estate. The school is taking part in a guardianship scheme which involves them building an ongoing relationship with a National Trust site. It not only supports the work of the National Trust wardens but also enhances the school's programme of study. It is a year round programme that includes the whole school. Here, we see the pupils make observations as they follow the river until it reaches the sea, measuring its width, depth and speed. The programme also features the follow-up classroom project, where pupils use their findings of the survey to design a poster.

Back to Nature

How geography can be used to develop enquiry skills and more

This programme explores how modern methods of studying geography can encourage children to develop their enquiry skills. We follow Debbie King, a KS1 teacher from Horwood & Newton Tracey Primary School in north Devon as she teaches a unit entitled At The Seaside. The lesson can be taught across one day or over a period of weeks and features enquiry, imagination and evaluation of images of the seaside. Geography is also combined with literacy as the children fit words to the pictures and write postcards using geographic vocabulary. Together with Devon Curriculum Services Geography Advisor David Weatherley and Alison Alldridge, geography co-ordinator at the school, Debbie evaluates the unit. See the resources and support materials page for links related to this programme.

KS1/2 Geography - Geography Basics: Where Do I Start?

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

Geographer Howard Lisle combines current affairs with geography

Introducing primary teachers to the importance of teaching current affairs within the KS1 and KS2 geography curriculum. Howard Lisle, geographer and CPD trainer, explains the value of current affairs when teaching geography and how effective this is. Using the example of the Icelandic volcano which erupted in April 2010, Howard demonstrates how to recreate a similar event using a cardboard box and some easily obtainable resources. Howard also stresses the significance of using photographs, often the teacher's own, to help bring the world to the classroom, bringing the subject to life. This video is an inspirational CPD resource.

Professional Development for Quality Teaching

Subjects

> Primary Geography

> Water, landscapes and people

Back to Nature

KS1/2 Geography - Geography Basics: Where Do I Start?

KS1/2 Geography - Seven Severn Snapshots

KS1/2 Geography - Tales from the River Bank

Primary Geography - Teaching Topicality with Howard Lisle