KS3 Geography

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Statement of intent

The LDA Geography curriculum intends to provide pupils with a comprehensive understanding of how the earth’s physical processes shape, not only our environment, but also human behaviour and development.

Curriculum Aims

The Geography curriculum at Lord Derby Academy builds on the National Curriculum. It is an essential part of the curriculum at LDA being a key element of the EBACC and a respected discipline within the school. At LDA there are themes that underline and influence the teaching of Geography. These themes guide and shape how we interlink the curriculum.

Human geography concerns the understanding of the dynamics of cultures, societies and economies, and physical geography concerns the understanding of the dynamics of landscapes and the environment. Geography puts this understanding of social and physical processes within the context of place – recognising the great differences in cultures, political systems, economies, landscapes and environments across the world, and exploring the links between them.

In geography pupils are inspired to explore our diverse world, through a local, national or global focus. Pupils need to gain knowledge of various environments but also understand the interrelationships between places, environments and processes. They need to interpret, analyse and evaluate information and use this to make informed judgments on a range of principled and ethical issues. There is also an emphasis on pupils becoming experts in a variety of key geographical skills such as cartography and being able to effectively communicate their findings in a number of ways including graphs, maps and written explanations.

Geography Curriculum Pathway

Click here to view the Geography Curriculum Pathway.

Curriculum Model 2022 – 2023

In KS3 pupils will experience one or two lessons of History per week.

Overview

Year 7
Rationale: Year 7 Geography
Pupils begin their study of geography in our first topic Where in the world? by gaining experience of a range of skills that are utilised throughout the remainder of their study as well as developing an understanding of scale from local to international. This initial topic leads to our first geographical themed study of ‘Water world’ and Weather. Pupils develop an understanding of how global weather patterns and systems can impact and affect the weather in the United Kingdom. Each pupil will be able to understand how climate has been influenced by such patterns and their extreme affects. With a developed appreciation of global weather patterns, pupils start our second theme of ‘Threatened world’ and the topic of Hot Deserts. We investigate the Sahara Desert and how both the biotic and abiotic influence both the physical and human world. We develop a range of analytical skills around the issue of the Sahel. We then apply these skills and knowledge to the climate of India in our ‘Diverse world’ theme. We investigate the climate of this country and appreciate the diversity of its climate, regions and inequalities with a unique look at the Dharavai shanty town. Throughout the academic year, pupils will have practiced a range of skills, such as numeracy and cartography. These are utilised in the final topic of the year. ‘Our environment’ is an investigation which pupils have to advise ‘Where’s Wally’ about the best geographical location for a bench to be placed on the school grounds.Year 8
Rationale: Year 8 Geography
Having studied the weather processes and its link to the water cycle in year 7, we aim to allow pupils to gain an understanding of the processes and importance of Hydrology (Water world theme) on the natural environment and the challenges and opportunities they present to humans. We then further consider the natural processes (Hydrology) and what opportunities have been created in a cold environment and the challenges that have been overcome, in our environmental impact topic of Glaciation and Svalbard. In this topic we consider how glacial landscapes have been formed with a specific focus on Svalbard. We investigate how humans utilise but also impact this environment. We further develop ‘human impact’ on the environment by considering how mass migration and development has led to the Rise of the Megacity. We investigate how environmental conditions in regions of Brazil have led to increased urbanisation with pressure being placed on the infrastructure of the city of Rio. After looking at the implications of such problems we delve into how tectonic activities can create Tsunamis. Pupils consider our Diverse world and how such events can have a lasting negative and positive impacts both socially and economically. Throughout the curriculum, we always consider the impact of Climate change. At this point, pupils have considered the effect of climate change on weather, development and ecosystems. This topic allows us to look at the science behind it and the actions that we would need to take to counteract it. To complete our year 8 curriculum, we study as part of ‘our environment’, the Energy topic. We consider the energy needs of our population and how we require a mix of resources. We aim to show pupils the increasing importance of renewable energy resources such as wind and tidal power. With this topic, we pose the question ‘What are our future needs?’.

Year 9
Rationale: Year 9 Geography
Having studied, weather and hydrology in previous years and considered the importance of processes that create weather, we identify the processes that create Wild Weather under our Water world theme. We consider location in relation to the weather processes and how distinct regions of our planet are pivotal to creating tropical storms. This topic allows pupils to show their understanding of the interrelationships between development and tropical storms. This links to our Diverse world theme and previous topics in year 7 (India) and 8 (Rio) and further supports our pupils understanding of the impacts on a country’s development in Unequal Planet. This includes political, historical and geographical locations for how well a country has developed. We look specifically at our Threatened World and the importance of rainforest and the social and economic impacts of building a road through Peru and the rainforest ecosystem. This echoes topics in year 7 and 8 (Deserts, India, Rise of the Megacity and Glaciation). Throughout this curriculum we are consistently developing a range of key skills including the use of locational and graphical information. To understand the political structure of our planet we bring additional literacy knowledge of ‘Prisoners of Geography’ or Conflict and look how the geographical´ location has hindered development which has led, in some cases, to conflict. Taking this is into account, we bring in a range of skills which allow pupils to draw conclusions based on a variety of evidence. To conclude our KS3 curriculum, we take account how Coasts have shaped our planet, this builds on prior topics such as Tsunami’s and Hydyology. We investigate processes that have brought advantages and disadvantages, not only to our shoreline but also other regions of the world.

KS3 Modular Overview

Click here to view the detailed overview of the Geography curriculum content taught throughout KS3. Each modular overview provides information on the knowledge and skills taught at each stage within the intended curriculum.

Useful links

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/zrw76sg
https://www.rgs.org/
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/

Faculty:

Mr M Kemp: Head of Department, Humanities
Mr A Lloyd: Head of Geography
Mr D Lindsay: Leader of Religious Studies and PSHE/Classroom Teacher, History
Mrs S Bannon: Classroom Teacher, History/Head of Year
Mr S Owen: Classroom Teacher, Geography/Head of Year
Miss L O’Neill: Classroom Teacher, Geography
Miss I Williamson: Classroom Teacher, History/PSHE
Mrs J O’Neill: Classroom Teacher, Religious Studies
Mr L Fitzgerald: Classroom Teacher, History