first year geography a critical year. a maze of ideas

First Year Geography

A critical year

A maze of ideas

Helping each other

2. Reflecting on First Year

Activity 1

Why Explore Junior Certificate Geography?

1. Junior Certificate Syllabus 21 years in place2. Revision completed 2 years ago but is on hold3. Changes mooted in Junior Certificate Curriculum4. Changes in: - schools

- students - resources - technology - theory

1st Year Geography

• Students first contact with Second - Level Geography

• Foundation for other years• ‘A good start is half the battle’

Syllabus

Geography is the study of people and their relationships with their environment. It is concerned with helping to develop an understanding of the physical, social and economic processes which shape the environment.

Activity 1

? What do you hope your students will get from studying Geography in First Year

Feedback

Hopes for First Year

Success

Caring attitude to people and planet

Love of Geography

Variety of learning experiences

Topicality

Sense of Place

1. Success

3. Love of Geography

2. Caring attitude to the planet and humanity

4. Variety of learning experiences

5. Topicality

6. Sense of Place

7. Basic skills

8 Basic Geographical Knowledge

3. Exploring First Year Content

Activity 2

Primary Curriculum• A sense of place and space• Maps, globes and graphical skills• Geographical investigation skills

The geographical skills and concepts above will be developed as work is completed on the strands and strand units of the curriculum outlined below.

• Human environments• Natural environments• Environmental awareness and care

Junior Certificate Guidelines

‘Non-Linear: This syllabus is not designed to be taught in any given order.’

‘The boundaries between the main branches of geography, physical and human, are not rigidly drawn. This is in keeping with the syllabus' emphasis on the interrelationship between people and their environment.’

Guidelines ‘Local Studies: Central to this syllabus too, is

the recognition that the local area of the school provides a familiar and real "laboratory" in which geographical ideas can be explored and practical skills practised. In this sense, fieldwork is an integral part of this syllabus.’

Junior Certificate Syllabus Framework A. The Human Habitat – Processes and Change

1. The Earth’s Surface: Shaping the Crust 2. The Restless Atmosphere: The Heat Engine 3. The Workings of our Life Support System

B. Population, Settlement - Patterns and Urbanisation 1. Population - Distribution Diversity and Change 2. People on the Move 3. Settlement: Changing Patterns in Where We Live – Villages and Towns 4. Urbanisation: Changing Patterns in Where we Live – Cities

C. Patterns in Economic Activity1. Primary Economic Activities: The Earth as a Resource 2. Secondary Economic Activities: Building Resources into Products 3. Tertiary Economic Activities: Facilitating Our Use of Resources 4. Economic Inequality: The Earth’s Resources – Who Benefits?

Skills integrated

• Map interpretation• Figure interpretation• Photograph Analysis• Numerical Skills and calculation• Picture interpretation• Figure Drawing• Map drawing • Fieldwork

What’s possible in First Year?

4. Ideas and resources

Spaceship Earth

1. Who’s on board?

2. Who’ in charge?

3. How is it powered?

4. Where are we going?

5. What supplies are on board?

6 Have we enough supplies?

7. Does spaceship ever break down?

8. Who repairs it?

Overarching idea