Living GeographyLiving Geography

Geography in schools has an opportunity for fundamental change. Pupils who study geography should be encouraged to seek explanations about how the world works and to consider alternative future scenarios.

School geography should give opportunities for pupils to apply knowledge and conceptual understanding to new settings, to ‘think geographically’ about the changing world around them. Pupils should be allowed to develop as true geographers – posing geographical questions about issues that are important to them.

‘Thinking geographically is a uniquely powerful way of seeing the world. While it does not provide a blueprint … thinking geographically does provide a language – a set of concepts and ideas – that can help us to see the connections between places and scales that others frequently miss. That is why we should focus on geography’s grammar as well as on its endless vocabulary. That is the power of thinking geographically.’ Peter Jackson, Professor of Human Geography in the GA Manifesto A Different View (2009)

Living Geography brings contemporary context and real, meaningful enquiry to the curriculum. It provides a clear focus about what school geography should be striving to achieve.

It:•is directly relevant to people’s lives and the world of work•is about change – recognising the past but is current and futures oriented•has a scale ‘zoom lens’ so that the local is always set in a global context•looks beneath the surface to identify how and why environments and societies change•encourages a critical understanding of big ideas •such as ‘sustainable development’.

Living Geography in a school context can be exemplified in a number of ways. This school asked their pupils to interpret and interrogate cartoons, so utilising relevant, topical issues in an interesting and thought provoking way.

Another school asks Y8 to conduct an energy wasting / energy saving audit of the school and the pupils’ own homes. They are then charged with making recommendations for a greener future. This both looks at a global issue in a local context, but also personalises the task for the pupils.

Impact?Impact?

Necessity?Necessity?

Who decides?Who decides?

Directly relevant to peoples’ lives

Linking with a school in Africa

Making personal, real connections

Scan of a booklet produced by a pupil in year 7.

Real news, Real news, real issuesreal issues

Recognising the past, considering the futureRecognising the past, considering the future

Activities• Choose ONE of the four lesson ideas shown –

cartoon wall, the energy audit, pen- friend links or the work on disease. Critically analyse it and evaluate the extent that it meets the definition of ‘Living Geography’.

• Select one of your KS3 units of work. What changes would you need to make so that it fits with the ethos behind ‘Living Geography’