Scotch College

GEOGRAPHY Year 7 – 2011

Rationale

Geography is concerned with the study of where things are found. It provides a unique link between the physical and social sciences. It attempts to make sense of the world by describing and explaining the patterns of the human and physical environments and the relationships between them.

Aims

This course aims to:

• develop geographic knowledge and skills

• understand and apply the geographic concepts of location, scale, distribution, region, movement, spatial association and change over time

• develop an interest in understanding and appreciating human and physical environments from a geographic perspective

• critically evaluate, draw conclusions and express opinions in an informed manner

• work co-operatively with others towards the achievement of common goals

• develop an interest in social and environmental issues

• develop skills in decision making

• demonstrate an awareness that individuals and groups have different values and these may lead to conflict.

Students will be asked to:

• collect data from a variety of sources, for example, fieldwork, interviews, surveys, maps, diagrams, photographs, satellite images, data bases, reports, graphs

• process and represent data in a variety of ways, for example, maps, tables, diagrams, reports, models that change over time and spatial association that change over time

• interpret a variety of data and express this in various ways, for example, fieldwork reports, research report essays, practical work, assignments, oral reports, role play, debates, simulations

• recall and apply geographic facts and concepts

• use a wide range of thinking skills, for example observe, list, identify, categorise, define, compare, generalise, predict/test, make value judgements, justify decisions

Course content

• Geospatial skills

• The Asia-Pacific region

• Deserts

• Rainforests

• Advanced geospatial skills

• Fieldwork in the local area

Semester One Semester Two

1. Knowledge and Understanding 1. Common test

2. Geospatial skills 2. Knowledge and Understanding

3. Research 3. Advanced Geospatial Skills

4. Fieldwork