Geography at GISSV: An Introduction to the Curriculum

Transcription

1 Geography at GISSV: An Introduction to the Curriculum Classes Geography is taught for two hours per week in Grades 5-9. The only exception is in Grade 8, where class is taught for one hour per week for the whole school year or for two hours per week for one semester. Languages of instruction Geography is taught bilingually and does not exceed a 50/50 German-English ratio. The grading system One written test per semester Writing assignments comprise 40% of the grade and other achievements comprise 60% of the grade Contests Diercke Wissen competition (Grades 5 10) Greenlight Film Festival (especially for Grade 9)

2 In-House Geography Curriculum, Grade 5 Duration Content of Lessons Individual, Social, Method Competencies Material Cross-Disciplinary Relevance Relationship to the School Program ca. 8 hours Our Earth Planets, continents, oceans Year and month / day and night 5, 6 or 7 continents? The world s oceans Living in extreme conditions: polar regions, deserts Understand the relationship between the Earth and other planets Get to know the continents / oceans and compare their sizes, locations Ch. 1 Map Biology: Living things and plants in the desert and in polar regions ca. 12 hours Basic geography The globe The atlas Latitude and longitude grid Contour lines Scale Acquire familiarity with / learn to use reference books and other learning aids Atlas work (map index, etc.) Ch. 1 Atlas History: The way the world used to be, old maps Sailors, discoveries, expeditions ca. 30 hours An overview of Germany Germany in Europe The German Federal States Regions and their distinctive features (the coast and the Northern German lowlands, the Ruhr District, low mountain ranges and the Alps) The capital Berlin and other cities (adapted to the work done in Speaking and Writing ) Work with city maps Transfer work, e.g., maps of city tours, itineraries Wall newspapers on selected topics Station learning, e.g., the German Federal States Terra Ch. 2-5 German / foreign languages: Creative writing, e.g., postcards

3 Optional: Agriculture in Germany Ports in Germany ca. 20 hours An overview of the USA USA in the world The American states Regions and their distinctive features The capital Washington D.C. and other cities (adapted to the work done in Speaking and Writing ) Optional: Agriculture in the Central Valley English: Travel reports and reports based on personal experiences

4 In-House Geography Curriculum, Grade 6 Duration Content of Lessons Individual, Social, Method Competencies Material Cross-Disciplinary Relevance Relationship to the School Program ca. 12 hours An overview of Europe Location (continent, latitude and longitude grid) Topographical overview (mountains, bodies of water, peninsulas, islands) Political divisions (countries, European Union) Options and ways that European countries work together Evaluate, sort and draw climate diagrams Draw and evaluate simple diagrams Work with specific examples Understand economic and political relationships Kap.6, 7 Map / atlas History / Politics: European Union Examples comparing Europe and the USA: The economy, e.g., Airbus / Boeing Air Transport; Eurotunnel, the Alps as a transit area, and / or the environment, e.g., seals of quality / approval The components that comprise the natural environment (climate, vegetation)

5 ca. 6 hours Migration earlier and today The history of migration movements from / to Europe Migration today Optional: The USA as an immigrant country Students reflect on their own experiences Understand the reasons for migration as well as the consequences Ch. 7 Atlas History: E.g., historical meaning / Rome s appeal, emigration in the Third Reich Ethics: The importance of homeland, family, friendship Together ca. 40 hours Living and working in the various larger regions 1) Western Europe: Great Britain (descriptions in the form of a Steckbrief, moderate climate / sea climate, industrialization, industry today, structural change) The city of London Optional: The city of Paris Compared to American cities, e.g., N.Y. Work with city maps Transfer work, e.g., maps of city tours, travel routes Draw topographic profiles, e.g., fjords Wall newspapers on selected countries / cities Present brief reports Station learning, e.g., volcanic activity / earthquakes Ch DVD Was ist Was: Vulkane (What is what: volcanos) (bilingual) PC, Internet Modern foreign languages: Creative writing, e.g., postcards Core emphases: 2) Southern Europe: Italy Volcanoes in Italy Optional:

6 Spain, e.g., growing olives, huertas Insertion: Volcanoes on the US continent 3) Eastern and Southeastern Europe: Spatial orientation Cultural and religious diversity Rivers as lifelines, e.g., the Volga, the Danube 4) Northern Europe: The development of surface forms Glacial series Polar day / night The economy, e.g., wood, fishing The characteristics of a Northern European country 5) Central Europe: Spatial orientation Climate and vegetation The Alp region Economic areas

7 In-House Geography Curriculum, Grade 7 Duration Content of Lessons Individual, Social, Method Competencies Material Cross- Disciplinary Relevance Relationship to the School Program ca. 10 hours Tropics and subtropics Climate, climate zones The trade winds Vegetation, vegetation zones (rain forest, savanna, desert) Describe and interpret pictures Evaluate, sort and draw climate diagrams Understand the relationship between climate and natural environment Ch. 1 Map / atlas Biology: Plants ca. 5 hours An overview of the different cultural worlds A definition of the term culture The characteristics of cultural worlds Cultural diversity and coexisting equally side by side Students reflect on their own experiences Ch. 2 Politics / History: Migration Ethics: Religion, the significance of a person s homeland, descent and background Core emphases: Together ca. 25 hours Black Africa as a cultural world A topographic overview History, colonial times Ethnic and cultural diversity An endangered habitat, conflicts of use Examples of different areas, e.g., the Sahel region, Nigeria, Ethiopia Definitions of terms: developed country, emerging nation, Evaluate historical sources (pictures, texts) Role play, e.g., about a fictitious development aid project Analyze a country from various standpoints (natural environment, population, economy ) Ch. 3 Map / atlas PC, Internet Politics / History: Colonial times, borders and border conflicts, development aid Foreign languages: Regional study of North Africa, e.g., Core emphases:

8 developing country Question / discuss development aid, conflicts of use Algeria, Ivory Coast ca. 25 hours The Middle East as a cultural world A topographic overview The characteristics of this cultural world Living and working in dry areas and oases, as well as in the vicinity of dams Oil regional distribution, use, conflicts Optional: oil catastrophes, e.g., Exxon Valdez, Gulf of Mexico The Middle East as a trouble spot, Israel s stance Interpret graphic illustrations Evaluate historical sources (pictures, texts) Analyze a country from various standpoints (natural environment, population, economy ) Background knowledge about current situations, e.g., Israel, Toshka Project Problem-oriented discussion Analyze the media s take on current topics Ch. 4 Map / atlas PC, Internet Biology / Chemistry: Fossil fuels, alternative energy Politics / Economy: Conflicts, wars, alternative energy Ethics: Islam German: Dealing with the media, analyzing current news coverage, e.g., newspaper articles Core emphases:

9 In-House Geography Curriculum, Grade 8 ( 1 Hour a Week for the School Year or 2 Hours a Week for One Semester) Duration Content of Lessons Individual, Social, Method Competencies Material Cross-Disciplinary Relevance Relationship to the School Program ca. 7 hours Lithosphere in movement The Earth s shell structure Plate tectonics Earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunamis Make models, e.g., spherical shell structure, seismograph Examples of natural disasters Understand geographic relationships Ch.1 Map / atlas Biology: Fertile soils ca. 5 hours An overview of Asia Location (continent, latitude and longitude) Topographic overview (mountains, bodies of water, peninsulas, islands) Climate and vegetation How it s divided politically Evaluate, sort and draw climate diagrams Ch. 2 Map, atlas Pictures, e.g., of natural disasters ca. 25 hours Cultural worlds in Asia South, Southeast and East Asia Examples of countries: China, Japan, India, Indonesia, Thailand Economic developments, special economic zones, tourism as an economic factor Natural dangers Cultural diversity Population development Evaluate graphic illustrations, e.g., population pyramid Analyze and interpret the viewpoints taken by the media Critical evaluations, e.g., one-child policy Ch. 3 f. PC, Internet History: Colonial times, borders

10 Food security Optional: A comparison of India and Silicon Valley as IT locations