Curriculum Planning Series:
Designing S3 Geography
Curriculum for schools
adopting mixed mode in
their PSHE curriculum
1
Focus of this workshop
• Curriculum auditing
• Planning of S3 Geography
curriculum
• Trimming of existing curriculum
• Exemplars for interface
2
PSHE Junior Curriculum Organization
IH offered in S1-2 and other independent
subjects offered in S3 (mixed mode)
Geog
Chin
Life &
Hist
S3
Society
S2
Hist
IH / LS
S1
3
Six Strands of PSHE Curriculum
Personal & Social Development
Time, Continuity & Change
Social Systems & Citizenship
Resources & Economic
activities
Place & Environment
Culture & Heritage
Geography
Curriculum
4
What’s missing?
TOPICS
Essential learning
elements
5
Essential learning elements –
Knowledge & Concepts
Place &
Region
Space
Sustainable
development
Peopleenvironment
interaction
Global
interdependence
6
Essential learning elements –
Skills
Map skills
Geographical
Enquiry skills
Fieldwork
skills
Graphs,
statistics &
photographs
7
Areal Coverage
Global
Regional
National
Local
8
Curriculum Auditing for the IH
curriculum
• Check whether the IH
curriculum has covered the
essential learning elements
 Topics related to Geography
 Find out the knowledge,
concepts or skills covered
• Find out the missing elements
9
Hands-on
practice:
Curriculum
auditing
Table
10
Curriculum Planning –
Factors of consideration
Senior Curriculum
Knowledge &
Concepts
Geographical
Skills
Higher-order
thinking skills
Fieldwork
experience
Writing skills
Interface
Junior Curriculum
11
Curriculum Planning –
Factors of consideration
• Learning experience learnt from other
subjects
• Set priority for knowledge, concepts
and skills
• Preference between breath and depth
• Students’ interest / weaknesses
• Characteristics of different modules
• Number of textbooks
12
Curriculum Planning –
Factors of consideration
Spiral
curriculum
Teach
something new
13
Hands-on practice:
Planning of S3
Geography curriculum
Background information:
• 2 lessons per week
• 30 minutes for each lesson
• Medium of instruction: Chinese
14
Topics
Core Module
Elective Module
Sustainable City
Natural Hazards
Food Problem
The Trouble of
Water
Manufacturing
Industry
Energy
Tourism
Changing Climate
Population
Taming the Sand
Geography of
Disease
Oceans
15
Topics chosen
• Sustainable City
 covers most missing elements
 interface with NSS Geography curriculum
 teacher’s preference
 concept “sustainability”
 possibility of carrying out fieldwork
16
Topics chosen
• Problem of Water
 covers most missing elements
 introduction to the physical part
 understand the physical characteristics
of China
 allows the teaching of map reading skills
and interpretation of aerial photos
17
Topics chosen
• Natural hazard - earthquake
 not farming / industry
 interesting topic
 foundation to NSS Geography curriculum
 time constraint
 global perspective
 teaching of map reading skills and aerial
photos
18
Hands-on practice:
Trimming of the
curriculum
19
Trimming of existing curriculum
The trouble of water – Too much and too little
With a total area of about 9.6 million km², China is one of the largest
countries in the world. Variations in relief, climatic and hydrological
conditions are obvious in different parts of China. These physical variations,
associated with large population size, uneven distribution of population and
rapid economic growth, create various water problems in China. Through the
study of this module, students can understand how the interplay of physical
and human factors has led to floods and droughts in China. They will also
understand the role of water pollution in aggravating the water shortage
problem in China. In addition, the study of this module facilitates the
development of various geographical skills, like reading and interpreting
climatic graphs, contour maps and calculating slope gradient. This module
also provides an excellent opportunity for students to prepare overlays of
different geographical information of China to create an integrated GIS map
for further analysis. Last but not least, this module provides a platform for
students to know more about the physical environment and water problems
of China, which in turn helps our students develop a sense of belonging to
our nation. They will develop an eagerness to know more about China and
show concern for the problems that China is facing.
Essential
learning
elements
20
Trimming of existing curriculum
A number of specific examples are chosen to broaden students’ global
perspective and enable them to have a better understanding of the
water problem in other parts of the world and the various solutions
adopted in different places to solve the problem. If students’ ability
and interest allow, teachers can add a case study on how Singaporeans
of technologies
solve their water scarcity problem byChoice
various advanced
(e.g. using recycled water (NEWater) and desalinated water) and
specific
integrated water management strategies.
Singapore’s expertise in
managing its water challenge is a good example for our reference. For
examples
more able students, teachers can further
extend the lesson to include
case studies of water problems in Bangladesh and UK and understand
the differences in water management between the less developed
countries and more developed countries.
Essential
vs
Extended
21
Trimming of existing curriculum
The trouble of water – Too much and too little
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Water problem in China – overall view
Concept of water cycle
Relief and major rivers in China
Flooding problem in China
Flooding in Bangladesh / UK
22
S1-3 Geography Resources
23
S1-3 Geography Resources
http://www.edb.gov.hk/en/curriculum-development/kla/pshe/references-andresources/geography/s1-3-learning-and-teaching-resource-folder-for-the-revisedcurriculum.html
24
Exemplars for interface
•
•
•
•
•
Fieldwork experience
Skills of writing essay
Progression of skills
Bridging – what is geography
Communication with other panel heads
on the design of the integrated
curriculum
25
Q&A
26