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.
2.
3.
4.
Junior Certificate Syllabus 21 years in place
Revision completed 2 years ago but is on hold
Changes mooted in Junior Certificate Curriculum
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
2. Caring attitude to the
planet and humanity
8 Basic Geographical
Knowledge
3. Love of
Geography
7. Basic skills
6. Sense
of Place
4. Variety of
learning
experiences
5. Topicality
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 Activity
1. 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
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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?
8. Who repairs it?
3. How is it
powered?
7. Does spaceship ever break
down?
4. Where are we going?
6 Have we enough supplies?
5. What supplies are on board?
Overarching idea