Outstanding teaching and learning in Primary geography.

Jessica Hill Alwoodley Primary School, Leeds

jessica.hill@alwoodley.net

Outstanding teaching and learning in Primary geography.

Aims and outcomes•Explore outstanding teaching and learning in geography.•Assess pupils’ learning and plan for improvement.•Evaluate and plan for whole-school development in the subject.•Help staff to better support wider issues such as SMSC, British values and the global dimension.

• 09.00-09.30: Coffee/registration

• 09.30-11.00: Session 1

• 11.00-11.15: Refreshment break

• 11.15-12.45: Session 2

• 12.45-13.30: Lunch

• 13.30-15.30: Session 3

• 15.30: Close

• Who are you?

• How are you ‘getting on’ with the new curriculum?

• What are your highlights so far…?

• What have you found useful?

What is geography?

Why teach geography?

Planning

• Sometimes, geography is not rigorous. Sometimes, it can get lost in a cross curricular approach and become 'fuzzy geography'. Geographical Association

• Long term• Medium term• Short term• pupil responses.pptx

Hooks and end products – inspire learning

http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/16069118

Keep geography visible around the school: plasma screens, maps in corridors, website etchttp://www.worldmapper.org/

Cross curricularRound the World 'Google' Treasure Hunt

Use the search engine 'Google www.google.com to find answers to the questions,

to search for the pictures you are asked for. Use Microsoft Publisher to make your

presentation.

•   Find the flag of England.• Find a picture of the Eiffel Tower.• Find a map of Italy.• Which is the largest Mediterranean island?• How long is the longest river in the world (in km)?•  Find a picture of the Taj Mahal.•  What is the Capital City of Afghanistan?• Find the flag of Japan.•   Find a picture of a famous opera house in Australia.•  Find a photo of Machu Picchu.•  Find a picture of any famous landmark in New York.•  Find the flag of Bolivia.

Photo courtesy of Bob Jagendorf, Ryan Wick and Sprengben (@flickr.com) - granted under creative commons licence - attribution

Photo courtesy of Dave C (@flickr.com) - granted under creative commons licence - attribution

Photo courtesy of TheJeffreyWScott (@flickr.com) - granted under creative commons licence - attribution

Implications for planning

• What aspects of geography are successful in your school?

• What can you retain?

• How will you need to reorganise the long term plan?

• What new themes/aspects will you need to introduce?

http://www.alwoodleyprimary.net/geography/

Curriculum Making

Teachers are guided by their knowledge of children’s needs and interests when selecting appropriate subject content and develop this into challenging and relevant teaching experiences using their professional skills.

Planning starter sheet

How recently have you reviewed your policy?

How effective are your schemes of work?

What evidence of impacts do you have?How inclusive is the

vision? Who has contributed?

Planning Geography

Primary Geography Quality Mark www.geography.org.uk/pgqm

Boring and irrelevantToo many boring textbooks

Too easy and not enough challenge

Too many facts and too much copying

Too much repetition

Cant’ see the point of it

No one asks me what I

think

Progression

• Why do children need to ask geographical questions? • Questionning helps children become independent

learners • Developing their own lines of enquiry gives children a

sense of involvement in the work and is more motivating • Children’s own questions can often stimulate a line of

enquiry the teacher might not have not thought of • Children’s questions are often a good indicator of their

present knowledge and understanding • Asking questions is part of the enquiry process and

therefore a part of the national curriculum

• Key questions to pose in the study of any place

• What is this place like?

• Why is this place as it is?

• How is this place connected with other places?

• How is this place changing?

• What would it feel like to be in this place

STIMULUS‘A Need to Know’

• Enquiry involves investigation into a geographical issue.

• Enquiry can be teacher led or pupil led.• Enquiry can be a lesson or a sequence of

lessons• For enquiry there has to be a ‘need to know’ – a

purpose for the investigation.• Stimulus materials are resources which are used

to introduce a topic, create interest, develop curiosity and raise relevant questions for investigation.

• Use the local area as much as possible – at least once a year for geography

• Data collection maths, maths trails

• Minibeast hunts, plant identification, science

• Art in the environment

• PE- orienteering

• Literacy- as a stimulus for writing

Geography Purpose of study

‘A high-quality geography education should inspire in pupils a curiosity and fascination about the world and its people that will remain with them for the rest of their lives.’

DfE (2013) National Curriculum, Geography KS1 – 3

Curriculum 2014• Sets out only the core knowledge that students should

acquire.

• Does not specify approaches to teaching, nor explain how to put the content into a teaching and learning sequence.

• A renewed emphasis on locational and place knowledge, human and physical processes and some technical procedures, such as using grid references.

• A renewed commitment to fieldwork and the use of maps, as well as written communication.

• Level Descriptors which made up the Attainment Target have been removed. Schools are free to devise their own curriculum and assessment system.

What is a core curriculum?

Look at revised APS SOW handouts.

What do Ofsted say?

“Schools should:•focus strongly on developing pupils’ core knowledge in geography, particularly their sense of place ...p.7

•maximise opportunities for fieldwork to enhance learning and improve motivation” p.7 •look at fieldwork analysisOfsted (2011) Geography Learning to make a world of difference , Published: February 2011 Reference no: 090224

Complete the reflection tool for your school – aspects sheet

Enquiry

Is there a ’best time’ for Fieldwork?

To initiative interest and formulate questions

EARLY

MIDEND

To test hypotheses and questions

To review, apply or consider next steps

To test over time, evaluate changes and consolidate learning.

REVISIT

Fieldwork at your school sheet

Geography is about maps• use the eight points of a compass, four and six-figure

grid references, symbols and key (including the use of Ordnance Survey maps) to build their knowledge of the United Kingdom and the wider world (KS2)

• interpret Ordnance Survey maps in the classroom and the field, including using grid references and scale, topographical and other thematic mapping, and aerial and satellite photographs

National Curriculum 2014 Geography

www.digimapforschools.edina.ac.uk has free resources. It costs about

£69 per year for a whole school licence and offers digital maps of the

entire GB to annotate and print.

Talk the walk – map activity

Lesson Beginnings

• Some good use has been made of ‘starters’ to lead and engage pupils’ interest and lead into or support the main teaching activity.’

(Ofsted )

• UK – What do you know?

• Head bands

• Colour maps

• jigsaws

• Oddizzi

• http://www.teacherled.com/resources/letterquiz/letterquizload.html

Same text courtesy Wikipedia.

Graphic courtesy Tagxedohttp://www.tagxedo.com/app.html

Ask children to brainstorm words that

signify the UK.Paste into Tagxedo to

show Thought Shower.Could do for the

‘world’ and for other continent shapes.

Children brainstorm

all the

features that they like about a place

Geography is learning to be proud of your own place

Country, city, river game

• What do we know? What can we find out?

A countryA country A capital A capital citycity

A riverA river A mountain A mountain rangerange

Something Something we buy…we buy…

Something Something we sell…we sell…

What the What the weather’s weather’s like…like…

A famous A famous personperson

Africa

Main lessons

• Remember ....we want to avoid this....

Use of generic apps and software in the field

Sensory PoemI go to the Dee and what do I see?Couples out walking, that's what I see. I go to the Dee and what do I smell? The ferry boat engines, that's what I smell. I go to the Dee and what do I hear?Birds tweeting and boats chugging, that's what I hear. I go to the Dee and what do I taste?Cheshire farm ice cream, that's what I taste. I go to the Dee and what do I feel?Cobbles under my feet, that's what I feel.

I go to __________and what do I see?________________, that's what I see. I go to ________ and what do I smell? _______________ that's what I smell.

I go to__________and what do I hear?_________________, that's what I hear. I go to __________ and what do I taste?_________________, that's what I taste. I go to ___________ and what do I feel?__________________, that's what I feel.

• If You’re Not From The Prairie -  David Bouchard• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdEmHgMYN

Ms

Safeshare TV

Use of generic and specific apps within the wider fieldwork context

http://curriculumict.weebly.com/geography-apps.html

Oddizzi

• http://www.oddizzi.com/

The attainment target for the 2014 National Curriculum no longer describes the outcomes we expect of pupils in the

way that levels did:

• Attainment target: by the end of each key stage, pupils are expected to know, apply and understand the matters, skills and processes specified in the relevant programme of study.

CONTEXT: National Curriculum in England - Levels have gone!

©GA 2014

PROGRESSION: What is progression?

• ‘A teacher’s main task is to create opportunities for their students to progress‘ Taylor 2013

• ‘The concept of progression, which focuses on the advances in students’ learning over a period of time, is important for planning the structure of a curriculum and for assessing students' attainment‘ Bennetts, 2005

• ‘If we did not hope that students would progress we would have no foundation on which to construct a curriculum or embark on the act of teaching’ Daugherty 1996.

©GA 2014

Three aspects of pupils’ achievements in geography

We have identified these three aspects of achievement in geography:1.Contextual world knowledge of locations, places and geographical features.

2.Understanding of the conditions, processes and interactions that explain geographical features, distribution patterns, and changes over time and space.

3.Competence in geographical enquiry, and the application of skills in observing, collecting, analysing, evaluating and communicating geographical information.

©GA 2014

Three dimensions of progress: what does it mean to get better in geography?

For the three aspects of achievement, we have identified these five dimensions of progress in geography:

Contextual world knowledge

•Demonstrating greater fluency with world knowledge by drawing on increasing breadth and depth of content and contexts.

Understanding

•Extending from the familiar and concrete to the unfamiliar and abstract.

•Making greater sense of the world by organising and connecting information and ideas about people, places, processes and environments.

•Working with more complex information about the world, including the relevance of people’s attitudes, values and beliefs.

Geographical enquiry and skills

•Increasing the range and accuracy of pupils’ investigative skills, and advancing their ability to select and apply these with increasing independence to geographical enquiry. ©GA 2014

Expectations in geography

• We’ve devised benchmarks for expectations at ages 7, 9, 11, 14, to 16: these reflect the three aspects of achievement and five dimensions of progress, e.g.:

By the age of 7 pupils should:– Demonstrate simple locational knowledge about individual places and

environments, in the local area, but also in the UK and wider world.

– Show understanding by describing the places and features they study using simple geographical vocabulary, identifying some similarities and differences and simple patterns in the environment

– Be able to investigate places and environments by asking and answering questions, making observations and using sources such as simple maps, atlases, globes, images and aerial photos.

• Download these from: http://www.geography.org.uk/download/GA%20NC14%20Aspects%20dimnensions%20and%20benchmarks.pdf

©GA 2014

Long term thinking: planning with the expectations benchmarks:

You could use them to/by:• inform your understanding of progression and expectations in

geography and discuss with colleagues

• modifying them to set standards in your school

• adapting and then share with parents/pupils

• adapting these benchmarks to show expectations for each year group, eg ‘an expert geographer in Year 5 knows…’

• compare with expectations in other subjects (e.g. history)

• support long term, summative assessment and reporting (see below)

• inform your medium term/unit plans – coming up shortly

• inform review: does the curriculum really deliver these standards?©GA 2014

Linking three aspects of achievement with the benchmarks:

Unit A: Medium term plans with detailed

objectives and criteria©GA 2014

Aims of good assessment

• Pupil: knows how they are doing and how to improve (promotes progress and achievement)

• Teacher: plan next steps, make well founded judgements about attainment

• School: structured, systematic assessment system – tracking, reporting

• Parents and carers: know how their child is doing, improvement and how they can support child and teacher

©GA 2014

Three levels of assessment thinking

Periodic

Day-to-day

Transitional

AfL practices such as peer- and self-assessmentImmediate feedback and next steps (pupils) directly

support progress; where next (teachers)Focus: short term, formative assessment/AfL

Broader view of progress for teacher and learner Making interim judgements by applying geography benchmarks in the classroom; opportunities to improveFocus: mainly medium term, formative/summative

Making summative judgements, formal recognition of achievement, based on geography benchmarksReported to parents/carers and next teacher/schoolCurriculum reviewFocus: long term, summative/AoL

©GA 2014

Assessment components

©GA 2014

Ready for more?

• We are developing the GA’s assessment site with further guidance and examples

• The ‘Assessing without levels’ articles in recent GA Magazine and Teaching Geography give more support (members only access).

©GA 2014

What is SMSC?• Spiritual - Explore beliefs and experience; respect faiths,

feelings and values; enjoy learning about oneself, others and the surrounding world; use imagination and creativity; reflect.

• Moral - Recognise right and wrong; respect the law; understand consequences; investigate moral and ethical issues; offer reasoned views.

• Social - Investigate and moral issues; appreciate diverse viewpoints; participate, volunteer and cooperate; resolve conflict; engage with the 'British values' of democracy, the rule of law, liberty, respect and tolerance

• Cultural - Appreciate cultural influences; appreciate the role of Britain's parliamentary system; participate in culture opportunities; understand, accept, respect and celebrate diversity.

• From: http://www.doingsmsc.org.uk/

SMSC & OFSTED

• An 'outstanding' school will have a 'thoughtful and wide-ranging promotion of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development'

• An 'inadequate' school will have 'serious weaknesses in the overall promotion of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development'.

OFSTED: Spiritual development

Pupils’ spiritual development is shown by their:• ability to be reflective about their own beliefs, religious or otherwise, that inform their perspective on life and their interest in and respect for different people’s faiths, feelings and values:•sense of enjoyment and fascination in learning about themselves, others and the world around them•use of imagination and creativity in their learning•willingness to reflect on their experiences.

‘The study of real people in real places, and of our relationship with the environment, is at the heart of

the geography curriculum.’

• Wonderful world map – ‘awe and wonder’

• Explore the World – Global knowledge – my story

• What do you do in your school?

• What are the benefits of activities like this?

OFSTED: Moral development

Pupils’ moral development is shown by their:•ability to recognise the difference between right and wrong, readily apply this understanding in their own lives and, in so doing, respect the civil and criminal law of England•understanding of the consequences of their behaviour and actions•interest in investigating and offering reasoned views about moral and ethical issues, and being able to understand and appreciate the viewpoints of others on these issues.

‘Most geographical issues have a moral dimension. Environmental relationships, in particular, provide a wealth

of opportunities for distinguishing a moral dimension.’

•Food choices (fair trade)

•Where should be build flood defences in York?

•What do you do in your school?

•What can prevent us from doing activities like this?

OFSTED: Social development

Pupils’ social development is shown by their:•use of a range of social skills in different contexts, including working and socialising with pupils from different religious, ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds•willingness to participate in a variety of communities and social settings, including by volunteering, cooperating well with others and being able to resolve conflicts effectively•acceptance and engagement with the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs; the pupils develop and demonstrate skills and attitudes that will allow them to participate fully in and contribute positively to life in modern Britain.

‘Activities in the geography classroom -pair work, group work, role-play, geographical games - foster good social

behaviour and self - discipline. However, through fieldwork geography makes a distinctive contribution to social

development.’

What contribution does fieldwork make to SMSC in your school?

‘Geography also has a key role in developing an understanding of citizenship. For

example, decision making exercises introduce pupils to the planning process in a

town or city’

• At APS we often work with local community groups – Parish council, Andy the lengthsman.

•Do you have links with local groups?•What links could you develop?

OFSTED: Cultural development

Pupils’ cultural development is shown by their:•understanding and appreciation of the wide range of cultural influences that have shaped their own heritage and that of others•understanding and appreciation of the range of different cultures within school and further afield as an essential element of their preparation for life in modern Britain•knowledge of Britain's democratic parliamentary system and its central role in shaping our history and values, and in continuing to develop Britain•willingness to participate in and respond positively to artistic, sporting and cultural opportunities•interest in exploring, improving understanding of and showing respect for different faiths and cultural diversity, and the extent to which they understand, accept, respect and celebrate diversity, as shown by their tolerance and attitudes towards different religious, ethnic and socio-economic groups in the local, national and global communities.

‘Through its study of real people in real places, geography makes a major contribution to cultural development…It is important to give as unbiased

an image of a place as is possible.’ http://www.oddizzi.com/

features/classpals/classpals-case-study/

The Global Learning

Programme 2013-18

• 2000 schools already involved

• Led by Pearson in collaboration with:– Dev Ed Research Centre (IOE), GA, Oxfam,

RGS-IBG, Think Global & SSAT

– The focus is on (English) schools KS2&3 – as Expert Centres or Partner Schools,

– Supported by the UK Government

– Subjects an important context for GL

• Understand an interdependent world & explore strategies to make it more just and sustainable

• Knowledge of developing countries, their economies, histories and geography

• Interdependence, development, globalisation & sustainability

• Different models of dev. & sustainability

• From ‘charity’ to ‘social justice’

• Enquiry & critical thinking

GLP Aims

GLP Progress

• Suite of progression materials to support global learning and geography planning and assessment

• Development of the Quality Mark framework to complement the GLP and new Ofsted Framework

• Ongoing CPD and resource materials for GA consultants and Champions to better support global learning and Transition Projects.

• Ongoing network support and development

• Exemplification of successful global learning

• Articles in GA journals

• Primary Geography Global Learning Special Summer 2015

Global Learning Matters

Comments from children aged 9 – 13 (and see Primary Geography GLP special

summer 2015) show the ongoing need to challenge a charity mentality and extend understanding

• “There may be a natural disaster waiting to happen and you do not want to be in a place when it is happening.”

• “Children should be taught about how other poor people live their lives and how we can help them. How we can best help them with their problems and issues.”

• “You also need to learn about things like Ebola or wars in places like Syria because then you can try and help by donating to charities.”

GLP key themesGLP key themes;

knowledge:

• of developing countries;

• of the basic elements of globalisation;

• of different ways to achieve global poverty reduction and development, and the arguments around the merits of different approaches,

• and understanding of the concepts of interdependence and sustainability.

PLUS

• enquiry and critical thinking about development and development issues.

The GLP is Cross – curricular but geography is the ‘prioritised’ subject as these criteria would suggest.

Opportunities to get involved: England and Wales

• Use the new-look Geography Quality Marks to self-evaluate your standards and provision. Global learning is a strong theme in both Primary and Secondary Quality Marks.

• Access Global Learning resources: Use the GLP site to access a wide range of resources and CPD opportunities

• Develop Global Learning in your curriculum: Use the curriculum framework to review and integrate essential knowledge aspects of Global Learning into your planning

• Improve your knowledge and skills through GA courses and conference: We will put on a series of face to face and online courses over the course of the project and through our annual conference

Role of a Partner School

• Appoint your own GLP Coordinator

• Complete the Whole School Audit (WSA) to establish current practice .

• Generate a school action plan.

• Join a network of other Partner Schools managed by your Expert Centre.

• Attend four terms of CPD twilight sessions hosted by the Expert Centre.

• You can also access further CPD from local and national providers, funded through the e-credit strand of the programme. 

How recently have you reviewed your policy?

How effective are your schemes of work?

What evidence of impacts do you have?How inclusive is the

vision? Who has contributed?

Evaluating Geography

Primary Geography Quality Mark www.geography.org.uk/pgqm

BRONZE

SILVER

GOLDYour influence as a subject leader

• Mapping from story books: Rosie’s walk, spot’s first walk, we’re going on a bear hunt, Mia’s story etc

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mj3MfUR35CM