Primary Geography and ‘Core Knowledge’

Some thoughts and examples

What do we mean by 'core knowledge'

Geographical information is a vast well of facts and figures, as well as place names and the earth's features. In itself, this information may not be thought of as knowledge – even if it is 'learned' by rote – but selections of these facts may become enabling knowledge when they become meaningful or relevant.

To be fluent with selections of meaningful geographical information is to have geographical 'core knowledge'.

http://www.geography.org.uk/download/GA_GIGCCCoreKnowledgeGuidance.pdf

What is the place of such 'core knowledge' in geography teaching and learning?

Core knowledge is .. foundational in the sense that it is the knowledge that is required in order to develop

understanding. (Martin & Owens 2011)

http://www.geography.org.uk/Journals/Journals.asp?articleID=840

1.e. The teaching of core geographical knowledge underpins children’s learning about the world

Locational (local – global) world knowledge and geographical vocabulary is taught in effective learning contexts; pupils are taught appropriate geographical vocabulary and knowledge about geographical features. This forms part of the repertoire of careful teaching. Gold criteria PGQM

What role does ‘core knowledge’ play in establishing geographical understanding?

Core knowledge developed separately from the context of understanding will be of little worth. Likewise, developing understanding without the bedrock of core knowledge will also be meaningless.

The recent Ofsted report (2011) provides an example of this where a group of pupils had done a unit of work on Kenya and developed some in-depth knowledge about certain aspects of Kenyan life, but could not locate Kenya on a map or name other countries that shared its borders.

(Martin & Owens 2011)

http://www.geography.org.uk/Journals/Journals.asp?articleID=840

Is geography more than 'core knowledge’?

Yes it is! Much more! But geography without 'core knowledge' is missing something crucial.

http://www.geography.org.uk/download/GA_GIGCCCoreKnowledgeGuidance.pdf

How do we develop ‘core knowledge’ in the classroom?

From the Primary Geography Quality Mark Framework 1.e.The teaching of core geographical knowledge underpins children’s learning about the world

Locational (local – global) world knowledge and geographical vocabulary is taught in effective learning contexts; pupils are taught appropriate geographical vocabulary and knowledge about geographical features. This forms part of the repertoire of careful teaching. Gold criteria

Nursery

Context

Work as part of the ‘Our Neighbourhood’ topic.

Children sent themselves a letter and had to learn the number of their house.

KUW2: Identifies simple features

Core knowledge: understanding that specific vocabulary

can be used to locate places and knowing

own address

The teaching of core knowledge underpins children’s learning about the world PGQM 1e

Kingmoor Nursery and Infant School GOLD 2011

Year One

Context

Work as part of the ‘Around Our School’ topic.

Pupils show their knowledge, skills and understanding in studies at a local scale… 

AT2

Core knowledge: knowing some appropriate

geographical vocabulary to recognise and name

locality features.

The teaching of core knowledge underpins children’s learning about the world PGQM 1e

Kingmoor Nursery and Infant School GOLD 2011

Context

Work as part of the ‘India’ theme week.

Pupils show an awareness of places beyond

their own locality …

AT2

Core knowledge: knowing where

Shompa’s place is in India and being able to

find it using maps or globes.

The teaching of core knowledge underpins children’s learning about the world PGQM 1e

Year Two

Context

Work as part of the mapping skills improvement plan.

They describe physical and human features of places, and recognise and make observations about those features that give places their character. 

AT2

Core knowledge: knowing specific

vocabulary as evidenced in the key.

The teaching of core knowledge underpins children’s learning about the world PGQM 1e

Context

Work as part of ‘An Island Home’ Topic

They describe physical and human features of places.

AT2

Core knowledge: knowing names of different types of

geographical features and how to categorise

them.

Pupils are taught appropriate geographical vocabulary and knowledge about geographical features PGQM 1e Silver criteria

In effective learning contexts PGQM 1e Gold criteria

Kingmoor Nursery and Infant School GOLD 2011

Context

Work as part of the ‘An Island Home’ Topic

They are aware that different places may have both similar and different

characteristics. 

AT3

Core knowledge: Knowing where these places are and

using appropriate vocabulary to compare

characteristics.

The teaching of core knowledge underpins children’s learning about the world PGQM 1e

Kingmoor Nursery and Infant School GOLD 2011

Year two visited Morrisons to look at the produce section and where the food had travelled from.

They had to find out which they thought had travelled the furthest and show where it was on a map.

Locational, (local – global) world knowledge and

geographical vocabulary is taught in effective

learning contexts. (1e Gold criteria)

Locational and vocabulary knowledge is part of the

repertoire of careful teaching (1e Gold criteria)

Kingmoor Nursery and Infant School GOLD 2011

Pupils play games using outline shapes of the continents on the playground to support their knowledge of the continent names, location and relative size.

Elmwood Primary Silver 2011 (from video evidence)

The teaching of core knowledge underpins children’s learning about the world PGQM 1e

Locational, (local – global) world knowledge and

geographical vocabulary is taught in effective

learning contexts. (1e Gold criteria)

How will you evidence effective learning contexts?