Geography

Aims and Philosophy

  • To stimulate, encourage, develop and maintain interest and achievement in Geography.
  • To allow students to access and develop a clear understanding of both the physical and the human environments on our planet.
  • To employ teaching methods and resources that allow all students (irrespective of gender, ethnic origin, academic ability, etc.) to have equal access to geography and to experience success and enjoyment in their geography work.
  • To encourage students to investigate their own environment through the use of media and ICT.
  • To enable students to develop as learners, both independently and as part of a team.
  • To provide students with the necessary skills to take responsibility for their own learning and develop into life-long learners.
  • To clearly relate what the students learn in class to the outside world; e.g. the importance of understanding climate change.
  • Provide pupils with the opportunity to achieve qualifications relevant to today’s workplace.

S1

  • Our World
  • Map Skills
  • Weather and the Environment

Cross Curricular Projects include:

  • Allons en Haiti (Modern Languages)
  • A Cook’s Tour (HE and Maths)

S2

  • Explosive Earth
  • A Trip Around Europe
  • Scorching Hot and Freezing Cold
  • Globalisation -Football and Fashion

Cross Curricular Projects include:

  • Volcano Website (with Computing)

Enrichment Course – John Muir Award:

  • The Discovery Award – The 18 hour course is an environmental award focusing on the coast in East Lothian. This is a joint project between the Geography and Biology departments. There are 4 challenges at the heart of the award: discover – explore – conserve – share. The course involves lots of work outdoors with a day trip to the coast of East Lothian.

S3 

S3 is the final year of the Broad General Education during which pupils continue to develop thier skills and improve their knowledge of Geography. Topics covered include

  • Map skills
  • Fieldwork Around Edinburgh
  • Rapid Response (Cross-Curricular Project with Social Subjects and Science)
  • Amazon Rainforest
  • Agriculture in the Sahel
  • Citizenship (IDL Social Subject Task

S4

In S4 pupils will build on what they have learned in S3, leading to presentation for National 3, 4 or 5 Qualifications at the end of S4. Further information about the National Qualifications in can be found by using this link: Nationals in a Nutshell

S5 / 6

National 4/5

  • Globalisation and Trade
  • Limestone Landscapes
  • Population
  • Weather
  • Assignment
  • Development and Health
  • Rivers and Their Landscapes
  • Urban and Rural Change

Higher

  • Paper 1: Lithosphere, Hydrosphere, Rural, Population, Urban, Industry, Atmosphere, Biosphere
  • Paper 2: Rural Land Resources, Development and Health

Advanced Higher

  • Graphical Representation of Data
  • Statistics
  • Mapwork
  • Fieldwork Techniques
  • Geographical Issues
  • Folio Work