GCSE Geography Geographical skills learning resources for adults, children, parents and teachers. In Year 7 students study the local area, Britain and are introduced to basic skills such as atlas use and maps. In Year 8 Challenging Climates, Natural Processes and the Environment form the core of the work. In Year 9 students study contrasting levels of development around the world and explore topics covered at GCSE, such as Coasts and Rivers.
One of the hardest challenges that new (and even experienced) teachers face is trying to stay up to date with the vast range of materials and resources that are out there and available for teachers to use in their classroom. How can you make sure that your teaching is relevant and suitable for the students in your class if you don't have an understanding of what kind of resources are available? How can I make sure I'm preparing students for the future? How can I show them how to use technology effectively.
Fortunately, in my experience, teachers are great sharers. I've been working with some pre-service primary school teachers, and as we've come to grips with the geography syllabus, they have shared with me a whole range of interesting resources that might help when you teach your students geography skills. And, like a lot of real world geography, technology is at the heart of most of these.
Note: these are for geography skills, and are aimed mostly at primary or middle school students, although with a bit of clever adaptation, they could work for older children too.
Here are my 5 best resources for teaching geography skills:
1. Google Maps
This one is the real game changer for teachers. There is literally so much that can be done using Google Maps - and so few teachers make use of the fantastic possibilities available. You can build tours, you can measure distances, you can look at directions and compare different kinds of maps. The potential is huge. Do yourself a favour and check out the education page to see what can be done and to be inspired: http://maps.google.com/help/maps/education/
2. Ordnance Survey
The Ordnance Survey website is based in the UK, but it contains some brilliant kid-friendly activities that are sure to encourage students to learn more about geogaraphy. They also have relevance worldwide, not just to the UK. Students can practice map skills, play geography-related games, and use Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to learn more about their world. And it's all presented in a bright, friendly and colorful way.
3. GeogSpace
This one is a Australian-centric, but again, even if you are not in Australia, it is still worth checking out. Whereas the other two sites I mentioned before are mostly for students to play with, this one is better suited for teachers. There is a wealth of information about fieldwork, using ICT, teaching geography and lots of examples of teachers sharing best practice. Strongly recommended if you are new to teaching geography - it will give you some ideas to make your lessons exciting and fun.
4. Google Lit Trips
Of course, good geography teaching sometimes means taking an integrated approach to learning - and there is a lot to like about the way that Google Lit Trips combines literature with geography. Quicktime player for mac 10.6.8. If you've ever read a book and wanted to map out the journey that the protagonists take, then you're going to love Google Lit Trips. From The Grapes of Wrath to The Odyssey to hundreds more (helpfully broken down into age appropriate sections), students can follow in the footsteps of the people in the stories, looking at the environments and places that they visited.
5. Map your memories The keyboard shortcutsvideopsalm.
This one is a little more whimsical than others. Becky Cooper asked 75 New Yorkers to share their memories by marking important places on maps. Wrngs jesters charmwrenegade stables. It is an idea that has captured the imagination of the world - now people are doing it in cities like London and Istanbul. I think that it's a wonderful example of the way that places can be linked to personal experiences. Buy the book, marvel at the stories, and then get your students to do the same!
Ideas about using these resources came from discussions with my tutorial groups, and also from a lecture given by Kaylene Kritharides about Teaching Geography in the Primary Classroom. I appreciate their generosity in sharing their ideas.
This piece was originally submitted to our community forums by a reader. Due to audience interest, we've preserved it. The opinions expressed here are the writer's own.
One of the hardest challenges that new (and even experienced) teachers face is trying to stay up to date with the vast range of materials and resources that are out there and available for teachers to use in their classroom. How can you make sure that your teaching is relevant and suitable for the students in your class if you don't have an understanding of what kind of resources are available? How can I make sure I'm preparing students for the future? How can I show them how to use technology effectively.
Fortunately, in my experience, teachers are great sharers. I've been working with some pre-service primary school teachers, and as we've come to grips with the geography syllabus, they have shared with me a whole range of interesting resources that might help when you teach your students geography skills. And, like a lot of real world geography, technology is at the heart of most of these.
Note: these are for geography skills, and are aimed mostly at primary or middle school students, although with a bit of clever adaptation, they could work for older children too.
Here are my 5 best resources for teaching geography skills:
1. Google Maps
This one is the real game changer for teachers. There is literally so much that can be done using Google Maps - and so few teachers make use of the fantastic possibilities available. You can build tours, you can measure distances, you can look at directions and compare different kinds of maps. The potential is huge. Do yourself a favour and check out the education page to see what can be done and to be inspired: http://maps.google.com/help/maps/education/
2. Ordnance Survey
The Ordnance Survey website is based in the UK, but it contains some brilliant kid-friendly activities that are sure to encourage students to learn more about geogaraphy. They also have relevance worldwide, not just to the UK. Students can practice map skills, play geography-related games, and use Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to learn more about their world. And it's all presented in a bright, friendly and colorful way.
3. GeogSpace
This one is a Australian-centric, but again, even if you are not in Australia, it is still worth checking out. Whereas the other two sites I mentioned before are mostly for students to play with, this one is better suited for teachers. There is a wealth of information about fieldwork, using ICT, teaching geography and lots of examples of teachers sharing best practice. Strongly recommended if you are new to teaching geography - it will give you some ideas to make your lessons exciting and fun.
4. Google Lit Trips
Of course, good geography teaching sometimes means taking an integrated approach to learning - and there is a lot to like about the way that Google Lit Trips combines literature with geography. Quicktime player for mac 10.6.8. If you've ever read a book and wanted to map out the journey that the protagonists take, then you're going to love Google Lit Trips. From The Grapes of Wrath to The Odyssey to hundreds more (helpfully broken down into age appropriate sections), students can follow in the footsteps of the people in the stories, looking at the environments and places that they visited.
5. Map your memories The keyboard shortcutsvideopsalm.
This one is a little more whimsical than others. Becky Cooper asked 75 New Yorkers to share their memories by marking important places on maps. Wrngs jesters charmwrenegade stables. It is an idea that has captured the imagination of the world - now people are doing it in cities like London and Istanbul. I think that it's a wonderful example of the way that places can be linked to personal experiences. Buy the book, marvel at the stories, and then get your students to do the same!
Ideas about using these resources came from discussions with my tutorial groups, and also from a lecture given by Kaylene Kritharides about Teaching Geography in the Primary Classroom. I appreciate their generosity in sharing their ideas.
This piece was originally submitted to our community forums by a reader. Due to audience interest, we've preserved it. The opinions expressed here are the writer's own.
In his message to the students in the College of Arts and Sciences, Dean Boocker explains the importance of 'making knowledge matter.' We believe that means helping you develop useful, real-world skills alongside the sense of fulfillment and enrichment that studying Geography can provide.
We also believe in making you aware of the knowledge and skills you're developing along the way, so that you can capitalize on your strengths in the marketplace, graduate school and in life.
Knowledge & Skills Gained as a Geography Major:
Knowledge:
- Understand how human activities, landscapes, and other physical, biological, and cultural phenomena vary across space, and the factors that influence these patterns.
- Geography graduates understand the relationships between society and the environment; both how people affect natural systems (and how natural systems affect people).
- Awareness of the causes and implications of an increasingly connected world and how geography and geopolitics are related to domestic and foreign policy decision
Skills:
Geography Skills Worksheets Pdf
- Creative problem-solving, able to communicate with a diverse audience and apply practical analytical and technical skills in a diversity of settings
Geography Skills Worksheet Answers
- Ability to read, analyze, and construct maps for a variety of purposes and audiences. Use geographic information systems software and other applications to display and analyze spatial data
Geography Skills For Life Pdf
- Use geographic techniques and perspectives to address a variety of contemporary issues such as demographic changes, economic inequality, environmental justice, urbanization, and more
Basic Geography Skills
- Understand and appreciate the value of different cultures and perspectives.
