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Geography
The Aims of the Geography Department are to:
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encourage students to have an enthusiastic interest in and enjoyment of the subject
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present geography as an intellectually challenging subject
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enable students to feel a sense of achievement in their maximum potential
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develop a responsible environmental awareness
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promote an informed understanding of the world
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foster a positive, supportive and creative environment for staff
The Objectives of the Department are to enable students to:
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understand and explain certain geographical terms
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demonstrate knowledge of particular locations
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be proficient in geographical skills
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analyze and interpret geographical data and statistics
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understand spatial patterns of interdependence
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develop decision making abilities
Key stage 3 (Saltus 7 - 9)
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The Eastern Hemisphere: basic map skills, Europe, Asia, Africa, development
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Bermuda Ecosystems: flora, fauna, human interaction with the environment, case studies
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Bermuda study: Population, climate, habitats and ecosystems, geology and plate tectonics
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Making connections: map skills - grid referencing, scale, compass points, bearings, sketches
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Settlements: site and situation, settlement patterns, hierarchies, urban growth
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Independent research project: Traffic Study or the Pedestrianisation of Reid Street
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Population and Resources: population growth, population terminology, resources and energy
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Coastal Environments: waves, erosion, erosional/depositional landforms and sea-level change
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Coastal Fieldwork Project: Warwick Long Bay area to reinforce the Coastal Environments unit
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Rivers and Drainage Basins: hydrological cycle, fluvial features in the upper/middle/lower course
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Glaciation: Ice ages, glacial features caused by erosion and deposition and human activity
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Plate Tectonics: theories, earth structure, plate margins, volcanoes and earthquakes in L/MEDC’s
Key stage 4 (Saltus 10 and Saltus 11)
The GCSE course follows the United Kingdom Edexcel Specification A framework and is a two year program. Students complete 4 core and 2 option units listed below:
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The Natural World: Weather and Climate, Forest Biomes
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The Physical World: Rivers, Glaciation and Coasts
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The Human World: Population and Settlement
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The Economic World: Industrial sectors, Farming in L/MEDC’s, TNC’s in LEDC’s and High-tech industry
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Managing Hazards: Tropical Storms, Volcanoes and Earthquakes - their impact on L/MEDC’s
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Managing Tourism: Case studies from Peru, Maldives, USA and the Mediterranean
The specification gives students opportunities to:
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acquire knowledge and understanding of a range of places, environments and geographical patterns at a range of scales from local to global, as well as an understanding of the physical and human processes, including decision-making, which affect their development.
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develop a sense of place and an appreciation of the environment, as well as awareness of the ways in which people and environments interact, the importance of sustainable development in those interactions, and the opportunities, challenges and constraints that face people in different places.
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develop an understanding of global citizenship and the ways in which places and environments are interdependent.
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appreciate that the study of geography is dynamic, not only because places, geographical features, patterns and issues change, but also because new ideas and methods lead to new interpretations.
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acquire and apply the skills and techniques – including those of mapwork, fieldwork and information and communication technology (ICT) – needed to conduct geographical study and enquiry.
SGY 1 - Global Perspectives: World Geography
Students will:
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improve their mental maps of the world.
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establish a basic foundation of knowledge about countries of the world as they interact within an interdependent global system.
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understand important demographic, economic, social, environmental, geographic (spatial), and political international trends and issues.
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recognize the relevance of international issues to Bermuda, their local communities, and their own lives; and
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be able to analyze and think critically about issues of regional and international importance.
Course Outline:
1. Introduction – Why Geography Matters
2. The Changing Global Context
3. Nature and Society and Technology
4. Mapping Cultural Identities
5. Interpreting Places and Landscapes
6. The Geography of Economic Development
7. The Politics of Territory and Space
Course Text: Places and Regions in Global Context: Human Geography by Knox and Marston
SGY 2 - Advanced Placement : Human Geography
In this course students should be able:
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to use and think about maps and spatial data sets.
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to understand and interpret the implications of associations among phenomena in places.
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to recognize and interpret at different scales, the relationships among patterns and processes.
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to define regions and evaluate the regionalization process.
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to characterize and analyze changing interconnections among places.
Course Outline:
Unit 1: Geography: Its Nature and Perspectives
Unit 2: Population
Unit 3: Cultural Patterns and Processes
Unit 4: Political Organization of Space
Unit 5: Agricultural and Rural Land Use
Unit 6: Industrialization and Development
Unit 7: Cities and Urban Land Use
Course Text: Human Geography: Culture, Society and Space - de Blij and Murphy
Further Information
If you would like to read any further information regarding the GCSE or AP curricula outlined within this site please visit either of the following examination board web sites: -
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