Cotswold_School_Logo_CMYK_100_72_0_0-01

Topic title: Our Island Home

Year group: 7

When taught: September to October

What are we learning?

  • What is Geography and what are the 3 main types of Geography?
  • Where are the world’s continents and oceans?
  • What are the main physical and human features of the UK?
  • How do we create an effective field sketch to identify human and physical features of a place?
  • What does it mean to be British: stereotypes and British values?
  • What is Europe and what is the EU?

Why is this important to know? 

  • Physical and Human Geography underpin every unit studied and are interconnected. It is important that students recognise the synopticity between them.
  • It supports students’ locational knowledge and gives a relative context when studying other places around the world.
  • It helps students to recognise their own place and role within the world and the values within the country they live.
  • It begins to challenge misconceptions created by stereotypes and asks students to question sources of information and perspectives.
  • Europe provides a wider locational knowledge and the EU provides a historical but also topical place context.
  • Field sketching is an important geographical skill but also increases awareness of the local area.

Where does this link into our past and future learning? 

  • This links and develops on prior learning at KS2 about the UK and Europe.
  • Later in the year we assess the opportunities and challenges facing cities today, particularly in London.
  • In Year 8 and beyond, we look at global issues. Having an understanding of the UK provides a locational as well as place context to better understand these topics such as Development.
  • This topic deepens skills such as identifying physical and human features through the use of field sketching which connects well with the next unit on map skills.

How will we be assessed on this topic?

  • The end of unit assessment will contain recall questions and a question requiring extended writing on the physical and human features within the UK.

What makes a strong piece of work in this topic?  What are teachers hoping to see?  

  • Correct use and spelling of key terms such as Physical, Human, Environmental
  • Accurate use of the terms Great Britain, United Kingdom and Europe.
  • Effective use of atlases and Digimaps
  • Accurate, clear and well labelled field sketches
  • Students questioning whether it is a value or a stereotype

What key words are there in this topic?

Quizlet: Click here

What can I try if I want to stretch and challenge myself on this topic?

  • Look at your home settlement and places you visit – what are the physical and human characteristics of the areas? Are they similar or different?  What impact does this have on an area?
  • Read more in depth about the arguments for and against UK being part of the EU.

What wider reading can be done on this topic?

Bill Bryson:  Neither Here, Nor There: Travels in Europe

Supporting document/links:

  • Year 7 Revision sheet