Curriculum & Assessment

Junior Geography 

1. Knowledge and Understanding:

S1 students are able to:

• name and locate the continents and oceans, different countries and cities in the world;

• name and locate the districts and new towns in Hong Kong;

• identify the major types of urban and use, with reference to Hong Kong and large cities like London;

• understand how various geographical factors shape the internal structure of a city like Hong Kong;

• look into the urban problems in Hong Kong: causes, characteristics and solutions and

• understand geographical concepts like locational requirement, competition for space, land use conflict, urban growth and redevelopment, and sustainable development;

  S2 students are able to:

• identify the major types of renewable and non-renewable energy resources, and describe the pros and cons of using them;

• identify the global pattern of energy production and consumption, and the related economic and political conflicts induced;

• examine energy problems and measures;

• describe the pros and cons of using nuclear power and its increasing role in future energy supply;

• identify and suggest individual actions in saving and conserving energy, as well as local, national and global solutions for energy problems of the world;

• identify the pattern of global water supply and the major areas with water problems;

• understand the operation of water cycle

• locate and name the major rivers in China

• examine the causes and impact of major water problems in China, including flooding, drought and water pollution;

• understand how the interplay of physical and human factors (relief and climate) has led to floods and droughts in China;

• understand the role of water pollution in aggravating the water shortage problem in China; and

• examine the water projects, water conservation and water management strategies in China.

S3 students are able to:

• identify the major types of natural hazards in the world;

• examine the global distribution of major natural hazards;

• understand the causes of landslides and their effects on Hong Kong people;

• examine the climate of South China;

• understand the related weather conditions and negative impacts brought by typhoons;

• examine the global distribution of earthquakes and its relationship with plate boundaries;

• understand how earthquakes affect China and the world;

• examine the preventive and remedial measures to reduce the negative effects of landslides, typhoons and earthquakes;

• compare the impacts of natural hazards and the respective preventive and remedial measures adopted by people in more developed and less developed areas;

• explain the vulnerability of different people to natural hazards;

• compare different preventive and remedial measures adopted; and

• explain the different responses of people to natural hazards. 

2. Skills:

S1 students are able to:

• • • locate themselves (China, Hong Kong, school and home) in maps of different scales;

    • compare plans, maps and photographs;

    • interpret maps with various map reading skills;

    • use map reading skills in real field work and daily life;

    • read and calculate data from statistical diagrams;

    • identify different urban land uses from maps and photos with specific reference to Hong Kong; and

    • follow a pre-determined route in the field and identify various types of urban land use.

  S2 students are able to:

• interpret Hong Kong maps (1:5,000 and 1:20,000) with various reading skills;

• draw cross-sections, calculate vertical exaggeration, and identify lines of intervisibility;

• interpret data from and construct statistical diagrams like pie and bar graphs, flow charts, and climatic graphs;

• read maps and interpret photographs to identify water problems and energy resources;

• summarise information of water resources and main arguments (for and against) different energy resources in tabular format;

• use GIS to insert proportional symbols on a world map to indicate the different types of energy consumption in different continents/ regions of the world; and

• explain human development and environmental impact using map evidence.

S3 students are able to:

• interpret contour maps with various map reading skills;

• identify different types of slopes and calculate slope gradient;

• identify major relief features on contour maps;

• draw cross-sections, calculate vertical exaggeration, and identify lines of intervisibility;

• interpret data and construct statistical diagrams like climatic graphs;

• read weather charts of Hong Kong and describe the weather conditions;

• identify the warning signals associated with natural hazards in Hong Kong;

• identify from maps, photographs and new articles the impact of natural hazards; and

• assess real-time information provided by the Hong Kong Observatory to describe the forecasted path of a typhoon. 

3. Values and Attitudes:

S1 students are able to:

• • • show interest in knowing more about the world, China and Hong Kong;

    • show concern for the problems caused by urban development;

    • be aware of the conflicting interests of land users;

    • appreciate the necessity of tolerance and compromise in resolving urban problems; and

    • develop a sense of responsibility to take action to improve the urban environment. 

  S2 students are able to:

• appreciate the importance of sustainable development and develop a sense of responsibility for resource (energy and water) conservation;

• appreciate the need to change one’s own lifestyle and habits in saving energy and water;

• show concern for the energy, water and environmental problems that confront Hong Kong, China and the world;

• be aware of the limitation of individual action in solving energy and water problems, and understand that it requires a combination of different solutions to handle global issues like the energy problem;

• appreciate the interdependence between human beings and natural environment; and

• express empathy towards the problems and difficulties encountered by other people in different parts of the world. 

S3 students are able to:

• be aware of the power of nature in influencing people’s life;

• understand the variations in people’s response to natural hazards in different places;

• develop a readiness to take precautionary measures to reduce the negative impact of natural hazards;

• show concern for the damaging effects of natural hazards on other people and places; and

• appreciate how people adapt to natural hazards. 

Senior Geography 

Strictly follow the Geography Curriculum and Assessment Guide to cover the syllabus of the HKDSE Geography.

1.   The Compulsory Part comprises seven geographical issues and problems that have strong relevance for Hong Kong students and are expected to be of considerable public concern for a reasonable period of time. They are structured around three major themes, namely

(a) Living with our physical environment

• (1) Opportunities and Risks – Is it rational to live in hazard-prone areas?

• (2) Managing Rivers and Coastal Environments: A continuing challenge

(b) Facing changes in the human environment

• • (3) Changing Industrial Location – How and why does it change over space and time?

  • (4) Building a Sustainable City – Are environmental conservation and urban development mutually exclusive?

(c) Confronting global challenges

• (5)   Combating Famine – Is technology a panacea for food shortage?

• (6)   Disappearing Green Canopy – Who should pay for the massive deforestation in rainforest regions?

• (7)   Climate Change – Long-term fluctuation or irreversible trend?

They help to enhance students’ understanding of the planning and management aspects, as well as of the decision-making processes, in relation to the issues and problems included in the seven modules.

2.     The chosen Electives are

(1)   Dynamic Earth: the building of Hong Kong, and

(2)   Weather and Climate

   They further develop the students’ basic geographical concepts and knowledge included in the compulsory part.