Aims of the Geography Department

In S1 Social Subjects we have an integrated course based around Rights. Firstly the pupils look at Exploring Scotland. This allows pupils to be able to identify what a map is and the features a good map needs to have. We also study four figure grid references and we can locate different symbols on a map. This allows pupils to understand the importance of map reading. Pupils will look at Human Rights and Responsibilities and compare and contrast life in Scotland to life of children in India. This is followed by looking at life in the Victorian era, the impact that had on families. Lastly pupils look at child soldiers and how child rights have been not been met in the 21st Century. By the end of S1 pupils will have learnt different skills such as analyzing and evaluating to understand which groups around the world have not got a good quality of life.

In S2 pupils look at natural and man-made disasters and use higher order thinking skills to identify the effects of world disasters such as hurricane Katrina. In the second rotation we study several climatic regions- Tundra (cold desert), Equatorial and Hot Desert. This allows pupils to compare Scotland’s climate to other places around the world and examine how people live, work and survive in extreme climatic areas. Pupils will be able to use their prior knowledge learnt in social subjects to analyse the effect of climate and climate change in the world today.

In S3 we study case studies of glaciated and coastal landscapes. We examine the conflicts in land uses in these areas and the problems these can cause. We look at weather systems that affect Scotland and then extreme weather systems such as tornadoes in the wider world. We then look at population studies, examining causes of migration which allows pupils to identify ‘Push’ and ‘Pull’ factors and the effects of migration on the host and donor countries. Within the Natural Hazards topic we then study the causes and effects of volcanic eruptions and earthquakes. . This allows pupils to develop skills from S1-3 into the senior phase.

Scottish Studies

We offer a variety of different pathways to pupils such as the Scottish Studies award at National 4 and 5. The Scottish Studies Award provides opportunities for learners to develop their knowledge and understanding of Scotland — its people, languages (such as Scots and Gaelic), society, culture, natural environment and heritage — and to make connections across the curriculum. The four units which are covered are:

• Scotland in Focus
• Scots Language: History and Development
• Travel and Tourism
• Social Issues in Scotland