Geography

Spring-

WWW:

• Children were able to retrieve a lot of knowledge they have recently learnt about. Year 4 understanding of reservoirs and year 1 continents.
• The children in year 4 and 5 spoke about how their geography is linked to English. Children was very positive and said they had been thoroughly enjoying the volcanoes topic.
• The children love doing double page spreads and have asked if this can be done for different places around the world.
• Year 5 were very positive about using technology to enhance learning.
• The children’s use of maps and photos to explore geographical features and locations was fantastic. Year 6 was super with knowing European countries.
• Year 1 and 1/2 all knew the continent song and could tell me the continents confidently. They also could talk about land and sea on a globe and how to identify them. 
• The children are engaged in some lovely activities.

EBI:

• Some key vocabulary is still not secure: landmarks (Y1 and 1/2), water cycle processes, settlements
• More Kahoot quizzes wanted and technology in year 3 and 4
• Children knew what geography was but only mentioned the physical geography – revisit that we study people and places. Geography is also about the impact we have on places too.
• Year 6 mentioned they want to learn more languages linked to geography. I explained this could potentially be a ‘hello’ in the morning due to time. They also want to learn about more diverse places and create double page spreads about these, I explained they will be learning about more places in the next term. 

Autumn-

WWW:

• Children in KS2 could recall times they used mapping skills and have looked at maps within lessons. They could tell me what geography is and what you study.
• KS1 children could recall compass points and place them in the correct order on a compass.
• Children expressed a joy for Geography and were able to recall more key information and skills they had looked at in their recent units.
• Year 1 used vocabulary of skyscraper for human feature and could explain what it was. A child was able to discuss how local empty land could be used – shops (food and toys). They recalled the trip around the local area.
• Year 2 could confidently identify both human and physical features. They could label the compass with directions They recalled the trip around the local area.
• Year 3 could identify why we use sketch maps, features and disadvantages. They also identified the difference between rural and urban confidently with understanding of how the rural areas are used.
• Year 4 identified all seven continents and labelled the map top show where they are.
• Year 5 could talk about the countries of USA and Canada – they located these on a map with confidence. They could define continent. They could identify human and physical features that can be found in North America (Rockies, Mississippi river, copper mines).
• Year 6 could explain what has happened to the population over time and why. Secure understanding of what population density is with units used. Clear understanding of some factors that affect a country’s population growth (war, disease, healthcare). Good discussion of a population pyramid and was able to pick out data they noticed.

EBI and next steps:

• KS1 – Revisit certain pieces of vocabulary to ensure deep understanding.  Glossary is being made to support with definitions.
• recap the meaning of physical features and examples need recapping as had tree, soil, grass and plant.
•  KS2 - reinforce the need for labels for symbols.
• reinforce and add to retrieval grids the meanings of the words ‘human’ and ‘physical’ feature, being able to name some of these features.
• Revisit, and add to retrieval grids, the use of co-ordinates.
• Monitoring focus next half term is coverage of endpoints and vocabulary.