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Primary Geography and ‘Core Knowledge’
Some thoughts and examples
What do we mean by 'core knowledge'
Geographical information is a vast well of facts and figures, as well as place names and the earth's features. In itself, this information may not be thought of as knowledge – even if it is 'learned' by rote – but selections of these facts may become enabling knowledge when they become meaningful or relevant.
To be fluent with selections of meaningful geographical information is to have geographical 'core knowledge'.
http://www.geography.org.uk/download/GA_GIGCCCoreKnowledgeGuidance.pdf
What is the place of such 'core knowledge' in geography teaching and learning?
Core knowledge is .. foundational in the sense that it is the knowledge that is required in order to develop
understanding. (Martin & Owens 2011)
http://www.geography.org.uk/Journals/Journals.asp?articleID=840
1.e. The teaching of core geographical knowledge underpins children’s learning about the world
Locational (local – global) world knowledge and geographical vocabulary is taught in effective learning contexts; pupils are taught appropriate geographical vocabulary and knowledge about geographical features. This forms part of the repertoire of careful teaching. Gold criteria PGQM
What role does ‘core knowledge’ play in establishing geographical understanding?
Core knowledge developed separately from the context of understanding will be of little worth. Likewise, developing understanding without the bedrock of core knowledge will also be meaningless.
The recent Ofsted report (2011) provides an example of this where a group of pupils had done a unit of work on Kenya and developed some in-depth knowledge about certain aspects of Kenyan life, but could not locate Kenya on a map or name other countries that shared its borders.
(Martin & Owens 2011)
http://www.geography.org.uk/Journals/Journals.asp?articleID=840
Is geography more than 'core knowledge’?
Yes it is! Much more! But geography without 'core knowledge' is missing something crucial.
http://www.geography.org.uk/download/GA_GIGCCCoreKnowledgeGuidance.pdf
How do we develop ‘core knowledge’ in the classroom?
From the Primary Geography Quality Mark Framework 1.e.The teaching of core geographical knowledge underpins children’s learning about the world
Locational (local – global) world knowledge and geographical vocabulary is taught in effective learning contexts; pupils are taught appropriate geographical vocabulary and knowledge about geographical features. This forms part of the repertoire of careful teaching. Gold criteria
Nursery
Context
Work as part of the ‘Our Neighbourhood’ topic.
Children sent themselves a letter and had to learn the number of their house.
KUW2: Identifies simple features
Core knowledge: understanding that specific vocabulary
can be used to locate places and knowing
own address
The teaching of core knowledge underpins children’s learning about the world PGQM 1e
Kingmoor Nursery and Infant School GOLD 2011
Year One
Context
Work as part of the ‘Around Our School’ topic.
Pupils show their knowledge, skills and understanding in studies at a local scale…
AT2
Core knowledge: knowing some appropriate
geographical vocabulary to recognise and name
locality features.
The teaching of core knowledge underpins children’s learning about the world PGQM 1e
Kingmoor Nursery and Infant School GOLD 2011
Context
Work as part of the ‘India’ theme week.
Pupils show an awareness of places beyond
their own locality …
AT2
Core knowledge: knowing where
Shompa’s place is in India and being able to
find it using maps or globes.
The teaching of core knowledge underpins children’s learning about the world PGQM 1e
Year Two
Context
Work as part of the mapping skills improvement plan.
They describe physical and human features of places, and recognise and make observations about those features that give places their character.
AT2
Core knowledge: knowing specific
vocabulary as evidenced in the key.
The teaching of core knowledge underpins children’s learning about the world PGQM 1e
Context
Work as part of ‘An Island Home’ Topic
They describe physical and human features of places.
AT2
Core knowledge: knowing names of different types of
geographical features and how to categorise
them.
Pupils are taught appropriate geographical vocabulary and knowledge about geographical features PGQM 1e Silver criteria
In effective learning contexts PGQM 1e Gold criteria
Kingmoor Nursery and Infant School GOLD 2011
Context
Work as part of the ‘An Island Home’ Topic
They are aware that different places may have both similar and different
characteristics.
AT3
Core knowledge: Knowing where these places are and
using appropriate vocabulary to compare
characteristics.
The teaching of core knowledge underpins children’s learning about the world PGQM 1e
Kingmoor Nursery and Infant School GOLD 2011
Year two visited Morrisons to look at the produce section and where the food had travelled from.
They had to find out which they thought had travelled the furthest and show where it was on a map.
Locational, (local – global) world knowledge and
geographical vocabulary is taught in effective
learning contexts. (1e Gold criteria)
Locational and vocabulary knowledge is part of the
repertoire of careful teaching (1e Gold criteria)
Kingmoor Nursery and Infant School GOLD 2011
Pupils play games using outline shapes of the continents on the playground to support their knowledge of the continent names, location and relative size.
Elmwood Primary Silver 2011 (from video evidence)
The teaching of core knowledge underpins children’s learning about the world PGQM 1e
Locational, (local – global) world knowledge and
geographical vocabulary is taught in effective
learning contexts. (1e Gold criteria)
How will you evidence effective learning contexts?