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humanities
Geography History
Geography
The Geography course is designed to meet the aims of the MYP and the philosophy of the MYP underlines
the subject content and the student's learning. Each year's course is divided into a number of units,
each based around a unifying theme. These themes provide close links to the areas of interaction.
Students learn to describe, classify and explain various geographical phenomena. There is ongoing reference
to the areas of interaction, particularly to Approaches to Learning and the Environment. Through project work,
both individual and in groups, students acquire research skills and develop an understanding of Homo Faber, Health
and Society and community. Cross-curricular field trips with Arts, History and Sciences and other subjects further
enhance students' learning.
| The course is designed to give students a sound and broad foundation in Geography. Students are encouraged to develop: |
| - | a sense of place and the ability to locate specific places and phenomena |
| - | an awareness and understanding of the characteristics and distribution of a selection of different environments, both physical and human |
| - | an awareness of the impacts of one's actions in the environment |
| - | an appreciation of major contemporary world issues, e.g. rapid urbanisation, differences in development between regions and environmental matters |
| - | to develop an awareness of the links between subjects, in particular the Humanities |
| - | the ability to apply geographical skills, e.g. mapping, interpretation of data |
| - | reading and plotting graphs and the presentation of the work |
| Year 7 Syllabus |
| - | a sense of place and the ability to locate specific places and phenomena |
| - | Sense of place: local, national, international |
| - | Map work: drawing maps, basic interpretation of ordnance survey maps |
| - | Settlements: growth of settlements, land use in towns and cities, shopping patterns |
| - | Changes in the landscape: identification of features that are the result of weathering, erosion and deposition |
| - | the ability to apply geographical skills, e.g. mapping, interpretation of data |
| - | Water: the hydrological cycle, the drainage basin, rivers and their main features, floods |
| - | Earthquakes and volcanoes: where they occur and why, their effects on man |
| Year 8 Syllabus |
| - | Weather: aspects of the weather, measuring and recording the weather, factors that influence the weather |
| - | Climate: factors that influence climate, climates in Europe, how climates affect our lives |
| - | Ecosystems: what is an ecosystem? the locations of the main ecosystems, tropical Rainforest, Savannah |
| - | World population: distribution and density, natural population growth, population structures and the relationship with development, migration |
| - | Energy: renewable and non-renewable sources, fossil fuels, alternative fuel sources |
| Year 9 Syllabus |
| - | Regional differences within Europe, both from a human and a physical perspective, comparison of France, the Netherlands and Italy, the development and the role of the EU |
| - | Issues development in the world; worldwide differences in socio-economic development, causes and effects, Ghana as a case study |
| - | Globalisation of the world, impact on the development and our own lives, the role of TNC's and the WTO, issues of fair trade |
| - | Tourism, worldwide and locally, effects on ecosystems and cultures, the role of tourism in (sustainable) development |
History
| Year 7 History concentrates on ancient civilisations: Egyptian, Greek and Roman. Before starting the Egyptian part of the course students are given a short introduction, "History and the tools of History," which presents prehistory and some of the skills needed to do well in this subject. The following aspects of the civilisations are covered: |
| - | Culture and Religion |
| - | Everyday Life |
| - | Art and Architecture |
| - | Government |
The course is prepared to fit the aims of MYP. This attempts to give students
a clear understanding of life in ancient times and to comprehend their importance
today. At the same time, students should gain an understanding of the skills required
of a historian. They compare and contrast the civilisations they study and become aware
of the sources of information available to those who want to understand the past. Links
are made to other subjects, especially Geography and Art. Areas of Interaction (AOI) are
all covered with special emphasis on ATL and Homo Faber.
| The Year 8 course follows chronologically from Year 7's Ancient Civilisations. This helps students develop their understanding of the MYP theme of "Time". The following topics are studied: |
| - | The fall of the Roman Empire |
| - | Saxons and Vikings |
| - | The Arab world in the middle ages |
| - | Life and Death in Medieval Europe |
| - | Voyages of Discovery and Exploration |
Building on the work completed in Year 7 a more analytical approach
is adopted to develop the students' skills help them form their own
opinions on historical issues. The civilisations covered are examined
in depth to build an understanding of similarity and difference and
sources of information are analysed in depth to introduce the concepts
of reliability and usefulness when dealing with evidence.
Links are again made to other subjects with cross-curricular projects and a field trip
to a reconstructed Saxon village. AOI such as Health and Environment are developed.
| The chronological approach continues in Year 9. Key topics of study are: |
| - | The Renaissance |
| - | Reformation |
| - | The French Revolution |
| - | The Industrial Revolution |
In Year 9 skills gained in the previous two years are developed further with an evidence-based approach
to the subjects. Cause & Consequence and Continuity & Change are key areas for the first two areas. For
the final two, analysis of sources and the ability to develop a well argued and supported opinion is
important as many students begin preparation for MYP Year 10. The impact of the topics covered on modern
society is also discussed. Links are made to how these events affected life in the Netherlands and how
the Netherlands contributed to The Renaissance and Reformation.
Links are made to science throughout this year and areas of interaction include Community
and Service and Health. A project based on a field trip to Waterloo prepares students for
more advanced assignments of this kind that may be faced in later years.
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