Geography
“The study of Geography is about more than just memorizing places on a map. It’s about understanding the complexity of our world” – Barack Obama
Collaborative learning
Students choose their own topic for carrying out group projects. In groups, they need to commit in data collection and group discussion for analysing the data collected under teachers’ guidance in order to complete this annual project, the questions of which are stated below:
Secondary 1: What are the urban problems in the Kowloon City?
Secondary 2: What are the solutions to climate change?
Secondary 3: Oceans in Trouble: Conservation and Exploitation?
School-based Environmental Education Learning Programme
Our school has participated in the trial curriculum programme From Ridge to Reef supported by The Nature Conservancy and the Faculty of Education, The Chinese University of Hong Kong. Our Geography teachers discuss with the members from the two organizations to jointly produce school-based learning materials. In the module, the oyster-farming industry in Hong Kong is used to illustrate the interrelationship between oceans and human activities. Students also have a chance to participate in field trips to an oyster farm in Hong Kong, earning authentic experience of the “Oceans in Trouble” module.
5-step Fieldwork Learning
To strengthen students’ geographical enquiry skills and consolidate the knowledge learnt in the lessons, ample opportunities for fieldwork are provided to verify the geographical concepts and implement the 5 steps involved in geographical exploratory learning. Senior form students go on at least 3 rounds of fieldwork where they gain hands-on experience in fieldwork skills, including data collection and interpretation, which are essential to geographical education.
Three-step lesson worksheets
School-based learning packages are developed to provide updated examples and information for enquiry-based learning.
The learning materials are designed in a ‘sandwich’ structure. In each unit, students complete guided pre-lesson tasks to preview the upcoming learning tasks. The main body of the learning materials are designed in a Q & A structure. During class students refer to the information and data relevant to the learning topic in order to undergo enquiry-based learning. At the end, unit summaries in the format of different graphic organizers are constructed to consolidate the key concepts.
Reading to Learn
Our school places much emphasis on the students’ reading abilities and habits. Therefore, the learning materials and assignments are designed with plentiful text-based materials. Teachers adopt IPO model (Input-process-output) to analyze the selected passages related to the Geography curriculum.
Input: Teachers select and adapt newspaper articles, reports and online texts with reference to the teaching content.
Process: Students read the adapted texts under the guidance and scaffolding from the teachers to grasp the geographical knowledge from the texts.
Output: Questions regarding the texts are provided for students to show their understanding.
Thematic Talk and Exhibition
A talk on urban renewal in Hong Kong was delivered by a speaker from the Planning Department. This talk helped students understand more about urban renewal in Hong Kong, which is a core topic in our curriculum of both the junior secondary (using urban space wisely) and the senior secondary (building a sustainable city).
ECF Coastal Conservation @ Hong Kong UNESCO Global GeoPark
Our Geography students set up a booth featuring games and an exhibition, promoting marine conservation at school.
Competitions and Extended Activities
Highflyers in Geography will be nominated for enrichment activities. Our teachers provide adequate support and training for these competitions and activities for knowledge application. The following are some of the activities our students joined:
Youth Geological Conservation Ambassador organized by the NWS Hong Kong Geo Wonder Hikes
Having learnt the concepts of geo-conservation through lectures and field trips, our students completed a proposal on how to promote geo-conservation and geo-tourism.
UNESCO Sustainability Education Programme:
This activity is jointly supported by the Liberal Studies Department and Geography Department. Our students, in groups, visited the organic farms and conducted enquiry projects on sustainable agriculture in Hong Kong.
UNESCO Hong Kong “Global Citizenship Education” Project
Our students paid a visit to the Jockey Club Museum of Climate Change in the CUHK and Fanling Environmental Resource Centre to learn the updates of the climate change. With the knowledge learnt, they wrote a script about the theme and created a video for the competition.
“Weather Observation Competition 2019” organized by “Ho Koon Nature Education cum Astronomical Centre”
Some weather photos were taken while a written report was submitted.
Visit
Our school organizes a number of guided visits to enrich student’s geographical concepts outside the classroom. S4 students visited Blue House, Wan Chai to understand the practice of urban renewal in Hong Kong. Through the guided visit, students gain more insights on the conflicts between urban redevelopment and preservation, which consolidates their understanding of the topic about building a sustainable city.
The University of Hong Kong
- Ms Wong Siu Ling had a professional sharing at the University of Hong Kong in 2017 onthe implementation of the language across curriculum approach.
The Chinese University of Hong Kong
- Our department collaborated with the Faculty of Education on fieldwork learning.
- We discussed the fieldwork teaching plans with the professors of the Faculty, who also assisted in leading our students in the farming fieldwork in Fung Kat Heung and urban fieldwork in Tuen Mun. It was also an opportunity for professional conversations between teachers and professors.