| aerial | literally from the air; used to describe the view from above, for example an aerial perspective |
| aerial photograph | a photograph taken from an elevated position, usually from an aircraft but also from a satellite; may be oblique or vertical |
| align | see orientate |
| altitude | distance above average (mean) sea level |
| anemometer | an instrument for measuring (and recording) wind speed |
| Antarctic Circle | the parallel of latitude at 66.5° S (see latitude) |
| Arctic Circle | the parallel of latitude at 66.5° N (see latitude) |
| aspect | the direction in which something faces; often used to describe sloping land or a building in relation to the sun |
| atmosphere | the layer of gases (mainly nitrogen, 78% and oxygen, 21%) surrounding the Earth |
| atmospheric pressure | the pressure exerted by the weight of the atmosphere on the Earth's surface, decreasing with height above sea level and varying with weather conditions; may be measured with a barometer and expressed as inches, millibars or hectopascals of pressure
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| barometer | an instrument for measuring atmospheric pressure |
| Beaufort scale | scale of wind speed ranging from 0 (calm) to 12 (hurricane, over 120 km/h) devised by Sir Francis Beaufort in 1805 |
| built | constructed by humans; for example, built features in the landscape may include items such as buildings, roads, railway lines, fields, walls or power lines; a built environment is composed largely or solely of features constructed by people |
| cardinal points | the four main points of the compass, north, east, south, west |
| cirrus | see cloud types |
| climate | the average weather conditions experienced in a particular region over a lengthy period, the minimum being 30 years |
| clinometer | an instrument for measuring the angle of elevation of a slope |
| cloud cover | the estimated fraction of the sky covered in cloud, usually expressed in eighths (okta) |
| cloud types | terms used to classify clouds by form, by height and by whether they are rain-bearing or not; primary school children may be introduced to the three main forms, viz. cirrus (feathery), stratus (sheet or layer), cumulus (heaped) |
| cognitive map | a mental map or stored image of a place |
| contour | an imaginary line joining all points of equal height above or below sea level; this line when drawn on a map |
| core | the central part of the Earth |
| crust | the outer layer of the Earth |
| cultural environment | artistic, religious, ethnic, scientific, technological and recreational activities are aspects of cultural environments |
| culture | beliefs, behaviour and overall way of life shared by a group of people; a network or system of beliefs, ideas, symbols, values, behaviour and social relations together with its tools, buildings, works of art and other forms of artistic expression transmitted from one generation to the next |
| cumulus | see cloud types |
| deposition | the laying down of material which has been eroded and transported; for example, material eroded by a river may be deposited in a delta, rock eroded by the sea may be deposited as a beach |
| developed area/world | economically prosperous area or region |
| developing area/world | an area or region developing economic prosperity; often regarded as the converse of developed area |
| dispersed settlement | a pattern of settlement in which homes or other buildings are scattered rather than grouped together |
| ecosystem | a system formed by all organisms and their interactions with each other and with their physical environment; for example, the ecosystem of a hedgerow would include the soil, plants, insects and other animals, their interdependencies and interrelationships |
| electronic sources | sources of information including CD-ROMs, computer disks, on-line sources (such as those available via e-mail and the internet) and all other forms of information and communication technologies (ICT) |
| environment | the total surroundings or external conditions within which people, animals and plants live |
| Equator | the great circle of the Earth with a latitude of 0°, lying equidistant from the poles |
| erosion | the wearing away of rock or other surfaces, caused by the action of running water, ice, wind, wave action or by chemical processes; erosion involves both the breaking off of material and its removal |
| ethnic group | a group within a larger population distinguished by traits such as common geographical origins, language, culture or religious traditions |
| graphicacy | one of the four methods by which people communicate information (literacy, numeracy, oracy, graphicacy); the ability to record, communicate and interpret spatial and other information through the use of methods which do not rely primarily on verbal or numerical means; graphicacy involves the use of maps, plans, diagrams, photographs, models,globes, electronic displays and other methods |
| graphical | relating to graphicacy |
| grid | a system of parallel lines intersecting at right angles and producing a series of squares on a map so as to facilitate the description of each point within the squares by the use of co-ordinates or grid references; on simple maps an alphanumeric grid system having the vertical axis marked A, B, C etc. and the horizontal axis numbered 1, 2, 3 etc. will produce grid references such as 4A and 2C |
| iconic | in pictorial form; used to describe elements of a child's map, perhaps houses or trees, which are drawn in pictorial form in contrast to elements such as paths or roads which appear in true plan form |
| igneous rock | rock which has been formed by the solidification of molten rock material or magma; for example, granite and basalt are igneous rocks |
| key | an explanation of the symbols, shading and colours used on a map |
| landform | the shape, form and nature of a feature on the surface of the earth, for example a hill, mountain, beach |
| landscape | the total surface form of any rural or urban area, including both natural and human features |
| large-scale map | a map showing a small area on which features appear in great detail; the larger the scale the greater the detail which may be shown but the smaller the area of land depicted |
| latitude | distance north or south of the Equator measured as an angle with the centre of the Earth in degrees, the Equator being 0°, the North Pole 90° N and the South Pole 90° S; lines of latitude are parallel to the Equator and are therefore called parallels of latitude; see Equator, Tropic of Cancer, Tropic of Capricorn, Arctic Circle, Antarctic Circle |
| lava | molten rock or magma that issues from a volcano or fissure on the Earth's surface |
| location factor | a factor or consideration which encourages people to establish homes, work-places or other features in a particular place; for example, the availability of good transport links might be a location factor for an industry |
| longitude | the angular distance east or west of the Prime Meridian (i.e. the line of longitude running through Greenwich, near London) measured in degrees; all meridians of longitude meet at the North and South Poles and intersect parallels of latitude at right angles |
| magma | semi-molten rock found beneath the crust of the Earth |
| mantle | the part of the Earth lying between the core and the crust |
| meridian | a line of longitude |
| metamorphic rock | rock which has been derived from pre-existing rock which was altered by the application of heat and/or pressure; for example, marble is a metamorphic rock formed when limestone is subjected to heat and pressure |
| nucleated settlement | a cluster of dwellings or other buildings |
| oblique aerial photograph | a photograph taken from an aircraft or satellite with the camera pointing down at an angle rather than vertically; the photograph produced combines aspects of the ground view with those of the true plan so that buildings and other features are much more readily identified |
| orientate | set or align a map so that a north-south line on the map is parallel to the north-south line on the ground; for young children the orientation of maps and plans of small areas will involve linking real places to their representations on the map |
| parallel | a line of latitude |
| phenomena | events that can be studied and/or explained scientifically; for example, weather phenomena could include rainfall, a storm, a rise in temperature or the formation of clouds |
| plates of the crust | the large and rigid elements which make up the crust of the Earth; these plates may move slowly in relation to one another |
| primary industry | an activity directly concerned with the collection or use of natural resources; for example farming, fishing, hunting and mining (see secondary industry and service industry) |
| primary product | a product of a primary industry |
| Prime Meridian | the line of longitude which passes through Greenwich, near London; other lines of longitude are measured in degrees east or west of this meridian |
| process | a continuous change made up of a series of actions or events; for example, natural processes include erosion and deposition while processes such as settlement, migration and trading will be encountered in human geography |
| remotely sensed image | an image obtained using remote sensing |
| remote sensing | a means of obtaining information about a feature or phenomenon at a distance from it and without physical contact with it; for example, information might be obtained from sensors on aircraft (as in an aerial photograph) or a satellite (as in satellite images showing land use or temperature) |
| resource (natural) | a feature of the environment (such as minerals, fossil fuels, soils or climate) which may be used in order to meet human need; renewable resources are naturally replenished (e.g. solar energy, rainfall) while nonrenewable resources are finite and so their exploitation will lead to their exhaustion (e.g. fossil fuels and minerals) |
| secondary industry | the processing of raw materials or foodstuffs; the making of articles or materials by physical labour or mechanical power (see primary industry and service industry) |
| sedimentary rock | rock formed from layers of sediment which have resulted from the breakdown of other rocks or organic material and the deposition of the debris in environments such as deep oceans and seas; for example, sandstone and chalk are sedimentary rocks |
| service industry | distributive trades (for example retailing and wholesaling), financial, commercial and educational institutions, transport and communications, professions and personal services, public administration and defence, construction, repair and maintenance services; often used as an index of development for groups of people in that it indicates their stages of economic advancement (see primary industry and secondary industry) |
| set | see orientate |
| settlement | any form of human habitation, varying from a single dwelling to the largest cities; the process which gives rise to settlements |
| signpost map | a plan indicating the direction to various objects or locations from a central point; for example, a signpost map might have a child's desk at its centre, from which arrows could radiate to indicate the direction to objects within the room |
| small-scale map | a map showing a large area on which features are represented in less detail; the smaller the scale the less detail which may be shown but the larger the area of land depicted |
| social environment | patterns of human behaviour, the social institutions developed by people, and the political and economic systems which they utilise are aspects of social environments |
| stratus | see cloud types |
| streetscape | the impression made on the senses (primarily visual) by the human and natural features of an urban area |
| sustainable development | the prudent and rational use of natural and human resources so as to maintain, protect and improve the quality of the environment for present and future generations |
| topography | the description of the surface features of a place |
| Tropic of Cancer | the parallel of latitude at 23.5° N |
| Tropic of Capricorn | the parallel of latitude at 23.5° S |
| Tropics | the area between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn |
| vertical aerial photograph | a photograph taken from an aircraft or satellite with the camera pointing down vertically; objects at the centre of the resulting photograph are shown in true plan form |
| weathering | the process by which rocks are decomposed or disintegrated by exposure (at or near the Earth's surface) to water, the atmosphere and organic matter; weathering is concerned with the breakdown of rocks, while erosion involves weathering and the transport away of the resulting rock debris |
| windrose | a graphic representation showing the frequency of winds blowing from the eight chief points of the compass |
This curriculum has been pre p a red by the Curriculum Committee for Social, Environmental and Scientific Education established by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment.
| Chairpersons | Michael Dee | Irish National Teachers' Organisation |
| | Angela Griffin (from 1995) | Irish National Teachers' Organisation |
| | Helen Kennedy-Martin
(to 1995) | Irish National Teachers' Organisation |
| Committee members | Br Thomas Costello | Teaching Brothers' Association / Association of Primary Teaching Sisters |
| | Peadar Cremin | Management of Colleges of Education |
| | Margie Cullen | National Parents Council -- Primary |
| | Marie Danaswamy (to 1995) | National Parents Council -- Primary |
| | Teresa Farry (from 1996) | Irish National Teachers' Organisation |
| | David Fitzgerald | Catholic Primary School Managers' Association |
| | Henry Goff | Irish National Teachers' Organisation |
| | Angela Griffin | Irish National Teachers' Organisation |
| | Kathleen Horgan (to 1996) | Irish National Teachers' Organisation |
| | Jim Hourihane | Irish Federation of University Teachers |
| | Siobhán Hurley | Irish Federation of University Teachers |
| | Helen Kennedy-Martin | Irish National Teachers' Organisation |
| | Frankie McGrath (to 1995) | Irish National Teachers' Organisation |
| | James Malseed | Church of Ireland General Synod Board of Education |
| | Sheelagh Morrow | Church of Ireland General Synod Board of Education |
| | Patrick Murchan | Catholic Primary School Managers' Association |
| | Éamonn Ó Breacáin | Department of Education and Science |
| | Tomás Ó Briain | Irish National Teachers' Organisation |
| | Colm Ó Ceallacháin | Department of Education and Science |
| | Micheál Ó Cinnéide
(from 1995) | National Parents' Council -- Primary |
| | Micheál Ó Mathúna | Department of Education and Science |
| | Sr Mairéad Rabbitte | Association of Primary Teaching Sisters / Teaching Brothers' Association |
| | Brian Tubbert | Irish National Teachers' Organisation |
| Education officers | Harold Hislop | |
| | Carmel O'Doherty | |
To co-ordinate the work of the Curriculum Committees, the Primary Co-ordinating Committee was established by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment.