Skills and concepts development for first and second classes

The geographical skills and concepts below will be developed as work is completed on the strands and strand units of the curriculum.

A sense of place and space

Through completing the strand units of the geography curriculum the child should be enabled to

A sense of place

• explore and come to know some of the distinctive human and natural features of the locality
  people living and working in the area
  homes and other buildings, natural features
• develop an awareness of people and places in other areas

A sense of space

• discuss and record the relative location of familiar human and natural features in the locality
  in simple language (e.g. near, in front of, at the corner)
  in simple drawings, plans, maps and models
• discuss and record simply journeys to and from places in the immediate environment and beyond
  home, homes of relatives and friends
  play spaces, shops and other significant buildings
  major urban area, sports ground, holiday locations
• give and follow simple directions to places in the immediate environment
  places in the school building and playground.

Maps, globes and graphical skills

Through completing the strand units of the geography curriculum the child should be enabled to

Using pictures, maps and globes

• record areas in the immediate environment and places in stories using simple picture maps, models and other methods
  my room, my home, its surroundings
  my way to school and shops
  imagined areas (e.g. a route in a story such as 'Little Red Riding Hood')
• explore the outlines and plans of small everyday items
  small objects such as pencil case or box
  model buildings from toy farm or train set
• develop some awareness of maps and if possible aerial photographs of limited areas in the locality
• explore directions in the classroom using simple signpost maps
• identify land and sea on maps and globes
• use maps of Ireland and the globe to develop an awareness of other places.

Geographical investigation skills

Through completing the strand units of the geography curriculum the child should be enabled to

Questioning

• ask questions about natural and human features in the immediate environment
  What animals and plants live here?
  What has changed since I was last here?

Observing

• observe, compare and discuss natural and human features in the local environment
  colours and textures in the built environment
  different plants and animals in contrasting environments

Predicting

• suggest outcomes of an investigation, based on observations
  suggest when water in river will be muddy

Investigating and experimenting

• carry out simple investigations and collect information from a variety of sources
  direct observations in the environment
  classroom investigations
  books, information and communication technologies, other media

Estimating and measuring

• begin to use simple methods to estimate, measure and compare observations
  use non-standard units of length to measure distances
  use balance to compare weights of samples collected

Analysing

• sort and group people, features, events and natural phenomena
  the people who work in shops, offices or factories
  living things on the seashore, on the farm or in the park
• begin to look for and recognise patterns and relationships in the environment
  connection between dark clouds and rainfall
  links between homes of people and climate
• draw conclusions from simple investigations

Recording and communicating

• describe and discuss observations orally using an expanding vocabulary
• represent findings pictorially or using other media
  friezes, pictograms, information and communication technologies.

Strand: Human environments

Strand unit: Living in the local community

The child should be enabled to

My family and community

• explore and discuss his/her role and that of others in the family, school and local community
• become aware of and learn to value the diversity of people who live in the local community and the contribution they make
• begin to recognise the interdependence of individuals and groups in the local community
  people we rely on to bring us food and other things
  ways in which we can help others in the community
• develop some awareness of people living in other areas and of the links between them and the local community
  people encountered in stories, pictures, on television

Homes and shelter

• recognise that people live in a variety of homes
• describe his/her home, its location and surroundings
• record some of these features using simple drawings, plans, displays, models and sketches
• investigate materials used to construct homes and identify materials of local origin
• discuss and record simply journeys to and from homes
• develop an awareness and appreciation of different types of homes in the locality and in other areas
  houses, farmhouses, cottages, apartments, flats, caravans, trailers, mobile homes, homes in shanty towns
• develop an awareness of homelessness
  

Integration
SPHE: Myself and the wider world
Integration
Science: Materials; Designing and making

People at work

• investigate the work of people in a range of locations in the locality
  home, schools and youth clubs
  shops, offices, factories, farms
  garda station, hospital, health centre
  hotels, restaurants, centres for visitors
• investigate the work of people involved in transport and communications
• discuss and record simply the buildings and places where people work, especially those in the locality
• discuss and record simply journeys to workplaces
• become aware of the work of people in other areas who supply food and other products to us

People at play

• appreciate the roles of people who help at play
  family and friends
  dance teachers and drama teachers
  park-keepers, attendants
  youth leaders and sports coaches
• describe location and features of play spaces
  at home, at school, in the locality and in other places
• discuss, and record simply, journeys to and from play spaces.

Integration
SPHE: Myself and the wider world
Integration
SPHE: Myself and the wider world

Strand unit: People and places in other areas

The child should be enabled to

• become familiar with some aspects of the lives of people and especially of children in Ireland, Europe and other areas
  peoples and communities
  needs of people for food, shelter and clothes
  school, play and work
  games, songs and customs, festivals and feasts
  environments in which people live
  adapting to environments
  use of local building materials (e.g. thatch, slate, stone in walls, road surfaces, etc.)
• appreciate ways in which people in different areas depend on one another and on people living in other parts of the world.
  

Integration
SPHE: Myself and the wider world
History: Story

Strand: Natural environments

Strand unit: The local natural environment

The child should be enabled to

• identify, explore and discuss aspects of some major natural features in the local environment
  aspects such as
  names, location, appearance, flora and
  fauna
  of features such as
  hill, mountain, bog, moor, river, lake, bay,
  beach or headland
• observe, discuss and investigate water in the locality
  observe and record relationship between rainfall, puddles, drains and streams
  investigate how water can move materials of different sizes and weights in simple experiments, in streams and at the sea
  learn about water and its uses
• observe, collect and investigate a variety of natural materials in the local environment
  collect and examine soil, mud, sand, pebbles, stones and rocks
  compare and contrast samples and group them into broad sets (e.g. sand, stones, plant material)
  investigate qualities of materials (e.g. hard or soft, colour, texture, wet or dry)
  recognise that soils and rocks are habitats for living things such as worms, lichens, barnacles
• record and communicate experiences and observations using simple drawings, plans, displays, models and sketches.
  

Integration
Science: Living things; Materials

Strand unit: Weather

The child should be enabled to

• observe and record varying weather conditions using appropriate vocabulary and simple equipment
• begin to associate cloud cover and other conditions with different types of weather
• begin to make and test simple weather predictions
• identify ways in which weather influences the lives of people
  clothes, homes, games, farming and other work, travel
• observe and record the influences weather and seasonal changes have on people, animals and plants in the locality
• contrast weather in the locality with that in other areas.
  

Strand unit: Planet Earth in space

The child should be enabled to

• recognise the sun as a source of heat and light
• identify the sun, the moon, stars, day and night
• develop familiarity with the spherical nature of the Earth.
  

Strand: Environmental awareness and care

Strand unit: Caring for my locality

The child should be enabled to

• identify, discuss and appreciate the natural and human features of the local environment
• observe and develop an awareness of living things in a range of habitats in local and wider environments
• observe similarities and differences among plants and animals in different local habitats
• develop an awareness that air, water, soil, living and non-living things are essential to the environment
• begin to realise that people, animals and plants depend on each other
• realise that there is both an individual and a community responsibility for taking care of the environment
• identify, discuss and implement simple strategies for improving and caring for the environment
  caring for clothes, toys and other possessions
  caring for living things in the locality
  keeping home, classroom, school and play spaces clean, tidy and safe
• identify and help to implement simple strategies for protecting, conserving and enhancing the environment
  planting trees and flowers
  developing school garden
  engaging in anti-litter campaigns
• become aware of ways in which the environment can be polluted or harmed
  litter, pollution, vandalism.
  

Linkage
Many of the objectives of this strand will be achieved as children complete work in other strands of the geography curriculum.
Integration
Environmental awareness and care is a cross-curricular strand common to the geography and science curricula.
SPHE: Myself and the wider world
PE: Outdoor and adventure activities