Geography - St Joseph School, Blata l-Bajda

Geography SOW - Form 1 St Joseph School Blata l-Bajda 2014-2015
Book: Nelson Key Geography foundations 5 th edition by David Waugh and Tony Bushell
Teaching Block 1: Introduction & Exploring Malta
(approx. 12 weeks + test week)
Lesson Title Objectives Lesson Details
Introduction
Observe, record
and forecast the
local weather
To introduce
students to
Geography
To help students
understand the
difference
between Human
and Physical
Geography
Provide resources
for the students to
observe, record
and forecast local
weather
Basic needs for Geography Lessons
Intro to Geography – Pictures are shown and students need to answer questions for each picture.
Intro to Physical vs Human Geography
Notes on what is geography and difference between physical and human geography. Exercises are done
through handouts given.
Game:
In pairs students have to rise a flashcard either ‘Human’ or ‘Physical, according to what keyword is called.
- Use media weather forecast to understand simple pictorial weather symbols and variations in weather
across different countries.
- In groups they will observe the weather present and produce a report for the day by looking out the
classroom window. Encourage the use of terms: windy, clear, dry, mild, cloudy, thunderstorm, etc.
- In groups, they will explore the different instruments (anemometer, wind vane, rain gauge,
thermometer, Stevenson Screen). They have to examine instrument (or via internet research), identify
what it measure, what units of measurements are used and how it works.
- Prepare students to do a report for a whole week.
- Introduction to climate graphs.
- They need to describe and explain how annual variations in temp and rainfall may influence human
activities.
- Practice plotting and interpreting simple climate graphs.

Geography SOW - Form 1 St Joseph School Blata l-Bajda 2014-2015
Lesson Title Objectives Lesson Details
- Watch the animation of Sea of Tethys, students comment on size of Mediterranean over span of time.
- Exploring and learning more about the different five Maltese rock layers using different resources
Sedimentary
Rocks
Karst Features
created by water
Help students
discover the
characteristics of
the geological
formation of the
Maltese Islands
Encourage students
to explore the
karstic features
created by water as
it flows through
permeable rocks
- The teacher explains the terms associated with sedimentary rock (strata; bedding planes, fossils,
horizontal layers, youngest layer, oldest layer).
- Through the use of flashcards or interactive whiteboard they find out the sequence of 5 layers and main
characteristics.
- Information through powerpoint presentation on the different rocks.
- In groups students example general and geological maps of Malta to find out the surface rock at given
locations. They will associate the type of soils which one can find at these given locations.
- Information about Soil and its conservation locally.
- Show Postojna Caves. Discuss how various features seeing in view might have been formed (erosion,
deposition, length to form, made of).
- They will be asked to draw their imaginary cave including stalactites, stalagmites, underground lakes,
pillars and pot holes. They will then share with each other their cave, like giving a tour (in pairs).
- Explanation of the difference between porous, permeable and impermeable rocks.
- Students are asked to research a famous cave using internet providing list (Lascaux caves, Castellana
caves, Postojna Caves, Cheddar caves, Carlsbad Caverns) and appropriate websites. Each group will
have to compile a fact file on cave in question and download images and write simple captions under
each photo. Each group will share his findings with the rest of the class.
- Summary: project images of features on interactive whiteboard and students have to identify features
by dragging and inputting correct geo terms next to feature. Also can draw annotated diagrams and
explain the process of how each feature was formed.

Geography SOW - Form 1 St Joseph School Blata l-Bajda 2014-2015
OUTING Options 1st term:
- Museum of Natural History in Mdina and/or Limestone Heritage
Teaching Block 2: Exploring Malta (1)
(approx. 14 weeks + 2 exam weeks)
Topic: Settlements and Transport (Exploring Malta 2)
Lesson Title Objectives Activities
Towns and
villages in Malta
Help students
identify the
location and
characteristics of
large towns and
villages in Malta
- Provide different images of various settlements (Mdina, Sliema, Zurrieq, Marsaxlokk, Mgarr, Mellieha,
Victoria, Xaghra). In pairs they have to name the localities and classify under rural, urban, hamlet,
village, town, coastal, inland.
- Flash cards/powerpoint with main characteristics and functions of settlements are provided, and
students have to classify the photos according to rural or urban. Then they will locate these settlements
on given outline map of Malta.
- In groups they have to list as many localities as the can recall from Maltese Islands. Then each group
with a Maltese map and they have to explore these places listed.
- Then present to each group a task (e.g. devise a route for a group of tourist arriving at Malta with a
cruise liner to visit Blue Grotto).
- Google earth can be used to zoom on most important towns In Malta and Gozo. By their shape the
students categorise the settlements under the different settlement patterns namely linear, nucleated,
planned, unplanned shape. Simple sketch maps of these settlements to be done.
- This can help in population and changes http://www.citypopulation.de/

Geography SOW - Form 1 St Joseph School Blata l-Bajda 2014-2015
Traffic:
problems and
solutions
Traffic (optional
lesson)
Present problems
of traffic flow and
congestion in urban
areas so that
students may
suggest possible
solutions
Practice presenting
information,
plotting graphs and
discussing on
changes
- Show a ‘spaghetti junction’ and then students discuss in pairs why roads and other transport routes are
geographically important as means of communication. Also to realise that movement of people and
goods has caused numerous problems.
- Class is arranged in small teams. Present images of problems caused by traffic congestion in urban
areas (traffic jams, accidents, exhaust fumes, lack of parking areas). Students discuss the problems and
encourage finding out the causes for such problems (narrow roads, too many cars, on-street parking,
rush hour traffic, dirty fuels). Each group is to list some of the causes leading to traffic problems in
towns and the problem these are creating (use images and captions to enhance chart).
- This game can be of help to make sense http://www.its.umn.edu/GridlockBuster/
- Let students discuss how such a new public transport system can help reduce congestion and pollution
on roads. Present each group with two possible solutions how traffic problems can be solved (e.g. Cars
will not be allowed to park in city centres; building an underground railway similar to that of London;
introduce parking meters in city centres; drastically reduce bus fares; reduce parking spaces in city
centres; easy wheelchair and pram access on buses). Ask students to discuss these solutions by seeing
the advantages and disadvantages and then lead a class discussion. Finally students are to make a
summary of discussion.
- Students in groups will do surveys about traffic and then in class they will produce simple report, enter
date in table form, produce bar charts using ICT, construct traffic flow charts.
- Images are shown of traffic features (bus lanes, bicycle lanes, car parks, park and ride schemes,
flyovers, bypasses, tunnels, underground trains, traffic signs, CVA). Students need to suggest why such
measures are necessary to reduce traffic problems.

Geography SOW - Form 1 St Joseph School Blata l-Bajda 2014-2015
Teaching Block 3: Exploring Malta (2)
(approx. 7 weeks + 2 exam weeks)
Topic: Plans and Maps (Map Detectives)
Lesson Title Objectives Lesson Details
To get oriented
with Maltese
Islands position in
relation with
Mediterranean and
European
Countries
Location of
countries,
islands and
capital cities
To show location
and component
parts of the Maltese
Islands, and others
around
- In groups students will go through this Quiz with maps and pictures of Europe and the Mediterranean
(e.g. What country touches both Spain and Italy? Of which country is Athens the capital city?)
OR
- Locate places in Europe and/or Mediterranean. Either by:
o Flash cards: placed on maps
o Dragging on smart board
o Recognising shape of countries either on computer game or else given an outline political map of
Europe and Mediterranean and they have to colour
- Handouts about Mediterranean Countries
Drawing plans
Learning to
drawing vertical
representations
- Google Earth use to zoom on school or home
- Draw simple objects found in class, outside, etc as seen from above (windows, chairs, stairs, corridor,
trees, benches)
- Explain the need of drawing symbols, adding labels and a key.
- Handout with note on Plans and Maps
- As HW, ask them to draw a plan of a room at home including all the features discussed in class.

Geography SOW - Form 1 St Joseph School Blata l-Bajda 2014-2015
Measurement
and Scale
(Routes and
Distances on
Plans and Maps)
Help students to
draw simple routes
and measure
distances on plans
and maps
translating them to
real distances
- Provide students with atlases and wall maps to identify the various examples of scales used on various
maps – ratio, representative fraction and linear scale are identified
- Show how to represent the same scale in different ways and practice skill
- Ask students to measure straight line distances.
- Using the atlas, in groups, they measure straight and curved distances (roads and rivers) using linear
scale and representative ratio (1cm =5km) on large maps
Finding
Directions
Plans and maps are
provided for
students to find
directions
- Identify with the students from where does the sun rises and sets.
- Learn about the eight main points of compass, in Maltese and English.
- Use class to identify the different directions starting with the east. Then in groups or pair, use a map of
Malta to show some places to ask students the compass direction of one place from another.
- HW: work using directions & directions and distances
OS map
symbols and
grid reference
Help students to
locate places or
map symbols by
the use of 4-figure
grid reference
- Working in groups, students are given different images of local physical and human features, and they
will have to match the appropriate symbol.
- Explain how grid squares are identified on OS Maps by using the maps themselves.
- Students will compile co-ordinates for a number of features and locate places using the 4-figure grid
reference

Geography SOW - Form 1 St Joseph School Blata l-Bajda 2014-2015
Lesson Title Objectives Activities
- In groups. Each group will be supplied with times related to fishing (can of tuna, packet of fish fingers,
and packet of smoke salmon, restaurant menu). They will write the story of the particular fish focusing
as an introduction to the whole process of fishing including the types of fish, fishing grounds, fishing
village, tools, methods employed. OR
- Provide students with different fishing gears and have to see what they know about the fish they eat
such as names, where and how they were caught any another information. Then share with class.
Fishing
Tourism
Present various
traditional and
modern methods of
fishing around the
central
Mediterranean
Help students
explore Malta’s
main attractions as
well as benefits and
the negative
impacts of tourism
on the local
economy and
environment
- Students are provided and research different fishing methods. They share with the class and then as
whole class discuss: which method is least harmful to the environment? To the non-targeted species?
How to these fishing actions affect sustainability of the resource?
- As HW, research a species of fish (lampuki, tuna, swordfish, and octopus) by answering a set of
questions given and presenting final work on a poster.
- Teacher provides an outline map of Malta and they need to mark the fishing villages and can include
info such as no of fulltime/part time fisherman, number of fishing boats.
- Show video of tuna over-fishing in Mediterranean and explore the causes, problems and possible
solutions.
- Class debate on being in favour and not in favour of fish-farming. They first watch a video clip on fish
farming and take related points. Then they will discuss the benefits to the economy of aquaculture, the
environmental impacts or conflicts that may result. At the end the students will present a written report
giving both points of view.
- Show video clips found on the official Tourism site. Class in groups and each group will be asked to
list some physical and human attractions which appeal to tourists visiting Malta, including climate,
culture, heritage, natural landscape, diving, nightlife, hotels, etc.
- Provide groups of student with a set of resources, brochures, timetables and they have to plan a
sightseeing tour of Malta and /or Gozo for a group for European visitors for a one week stay. Aim is to
give a feel of some important places and offer various activities. Discuss with students what might be
considered important and why. [Info from tourism site of Malta, Visit Malta, Heritage Malta, Din l-art
helwa, Fondazzjoni wirt artna, nature trust]. Ask students to write up the itinerary, to show it in map
form and to justify their choices. Presentations to share with class and be as competition as the most
interesting tour.

Geography SOW - Form 1 St Joseph School Blata l-Bajda 2014-2015
- Students will be asked to list down as many jobs they can recall which are related to the tourist industry
(fully related – hotels, restaurants; indirectly related – transport, souvenir, heritage; non-related). This
will help them to conclude that tourism constitutes a large sector of Maltese economy.
- Show different images of negative impacts of the tourist industry (hotel obscuring scenic view or
breaking sky line, overcrowding on beach, rubbish bags opposite restaurant, large development project
on garigue, traffic congestion, noise in tourist areas, strain on infrastructure, impact on biodiversity)
and through role play students give their perspective from various points of view.