Subject: geography
Key stage: ks3
Year: year-7
Description: This unit teaches pupils about the human and physical geography of China, how this leads to diverse lives within the country, and how it affects its power and status around the world. Pupils will learn about China's economy and how this affects its relationship with the rest of the world.
Why this, why now: China is the 2nd most populous country in the world and has the 2nd largest economy. China's influence on world affairs and its importance to global trade and the economy make it a crucial country for pupils to study. Pupils will use their knowledge from prior units on population and weather and climate to help make sense of China's human and physical geography. Learning from this unit will be used in future units on globalisation and development and will help pupils understand the interconnections that exist between and within countries.
Prior knowledge requirements: China is a large country in East Asia. China is the 2nd most populous country in the world. The capital city of China is Beijing. The Great Wall of China is one of the most famous landmarks in the world. The Yangtze and Yellow Rivers are important rivers in China. China has a diverse landscape, including mountains, deserts, and fertile plains. China has a varied climate, with different regions experiencing different weather patterns.
National curriculum content: Extend locational knowledge and deepen spatial awareness of the world’s countries using maps of the world. Extend locational knowledge of Africa, Russia, Asia (including China and India), and the Middle East, focusing on their environmental regions, including polar and hot deserts. Understand key processes of physical geography relating to weather and climate, including the change in climate from the Ice Age to the present. Understand key processes of human geography relating to population and urbanisation. Understand key processes of human geography relating to international development. Understand key processes of human geography relating to economic activity in the primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary sectors; and the use of natural resources. Understand how human and physical processes interact to influence, and change landscapes, environments and the climate; and how human activity relies on effective functioning of natural systems. Build on knowledge of globes, maps and atlases. Use Geographical Information Systems (GIS) to view, analyse and interpret places and data.
Unit lessons: