• Location and variety of coastal and ocean ecosystems
• What are coral reefs and what issues affect them
• Case study Great Barrier Reef
• The Great Pacific Garbage Patch
• Issues surrounding ocean plastics

• Mapping
• Data analysis and interpretation e.g., interpreting graphs, charts, and tables related to population data
• Critical thinking and evaluation e.g., assessing the factors influencing oceans
• Research and information gathering (e.g., gathering evidence to support arguments, extracting key information from resources)
• Communication and presentation skills (e.g., writing coherent arguments, participating in discussions and debates)
• Decision-making and problem-solving (e.g., making decisions about migration as a character, suggesting strategies to cope with population challenges)
• Literacy skills (e.g., reading and comprehending stories related to migration)

Population Fundamentals

• Definition of population
• Population density concepts
• Global population distribution
• Factors affecting population size
• Birth rates and death rates

Demographic Concepts

• Demographic Transition Model (DTM)
• Stages of demographic development
• Population structure
• Population change factors
• Population policies (e.g., China's One Child Policy)

Population Challenges

• Overpopulation issues
• Environmental impacts
• Aging populations (Case study: Japan)
• Youthful populations (Case study: Gambia)
• Population management strategies

Migration

• Push and pull factors
• Types of migration
• Refugee migration (Syrian case study)
• Economic migration (Mexico-USA case study)
• Migration decision-making
• Social and economic impacts of migration

Knowledge:

1. Definition and understanding of the term "population"
2. Factors that influence population distribution and density (e.g., geography, resources, economic opportunities)
3. The demographic transition model and how it explains population change over time
4. Reasons for changes in birth rates and death rates, including the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic
5. Issues associated with overpopulation and its effects on the planet
6. China's One Child Policy, its rationale, and its positive and negative impacts
7. The challenges associated with aging populations, using Japan as an example
8. The issues related to youthful populations, with a focus on Gambia
9. Push and pull factors that drive migration, including the story of a Syrian refugee

Geographical Skills

• Choropleth map creation and population density mapping
• Data interpretation
• Demographic analysis
• Case study application
• Comparative analysis

Analytical Skills

• Factor analysis and ranking
• Guided reading comprehension
• Impact assessment
• Decision-making exercises (population game)
• Policy evaluation

Creative Tasks

• Diary extracts
• Letter writing
• Character journeys
• Prediction exercises
• Map creation

Real World examples

• Case study analysis
• Policy evaluation
• Problem-solving tasks
• Decision-making exercises
• Impact assessment

Critical Thinking Skills

• Problem-solving
• Justifying decisions
• Evaluating impacts
• Ranking and prioritizing factors
• Suggesting solutions

Skills:

1. Mapping and spatial awareness (e.g., creating population density maps)
2. Data analysis and interpretation (e.g., interpreting graphs, charts, and tables related to population data)
3. Critical thinking and evaluation (e.g., assessing the factors influencing population change, ranking the impacts of overpopulation)
4. Research and information gathering (e.g., gathering evidence to support arguments, extracting key information from resources)
5. Communication and presentation skills (e.g., writing coherent arguments, participating in discussions and debates)
6. Decision-making and problem-solving (e.g., making decisions about migration as a character, suggesting strategies to cope with population challenges)
7. Literacy skills (e.g., reading and comprehending stories related to migration)

1. Physical Geography

• Location of tropical rainforests and deserts worldwide (Amazon, Congo Basin, Southeast Asia, etc.)
• Climate characteristics
• Rainforest structure and layers
• Climate graphs interpretation

2. Ecosystem Components

• Food webs and chains
• Knowledge of plant and animal adaptations to rainforest and desert environments
• Species interdependence
• Biodiversity concepts

3. Human Interaction

• Resource exploitation (logging, cattle ranching, mining, palm oil production)
• Palm oil production and impacts
• Sustainable development techniques (selective logging, agroforestry, forest reserves)
• Indigenous peoples' use of rainforest and deserts
• Ecotourism
• Survival techniques

4. Environmental Issues

• Deforestation impacts
• Sustainability concepts
• Conservation methods
• Resource management
• Environmental protection
• Development challenges

1. Physical Geography

• Location of tropical rainforests and deserts worldwide (Amazon, Congo Basin, Southeast Asia, etc.)
• Climate characteristics
• Rainforest structure and layers
• Climate graphs interpretation

2. Ecosystem Components

• Food webs and chains
• Knowledge of plant and animal adaptations to rainforest and desert environments
• Species interdependence
• Biodiversity concepts

3. Human Interaction

• Resource exploitation (logging, cattle ranching, mining, palm oil production)
• Palm oil production and impacts
• Sustainable development techniques (selective logging, agroforestry, forest reserves)
• Indigenous peoples' use of rainforest and deserts
• Ecotourism
• Survival techniques

4. Environmental Issues

• Deforestation impacts
• Sustainability concepts
• Conservation methods
• Resource management
• Environmental protection
• Development challenges

• 1. Water Cycle Components
• Terms like evaporation, condensation, precipitation, infiltration, transpiration, throughflow, surface runoff.
• Understanding how water moves through the cycle and affects the landscape.

1. 2. River Features & Processes

• Understanding the long profile of a river from source to mouth.
• Knowledge of fluvial processes: erosion (hydraulic action, abrasion, attrition, corrosion), transportation (traction, saltation, suspension, solution), and deposition.
• Identification of landforms: waterfalls, gorges, interlocking spurs, floodplains, meanders.
• 3. Flooding
• Causes (e.g. precipitation, geology, relief, deforestation, urbanisation, agriculture).
• Impacts of flooding (social, economic, environmental).
• Concepts of surface runoff and flood risk.

3. Coastal Geography

• Wave types: constructive vs. destructive.
• Coastal processes: erosion, transportation, deposition.
• Landforms: caves, arches, stacks, stumps.
• Importance of coasts and reasons for coastal management.

4. Coastal Management Techniques

• Difference between hard engineering (e.g. sea walls, groynes, riprap) and soft engineering (e.g. beach nourishment).
• Evaluation of different strategies based on effectiveness and impact.

1. 1. Geographical Literacy

• Use and understanding of key terms and definitions.
• Reading and interpreting diagrams, sketches, and maps.
• Constructing detailed written explanations (e.g., how a waterfall forms, impacts of flooding).

2. Analytical thinking

• Comparing features and processes (e.g., constructive vs destructive waves).
• Making connections and explaining causal relationships (e.g., how velocity affects erosion).

3. Writing and communication

• Structured report writing (e.g., coastal management letter).
• Descriptive and explanatory writing using geographical terminology.
• Creative and persuasive writing (e.g., letter to residents).

4. Decision making and evaluation

• Assessing human and physical factors influencing landscapes.
• Evaluating different options in coastal defence strategies.
• Using criteria grids to support reasoned conclusions.

5. Collaboration and Discusstion

• Participating in paired/group tasks (e.g., Think-Pair-Share).
• Presenting ideas and justifying choices.