Geography is a compulsory subject at Junior Cycle and is a very popular option at Senior Cycle
Geography is defined as the study of places and the relationships between people and their environments. Geographers explore both the physical properties of Earth's surface and the human societies spread across it.
Junior Certificate Curriculum
1st - 3rd Year
The Junior Certificate classes consist of a maximum of 30 students per class and are mixed ability.
The timetable consists of three single class periods per week.
Core Syllabus:
The syllabus is presented in three sections, each based on a broad theme:
A. The Human Habitat – Processes and Change
1. The Earth’s Surface: Shaping the Crust
2. The Restless Atmosphere: The Heat Engine
3. The Workings of our Life Support System
B. Population, Settlement Patterns and Urbanisation
1. Population - Distribution Diversity and Change
2. People on the Move
3. Settlement: Changing Patterns in Where We Live – Villages and Towns
4. Urbanisation: Changing Patterns in Where we Live – Cities
C. Patterns in Economic Activity
1. Primary Economic Activities: The Earth as a Resource
2. Secondary Economic Activities: Building Resources into Products
3. Tertiary Economic Activities: Facilitating Our Use of Resources
4. Economic Inequality: The Earth’s Resources – Who Benefits?
PRACTICAL SKILLS FOR GEOGRAPHY AT JUNIOR CYCLE
Map Interpretation (Being able to work with small scale and Ordnance Survey maps)
Figure Interpretation (Being able to comprehend and analyse information provided in the form of figures)
Photograph Analysis (Being able to interpret photographs including aerial (vertical & oblique) and satellite photographs)
Numerical Skills and calculation (Being able to understand information in numerical form and carry out simple calculations based on such information)
Picture Interpretation (Being able to understand information provided in the form of pictures and cartoons)
Figure Drawing (Being able to depict written or statistical information in the form of figures) –
Map Drawing (Being able to draw and sketch detailed maps)
Fieldwork/Street work (Being able to collect record and evaluate information gained out of the classroom)
Junior Certificate Examination
The students are examined at both Higher and Ordinary level.
This paper is 2 hours long and consists of two parts
Section 1 consists of 20 short questions
Section 2 consists of 5 long questions; students are expected to answer 3
Material Used
New Geo Textbook by Edco
New Geo Supplementary Workbook by Edco
All students are asked to have a hardback notebook which they will use for the 3 years
1 class copy
Folders & Polly pockets will also be needed
Aerial Photographs and Ordnance Survey Maps are provided
Colours and rulers are expected.
Leaving Certificate Curriculum
5th and 6th Year
The Leaving Certificate classes consist of maximum 30 students per class and are mixed ability.
The timetable consists of 5 class periods per week.
Core Syllabus:
The syllabus is presented in the form of core, elective, and optional areas of study
There is a compulsory practical field study at leaving certificate level.
The structure of the syllabus has a clear differentiation between Higher and Ordinary levels.
Ordinary level students are required to study:
Core Unit 1 Patterns and processes in the physical environment
Core Unit 2 Regional geography
Core Unit 3 Geographical Investigation and Skills
Elective Unit 4 Patterns and processes in economic activities
Or
Elective Unit 5 Patterns and processes in the human environment
Higher level students are required to study:
Core Unit 1 Patterns and processes in the physical environment
Core Unit 2 Regional geography
Core Unit 3 Geographical Investigation and Skills
Elective Unit 4 Patterns and processes in economic activities
Or
Elective Unit 5 Patterns and processes in the human environment
One of the following four optional areas of study
Optional Unit 6 Global interdependence
Optional Unit 7 Geoecology
Optional Unit 8 Culture and identity
Optional Unit 9 The atmosphere—ocean Environment
THE APPLICATION OF SKILLS AT ORDINARY LEVEL
Leaving Certificate Examination
Assessment will take the form of a written examination and a report on the geographical investigation.
There will be a separate written examination for Higher and for Ordinary level students.
The terminal written examination will have an assessment weighting of 80%.
The report on the geographical investigation will have an assessment weighting of 20%.
The Paper is 2 hours and 50 minutes
The written examination will consist of questions requiring short answers and multi-part questions requiring more developed answers.
Longer essay-style discursive answers will be required only in the optional units at Higher Level.
The report on the geographical investigation will be assessed outside of the terminal written examination and is submitted during the final year (April)
Material Used
Horizons Textbook by Folens
Elective and Option Books (Class Teacher)
All students are asked to have a hardback notebook which they will use for the 2 years
1 class copy
Folders & Polly pockets will also be needed
Aerial Photographs and Ordnance Survey Maps are provided
Colours and rulers are expected.
For the Future
Some Careers in geography
Cartographer.
Environmental consultant.
Geographical information systems GIS.
Town planner/development surveyor.
Meteorology
Geology
Teaching
Climatology
Civil Engineering
Archaeology
Central Statistics Officer/ERSI
Armed Services – Army & Navy
Architecture
Journalism
Marketing
Agriculture
Travel Agent/Tour Guide
Politics
Some Useful links
Scoilnet https://www.scoilnet.ie/
Studyclix https://studyclix.ie/
Irish Independent http://www.independent.ie/
Central Statistics Office http://www.cso.ie/en/index.html
Ordance Survey Ireland https://www.osi.ie/
Examinations http://www.examinations.ie/exammaterialarchive/?i=93.99.110.97.97.102
Sporcle https://www.sporcle.com/search/?p=1&s=irish+counties
Third World farmer https://3rdworldfarmer.org/
Youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4639vev1Rw
TedTalks https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=ted+talks+population+growth
Netflix –An inconvenient truth