Geography Teaching Today

The KS3 Resources strand of the Action Plan for Geography is run by the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG).

Download the Module Overview

Download the Module Plan

Fact sheet: Population

Download the lesson guidance notes

This unit of work explores important demographic themes. It focuses on the trend of rising life expectancy and the geographical patterns this produces at both global and local levels. Reasons for longer life are explored, as are the issues raised by society having an ever-increasing proportion of older people. Possible futures - if current trends continue - are also looked at. In addition to the challenges that society faces, the contribution that older people make is recognised - including celebrity pensioners!

The tight focus on life expectancy means that this self-contained unit can complement population work at GCSE without exhausting all of the themes that will be studied at KS4. Moreover, the important issues addressed here - notably the role that young people may face as carers and the challenges they may themselves face one day - could make this a vital demographic-geographic unit for children to follow at KS3.

The upkeep of a weekly "Risk Diary" is a particularly engaging element of the module. The geographical imagination of learners will develop as they are encouraged to keep a note-book that documents all of the rules and regulations operating in their local environment whose aim it is to help keep people safe and well and living to a ripe old age - from traffic lights to food packaging labels!

Focus on Key Concepts:
Place
Scale
Cultural Understanding and Diversity
Human Processes
Interdependence