Geography S4-S6 Sciences - National Examination

REPUBLIC OF RWANDA

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION

NATIONAL CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT CENTRE (NCDC)

P.O.B: 608 KIGALI

GEOGRAPHY CURRICULUM FOR ADVANCED SECONDARY SCHOOL

Revised edition June 2010

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I. INTRODUCTION

Geography is an important and popular subject for all students at advanced level of Education in Rwanda. This programme has therefore has been prepared for students at advanced secondary school level with geography as an option in Rwanda.

This programme covers four major areas:

1. Principles of physical geography, with reference to examples from Great Lakes region of Africa. 2. Practical geography, this includes statistics, Field work, map and photographic interpretation. 3. Human and economic geography focusing on the world problems and development. 4. The geography of Rwanda, specifically looking at physical and social- economic aspects of Rwanda.

This will help students taking geography as a core subject to use simple enquiry scientific skills and principles to investigate geographical and environmental concepts and processes. Generally, this programme will help the students to demonstrate geographical and environmental knowledge and understanding which will help them make informed decisions about social and environmental issues as well as problems.

II. GENERAL ORIENTATIONS

The knowledge of the environment is the main objective of teaching geography. Thus, by help of field studies and case studies, the teacher will help students to understand problems associated with human and physical aspects in their environment, country and in the world. The students will acquire skills and behaviours facing the problems related to population, environment, economic activities, and settlements.

The structure of this programme:

- In senior four: The syllabus mainly covers part of physical and human geography. This includes the knowledge of the Earth, weather, climate, vegetation, population, rural settlement, urbanisation, agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining, power and industrialisation. This will provide a strong background to students and help them draw attention to all the main components of the physical environment as well as the associated interrelationships with human environment.

- In senior five: The syllabus covers topics: geomorphology, practical geography (statistics), human and economic geography with case studies in and outside Africa i.e. in America, Europe, and Asia.

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- In senior six: The syllabus covers the practical geography (map and fieldwork) and geography of Rwanda.

Each chapter has a specified duration to cover it. This duration will help a teacher to teach within that given time interval.

III. GENERAL OBJECTIVES

The General objectives of teaching geography at this level are to: 1. Enable the student gain greater understanding of the basic geographical concepts, skills and knowledge in physical and human

geography. 2. Stimulate the student to put into practice the acquired principles and methods of Geographical study. 3. Help the student understand and appreciate the geographical background to development and contemporary problems and

prospects of the world today. 4. Create in the student an awareness of the causes of world problems and their effects to the social economic life of the people. 5. Enable the student perceive more articulately on how the current world problems can be solved. 6. Assist to internalize the problems peculiar to the Great Lakes Regions of Africa and how to remedy them. 7. Help the student gain more concrete understanding of his own home country Rwanda. 8. Help the student strike an analytical correlation between physical environment in Rwanda and man's modification on it. 9. Guide the students to acquire the knowledge, skills and techniques to read and interpret maps and photographs. 10. Familiarize the students with the field work procedures in collecting geographical data and satisfy his own curiosity in

studying geography.

IV. GEOGRAPHY SYLLABUS FOR SENIOR FOUR.

A. GENERAL OBJECTIVES FOR SENIOR FOUR.

By the end of senior four, learners should be able to:

1. Explain the basic geographical concepts in physical geography 2. Appreciate the interdependence between the elements of physical, human and economic geography. 3. Compare different modes of development in the world 4. Identify the world development problems in the physical, economic and human environment. 5. Suggest possible solutions to world problems and challenges.

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PART ONE: PRINCIPLES OF PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY

CHAPITER 1: THE EARTH IN THE UNIVERSE DURATION: 14 PERIODS

OBJECTIVES At the end of the topic, students should be able to; - Locate the solar system planets in the

universe - Distinguish between component of the

universe and solar system

- Explain solar system , galaxy, and Constellation

- Explain the influence of the sun on the Earth

CONTENT 1. The Universe

? Definition of the universe ? Components of the universe ? Constellations and galaxies. Examples

of galaxies e.g. the milk way (light year)

TEACHING/LEARNING ACTIVITY - Ask students the things they see in the sky

at night and during day - Help learners to distinguish such elements

in the atmosphere.

2. The solar system

- Use atlas, photos and diagrams to explain

2.1.Definition

the solar system

2.2. Component of the solar system

- use sketches and illustrations to explain the

? The sun, description and influence on

planets and their successive order

the earth: e.g tides ? The planets and satellites

- guide the students to observe the environment and state influence of sun on

- Successive order, principle

the earth

characteristics and description of every

planet.

- Earth

- By brain storming ask students to name the

a). Definition of the Earth

elements of the earth

b). Peculiar elements of the earth

i.e. atmosphere, biosphere,

hydrosphere and lithosphere

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- Explain the revolution period, speed, diameter, density, force of gravity and atmosphere of the moon.

- Explain the influence of the moon on the Earth

- Mention the elements in the solar system

- The Moon : The natural satellite of the earth The Moon (Revolution Period, The speed of rotation, Average orbit, Diameter, Density, Gravitational Force, Surface and atmosphere of the moon, Influence of the moon upon the earth: e.g eclipses and tides.

? Others heavenly bodies: asteroids, comets, meteors and meteorites.

- use photos to explain how the moon is a satellite of the earth

- use diagrams, sketches to explain how and stating precisely revolution period, the speed of rotation, average orbit, diameter, density, gravitational force, surface and atmosphere of the moon.

- Use the diagrams to explain how the moon affects the earth

- With help of diagrams, guide the students to mention things they observe at night and help them to differentiate between comets, meteors, asteroids.

CHAPTER 2: UNDERSTANDING THE EARTH DURATION: 14 PERIODS

OBJECTIVES At the end of the topic, students should be able to; - Explain the origin and gravity of the earth

- Describe the shape, size, diameter of earth

CONTENT 1. Origin of the earth

- Theories which explain the origin of the Earth: the Big Bang theory, Biblical /creation theory, etc.

2. The shape and evidences to prove that the earth is spherical, size, diameter, circumference, volume, mass and gravity of the Earth.

TEACHING/LEARNING ACTIVITY

- ask students through brain storming the theories that explain the origin of the earth

- use the globe and diagrams to explain the size shape and diameter of the earth

- Perform a simple experiment by letting freely a piece of chalk to land, to explain gravity of the earth; allow students to explain

- Locate the continents and oceans of the 3. Superficial configuration of the Earth

earth

- Continents

- By brain storming, ask students to name

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