Teacher Talk Blog | Geography in Primary Schools

Fun Activities, Teacher Stamps and Creative Games: Teaching Geography at Primary Schools

In 2011, OFSTED released a somewhat alarming report, focusing on geography teaching in the primary classroom. The report concluded that, although some schools were really flourishing when it came to teaching geography, many other schools were struggling to bring the subject alive in the classroom, for a variety of different reasons.

It can be a difficult topic to bring to life in the classroom, but in the 21^st century, when issues such as natural disaster, population growth and green energy continually make the headline news, it’s never been more important to find a way to get geography back into the classroom, in a big way!

If you want to focus on reigniting enthusiasm for geography amongst your class, then here are just a few ideas to get you started.

Bringing Geography to Life in the Primary Classroom

• Get outside as much as possible. So much of geography is to do with the surrounding world and taking your students outside, even if it’s just to the playground, can be a really effective way of getting them enthused about the subject. Use the school field and surrounding trees to discuss the water cycle, how the soil sustains plant and animal life, and much more!

• Encourage exploration. A great way of getting students to actively engage with the subject is to allow them to conduct their own exploration. For example, when learning about the difference between life in a village and life in a city, allow them the freedom to do some research of their own in the school library or on the computers, then report their findings back to the rest of the class.

• Get creative. When learning about other cultures and countries, get children interested in the topic by allowing them to get creative, either through role play, or creating a comic strip, or painting a poster for the class wall.

Incorporating AFL into Geography with a Useful Teacher Stamp

Making marking subject-specific can sometimes be a challenge, particularly when marking several lots of student homework. Our 4-in-1 Geography Feedback Teacher Stamp makes the process far easier, giving you the option to issue praise, suggest improvements and even acknowledge verbal feedback given.

It's a really good way of ensuring that the feedback you're providing is of genuine use, without it becoming too time-consuming.

Classroom Displays to Capture Interest and Intrigue

Not forgetting the impact of creating a colourful classroom that engages children with geography related displays that reinforce your teaching. We have a wide range of school posters, borders available - click here to see those specific to flags and geography topics: