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Course Description

GEOGRAPHY – DP2 HIGHER AND STANDARD

(2015-2016)

The DP Geography syllabus you are studying was first examined in May 2011. It is a syllabus which focusses on the dynamics of our world and especially on the human environment. It is a syllabus whereby the topics do not stand alone but are integrated so that you can use your knowledge of Geography all across the syllabus.

Last year, in the Higher and Standard level program, you completed the first topic of the core program of the syllabus: Patterns and Change. There are four topics to this theme Populations in transition, Disparities in wealth and development, Patterns in Environmental quality and sustainability, and Patterns in resource consumption. You should have completed Populations in transition and you should have started with Disparities in wealth and development. This year we are going to continue with Disparities in wealth and development and also study the other two topics of Patterns in environmental qualitiy and sustainability as well as Patterns in resource consumption. The goal is to finish the core theme by the end of November.

Paper 1 focusses on the core theme while Paper 2 focusses on the optional themes. You studied two optional themes last year: Leisure, Sport, and Tourism and Urban Environments. As you recall we fulfilled our internal assessment requirements last year and you collected fieldwork data on the urban environment of Maastricht. Higher level students are required to study a third optional theme. The theme we will be studying this year is Freshwater issues and conflicts. This optional theme links up well with parts of the Environmental quality and sustainability topic of the core theme. It is a very current theme as rural and urban environments are struggling to keep up with freshwater demand and the ability to maintain water supplies sustainably. The goal is to finish this optional theme by the time you sit your mock exams.

As Higher level students, you are also required to write a third exam paper. Paper 3 focusses on the higher level extension of Global interactions. This theme focusses on globalization and the growth of links and interdependence in the world. We will take a look at the geographical implications of this increase in global interactions.

MAIN CURRICULUM

1. Core topics: DISPARTIES IN WEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY AND SUSTAINABILITY PATTERNS IN RESOURCE CONSUMPTION 2. Optional theme: : FRESHWATER ISSUES AND CONFLICTS 3. Higher level extension: GLOBAL INTERACTIONS (Measuring global interactions, Changing space, Economic interactions and flows, Environmental change, Socio- cultural exchanges, Political outcomes, global interactions at the local level)

EVALUATION

This is hopefully your last and the most important year of your secondary school career. This will also be one of the most difficult and assiduous school year yet. And it will be one of the shortest because it will be over by April of next year. In order to successfully complete the Geography course and to be well-prepared for the May exams you must do the following: 1. Turn in all written work and be ON TIME. Late work will not be accepted unless there is a reasonable reason as to why the work is late. 2. Develop good and consistent study skills. 2

3. Participate constructively in class discussions. 4. Use your laptop for the lesson at hand only and NOT to check your facebook account, emails, etc. 5. Organize your notes properly and make sure that no notes are missing. 6. Do all reading assignments. This is too easily forgotten. They complement and add to the work we do in class. Make sure you update yourself on geographical current events and issues. 7. Use the Geography wiki. 8. Begin revision early next year and set up a preliminary revision timetable. 9. Prepare thoroughly for tests and exams. The mock exams will help you do this. 10. And last but not least: Study and work hard! It will surely pay off.

Make sure you have the following textbook and return it in good condition after the final May examinations.

Geography: course companion