Why should KS1&2 geography be taught with a community focus?

I am passionate about the need for young children’s subject learning to be taught through life themes. I welcome your comments and suggestions about how we might develop our message about learning through life themes.

An example of teaching subjects through life themes is Life-Based Learning’s Community theme. Studying both human and physical geography from a community perspective brings the learning to life by finding answers to questions starting with where children live.

Human and physical geography

How large is the community you live in, e.g., the road you live in, the village, the housing estate, part of a city, a town or rural area?  How is the community resourced through human activity, e.g., the shops, water supply, sewage system, waste disposal, amenities, transport?

Place knowledge

What physical characteristics determine the size and shape of the community, e.g., is it in a valley, on the coast or on flat land? What are the land and water characteristics of the community you live in, e.g., where you live, the school, and the local area? What environmental threats are there to the community, e.g.,  its climate, coastal erosion, landslide or flooding?  What environmental pluses are there to the community, e.g., its climate, how sheltered it is, or water supply.

Do you agree the learning of geography can be taught from a community perspective?

Do you agree the learning of geography would be more relevant to the child by taking a community perspective?

Life-Based Learning takes the development of a sense of community in children seriously as one of nine equal priority themes through which all subject learning is channelled. The Community theme uses the subjects of geography, science and PSHE [citizenship] to encourage community cohesion and activity.