GEOGRAPHY
The geography syllabus in classes IX and X deals with the principles of Geography and World Studies, Bhutan Geography and study of topo sheet. It also provides pupils with opportunities to identify and locate and learn about important physical features, climate and vegetation belts of Asia; physical features, distribution of agricultural products, minerals, and population and chief cities of South Asia; and physical features and selected places and dzongs of Bhutan.
The Principles of Geography and World Studies cover all the phenomena on the earth's surface and explain the principles of day and night, seasons, climate, surface features, erosion, plant and animal life as well as distribution and development of different human communities and activities in different regions of the world. This is largely aimed at development of understanding in the learners the inter-relationship between different elements of the environment and the processes which take place in the environment leading to changes in the environment in order that such an understanding would help them to conserve the resources, protect and live in harmony with the environment.
Bhutan Geography deals with the natural and
man-made systems. It is aimed at providing the learners with a good knowledge of
the land formation, climatic conditions and their impact on the vegetation and
the activities of the people in order to develop a better understanding of the
country. It also helps them to become acquainted with the richness of Bhutan's
natural resources and at the same time create in them an awareness of the likely
consequences of overuse so that they would appreciate the need to make prudent
decisions in the use of the available resources.
The study of topo sheet and other map works are
intended to help students to read, interpret and use different types of maps.
The course aims at helping students to:
1.
understand
geographical principles, ideas and concepts;
2.
appreciate
the causal relationships of the natural phenomena;
3.
understand
the relationship between physical parameters and human behaviours in terms of
living habits and development;
4.
appreciate
the stand of Bhutan and the neighbouring countries of South Asia under the
influence of various geographical factors;
5.
analyse,
interpret and apply various geographical information in day to day activities;
6.
develop
skills in representing geographical information in the form of tables, graphs,
sketches, and other diagrams and illustrations; and
7.
develop
respect, care and appreciation for diverse cultures and environments.
Learning Experiences
In order to make the most out of the course, varied
learning experiences need to be provided to the students. These should include:
1.
reading
geographical information from the text and other sources and making notes and
summaries;
2.
collecting
information from various sources, organising, analysing and sythesising the
collected information;
3.
reading and
interpreting various diagrams, maps and toposheets;
4.
representing
information in tables, graphs, sketches and diagrams;
5.
working in
groups;
6.
carrying out
field visits;
7.
measuring
and recording various elements of weather; and
8.
carrying out
project work.
On completion of the course students are expected
to be able to:
1.
identify the
main elements of weather and climate, and the factors affecting these elements,
and explain how the factors affect each of the elements resulting in the
variation of weather and climate in different places;
2.
explain the
causes and effects of internal and external forces that have carved varied
landscapes on the earth's surface;
3.
explain the
uniqueness of the earth in relation to other planets and put forward various
proofs through diagrams as evidences for the sphericity of the shape of the
earth;
4.
define
geographical terms and concepts;
5.
explain the
effects of the movements of the earth and uses of lines of latitude and
longitude, and apply the knowledge in explaining natural phenomena of night and
day, seasons and varying length of night and day,
and locating places, determining climate and time of a place;
6.
explain the
basis for dividing the earth into natural regions and compare and contrast one
region with another in terms of climate, vegetation, wildlife and human
activities;
7.
demonstrate
an understanding of the natural and man-made systems of Bhutan and their impact
on each other;
8.
demonstrate
care and concern for maintaining the balance in the ecosystem for making
sustainable use of resources;
1.
use weather
instruments for recording various elements of weather;
2.
read and
interpret maps, diagrams, graphs, tables and other illustrations;
3.
identify and
locate various relief features, main
countries, climatic and vegetation belts of Asia, physical features, distribution of agricultural products,
minerals and population and chief cities of South Asia and physical features,
selected places and dzongs of Bhutan;
4.
locate,
select, organise and present information ; and
5.
represent
information in various forms such as maps, diagrams, graphs, tables and
pictures.
Course
Content
Principles of Geography
The
Atmosphere
i
Difference
between weather and climate
ii
Elements of
weather and climate
§
Temperature
- factors affecting the temperature of a place; isotherms.
§
Pressure -
factors affecting pressure; simple explanation of the pressure belts; shifting
of the pressure belts; formation of cyclonic and anti-cyclonic weather features;
prevailing winds; land and sea breezes; monsoons; isobars
§
Rainfall -
types of rainfall; isohyets
|
Note:
Students should be familiar with the use of weather instruments
such as maximum and minimum thermometer, hygrometer, rain gauge,
barometer, wind vane, etc. |
The
Lithosphere
i
The earth's
crust - formation and examples of igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks;
volcanoes- their causes and effects; earthquakes - their causes and effects;
areas affected by volcanoes and earthquakes
ii
Meaning of
weathering; mechanical and chemical weathering; soil formation
iii
Permeable
and impermeable rocks - water table, wells, springs and artesian wells
Geography of Bhutan
The Natural System
i.
Formation of
the Himalayas: the theory of plate tectonics and the evolution of
the Himalayas from the pre-tertiary Tethys sea to the present mountain
systems
ii.
Rocks and
Minerals: formation of rocks and occurrence of minerals
iii.
Soils:
formation of soils; factors helping formation of soils; their usefulness to
farming
iv.
Climate:
factors determining the climate in Bhutan; climatic zones and their effect on
human activities
v.
Forest and
Wildlife: types of forest; wildlife and their relationship with humans
vi.
Rivers and
their erosional works
Map Works
This section is to be examined through map works
only.
Asia
a. Physical
features
i
Mountains:
Urals, Altai, Yablonoi, Khingan, Stanovoi, Caucasus, Armenian Highlands, Elburz,
Zagros, Tian Shan, Kunlun, Himalaya,
Yoma
ii
Plains and
Plateaus: Northern Lowlands, Mongolian Plateau, Plateaus of Arabia and Iran,
Tarim Basin, Tibetan Plateau, Indo Gangetic Plains,
Shan Plateau and Great North China
Plain
iii
Rivers and
Seas : Ob, Yenesi, Lena, Euphrates, Tigris, Irrawaddy, Mekong, Sikiang, Yangtse,
Hwang Ho, Amur, Black Sea, Caspian Sea, Sea of Aral, Sea of Okhotsk, Sea of Japan, Yellow Sea, South China Sea, Arabian Sea
iv
Main
countries of the continent: Particularly the South East Asian Archipelago
b. Climatic
and vegetation belts
Arctic, Cold Temperate, Temperate Desert, Hot
Desert, Tropical Monsoon,
Equatorial
South
Asia
a. Physical features
i
The Himalaya,
Pamirs, Hindu Kush, Sulaiman, Karakoram, Deccan Plateau, Western Ghats, Eastern
Ghats, Aravalli Hills, Satpura and Mahadeo Hills, Nilgiris, Thar Desert, Rani of
Kutch, Khyber and Bolan Passes, Khasi Hills, Garo Hills
ii
Indus,
Chenab, Sutlej, Ganga, Gomti, Kali Gandaki, Koshi, Yamuna, Gagra, Chambal, Son,
Damodar, Brahmaputra, Mahanadi, Narmada, Tapti, Godawari, Krishna, Padma and
Mahaweli
b. Distribution
of Agricultural Products and minerals
c. Distribution
of population
d. Chief
cities
Bhutan
a. Physical
Features
i
Jumolhari,
Jowo Durshing, Gangkar Punsum, Masa Gang, Tsenda Gang, Jiwuchu Drakey
ii
Zele La,
Tremo La, Ya La, Mon La Karchung, Lhodrak La, Karchung La, Me La, Bod La,
Thrumseng La, Yutong La, Pele La, Dochu La, Jele La
iii
Wang Chu,
Amo chu, Puna Tsang Chu, Pho Chu, Mo Chu, Mangde Chu,
Chamkhar Chu, Kuru Chu, Dangme Chu, Kulong Chu,
Ngyera Ama Chu
b. Selected
places and dzongs
Daifam, Manas, Pasakha, Damphu, Zhemgang, Samtse, Tsima Lakha, Ha Dzong,
Gasa Dzong, Daga Dzong, Lhuentse Dzong, Yangtse Dzong, Pema Gatshel Dzong
Study of Topo Sheets
Concept of contours; symbols; recognition of simple land forms (valleys, spurs, ridges, plateaus, waterfalls, cliffs, gaps, mounds); finding height and direction; meaning of scale and its representation; measuring distances; grid reference; drainage patterns (dendritic, trellis, radial)
Identification and description of the features of a
river valley, man-made and relief features; means of transport in relation to
relief
Types of settlements; their growth in relation to
their environment and position; inferring the occupation of the people; location
of natural vegetation types, cultivated areas and irrigation types
Modes
of Assessment
The learning of geography in class IX will be
assessed internally by the school. The modes of assessment will include:
Class work:
5%
Home work:
5%
Project work:
10%
The students will be required to do class work and homework
throughout the year. These works will give both the teacher and the student
opportunities to check on their progress and find ways for improvement in
students.
However, only ONE class work and ONE homework
should be marked in 2-3 weeks as part of continuous assessment. (For details, refer ‘Continuous Assessment, VI to X, Teachers’
Guide,’ CAPSSD, 1999.)
Students will be required to do ONE project work. The project work can be EITHER on Bhutan Geography OR
on Principles of Geography. The teacher should provide a list of topics from
which the students can choose ONE. The students should be informed of the topics
in the beginning of the course. The project work may be based on field visits
supplemented by library research. The write-up on the project work should be
illustrated wherever necessary. (For
details, refer ‘Continuous Assessment, VI to X, Teachers’ Guide,’ CAPSSD,
1999.)
The students should be informed that every detail
of the project work needs to be explained clearly, including their visits and
the sources used for collecting the information. They should be made aware that
the marking of their project papers will look into the research and methods
adopted in their findings, the illustrations and the presentation of their work.
Note:
The teacher should give proper guidance to the students at every step of
the execution of their project work. The length of the project work should be
700-1000 words ONLY.
Assessment criteria for project work: (The details are in the Continuous Assessment, VI to X, Teachers' Guide,
CAPSSD, 1999)
Content :
70
Presentation :
10
Process :
20
NOTE:
Teachers may seek further help in marking scheme from the ICSE internal
assessment guidelines attached as Annexure at the end of this syllabus.
All the works (class work, homework & project
work) will be assessed by the teacher. At the end of the year, the final marks
calculated for EACH of the three types of works could be totalled together and
then reduced to 20% weighting. For instance, the final mark for the project work
would be calculated thus:
Mark obtained
____________ X 10
100
The final mark for continuous assessment would then
be added to the mark obtained in the terminal and end of year examinations.
Examinations
(weighting - 80%)
The examination will consist of ONE PAPER OF TWO
HOURS. The paper will be divided into
four sections:
Section
A
will
have questions on interpretation of survey maps. This portion is COMPULSORY.
Section
B
will
have questions from Principles of Geography and World Studies. Three questions
will be set out of which candidates must attempt any TWO.
Section
C
will
have questions from Geography of Bhutan. Five
questions will be set out of which candidates must attempt any THREE.
Section
D
will
have questions on map work on Asia, South Asia and Bhutan. This portion is
COMPULSORY.
|
Content
area (sections) |
No.
of questions |
Weighting |
|
Sec. A - Topo Sheets |
1 |
15 |
|
Sec.
B - Principles of Geography
|
2 |
20 |
|
Sec. C - Geography of Bhutan |
3 |
30 |
|
Sec. D - Map work |
3 |
15 |
TOTAL
|
9 |
80 |
Textbooks
and references
1.
Geography of
Bhutan - Coursebook for classes IX and X (text), CAPSSD, Education Department,
Thimphu
2.
Principles
of Geography Book I, Charles Farro, General Printers & Publishers, 1977
3.
Gem's School
Atlas, Ratna Sagar, Ratna Sagar P. Ltd, 1995
4.
Monsoon Asia
Book II, Charles Farro, General Printers & Publishers, 1985 (reference)
5.
A Text Book
of Geography 9, Rita Rajan, General Printers & Publishers, 1998 (reference)
6.
A Text Book of Geography 10,
Rita Rajan, General Printers & Publishers, 1998 (reference)
Principles of Geography and World Studies
Astronomical
Geography
i
Shape of the
earth : appearance in reality; conditions favouring life on earth
ii
Position on
the globe: concepts of latitude and longitude; relation between longitude and
time; local and international time. great circle routes; international date line
iii
Movements of
the earth and their effects: rotation- day and night; revolution- seasons and
variations in length of day and night
World
Studies
A brief introduction of the major natural regions
(an idea of their location, temperature, rainfall and vegetation) which leads to
the knowledge of humans in their natural environment, humans in their every day
aspects of life such as food, clothing, tools, housing and transport; activities
in different seasons of the year, products, their marketing and use. The
following sample studies taken from the major natural regions should be studied:
i
Equatorial
forests: Rubber cultivation in Malaysia and cocoa in Ghana
ii
Tropical
grasslands- Savannah : the Masai herder of Tanzania
iii
Mediterranian
lands: orchard farming in the Mediterranean Lands of Western Europe (Spain,
Portugal, France, Italy) and California
iv
Hot Deserts:
the dwellers of the Sahara including those of the Nile Valley
v
Temperate
grasslands: Prairies (Canada) and the Steppes (Russia)
vi
Coniferous
forest : lumbering and trapping in Canada
vii
Tundra: its
dwellers
|
Note:
Teachers should make use of outline world map to help students
grasp the location of places in relation to other features. |
Geography of Bhutan
The
Man-made System