The rationale provides important statements about geography that assist in understanding the focus and purpose, the features of a geographical inquiry and the capabilities students take away from learning geography.

Each paragraph in the rationale provides a distinct statement. Read through the paragraphs one at a time to discuss or reflect on each statement.

The information provided in the rationale is a first filter for teachers to reference the case studies and context through which they are going to develop their students’ geographical knowledge, understanding and skills. Classroom practice needs to fulfil the requirements outlined in the rationale when referenced to the syllabus content and outcomes for the stage of learning.

The aim of the Geography K–10 Syllabus can also be used to identify and clarify appropriate learning.

• Does the learning support achievement of the aim?

• Does the learning ‘stimulate students’ interest in and engagement with the world’?

• Is there a focus on geographical inquiry which develops students’ understanding of the interactions between people, places and environments across a range of scales, personal, local, regional and global appropriate for the age and stage of learning?

• Does the learning provide students with opportunities to become informed, responsible and active citizens, locally and globally?

Objectives are an important feature of the geography syllabus. They organise the outcomes for each stage and include key statements.

Knowledge and understanding objectives

Students:

• develop knowledge and understanding of the features and characteristics of places and environments across a range of scales

• develop knowledge and understanding of interactions between people, places and environments.

These objectives might be recognised by 7–10 teachers as organising ‘learn about’s.

Skills objectives

Students:

• apply geographical tools for geographical inquiry

• develop skills to acquire, process and communicate geographical information.

These objectives might be recognised by 7–10 teachers as describing ‘learn to’s.

Knowledge and understanding objectives reference the geographical concepts described in the syllabus. Skills outcomes are about the process of geographical inquiry, inclusive of the description of skills and tools included in the syllabus. These objectives organise a set of K–10 outcomes, describing student achievement in each stage.

The Values and attitudes objectives however do not have a set of outcomes but are embedded throughout the content of the syllabus.

Students will value and appreciate:

• geography as a study of interactions between people, places and environments

• the dynamic nature of the world

• the varying perspectives of people on geographical issues

• the importance of sustainability and intercultural understanding

• the role of being informed, responsible and active citizens.

Objectives provide the vehicle through which students work towards outcomes so that they can achieve the aim of the course.

Each K–6 stage has a number of outcomes; the last is the skills outcome while the others support knowledge and understanding.

The outcomes provide end of stage achievement standards. Unlike the history syllabus, outcomes are repeated in both focus areas of the syllabus. This means achievement of the outcomes requires learning about both human and physical geography. Each stage has one focus on human geography and the other on physical geography.

Just ‘covering’ or briefly addressing the outcome does not constitute achievement. All the syllabus content for the stage needs to be addressed.

The BOSTES A Glossary of Key Words² provides a definition of the verbs used in these outcomes to support teachers understanding of the level of achievement required. This document can be found by doing a search on the BOSTES website.

In Stages 4–5 the number of outcomes increases to reflect the increase in focus areas from two to four in each stage. The last two outcomes in each stage are skills outcome. The other outcomes support knowledge and understanding. The outcomes provide end of stage achievement standards.

For each focus area, both skills outcomes are referenced along with 3–4 knowledge and understanding outcomes reflecting content requirements. Achievement of the outcomes requires learning about both human and physical geography. Each stage has two focus areas on human geography and another two on physical geography.

Just ‘covering’ or briefly addressing the outcome does not constitute achievement. All the syllabus content for the stage needs to be addressed.

The BOSTES A Glossary of Key Words² provides a definition of the verbs used in these outcomes to support teachers understanding of the level of achievement required.

Stage statements are an important feature of the syllabus. They provide a succinct statement of student achievements in each stage. Teachers can use these statements as an additional filter to determine ‘syllabus fit’ of a specific case study, context or support materials.

Note the implications of the ‘Prior-to-school learning’ outcomes for exit outcomes for all. Consider replacing ‘children’ with students and these statements now read:

• Students have a strong sense of identity.

• Students are connected with and contribute to their world.

• Students have a strong sense of wellbeing.

• Students are confident and involved learners.

• Students are effective communicators.

Stage statements along with syllabus outcomes mean that NSW teachers do not need to backtrack to the Australian curriculum achievement standards. BOSTES has included this important information into the syllabus outcomes and stage statements.

Each stage statement consists of two paragraphs. The first provides a knowledge and understanding statement while the second provides a statement on using geographical skills and tools when undertaking a geographical inquiry. Note that stage statements are ‘exit’ statements as they begin with ‘By the end of stage…’.

Key words and phrases in the stage statements can also support the development of student report comments. All student learning for geography should be able to be referenced to the relevant stage statements.