1. The Curricullum
Geography occupies an important place in the school curricullum. Till about 20-30
years back geography was taught as a trun subject history and geography under the head
general knolwedge. Now we have realised the importance of, teaching geography and now it
occupies an honourable place in school curricullum in its own right.
The construction of curricullum of geography is a difficult task. However it would be
easier to construct a syllabi in geography if we keep certain points in mind, while
constructing the curricullum in geography.
Pocceed from known to unknown.This means that in case of geography teaching we
should start the teaching from the local geography. It we start from local geography we are
following the maxims of teaching.
(i) “ proceed from known to unknown.”
(ii) “ proceed from concrete to the abstract.”
(iii) “ proceed from near to far.”
Subject-matter based on actual experience of the students : While constructing the
curricullum of geography it should be our effort that we give a syllab in which the child can
learn by actual experience. Maximum effort be made to exploit the actual experience of the
child. For this, it is assential that even at elementary stage the work is of practical nature.
Use of geographical Terminology based on home geography. An all-out effrot be made
to provide to the child geographical vocabulary from their surroundings. For learning islands,
delta, etc. It is essential that they have ample knowledge of the geography of their area and
for this the geographical vocabulary from their surrounds should be used. Thus in elementary
school more emphasis be laid on have geography.
Idea of human life throughout the world. The geography syllabii be such that gives the
students an idea of human life throughout the world. If htis aim is kept in view from aerly
stages then the students enter the world as practical citizens.
Study in Synthetic way. Various geographical facts be given to the child in a synthetic
way. Geography is a practical subject and it should not be considered as a collection of facts
from geology and astronomy, etc. It should be presented as an integrated subject.

2. Emphasis on physical an Economic Geography. In any curricullum of geography,
physical an economic geography must be given their proper place. More emphasis be placed
on these branches of geography in later school years.
International understanding. We cannot make a systematic study of all the countries of
world in any curricullum of geography. It makes it all the more important that we make our
selection very carefully. An effort be made to put more stress on international understanding
and inter-dependence of nations.
Selection of subjects. Only elementary things‟of remote countries be included in syllabi
so that students know their situation. Only such topics which have international significance
be taught abuot these countries.
Primary Level
The syllabus of geography at elementary stage should be such which awaken
geographical interest in the child. The children may leran geographical terminology but this
terminology should be based as „home geography‟. At nursery and kindergarten levels stories
having geographical meaning in them may from the basis of study of geography. The
syllabus be framed in such a way that the students know their country with reference to
human life and general conditions. The textbooks should tell in very simple language srories
of people who live under different conditions in different parts of the country and what it
looks like.
At elementary stage home geography should fom the basis of curiculum. The terms such
as valley, islands, bay, mountains,etc. May be taught at a latter stage. While teaching
terminology at the elementary steg all efforts be made to clear their meaning by citing
examples from neighbourhood. Use of ficture at this stage in deirable. Use of globe as an
ilustrative aid be exploited at the primary level. At primary level the syllabus should be such
that through globe students may learn the names and situasion of continents and oceans.
Maps may also be used in primary schools. At this stage the children may be asked to draw a
map of the school, the village or the locality.
Any geography syllabus ill remain incomplete if it does not include the description of life
of people on the globe. The syllabus be based on things of every – day use and children be
encoureged to learn about children of different nation writing about the syllabus of geography
at elementary stage an eminent writer has rightly remarked, “starting from” geography,

3. surverying the whole world as a unit and looking upto the villages as their neighbours the
children should learn all the broad geogaphical features of their country with special
reference to their own state.
Many teachers are puzzled to know how to frame a syllabu for a primaary school if the
work is largely determined by childrens‟ interests and pays little attetion to subjects as
entities. Yes for these very reasons a syllabus is all the more necessary. As far as
geographical work is concerned, the solution lies in recognising that what really matter is not
the memorising of bookish facts, but the gaining of the useful background ideas and
acquiring of “ tol – knoeledge”. For this, suitable topics may be mentioned as example but the
topics actually studied by children of a given age will vary from year to year.
Curiculum at primary stage. At this stage the curiculum of geography may contain the
following things.
Curiculum class III, in this class the curiculum may include.
(i) Our region.
(ii) Our village.
(iii) Preparation of teh map of the village by the students.
(iv) Students may be asked to sho the distribution of various crops of the village.
(v) Students may be given an idea the population of the village
(vi) Students may be given the of idea of means of communication market, atc.
(vii) Students may be encouraged to go out on excursion and to observe the things
themselves
(viii) Students be told stories on the life of the people of certain regions
Curiculum for class IV. At this stage the students be encouraged to observe things and
more stress be put on obervation. The following thinrs be kept in mind.
(i) The outline map of the district
(ii) General views, climate, crops, industries, etc.
(iii) Places of historical importance, means of communication, place of religious
and economic importance, etc.

4. Students be asked to draw map and charts. Ap of those districts may be drawn whose
geography they are studyng. Some perctical work may be introduced at this stage which may
include the following.
(i) Drawing of the map and plotting of important things in it.
(ii) To draw charts and maps of buildings, rooms, etc.
(iii) To look at the map of the caountry
(iv) To look at theglobe, etc.
Curricullum for class V. The students be taught the geography of the district in which he
lives and of his state at this stage. He should be encouraged to draw maps, charts, etc.
Depicting the natural division, climatic condition, agricultural products of the state, etc.
To statisfy the curiosity of students they may be told the stories of discoveres e. G. That
of columbus, etc.
However now-a-days elementary school course material is prepared under the following
classified heads.
(i) Human geography
(ii) Home – land or local geography
(iii) Weather obsaervation and physical geography
(iv) Map work
Human geography. It aims at preparing the pupil fr healthy citozenship. Here the
aim of geography teaching is more cultural than academic. Everything is learnt and taught
from human point of view. At this stage our effort is to developthe spirit of co-existence in
the child. The geographical know ledge should help he child to grasp economic, racial and
political problems of the wold. Thus in syllabus for primary school geography such topics be
included which meet the above demands of the child.
Home land and local geography. If we hwve to learn only one area in detail it must
be the local area which is nearest of all. Students can learn it best by direct method i.e. by
exploration and observation, the students be asked to represent, what they haveobserved in
the from of maps and diagrams to increase heir power of imagination and reproduction, the
following two aims be kept in view while teaching local geography.
(i) To put emphasis on the inflnence of site andlocation on the lives of inhabitant.

5. (ii) To emphasis the influence of contacts made white near and distant neighbours
and to advance the development of the native inhabitants.
Weather obsevation an phisical geography. Students be asked to kno about compass and
may be asked to read the weather clock and record the direction of the wind. The may be
encouraged to construct a wind – vane. Plasticine model may be used to teach them rotation
and revolution of eart. An effort be antarctic cicrle, latitude and longitude.
The idea of amount of heat at various place can be conveniently given by dividing the
globe into five temperature zones. State globe is a good and useful teaching aid for teaching
physical geography because it will facilitate the understanding of movement of earth and
even such abstract terms as axis, North pole, South pole, equator, etc. Will be understood
aesily. After sometime when the students‟ power of observation has developed the teacher
should illustrate the directions and kinds of wind that are prevalent in the region at different
times of the year. Teacher may ask the students to maintain a weather record.
In physical geography students may be taught the causes of wind and rain, breezes,
erosion of soil etc.
Map- work. Map –work forms an important pstr of any syllabus in geography. The
drawing of maps and charts be encouraged by the teacher.
Junior High School Level
The geography syllabus for this stage may be of the following pattern :
Class VI
(i) The students be encoureged and provided opportunitiens for strengthening the
knowledge of geography gain by them in previous yaers.
(ii) The following areas of study be encouraged
(a) Importance of markets in making available the necessities of life to villages
and cities.
(b) Excursion be arranged to study the geography of the country in which they
live. This should include the study of land, natural vegetation, physical
divisions, agricurture, means of transportation, trade, population, etc.
(iii) The information about water regions of the world on globe.

6. (iv) The students be told stories of discovery of different lands such as that of
Columbus, Vasco-de-gama, etc.
Some practical work which started in previous classed be further enlarged in thie class.
The students of class VI be asked to take up the following practical work.
(i) A study of physical map of the country on the basis of colour, scale,direction,
distance,location of different physical regions, rivers, sea-shores, etc.
(ii) Various water divisions of the world be taught with the help of models and
students be made to learn about contours.
(iii) Students be given due encouragement to observe weather and its changes and be
asked to maintain a weather record chart, changes in seasons etc.
Class VII
(i) This is the approprite time to take up teaching of geography of the continent
(Asia). In this study we should include land, climate, natural vegetation, physical
divisions, crops, means of communication, trade, commerce and population.
(ii) Means and routes of trade between different countries of the continent.
(iii) Location of various places be taught making use of latitudes and longitudes.
(iv) The study of different agricultural products be taught with refence to Asia.
(v) Students be given enaough information about the natural wealth of the continent.
(vi) Means of livelihood and trade of people of different countries of the continent
should also be taught in this class.
Practical work suggested for this class be of the following type.
(i) The diviion of the country into different parts and the study of these parts on the
map. The country in which they live be taken up for this purpose.
(ii) Weather and its study incluiding maintaining weather chart, season chart and
their effect on agriculture.
(iii) Means of communication and industry in the region be studied by organising
excursions. Students be encouraged to observe the effect of nature on the land
and life of man.

7. Class VIII. The syllabus for Class VIII should include the following :
Physical Geography : The annual movement of earth, the weather, season, rays of sun,
eclipse, etc. Formation of land, mountains, rocks, falls, plains, sea shores, currents, ebb and
tide etc.
Geography of the world : The geography of the world be taught but the basis of teaching
should be the division of world on physical basis and the agricultural products of various
division.
Study of modern life : Under this head we include the study of modern scientific
inventions and the influence of natural conditions on these inventions.
Practical Work. In practical work for this class the following may be included :
(i) To keep a record of weather and seasons and to maintain charts for this purpose.
(ii) Study of physical and political divisions of the map of the world.
(iii) Various means of communication like sea routes, land routes, air roots, etc.
(iv)
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8. (v) Study of pressure of area and wind.
(vi) Study of rain fall in the area.
(vii) A deteiled study of mineral wealth of area.
(viii) A complete study of animal wealth of area.
(ix) Study of indusry, art, craft and trade.
(x) Comparative study of location of various trades and industries.
(xi) Study of indusrtial tours and cities.
(xii) Study of population.
While taking up the teaching of world geography, different teachers follow dofferent
order of treatment of continents. However in has now been concluded on the basis of various
studies that the three southern continents should always be taught before Europe and North
America.
While taking up the regional study of continents generally we teach abuot India in some
cases Eurasia is taken up in Ixth class snd Southern continents and Europe are taught in
higher classes.
Map-work. Map-work be given due importance and junior classed we should try to
clarify the meaning of map and scale. Maps be used to teach relief. Before taking up the
contour line method of showing relief, heights may be shown by shading. Various difficult
topics can be taught whit the help or contours.
From te above discussion it can easily be concluded that there are certain principles which
should be observed while framing the syllabus of gography for different classes. The
curiculum should be according to the needs of the country the general criticism of our
geography syllabus is that it is lengthy and boring and has not been planned in accordance
whit the psychological requirements of the child. Students are compelled to read big and
bulky teksbooks prepared for various classes. Thus, it is desirable if we organise the subject
matter in a scientific way so that the students take keen interes in it and develop a taste fr the
study of geography.

9. From the above discussion we come to conclusion that there are certain principles which
should be abserved for constructing the curiculum of geography at different stages of study.
The curiculum should be according to the needs of the country, one of the greatest defects of
the syllabus and the curiculumof geography in our country is that it is detailed and
budersome. It has not been plannd in accordanc whit the psychological requirements of the
students. Big and bulky teks-books are prapared and the students have to read them. In fact
the subject matter should be scientifically organised so that students may take keen interest in
it.
1. The following principles should be kipt in mind while constructing the curiculum of
geography at different stages of study:
(i) Proceed from known to unknown
(ii) Subject-matter based on the actual experience of the people.
(iii) Use of geographycal terminology based on homw geography.
(iv) Idea of human life throughtout the world.
(v) Study in synthetic way.
(vi) Emphasis on psysical and economic geography.
(vii) International understanding
(viii) Selection of subjects
(ix) Syllabus for the elementary stage.
2. Syllabus of elementary stage should start from home geography. Necessary pictures
should fnd place according to the needs. Provision of regional studies should also be
there.
3. There can be no water tight compartment between the syllabus of elementary stage
and secondary stage but the syllabus of geography in secondary stage should be more
developed that study should be systematic.
4. The curiculum at primary, junior high school and scondary stage should be based on
practical work should start from primary stage which should go on increasing.