GEOGRAPHYCURRICULUM GUIDE

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SECONDARY SCHOOLS CURRICULUM GUIDE

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HUMANITIES EDUCATION KEY LEARNING AREA

GEOGRAPHY

CURRICULUM GUIDE

(SECONDARY 1-3)

PREPARED BY

THE CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL RECOMMENDED FOR USE IN SCHOOLS BY

THE EDUCATION BUREAU HKSAR

2011

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Membership of the CDC Ad hoc

Committee for the Revision of the S1-3 Geography Curriculum

Chairperson: Ms AU-YEUNG Wai-yin, Amy

Convener: Senior Curriculum Development Officer (Personal, Social and Humanities Education), Education Bureau (Mr. WONG Wang-fai) Members: Mr. CHAN Ka-wai

Dr. CHUNG Him Dr. KWAN, Tammy Mr. KWAN Wing-bun Prof. LEE Chi-kin Mr. LIU Ah-chuen Prof. LOO, Becky Ms. NG Pui-yee, Helena Mr. TAM Lui-ming, Patrick Mr. TO Wai-shun

Ms. YIP Yee-man, Eva

Secretary: Curriculum Development Officer

(Personal, Social and Humanities Education), Education Bureau

(Ms. KWAN Wing-yee, Pierra, up to July 2010) (Ms. YAU Ka-man, Jenny, since July 2010)

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Preamble

The Geography Curriculum Guide (Secondary 1-3) is one of the series prepared by the Curriculum Development Council, Hong Kong for use in secondary schools.

The Curriculum Development Council is an advisory body giving recommendations to the Hong Kong Special Administration Region Government on all matters relating to curriculum development for the school system from kindergarten to sixth form. Its membership includes heads of schools, practising teachers, parents, employers, academics from tertiary institutions, professionals from related fields or related bodies, representatives from the Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority and the Vocational Training Council, as well as officers from the Education Bureau.

This Curriculum Guide is recommended by the Education Bureau for use in secondary schools.

The Curriculum Development Council will review the curriculum from time to time in the light of classroom experiences. All comments and suggestions on the Geography Curriculum Guide may be sent to:

Chief Curriculum Development Officer (Personal, Social and Humanities Education) Curriculum Development Institute

Education Bureau

Room 1319, 13/F, Wu Chung House 213 Queen’s Road East

Wan Chai, Hong Kong.

or email to:

ccdopshe@edb.gov.hk

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Chapter 1 Introduction

1.1 Geography as a discipline and its role in the school curriculum

Geography is a discipline that enables us to understand the Earth in which we live from a spatial and an ecological perspective. It is about the study of places and regions, including their locations, their characteristics, processes that shape them, as well as how and why they are changing. It develops knowledge and understanding of the distribution of physical and human phenomena, and interprets patterns and processes that affect our physical and human worlds. Geography is also concerned with the interactions between people and environments. It looks at how physical systems affect human activities and how human actions modify physical environments. It analyses the impact of people-environment interaction and explains the diverse responses of people in different places at different times. In addition, geography makes global understanding possible through studying the interconnectedness and interdependence of not only places, but of the physical, economic, political and social contexts in which we live. In this connection, geography involves the study of contemporary issues of sustainability on different scales (from local to global), with particular focus on how people-environment interactions can be managed and improved in a sustainable manner.

As a school subject, geography stimulates students’ interest in and a sense of wonder about people, places and environments. It helps our students make sense of our complex and dynamically changing world. The subject facilitates our students to gain a better understanding of different places in the world, including our home city Hong Kong, our home country China, as well as other places beyond students’ direct own experience. Geography also facilitates students to develop world knowledge and understanding. It provides the essential background knowledge for understanding many important global issues such as climate change, globalisation, changing availability of water resources, population and urban problems, to name but a few. Moreover, geography enables students to integrate the knowledge of the physical and human worlds and gain a better understanding of the interaction between human and natural environments. Students will also know more about the concept of sustainable development through the study of geography, and be able to understand better how local, national and global issues could be resolved and managed in a sustainable way.

Another major role of geography in the school curriculum is to equip students with geographical enquiry skills that are essential for developing spatial and environmental understanding of the world. Geographical enquiry encourages critical investigation of issues that affect the world and people’s lives, now and in the future. Through the study of geography, students will be equipped with the ability to identify and ask questions from a geographical perspective, to locate and extract appropriate information from a variety of sources relevant to the enquiry, to present and organise

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information and data in appropriate formats, and to interpret information and data for making inferences and drawing conclusions. They will also learn how to conduct fieldwork investigation to obtain first-hand information and data for their enquiries. Moreover, students will have ample opportunities to develop their abilities to read and interpret verbal, visual and digital media, including different types of maps, a range of written information, a variety of graphs and charts, as well as various kinds of photographic images and digital data (e.g. GIS).

Geography also plays a significant role in developing our students into informed and responsible Chinese and global citizens. The study of local and national issues provides basic knowledge of the places in which our students live, work, study and play, and helps cultivate students’ concern for and commitment to the betterment of our home city and our nation. On the other hand, in examining regional and global issues, students will know more about other places which are connected to Hong Kong and China, such as through climatic processes, population movements, trade and investment, tourism, cultural influences and political relationships. With this knowledge, our student will be better equipped to make informed decisions to handle challenges in the future, to cultivate their values and responsibilities to other people and the environment, as well as to explore their own place in the world.

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1.2 Curriculum Aims

The aims of this curriculum are to enable students:

(a) to develop knowledge and understanding of space, place and environment, in particular the spatial arrangement of places and the interaction between human and the environment;

(b) to think and to enquire in a geographical manner;

(c) to develop geographical skills and basic competencies for further studies and life situations;

and

(d) to be informed and responsible citizens who are willing to act for the betterment of their home city, home nation and the world, and to contribute to the sustainable development of human societies and the natural environment.

1.3 Objectives

In relation to the above aims, students should be able to:

1.3.1 Knowledge and Understanding

(a) develop a thorough understanding of key geographical concepts, including space, place, region, human-environment interaction, global interdependence and sustainable development, and apply them in new situations and contexts;

(b) develop a solid framework of place knowledge, including the knowledge and understanding of places in the local region (Hong Kong and Zhujiang Delta Region), other places in China, the Asia-Pacific and the world, and the interconnectedness among these places;

(c) describe and explain the interactions between human and the natural environment over space and time, including the physical and human processes that involved in such interactions, and the patterns and impacts created by such interactions;

(d) understand how the natural environment influence human life and how human activities alter the natural environment; and

(e) develop a knowledge and understanding of the major issues of global concern, and how these issues can be managed and/or resolved in a sustainable way.

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1.3.2 Skills

(a) think geographically, guided by the following questions:

i) “Where is it?” and “What is it like?”

ii) “Why is it there?” and “How did it happen?”

iii) “How and why is it changing?”

iv) “What impacts does it have?”

v) “How should it be managed?”

(b) master basic geographical enquiry skills, including the ability to : i) ask geographical questions;

ii) locate and collect information and data relevant to the enquiry from a variety of sources;

iii) organise and present information and data in appropriate formats; and iv) analyse and interpret information and data for drawing conclusions.

(c) master basic geographical skills, including the ability to :

i) read and interpret different types of atlases, maps and plans at a variety of scales;

ii) construct maps and plans using symbols, annotations, keys and scales;

iii) select and use fieldwork techniques (e.g. observing, measuring, interviewing, recording, photographing, sketching) and instruments (e.g. cameras, data logging devices, GIS);

iv) read and interpret different types of photographs and satellite images; and

v) select and use appropriate graphical and IT techniques to present data on maps and diagrams (e.g. pie charts, GIS).

(d) master basic competencies, e.g. communication skills, critical thinking skills and creativity, through the enquiry of geographical issues, including the ability to:

i) communicate and exchange ideas in appropriate ways, in particular the use of IT (e.g. PowerPoint presentation, sharing of fieldwork data via e-mail);

ii) assess the information collected, and determine what and what not to believe; and iii) view situations from different perspectives, such as to explore the diverse responses of

people living in different places towards natural hazards from perspectives other than spatial and ecological, e.g. cultural, economic, political and socially responsible perspectives.

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1.3.3 Values and Attitudes

(a) be commit to actions conducive to a better environment and to the sustainability of the world;

(b) develop a sense of belonging to our society and nation, and be willing to take action for the betterment of our society and nation;

(c) be aware of the increasing global interdependence and the importance of international cooperation in handling global issues;

(d) show concern for the people who are less privileged and who are suffering from various types of problems; and

(e) develop an understanding and respect for other people, their values, cultures and ways of life.

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Chapter 2 Curriculum Framework

2.1 Background

Geographical education at junior secondary level should aim at enabling our students to develop basic geographical literacy and competency. Apart from helping students to acquire the essential geographical concepts, knowledge and skills for senior secondary education, the subject should also equip students with fundamental knowledge and skills to tackle problems and challenges in their daily life. One should be fully aware of the fact that not all junior secondary students will be taking geography when they are promoted to the senior secondary level. Therefore, junior secondary geography is most likely the only chance for some of our students to receive basic geography training. In view of this, the design of the junior secondary Geography curriculum has to strike a delicate balance between the need to stimulate students’ interest in geography and arouse their curiosity about our physical and human worlds on one hand, and the requisite to introduce the basic disciplinary essence of the subject on the other.

Another prime concern for the design of this curriculum is the diversified modes of curriculum planning adopted by local secondary schools in their junior secondary PSHE curriculum. To cater for the needs of those schools adopting integrated and combined subject modes of curriculum planning, the framework of this curriculum has to be kept flexible and versatile, allowing the maximum degree of school-based tailoring.

Furthermore, the existing S1-3 Geography curriculum has been implemented for more than ten years and a number of new developments have made part of its content or the direction of enquiry obsolete. In the study of industrial location, for instance, Japan’s development in the eighties serves as a suitable case study for understanding how the conventional factors affect the location of manufacturing industry. However, with Japan’s fading economic vitality in the past decades, and the appearance of a number of new location factors, such as research and development, the study of “Japan Industrial Miracle” is no longer an appropriate topic in geography. The recent trend of the global shift of manufacturing industry in terms of location and function put a pressing need for curriculum revision.

Geographical education has advanced in a number of ways for the past ten years. On the technical side, geo-informatics techniques, including GIS, have become a common tool used by geographers as well as geography students to facilitate their research and study of the subject. It is thus essential to provide our junior secondary geography students with a basic understanding of what GIS is and how it can be used for studying geography.

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In terms of curriculum framework and approach, there is an increasing emphasis on the balance among “matter, method and mission”. In addition to the continuous adoption of issue-enquiry approach, there is a recent trend to include a second focus on “modern regional geography”. It does not mean to go back to “facts and figures”, but to adopt a postmodern approach aiming at providing students with a “contemporary world view” and enabling them to look at ‘regions’ under the perspective of changes and development.

Last but not the least, with the increasing influence of China in global political, socio-economic and environmental issues, there is also a need to provide our junior secondary students with a more comprehensive understanding of our mother country. The S1-3 Geography curriculum obviously has a vital part to play through offering a more systematic and in-depth study of China.

2.2 Design Principles

This curriculum should:

(a) build on the knowledge, skills, values and attitudes, and learning experience acquired and developed by students through their study of the General Studies curriculum in primary education;

(b) achieve a balance between breadth and depth in the study of geography to suit the needs of different students taking different pathways after the completion of junior secondary education;

(c) achieve a balance between the learning of theoretical knowledge and its application to life situations by giving equal emphasis to the development of conceptual knowledge of geography and a better understanding of geographical issues relevant to students’ present and future lives;

(d) provide a flexible and diversified framework capable of:

i) allowing its adoption into the various types of school-based PSHE curricula developed by different schools, and

ii) catering for student diversity in abilities, needs and interests;

(e) enable our students to understand how geography has meaning and relevance to their own lives and can assist them in making decisions and taking action;

(f) not confine school geography to local and nearby regions, but build on students’ curiosity and encourage them to explore the whole world;

(g) provide ample opportunities for students to develop a wide range of skills, including those involved in:

i) using and interpreting maps, photographs, satellite images and information technology (including GIS),

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ii) undertaking enquiry-based fieldwork in a range of settings, and iii) tackling issues, solving problems and making decisions;

(h) enable teachers to use enquiry-based and problem-solving methods of learning and teaching;

(i) reinforce student learning through allowing the adoption of a wide variety of out-of- classroom learning activities (e.g. fieldwork);

(j) integrate the learning of IT skills in the study of geography; and

(k) promote our students to develop investigative and critical approaches to learning, and provide opportunities for their creativity to flourish.

2.3 Curriculum Structure

This curriculum consists of three sections, namely “Section A: From Hong Kong to the World

— Variations in space, people and places”, “Section B: From China to the World — Enquiring regional problems arising from human-environment interactions” and “Section C: Challenges for our world — Managing global issues in a sustainable way”. They are designed to facilitate students’ understanding and application of key geographical concepts, including ‘space’ and

‘place’ for Section A, ‘region’ and ‘human-environment interaction’ for Section B, and ‘global interdependence’ and ‘sustainable development’ for Section C. Each section consists of four modules, making up a total of twelve modules for the whole curriculum. Each module focuses on a major geographical theme that involves the study of core geographical concepts and knowledge through the investigation of a related issue.

The four modules of Section A are designed to involve students in enquiring the issue in local context (Hong Kong), and then extending their investigation to national (China), regional (Asia and the Pacific) and finally to global scale. Such design enables students to master the key geographical concepts ‘space’ and ‘place’, and allows them to understand how the interaction of physical and human processes in different places creates varying geographical patterns and phenomena. The two modules on “City” and “Natural Hazards” in Section A are core modules. The remaining two, “Tourism”

and “Climate Change” are elective modules and students are requested to select one to study.

Section B contains four modules in which the two on food and water problems in China are core modules. The remaining two are elective modules and students have to choose one to study. Similar to Section A, the design involves student to enquire an issue in national context, and then extending the investigation to regional and global scale. The modules included in this section are about how the physical environment influences human activities and how human activities modify the physical environment. The aim of this section is to help students master the key geographical concept ‘region’

and ‘human-environment interaction’, with particular emphasis on the impacts of people-environment interactions and the diverse responses of people towards these impacts.

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Section C also contains four modules with the two on manufacturing industry and energy being the core. Again, all students have to select one of the remaining two in Section C to study.

The modules of this section are designed to facilitate the understanding of the concepts ‘global interdependence’ and ‘sustainable development’. The modules aim at enabling student to appreciate the increasing interconnectedness and interdependence of our world, and how global issues could be managed in a sustainable manner.

On the whole, all students have to study 9 modules within three years. The 9 modules include 6 core modules (2 from each of Section A, Section B and Section C) and 3 elective modules (1 from each of Section A, Section B and Section C). If time and student ability allow, teachers can consider finishing some or all of the remaining modules.

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17 Figure 2.1 Curriculum Structure: Modules, key concepts and areal coverage

Core Modules

Using Urban Space Wisely - Can we maintain a sustainable urban environment?

Living with Natural Hazards - Are we better equipped than the others?

Food Problem -

Can we feed ourselves?

The Trouble of Water - Too much and too little

Global Shift of Manufacturing Industry - Opportunities and threats

Scramble for Energy

Either One

Either One Elective Modules

Tourists - Friends or foes?

Changing Climate, Changing Environments

Population Problems - Just about numbers?

Taming the Sand - A long-lasting combat against desertiﬁcation and sandstorms

The Geography of Disease - Facing a spreading risk

Oceans in Trouble

Core modules Elective modules

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2.4 Time Allocation

This curriculum has been compiled on the assumption that schools will devote at least 100 hours¹ to the teaching of geography in Secondary One to Three. It is suggested that each module, no matter core or elective, should be given at least 11 hours² of classroom teaching time, making up a total of 100 hours for the teaching of the six core and three elective modules. The teaching hours allocated for the study of each module has already included the time required for conducting fieldwork and spatial data enquiry activities.

2.5 Essential Learning Elements

The open framework of PSHE, while allowing schools flexibility in the way they handle the scope and depth of the content to meet the different needs of students, should not deprive them of the opportunity to learn certain ‘essential elements’ in this Key Learning Area. To ensure that schools include these core contents in their curriculum plans, the essential learning elements of junior secondary geography is delineated in Figure 2.2 on the following pages.

These essential learning elements are set out as a primary resource list for schools to plan and review their curriculum, so that relevant learning experiences are provided to ensure all students will acquire the basic knowledge, concepts, skills, values and attitudes. Schools and their respective KLA coordinators and subject panel heads should ensure that these elements are covered in their school curriculum. This is particularly crucial for schools which choose not to offer geography as an independent subject but to incorporate learning elements of geography into their school-based integrated subject programmes.

The essential learning elements are based on a review of a number of overseas geography curricula, teachers’ opinions collected from the “Research on Teachers’ Views of Essential Learning Outcomes in PSHE at the End of Secondary 3”, and the views of a group of professionals from tertiary institutions, experienced teachers and curriculum developers. In response to the emergence of new knowledge and events in society, these elements are subject to modification and amendment as needs arise.

1 100 hours over three years are approximately equivalent to 150 forty-minute periods in a six-day cycle timetable.

2 11 hours of teaching time are approximately equivalent to 16.5 forty-minute periods in a six-day cycle timetable.

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Knowledge and Understanding

1. The location of places and landscapes, including why they are there, the patterns and distributions they created, how and why these are changing and their implications for people

2. The distribution of major physical and human patterns at different scales (from local to global)

3. The geographical processes that created the distribution of major physical and human patterns and their interactions across space

4. The physical and human characteristics of places 5. The physical and human processes that shape places

6. The concept of region as an area of Earth’s surface with unifying geographic characteristics 7. The similarities and differences among regions

8. The ways in which regions change and the factors contributing to these changes

9. The effects of the characteristics of physical environments and processes on human activities

10. Human responses to variations and changes in physical environments

11. Human modification of the physical environment, and its consequences on places and environments

12. The meaning of sustainable development and how it is implemented in different places and different occasions

13. Major local, national and global environmental issues, including their causes, the tension involved, and how they can be managed in a sustainable way

14. The economic, environmental, political and social interactions among places and regions 15. The changes caused by human action in one place leading to changes in other places

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Skills

1. Identify geographical issues and ask / pose geographical questions 2. Select and extract geographical data from a range of sources³

3. Organise and present geographical data in appropriate formats⁴ using appropriate techniques for summarising⁵

4. Observe and interpret patterns, trends and relationships from processed geographical data 5. Make inferences / generalisations and draw conclusion from analysed geographical

information and data

6. Read maps of different kinds⁶ and at different scales

7. Find specific information in an atlas by using the index and contents pages 8. Locate specific features and places on a map using coordinates and references⁷ 9. Measure distances and areas on maps using linear scale and RF

10. Identify and describe spatial patterns on a map

11. Construct an annotated cross-section from a contour map 12. Calculate the gradient of a slope

13. Interpret a contour map to describe the relief of an area and identify landform features⁸ shown on the map

14. Use GIS software to organise geographical data and to construct a simple map

15. Follow a route on a given map in the field, and be able to identify conspicuous features from the information shown

16. Use a variety of skills⁹ to measure, map and record geographical data in the field 17. Use a variety of tools¹⁰ to measure, collect and record geographical data in the field 18. Draw annotated field sketch¹¹ to record and interpret geographical information 19. Undertake sampling¹² in the field

3 Refer to both primary and secondary sources, e.g. field data, documents, maps, charts, photos, GIS data, and websites 4 Refer to text (e.g. reports, tables, summaries) and illustrations (e.g. maps, diagrams, models, sketches, graphs)

5 Refer to descriptive statistics such as average, median, mode and range, etc.

6 Refer to floor plans, street directories, atlas maps, topographic maps, HMC20C maps, etc.

7 Refer to letter/number coordinates, 4-figure references, 6-figure reference, longitudes and latitudes

8 Refer to features like ridge, plateau, slope (convex, concave, steep, gentle), valley, spur, saddle, knoll, escarpment, cliff, etc.

9 Including observation, sketching and annotating, interview, field survey, land use plotting, traffic/pedestrian count, photo/video shooting, data logging (GIS/GPS), etc.

10 Including 16-point compass, clinometer, measuring tape, digital weather meter, data logging devices, etc.

11 Using mapping conventions such as titles, scale, north point and legend, etc.

12 For example: random, systematic and stratified sampling techniques

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Skills

20. Identify and calculate totals, averages¹³, frequencies, ranges¹⁴, densities, ratios and percentages

21. Construct and interpret pie charts, bar, column, line, climatic and proportional graphs 22. Construct flow diagrams to illustrate inputs, outputs, elements, feedback and other aspects

of geographical systems

23. Read and interpret oblique, aerial, ground-level and satellite imagery

24. Recognise features and patterns shown in an aerial photograph and identify them on a map of the same area

25. Read simplified weather charts¹⁵

13 Including means, modes, medians 14 Including maximum and minimum

15 Including temperature, precipitation, wind speed and direction, high and low pressure and specific systems like typhoon

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Values and Attitudes

1. Appreciate the beauty of nature

2. Appreciate the interdependence between human beings and the natural environment 3. Be sensitive to the development of the surrounding environment

4. Develop an eagerness to know more about China 5. Show concern for the problems that affect China

6. Develop a sense of belonging to society and nation and become an active and responsible citizen

7. Be aware of the increasing global interdependence and understand the importance of international solidarity and cooperation

8. Develop a sense of wonder and curiosity about peoples, places and environments 9. Develop a sense of responsibility towards the building of a better world

10. Express empathy towards the problems and difficulties encountered by other people in different parts of the world

11. Develop an understanding and a respect for people, their cultures, values and ways of life 12. Understand the differences and similarities between people, places, environments and

cultures

13. Appreciate how people’s values and attitudes differ and how these differences may influence their perceptions and responses to geographical issues

Figure 2.2 Essential Learning Elements of S1-3 Geography curriculum

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2.6 Content Outline

The specific contents suggested for the twelve modules of this curriculum are listed in the tables on the following pages. The guiding questions included in each table represent a possible way of studying the related issue. Teachers are reminded that there could be alternative ways of structuring the enquiry of an issue, and they should always exercise their professional judgement in designing the flow of their lessons based on the interest, abilities and needs of their students. The same principle applied to the knowledge, skills, and values and attitudes suggested for the module.

Teachers only need to ensure that after the completion of the whole curriculum, all the essential learning elements recommended in Section 2.5 are covered in their teaching. They could feel free to decide which concepts or skills should be included in the teaching of individual modules.

A number of specific examples are suggested for each of the twelve modules. The purpose of these specific examples is to enhance the areal coverage of the module so as to strengthen students’

global perspective, enabling them to have a better understanding of what is happening in other parts of the world. For students of average ability, teachers can simply give a very brief overview and do not need to go into details. If time and students’ ability allow, teachers can consider turning the examples into case studies, engaging their students into more detailed enquiry.

Teachers should also note that each module comes with an introduction. The first paragraph of the introduction is about the major foci of the module, highlighting the rationale of choosing that particular theme and the key learning elements that should be covered. The second paragraph is mainly on catering for student diversity, in particular the difference in learning ability. Suggestions on how to tailor the curriculum content to cater for students of different learning abilities are included, such as excluding the teaching of some specific examples or introducing additional learning activities.

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Section A: From Hong Kong to the W orld — V ariations in space, people and places

Using Urban Space Wisely — Can we maintain a sustainable urban environment? Urban land use and urban problem are two core themes in geography. Urban land use patterns and urban problems reflect the spatial interaction of physical settings and human processes in cities. Through the study of this module, students can understand how various geographical factors shape the internal structure of a city by a very brief comparison of Hong Kong with a Western city, a Southeast Asian city and a South American city. Students can also look into the problems our city is facing and how these urban problems can be solved. The study of urban land use and urban problems do not only enable students to understand major geographical concepts such as location requirement, competition for space, land use conflict, urban growth and redevelopment, sustainable development, etc., but is also important in developing essential geographical skills including map reading, photo interpretation, land use plotting and problem-solving. This module also provides ample opportunities for students to engage in fieldwork enquiry and to master respective enquiry and fieldwork skills, including following a pre-planned route in the field, observing and identifying conspicuous features, collecting data by field survey, undertaking sampling in the field, and many more. Moreover, through enquiring urban issue, it is hoped that students can develop a stronger awareness of what is happening around them and play a more active role in helping to improve the environment of the city they are living in. A number of specific examples are suggested for teachers to give students a brief introduction on how urban problems can be solved by adopting the concept of sustainable development in urban planning and management. These specific examples can strengthen students’ global perspective and enable them to have a better understanding of what is happening in other parts of the world. For students with average ability, it is advisable for teachers to give just a very brief overview of what are happening in other cities and how they try to solve their urban problems in a sustainable way. For those with better ability and interest in urban geography, teachers can consider comparing the case of Hong Kong with those of Guangzhou/ Tianjin, or even a multiple-case comparison including Seoul and Helsinki.

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Suggested Time: 10-12 hours Guiding Questions • How does our city look like? - What are the major types of urban land use in Hong Kong? How are they distributed? - What is CBD? Where is the CBD of Hong Kong? Why is it there? - Where are the industrial and residential areas in Hong Kong? Why are some residential areas near to industrial areas, but the others are far away from them? - Do cities all look the same? How is Hong Kong different from a Western city (e.g. London), a Southeast Asian city (e.g. Kuala Lumpur) and a South American city (e.g. Rio de Janeiro)? • What problems is our city facing? -Why is the CBD of Hong Kong always so congested? Why are our roads and tunnels always full of vehicles? - Where are the older, inner parts of the city of Hong Kong? What kinds of urban problems can be found here? - Do other cities face the same problems? • How can we solve our problems? -What are the measures taken to solve the urban problems of Hong Kong? -What do we mean by a sustainable city? How can sustainable urban development help to solve urban problems? -What can we learn from other cities (Guangzhou/Tianjin, Seoul and Helsinki)? • In your opinion, what is an ideal city? Specific Examples • China: Guangzhou / Tianjin • Asia and the Pacific: Seoul • World: Helsinki Knowledge • Major types of urban land use (including CBD and other commercial land use, high-income and low-income residential land use, industrial land use, mixed land use, transport and recreational land use, institutional land use) • Factors affecting urban land use pattern • Urban land use pattern in Hong Kong and a brief review of three other cities in the world (highlighting a few specific land use types / patterns not common in Hong Kong, e.g. port zone, indigenous commercial centre, squatter areas)

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• Hong Kong urban problems (including traffic congestion, pollution, housing and urban decay): causes, characteristics and solutions • A comparison of the urban problems of Guangzhou/Tianjin and Hong Kong • Sustainable urban development and characteristics of a sustainable city • A brief study of Guangzhou (green community) / Tianjin (Eco-city), Seoul (Cheonggyecheon) and Helsinki (Local Agenda 21) in their progression towards sustainable urban development Skills • Identify the urban land use pattern of Hong Kong and/or other cities from maps and aerial photographs • Find the location of different cities using an atlas • Identify different types of urban land use from photographs and maps • Follow a pre-determined route in the field and identify various types of urban land use and urban problems along the route • Map urban land use in the field and construct a land use map using GIS software • Sketch a field map to note specific geographical characteristics such as land use, housing conditions, environmental quality, etc. • Undertake sampling in the field to select interviewees for field survey • Conduct questionnaire survey to collect opinions on urban environment • Construct statistical graphs to present and summarise survey results • Compare urban characteristics of two cities based on statistics, maps and photographs • Construct a map or a plan (with proper scale, direction, conventional symbols and legend) to show an ideal city to live in Values and Attitude• Show interest in knowing more about other cities in China • Show concern for the problems caused by urban development • Be aware of the conflicting interests of different land users • Appreciate the necessity of tolerance and compromise in resolving urban problems • Develop a sense of responsibility to take action in improving the urban environment

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Living with Natural Hazards — Are we better equipped than the others? Natural hazards have always been part of our life. Even though Hong Kong is not located in the major hazard areas of the world, we still have to face the threat posed by typhoons and landslides. To become informed and responsible citizens, it is essential for our students to understand these two natural hazards in order to prepare for them. In addition, it is also essential for our students to know briefly the major natural hazards affecting the other parts of China and the world. As such, the focus of this module is to provide students with an overview of the three major natural hazards, namely landslides, tropical storms and earthquakes. Students should gain a basic understanding of the causes and the negative impacts of these hazards, as well as the preventive and remedial measures adopted to reduce their damaging effects. Moreover, through the study of typhoon and landslide, students will be able to acquire the basic knowledge about the climate and relief of Hong Kong and South China. They should also have ample opportunities to develop their skills on reading and interpreting contour maps, weather charts, photographs and satellite images, in particular the drawing of cross-section, the calculation of slope gradient and the identification of relief features on a topographical map. It is hoped that in studying the major natural hazards occurred in different parts of the world, students could develop a global perspective and a caring attitude towards the suffering of people living in places far away from Hong Kong. After completing this module, every student should be able to name the major types of natural hazards that occurred in the world and to identify where these hazards commonly occurred. They should be given a brief introduction of geomorphologic, meteorological and geological hazards through the study of landslide in Hong Kong, typhoon in China/Asia and earthquake outside Asia. For the more able students, teachers can guide students to conduct a comparative study of one particular hazard occurring in both the more developed and less developed areas. Through this study, students should be able to explain why some people are more vulnerable to natural hazards than the others. Teachers can also ask their students to compare the different preventive and remedial measures adopted and try to explain how the variations in measures taken are related to the level of economic development. Moreover, teachers can guide their better students to discuss why people living in different places will have different responses to natural hazards, in particular on why many people still choose to live in hostile areas affected by natural hazards.

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Suggested Time: 10-12 hours Guiding Questions • Are we living in a hostile world? - What are the major natural hazards of the world? - Where do they commonly occur? • Why do our slopes collapse? - What are the causes of landslides and their effects on Hong Kong? - How do we prepare for and respond to landslides? • Why does most of Asia suffer from strong winds and heavy rain in summer? - What are the causes and effects of tropical storms? - How do Asian people prepare for and respond to tropical storms? • Why does our land shake violently? - What are the causes and effects of earthquakes? - How do people in the world prepare for and respond to earthquake? • Why are some people more vulnerable than we are? - How and why do the effects of natural hazards vary among countries with different levels of economic development? - Why do some people still choose to live in hostile areas affected by natural hazards? Specific ExamplesMeteorological, geological and geomorphologic hazards at the following places: • China: Taiwan, Sichuan, Gansu • Asia and the Pacific: the Philippines, Indonesia, India • World: U.S.A., New Zealand, Central America Knowledge • Major natural hazards of the world: earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, floods and droughts, severe storms, and wildfires • Global distribution of the major natural hazards • A brief introduction of the relief of Hong Kong • Causes of landslides in Hong Kong and their effects on Hong Kong people • A brief introduction of the climate of South China (including seasonal patterns, monsoon system, extreme weather conditions in summer: heavy rainstorms and typhoons)

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• The related weather conditions and negative impact brought by typhoons • The global distribution of earthquakes and its relationship with plate boundaries • The primary and secondary damages caused by earthquakes • Preventive (e.g. early warning, education, shelter) and remedial (e.g. emergency aid, improving prediction) measures to reduce the negative effects of landslides, typhoons and earthquakes • A comparison of the impacts of natural hazards and the respective preventive and remedial measures adopted by in the more developed and the less developed regions • Reasons for the people of the less developed regions being more vulnerable to natural hazards than those living in more developed regions • Reasons for people choose to stay in, or are unable to move away from hostile areas affected by natural hazards Skills • Identify the warning signals associated with natural hazards in Hong Kong • Identify major relief features on a contour map of Hong Kong • Find the height of the ground and calculate slope gradient from a contour map • Construct an annotated cross-section and calculate its vertical exaggeration • Use GIS software to construct a map showing the distribution of recent natural hazards in the world • Observe in field to identify preventive measures of landslide along hill slope • Read a series of weather charts of Hong Kong to describe the weather conditions within a period of time • Construct climatic graph and describe the temperature and rainfall distribution pattern shown • Identify from satellite images, videos, photographs and news articles the impact of a recent hazard event • Assess real-time information provided by the Hong Kong Observatory to describe the forecasted path of a typhoon Values and Attitude • Be aware of the power of nature in influencing people’s life • Understand the variations in people’s response to natural hazards in different places • Develop a readiness to take precautionary measures to reduce the negative impact of natural hazards • Show concern for the damaging effects of natural hazards on other people and places • Appreciate how people adapt to natural hazards

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Tourists — Friends or foes? Spending holidays abroad has been a very popular recreational activity of Hong Kong people. Worldwide, tourism has also been a rapidly growing industry. This module aims at studying the reasons for and the pattern of Hong Kong people travelling abroad, and more importantly, the opportunities and challenges created by tourism development. Students should focus on investigating the benefits brought by the growth of tourism to the economy and the natural environment, and on the other hand, the negative socio-cultural and environmental impacts of tourism on the host regions. In addition, students should know briefly what sustainable tourism development is and how it is put into practice in different places of the world. In terms of skills development, this module enables students to develop a variety of basic geographical skills including locating places, measuring distance and direction, finding out local times of different places, as well as matching the same features shown in photographs and maps. Last but not least, after completing this module, students should have learnt to be responsible tourists and show respect and care for the lifestyle and habit of the local people, and the culture, tradition and environment of the host region that may be very different from those of Hong Kong. A number of specific examples are suggested for teachers to strengthen students’ global perspective and to give a brief introduction of how sustainable tourism is practised in different parts of the world. Teacher should ensure that every student could acquire a brief but complete understanding of how tourism development impact different localities and different people in the world. On the other hand, in-depth study of one or more of the specific examples on sustainable tourism development is considered more suitable to students who are more able and who have shown strong interest in this topic. Teachers should note that each specific example represented a specific type of sustainable tourism successfully implemented at a particular type of tourist destination. To enable these brighter students to apply what they have learnt, teachers can introduce an extended activity that requires students to modify a travel itinerary of a guided tour to make the trip more cultural and/or environmental-friendly.

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Suggested Time: 8-10 hours Guiding Questions • Why is our airport so crowded during major holidays? - What is recreation? Why is it important? - What are the peak seasons of Hong Kong people travelling aboard? - Why do so many Hong Kong people travel aboard? • Are tourists friends or foes to the local people? - What kinds of benefits will tourists bring to the host regions? - What are the negative impacts of tourism on the host regions? • Will Hong Kong enjoy the same benefits and face the same challenges? - Why are the Geopark and Heritage Trails attractive to tourists? - What will be the positive and negative effects of tourism on the Geopark and Heritage Trails? • Can we develop tourism in a more sustainable way? - What is sustainable tourism? - How can we develop tourism without doing harm to our Geopark and Heritage Trails? - What have been done in other places (e.g. Macau, Thailand, Brazil) to make tourism more sustainable? - How can we as individuals help? Specific Examples • China: The Historic Centre of Macau • Asia and the Pacific: Thailand (islands and beaches) • World: Brazil (the Amazon) Knowledge • Importance of recreation • Seasonal pattern of Hong Kong people travelling abroad • Reasons for increasing number of Hong Kong people travelling abroad (e.g. increasing leisure time, increasing income, better communication and knowledge of other places) • Economic (e.g. improved income and employment, economic growth) and environmental (e.g. preservation and conservation of the natural environment) benefits tourism brings to the host areas

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• Negative environmental (e.g. pollution, physical deterioration) and socio-cultural (e.g. disturbance of local cultural practices and lifestyles, community problems like crime and alcoholism) impacts of tourism on the host areas • Major geological and coastal features found in the Hong Kong Geopark • A brief introduction of the value of one of the Heritage Trails in Hong Kong • Positive and negative impacts of tourism on the Hong Kong Geopark and Heritage Trails • Measures taken to minimise the negative impacts of tourism on the Hong Kong Geopark and Heritage Trails • The concept of sustainable tourism development • Successful examples of Macau / Thailand / Brazil • Green tourists’ code of behaviour Skills • Extract information about Hong Kong people travelling abroad from reports, newspapers, magazines and other publications • Use GIS software to measure the length of one of the Heritage Trails / the total area of the Hong Kong Geopark • Find out the local time of the most popular tourist destinations of Hong Kong people • Use longitudes and latitudes to locate the most popular tourist destinations of Hong Kong people in an atlas • Use 4-figure and 6-figure grid references to locate features at Heritage Trails or Geopark • Measure the distances between Hong Kong and the most popular tourist destinations of Hong Kong people • Measure the bearings of the most popular tourist destinations of Hong Kong people on a map • Construct a line graph to show the yearly trend of Hong Kong people travelling abroad • Conduct a simple survey in class/in school to investigate the reasons for spending holidays abroad • Conduct an interview at the Geopark / Heritage Trails to understand why foreign tourists choose to visit these places • Recognise geographic features of the Hong Kong Geopark shown in aerial photos and identify them on a map of the same area Values and Attitude • Be aware of the need for and importance of recreation • Appreciate the beauty of the natural environment and the value of heritage sites in Hong Kong and other places • Show concern for the impacts of tourism on the host areas • Develop a sense of wonder and curiosity about different peoples, places and environments • Understand and show respect for the people, culture and environment of other places

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Changing Climate, Changing Environments Climate change has been a pressing issue for people living in the 21st Century and is bound to haunt us for the coming decades. From Kyoto to Copenhagen, the issue has brought together all nations of the world to work on an international cooperation plan for solving the problem. Geographically, the issue is a typical example of the interaction between human activities and the natural environment, illustrating how human beings modify the natural environment and how the natural environment in turn influences human beings. Moreover, through studying the impacts of climate change at various scales and locations, our students can understand better the concepts of spatial association and variation. The study of this module also facilitates the development of skills in reading and interpreting maps, climate graphs, weather charts and statistical data in various forms. Teachers should ensure that every student can master the basic skills of identifying the major patterns and trends from various types of maps, charts, graphs and statistical data. Nonetheless, the prime objective of this module should be on the cultivation of students’ values and attitudes towards environmental conservation and sustainable development and on developing them into well-informed, responsible global citizens willing to act for the betterment of our environment. It is very important for teachers to convey the message that though global cooperation is never an easy target to achieve, the effort of each and every individual does count and it is never too late to take action. A number of specific examples are suggested for teachers to strengthen students’ global perspective and their spatial sense. These examples are to be used by the teacher to give a brief introduction of the impact of climate change at different places and resulting human responses to the issue. It is essential for teachers to ensure that every student can get hold of a global picture of the impact of climate change and how people at different places respond to it. If students’ ability and interest allow, teachers can add a brief introduction of how the issue affects China on the whole, with particular emphasis on the increasing magnitude and frequency of extreme weather events, like the blizzard that surprisingly stormed South China in 2008. For the more able students, teachers can further extend the lesson to include a more detailed study of the impact of climate change on the Tuvalu and the Poles.

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Suggested Time: 8-10 hours Guiding Questions • What’s happening to our climate? - Is Hong Kong becoming hotter and hotter? Are we going to lose our winters? - Is our visibility becoming poorer and poorer? • What cause our climate to change? - What is the climatic pattern of Hong Kong and South China? - How did the climate of Hong Kong change in the recent decades? - What are the causes of our changing climate? Is our urban development worsening the situation? • What is happening and will happen? - What is the climatic pattern of the world? - How did the global climatic pattern change in recent years? - What are the effects of climate change on different parts of the world? - Who are going to suffer? Who are going to gain for the time being? - What will happen to Hong Kong? • What can we do? - What have been done to deal with climate change? - Why is it so difficult for countries all round the world to work together? - How can we as individuals help? Is it too late to act now? Specific Examples • China: Blizzards in China • Asia and the Pacific: Rising sea-level at the Tuvalu • World: Melting ice at the Poles Knowledge • General patterns and characteristics of the climate of Hong Kong, China, East Asia and the World • The changing climate of Hong Kong, e.g. increasing average temperature, increasing number of hot nights and very hot days, increasing rainfall with more extreme variability, decreasing visibility and weaker winds, increasing extreme weather events • Causes of changing climate in Hong Kong: increasing carbon emission, impact of the development at Zhujiang Delta Region, local pollution, local urban development

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• Change in the global climatic pattern and climate trend • Impacts of climate change on different parts of the world, e.g. heat wave, extreme rainfall pattern, change in frequency and severity of wild-fire, drought and flooding, rising sea-level, change in ecosystems, disrupting crop yields and food supply, spread of diseases • The impact of climate change on Hong Kong and China on the whole • Measures already taken by China (including Hong Kong) and the other countries in combating climate change • The problem of soliciting international cooperation in combating climate change • Individual actions to help alleviate the problem Skills • Read articles from various sources (e.g. newspaper, magazines, web pages, CD-ROM, etc.) to identify issues and problems related to climate change • Measure and record local weather data over a period of time using instruments provided by the school and present the data systematically using ICT (e.g. spreadsheet) and/or GIS software • Use an atlas to find out the climate of a particular place and the major climatic zones of the world • Read simple statistical graph (e.g. broken-line graph) showing long-term climate trend (e.g. global mean annual temperature over a long period of time) • Read a series of satellite images showing an area over a period of time and describe the changing weather conditions of the area • Use GIS to construct a map showing areas in the world most severely affected by the major negative impacts of climate change • Use the Internet to search for the work of non-government organisations and groups in the world on combating climate change Values and Attitude • Realise a slight change in climate may have enormous impact on the environment and the way people live • Show concern for the people who are suffering and who will suffer from the impact of climate change • Recognise the difficulties in soliciting international cooperation in combating climate change • Develop a readiness to take action to combat climate change • Be confident in the accumulative effect of individual action in contributing to combat against climate change

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Section B:

From China to the W orld — Enquiring regional problems arising from human-environment interactions

Food Problem — Can we feed ourselves? Farming has long been a foundation to the economy of China. In view of her huge population, the provision of sufficient food to feed her people has long been an important issue in China. This module looks at the location of and the types of farming practised in the major farming regions of China. Moreover, it will examine how physical factors such as temperature, rainfall and relief have affected the distribution of these farming regions. In addition to the major farming types in China, students should know the other major types of farming in the world. Another focus of this module is to engage students to investigate into the farming problem of China and to see how the problem may affect the food supply (mainly wheat and rice) of China. The investigation will concentrate mainly on the physical constraints and the environmental problems that adversely affect the food supply of the country, and on the advantages, limitations and negative impacts of using scientific farming methods as one of the possible solutions to the problem. This module also allows students to develop their fieldwork skills. Although the study is on the farming and food problems of China and other less developed countries (LDCs), a field trip to a local farm or one in the Zhujiang Delta can still help students master the basic concepts of agricultural geography. Students will also have a lot of chances to learn how to read and interpret climatic data, topographic maps, population statistics and data on agricultural productivity and crop yield. In addition, students should be able to acquire a deeper understanding of the present demographic and agricultural conditions of China and develop a stronger interest in knowing more about our mother country. They should also be able to show concern and empathy to those people suffering from malnutrition, food shortage and even famine, and be aware of how lucky they are to be spare from any food problems. A number of specific examples are suggested to strengthen students’ global perspective by enabling them to extend their study of food problem from China to the LDCs. Teachers should ensure that all students, regardless of their ability, should be able to acquire a brief understanding of farming types in China and the world, the food problems in China and LDCs, and the solutions adopted in solving these problems. As for the more able students, teachers can ask their students to conduct an in-depth study of one or more of the specific examples to compare the causes of food problem in the example and in China. The study can also include an evaluation of the feasibility of the solutions, such as using scientific farming methods, adopted to solve the problem.

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Suggested time: 10-12 hours Guiding questions • Where are the farmlands in China? - Where does our food come from? How many of them are from China? - What is an agricultural region? Where are the major agricultural regions in China? Why are they there? - What types of farming are practised in these regions? What are their major characteristics? - Can these types of farming be found in the other parts of the world? • Can we produce enough food for our growing population? - How many people are there in China? Is the number still increasing in recent years? - What are the major farming problems of China in the context of food supply? - Will there be enough food for our population? • How can the problems be solved? - Can the use of scientific farming methods solve these problems? - What are the limitations and the negative impact of scientific farming methods? - Are there other solutions for these problems? • Do the same problems happen in the other parts of the world? - What is the food problem faced by the less developed countries/regions, e.g. North Korea, Cambodia or Sahel? - Are the causes of the problem the same as those of China? - What are the solutions to the problem? Specific Examples • Asia and the Pacific: North Korea and Cambodia • World: Sahel in Africa Knowledge • Distribution of major agricultural regions in China (Northwest China / North and Northeast China / South China) and factors affecting their distribution • Major types of farming in China and the world (e.g. intensive rice cultivation, extensive wheat cultivation, pastoral farming, market gardening, horticulture, diary farming, mixed farming) • Trend of population growth in China

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• Major farming problems of China, e.g. loss of cultivated land, soil erosion, water shortage, environmental pollution, natural hazard, low level of technology and mechanization, and their impact on food supply • Scientific farming methods and their improvement of agricultural productivity • The limitations and negative impact of scientific farming methods • Other solutions for the farming problems in China, e.g. soil conservation, better land use management, farming specialization • Causes of food problems in the LDCs - including extreme climates, natural disasters, water shortage, poor governance, unstable social conditions, wars, racial conflicts • Solutions to the food problem in LDCs such as the use of scientific farming methods, education given to farmers, birth control, international aids Skills • Measure area of fields / farms on a map • Interpret relief and climatic map to look at the physical settings of China • Use GIS to relate the physical factors affecting agriculture and the major agricultural regions in China • Conduct a field trip to a farm in Hong Kong or the Zhujiang Delta to identify the types of farming system and their characteristics by observation and interviewing farmers. • Identify the type of farming by looking at a farm plan or aerial photographs • Construct and interpret pie chart / bar graph showing the productivity of various food crops and the area of farmland in China • Construct and interpret line graph showing the trend of population growth in China Values and Attitude • Show interest in knowing more about the farming types in China and other parts of the world • Be aware of the food problem and develop a habit of not wasting any food • Be aware of the limitation of technology in solving food problem • Show concern and develop empathy about the difficulties encountered by people in other areas

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The Trouble of Water — Too much and too Little With a total area of about 9.6 million km², China is one of the largest countries in the world. Variations in relief, climatic and hydrological conditions are obvious in different parts of China. These physical variations, associated with large population size, uneven distribution of population and rapid economic growth, create various water problems in China. Through the study of this module, students can understand how the interplay of physical and human factors has led to floods and droughts in China. They will also understand the role of water pollution in aggravating the water shortage problem in China. In addition, the study of this module facilitates the development of various geographical skills, like reading and interpreting climatic graphs, contour maps and calculating slope gradient. This module also provides an excellent opportunity for students to prepare overlays of different geographical information of China to create an integrated GIS map for further analysis. Last but not least, this module provides a platform for students to know more about the physical environment and water problems of China, which in turn helps our students develop a sense of belonging to our nation. They will develop an eagerness to know more about China and show concern for the problems that China is facing. A number of specific examples are chosen to broaden students’ global perspective and enable them to have a better understanding of the water problem in other parts of the world and the various solutions adopted in different places to solve the problem. If students’ ability and interest allow, teachers can add a case study on how Singaporeans solve their water scarcity problem by various advanced technologies (e.g. using recycled water (NEWater) and desalinated water) and integrated water management strategies. Singapore’s expertise in managing its water challenge is a good example for our reference. For more able students, teachers can further extend the lesson to include case studies of water problems in Bangladesh and UK, and understand the differences in water management between the less developed countries and more developed countries.

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Suggested Time: 10-12 hours Guiding Questions • How do water problems affect us? - What are the major threats to the global water supply? - What are the major water problems in China? - Where do these water problems occur in China? Is there a spatial pattern of flooding and drought in China? - What are the impacts of flooding and drought on China? - How does serious water pollution in China aggravate the water shortage problem of China? • From where does water come? - What is a water cycle? How does it operate? - Where are the major rivers in China? - What’s wrong with the water cycle of China in the past few decades? • Is the nature to blame? - Where are the wet regions and dry regions in China? Why are they distributed in such patterns? - How are flooding and drought in China related to its physical environment? - What are the impacts of population growth and rapid economic development on the spatial distribution of flooding, drought and water pollution in China? • What can be done to solve the water problems? - What are the measures adopted to alleviate water problems in China? - Can the Three Gorges Dam Project and the South-North Water Transfer Project help solve the problems? Are we doing the right things? - What can we learn from the water management experience of other countries (e.g. Singapore, Bangladesh and UK)? Specific Examples • Asia and the Pacific: Singapore and Bangladesh • World: United Kingdom Knowledge • Pattern of global water supply and the major areas with water problems • Major water problems in China, including flooding, drought and water pollution

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• Major rivers in China • Distribution patterns of flooding and drought in China and their impacts • Water pollution in China: causes and impacts • Operation of water cycle • General relief and climate of China and the distribution of wet and dry regions • Causes of flooding and drought in China • Measures for solving water problems in China (including the Three Gorges Dam Project and the South-North Water Transfer Project) • Water conservation and water management strategies in China and other parts of the world Skills • Collect information on China’s water problems (including flooding, drought and water pollution) from various sources and summarise the information in tabular form • Find the height of a ground from a contour map and calculate slope gradient • Read, interpret and construct climatic graphs of major cities of China • Use an atlas to find out and locate the major river basins in China and the world • Construct a cross-section of the river channel at the lower course of a major river with the aid of GIS software • Prepare overlays of different types of geographical information of China (e.g. relief and urbanisation) to create an integrated GIS map for understanding / interpreting water problems in China • Construct a pie chart to represent the distribution of planetary water by percentage • Construct a flow diagram to illustrate the operation of a water cycle • Compare photographs showing an area before and after flooding / drought, and describe the impact of flooding / drought on the area Values and Attitude • Appreciate the importance of sustainable development and develop a sense of responsibility for resource conservation • Be aware of and show concern for water resources and environmental problems of China and develop an eagerness to know more about China • Develop a sense of belonging to our nation and become active and responsible citizens working for her betterment • Appreciate the interdependence between human beings and the natural environment • Express empathy towards the problems and difficulties encountered by other people in different parts of the world