Singapore Secondary 2 G1 Humanities > Geography

This course comprises two units, focusing on the relationship between people and the natural and built environments. It aims to develop students' understanding of the Earth's diversity and interconnections, and encourage responsible environmental stewardship.

Unit 1: Forest Resources in the Natural Environment

This unit explores the importance of forests and the impact of human activities on them.

• What is Geography? Geography studies the Earth as the home of all living things and explores humanity's relationship with the natural and built environment.
• What is the natural environment? The natural environment consists of all living things (e.g., plants and animals) and non-living things (e.g., rocks and water) found naturally.
• What are the different types of resources? Resources are materials found in nature. Natural resources are produced by natural processes (e.g., rocks from erosion, water from rainfall). Man-made resources are produced from natural resources (e.g., car tires from latex, glass from sand and limestone).
• Why are forests important? Forests maintain healthy ecosystems by removing carbon dioxide through photosynthesis, storing it in plants, and protecting fertile soil by preventing erosion. They benefit all living things as a source of food and raw materials, and as a place for recreation and habitation.
• How can the use of forest resources affect the natural environment? Deforestation, the permanent removal of forests due to human activities, leads to a loss of biodiversity and contributes to the enhanced greenhouse effect. The enhanced greenhouse effect, caused by increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere due to human activities, leads to higher temperatures and contributes to global warming.

Unit 2: Housing Developments in the Built Environment

This unit explores different types of housing and their impact on the natural environment.

• What is the built environment? The built environment is created by people making changes to the natural environment. It provides space for various human activities and interactions, including housing, public spaces, infrastructure, and transport systems.
• What are the different types of housing? Formal housing is built by the government or private developers with legal rights and provides access to basic services. Informal housing is self-built with no legal rights and lacks access to basic services.
• Why are well-built homes important in meeting people's needs? Well-built homes meet material needs by providing basic services that improve well-being (e.g., sanitation, water, electricity) and amenities that make life easier (e.g., markets, shops, clinics). They also meet social needs by bringing people together (e.g., community centers, playgrounds) and developing a sense of belonging.
• How can housing developments affect the natural environment? Housing developments require clearing land, resulting in deforestation, and extracting natural resources for building materials. They can also contribute to environmental pollution, which is the introduction of harmful substances into the environment. This can lead to long-term damage to land and water bodies.