Sweden Compulsory School Geography Syllabus (Years 7-9)

Introduction

The Earth's surface is a mosaic of unique, changing, and vulnerable living environments. Geography provides knowledge about these environments and helps understand human living conditions and the interplay between people, society, and nature. This knowledge increases opportunities to understand the world and promotes sustainable development. The Swedish Compulsory School Geography syllabus for years 7-9 focuses on developing students' understanding of geographical conditions, patterns, and processes in different places and regions, along with their ability to analyze environmental and development issues. Students learn to switch between local, regional, and global spatial perspectives, as well as different time perspectives. Map skills, geographical methods, and tools are also emphasized.

Aim

The aim is to develop students' knowledge of geographical conditions and patterns in different places and regions. The teaching should broaden and deepen their knowledge of natural processes and human activities worldwide and how these affect landscapes and living environments. Students should be able to switch between local, regional, and global spatial perspectives, as well as between different time perspectives. The teaching should also equip students to analyze and reflect on different solutions to current and future global challenges based on ecological, social, and economic perspectives on sustainable development. Furthermore, students should develop map skills, learn geographical names, locations, and size relationships, and develop the ability to ask geographical questions, analyze, and draw conclusions about natural and cultural landscapes and people's living conditions using various geographical sources, methods, tools, and concepts.

Core Content

• Geographical Conditions, Patterns, and Processes:
• Earth's endogenous and exogenous processes, and how they shape and change landscapes.
• Spatial distribution of vulnerable places on Earth (e.g., areas at risk of floods, droughts, or earthquakes). How urban planning and human activities affect vulnerability and how risks can be prevented.
• Global production and consumption patterns and flows of goods and services.
• Causes and consequences of demographic patterns and changes (population distribution, population trends, migration patterns, and urbanization).
• Names and locations of places and regions relevant to the study of geographical conditions, patterns, processes, and sustainability issues.
• Sustainable Development:
• Climate and factors that affect it. Human impact on climate and the consequences of climate change for people, society, and nature worldwide.
• People's access to and use of renewable and non-renewable natural resources and how this affects living environments. Conflicts of interest regarding natural resources.
• Links between economic and social living standards and factors such as demography, gender equality, education, and natural resources.
• Local, regional, and global efforts to promote sustainable development.
• Methods and Tools of Geography:
• Structure of digital and analogue maps, different map projections and their characteristics. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and examples of their use in society.
• Descriptions and analyses of places and regions using maps, simple forms of GIS, field studies, and other geographical sources, methods, tools, and concepts.

Grading Criteria (Year 9)

• Grade E: Demonstrates basic knowledge of geographical conditions, patterns, and processes, making simple inferences about their causes and consequences. Demonstrates basic knowledge of environmental and development issues and makes basic inferences about measures to promote sustainable development. Uses geographical methods and tools in a generally functional manner.
• Grade D: Overall proficiency level is assessed as being between C and E.
• Grade C: Demonstrates good knowledge of geographical conditions, patterns, and processes, making developed inferences about their causes and consequences. Demonstrates good knowledge of environmental and development issues and makes developed inferences about measures to promote sustainable development. Uses geographical methods and tools in a functional manner.
• Grade B: Overall proficiency level is assessed as being between A and C.
• Grade A: Demonstrates very good knowledge of geographical conditions, patterns, and processes, making well-developed inferences about their causes and consequences. Demonstrates very good knowledge of environmental and development issues and makes well-developed inferences about measures to promote sustainable development. Uses geographical methods and tools in a well-functioning manner.