Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
stipulation was added to include 'mutual collaboration and cooperation between
schools, families, and local area citizens.' Since 2008, MEXT has been considering the
creation of a system in which the entire local area assists school education through
the 'local area headquarters project for aiding schools.' However, there are many
issues given the different school characteristics, such as who will lead the tasks.
11.3
Improving Instructional Implementation and Guidance
in Disaster Prevention
11.3.1
How Disasters Are Dealt with in the National
Curriculum
The national Curriculum Standards explains how each subject should deal with
disasters (MEXT
2012
). Following is a summary of those related to geographic
education.
1. Elementary school/Social Studies: In the third and fourth grades, the prevention
of accidents in the community should be addressed, along with examples of
disasters selected from among fi res, wind, water, and earthquakes. Examine how
related institutions can cooperate with local residents to prevent disasters and
accidents. By fi fth grade, students should learn about “an outline of the nation's
landforms and climate, the lives of people in characteristic regions seen from the
viewpoint of natural conditions, and the work on forestry resources and natural
disaster prevention for the sake of conserving the nation's land.”
2. Junior high school/Social Studies: Along with helping students understand the
characteristics of Japan's national land area surrounded by oceans, geography
instruction should also consider the characteristics of domestic landforms and
climate, natural disasters, and address prevention measures. Also, preventive
measures in response to local natural disasters should be examined in the context
of the natural environment and the regional characteristics of Japan in compari-
son to the world. At the same time, lessons in the survey of nearby surroundings
should focus on phenomena and facts that are characteristic of the local area.
These should be related organically to other phenomena, and the character of the
local area should be examined. In relation to disasters, understanding can be
deepened through fi eld surveys.
3. Senior high school/Geography A and Geography B: Geography A is a subject
that examines world issues as well as those in the local area. Within the standard
geographical consideration of various local issues, students are expected to
develop understanding of the relationship between the natural environment and
natural disasters, as outlined in the newly established unit focusing on “the natu-
ral environment and disaster prevention”. Together with instilling geographical
skills that are connected to everyday life such as reading topographic and hazard
maps, learning should be tailored to raising the awareness of disaster prevention.
Geography B teaches geographical skills through the reading and construction
