Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
Table 3.2
Content indicated by the 2008 National Curriculum Standards
(1) The various regions of the world
A. The world's regional make-up
B. People's livelihood and the environment in various parts of the world
C. The world's regions
(a) Asia
(b) Europe
(c) Africa
(d) North America
(e) South America
(f) Oceania
D. Surveys of the world's many different regions
(2) Japan's many different regions
A. Japan's regional make-up
B. Japan's geographical characteristics compared to the world
(a) Natural environment
(b) Population
(c) Resources and energy and industry
(d) Linkages between regions
C. Focus on Japan's regions:
(a) Consideration centered on the natural environment
(b) Consideration centered on historical background
(c) Consideration centered on industries
(d) Consideration centered on environmental problems and environmental protection
(e) Consideration centered on population and urban and rural settlement
(f) Consideration centered on livelihood and culture
(g) Consideration centered on linkages with other regions
D. Survey of the local area
MEXT (
2008
)
3 years, junior high school students have 350 classroom hours in Social Studies.
The geography fi eld's share of these under the 1998 National Curriculum Standards was
105 h, but under the 2008 version of the National Curriculum Standards this was
increased by 15-120 h. However, the basic structure of Social Studies as a discipline
has not changed. Geography and History remain compulsory for fi rst and second
year students, with an additional Geography course required in the third year, and
students must study civics after their fi rst History course.
3.2.2
Study About the World's Various Regions
In the School Education Law that was partially revised in 2007, among the goals of
compulsory education, it is explicitly stated that, “Through an understanding of
foreign cultures, to cultivate an attitude that respects other nations and contributes
