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Geog A to Z: E is for Environment

 

E is for [built] environment
Images of Sheffield showing the range of architectural styles

The latest installment in the Geog A to Z series, supporting the Geographical Association’s National Festival of Fieldwork, focuses on teaching about the [built] environment. 

Expanding your geographical vocabulary

Using rich, varied terminology and synonyms is a way to help learners engage with and accurately describe their surroundings. Writing at length is an aim of the National Curricuum (2013), so why not support this by arming them with the vocabulary! For those looking to develop their descriptive toolkit further, you might wish to use the books from Routledge called Descriptosaurus, here's a free downloadable sample. 

Look up! Shops and their tops

When studying urban environments, an idea to introduce to pupils is "shops and their tops," a phrase coined by Kate Glanville at the 2024 Geographical Association conference. This encourages learners to look above modern shop fronts to notice the historical, often baroque and grand architectural features hiding in plain sight on our streets. What motivated people in the past century to build with ornament and decoration? Was this how they attracted people in a time before bright lights and neon signs?

A deep-dive into the possible vocabulary of streetwork stone reveals so many words we could use to describe the everyday. We'd teach complexity in relation to the natural world, so why not with the built environment, too?

Many high streets in the UK built in the years before World War 1 and 2 were full of accessible banks, services and small grocery stores. 

Some newer shopping centres (such as the Trafford Centre in Greater Manchester, below) have copied this style, being heavily influenced by classical Greco-Roman architecture. 

Builders deliberately used these grand styles to ensure the buildings appear notable, important, and whatthey are selling appear more of value. You could ask: Do you mind if you get your food from a market, small store or large supermarket? What's better? Why?

The Trafford Centre, Greater Manchester https://www.pexels.com/@paul-davidson-2154052499/ 

Identifying classical columns

An easy way to start analyzing local buildings is by identifying the three main types of classical columns you might spot. This can be easily taught to primary school children:

  • Doric columns: these are plain and feature three distinct grooves at the top, with very little extra decoration.

  • Ionic columns: these are recognizable by the distinct scrolls located at the top of the column, sitting above a plainer base.

  • Corinthian columns: the most decorative and ornate of the three, these feature detailed acanthus leaves carved at the top.

    Images from Pexels (free) reflecting Greco-Roman styles of building. 

Architecture in your local area

A study of any locale  - I looked at Sheffield - reveals a variety of architectural influences mixing Greek, Roman and more  traditional Scottish examples of stonework. These are local landmarks to point out to learners.

For teachers working with upper key stage 2, taking pupils on a local walk to map, identify, and describe these architectural features is a fantastic fieldwork exercise. It challenges students to build an advanced vocabulary that brings the carved details and unique perspectives of their built environment to life.



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