Geography Syllabus

CLASS X

Course Content

Principles of Geography and World Studies

 Astronomical Geography

i Shape of the earth : appearance in reality; conditions favouring life on earth

ii Position on the globe: concepts of latitude and longitude; relation between longitude and

time; local and international time. great circle routes; international date line

iii Movements of the earth and their effects: rotation- day and night; revolution- seasons and

variations in length of day and night

World Studies

A brief introduction of the major natural regions (an idea of their location, temperature, rainfall

and vegetation) which leads to the knowledge of humans in their natural environment, humans

in their every day aspects of life such as food, clothing, tools, housing and transport; activities in

different seasons of the year, products, their marketing and use. The following sample studies

taken from the major natural regions should be studied:

i Equatorial forests: Rubber cultivation in Malaysia and cocoa in Ghana

ii Tropical grasslands- Savannah : the Masai herder of Tanzania

iii Mediterranian lands: orchard farming in the Mediterranean Lands of Western Europe

(Spain, Portugal, France, Italy) and California

iv Hot Deserts: the dwellers of the Sahara including those of the Nile Valley

v Temperate grasslands: Prairies (Canada) and the Steppes (Russia)

vi Coniferous forest : lumbering and trapping in Canada

vii Tundra: its dwellers

Note: Teachers should make use of outline world map to help students grasp the location of

places in relation to other features.

Geography of Bhutan

The Man-made System

i Rural and Urban Settlements

ii Farming Practices and Agriculture Land Use

iii The Growth of Industries

iv Sources of Energy

v Trade, Transport and Communication

vi People and Environment

Map Works

This section is to be examined through map works only. The exercises on maps will be

continuous from class IX to X. Questions on map work will include the entire contents. The

details of contents for this section is given in Class IX course content.

Study of Topo Sheets

Refer to Class IX course content (page 86).

Modes of Assessment 

The learning of geography in class X will be assessed internally by the school and externally by

the Bhutan Board of Examinations.

1. Internal assessment (weighting - 20%)

Internal assessment will include the marks of the continuous assessment (home work, class work

and project work) and the terminal and trial examinations. (The details on the break up of marks are given in the Continuous Assessment, VI to X, Teachers' Guide, CAPSSD, 1999)

Note: The teacher should give proper guidance to the students at every

step of their project work. The length of the project work should be

1000-1500 words ONLY.

The learning of geography in class X will be assessed internally by the school and externally by

the Bhutan Board of Examinations.

The Heads of the schools should send the marks obtained by each student out of 20 to the

Bhutan Board of Examinations on prescribed Mark Sheets provided by the Board NOT

LATER THAN November 15 of the year of examination. The mark awarded by the

school for internal assessment will be added to the mark awarded by the Bhutan Board of

Examination for the written paper.

2. External assessment (weighting - 80%)

The examination will consist of ONE PAPER OF TWO HOURS. The paper will be divided

into four sections:

Section A will have questions on interpretation of survey maps. This portion is

COMPULSORY.

Section B will have questions from Principles of Geography and World Studies. Three

questions will be set out of which candidates must attempt any TWO.

Section C will have questions from Geography of Bhutan. Five questions are set out of which

candidates must attempt any THREE.

Section D will have questions on map work on Asia, South Asia and Bhutan. This portion is

COMPULSORY.

 
Distribution for the Examination

Content Area (sections) No. of Questions

Weighting

Sec.A - Topo Sheets -15

Sec.B - Principles of Geography and World Studies -20

Sec.C - Geography of Bhutan. -30

Sec.D - Map work -15

                                                            TOTAL -- 80

Textbooks and references

1. Geography of Bhutan - Coursebook for classes IX and X, CAPSS, Education Division,

Thimphu, Bhutan

2. Principles of Geography Book I , Charles Farro, general Printers & Publishers, 1977

3. Gem's School Atlas, Ratna Sagar, Ratna Sagar P. Ltd, 1995

4. Monsoon Asia Book II, Charles Farro, General Printers & Publishers, 1985

5. A Text Book of Geography 9, Rita Rajen, General Printers & Publishers, 1998

6. A Text Book of Geography 10, Rita Rajen, General Printers & Publishers, 1998