Geography Department

Geography is taught within the Social Sciences Department suite of classrooms, which are all equipped with a data projector that is linked to a computer and a visualiser. Geography teaching at Yavneh College aims to provide opportunities to:

• stimulate every pupil’s interest in their surroundings and the impact humans have on their environment
• encourage every pupil to investigate and appreciate the beauty of the world around them
• inspire every pupil to become global citizens by exploring their own place in the world and their responsibilities to other people, to their environment and to the  sustainability of the planet

A variety of teaching methods are used by members of staff within the department to help encourage pupils to achieve these aims, including whole class discussion, group work and the use of ICT.

Curriculum

Key Stage 3 (KS3)

Pupils have two Geography lessons and one homework every two week cycle. The textbook series used at KS3 is Geography 1, 2 and 3, published by Oxford University Press.

Topics studied in Geography in Year 7 include:

Autumn Term Map Skills and Rivers	Spring Term Tectonic Activity	Summer Term Settlements and Football
Connections to places Grid references Distance and direction Using OS maps Showing height on maps Parts of a river Types of weathering Landforms created by a river	Layers of the Earth Plate movements Earthquakes Earthquake case studies Living in danger zones Volcanic eruptions   Case studies	Settlement hierarchies Patterns of land use Building new homes Location football clubs Jobs in football industry Stadium re-location Merchandise exploitation

Topics studied in Geography in Year 8 include:

Autumn Term Ecosystems	Spring Term Energy	Summer Term Population and Crime
Earth’s main biomes The tropical rainforests Destroying the rainforests Sustainability The savanna Destroying the savanna	Sources of energy Fossil fuels Environmental damage caused by fossil fuels Global warming Solar power Wind power	World population Population distribution People and resources Different types of crime Where crime takes place Who commits crime Crime prevention

Topics studied in Geography in Year 9 include:

Autumn Term Development & Trade	Spring Term The Global Fashion Industry	Summer Term Tourism
Living in Poverty Aspects of development Development Indicators Global wealth distribution Third World Debt British economic activity The British coal industry Industrial decline Modern industry in the UK	The global fashion industry Transnational corporations Exploitation of workers Positive and negative impact of globalisation Arguments for and against globalisation	Top tourist destinations The UK on holiday Tourism in the UK Case Study: Surfing Tourism in MEDC’s Tourism in LEDC’s Sustainable tourism

GCSE Geography: AQA specification (4030)

Course Outline

Pupils have three Geography lessons and one hour of homework every week. The textbook used at GCSE is Understanding GCSE Geography published by Heinemann. Pupils who wish to study Geography at A level must have studied Geography at GCSE.

GCSE Geography is likely to appeal to pupils who are interested in the world around them and who want to develop their understanding of the global issues which threaten to destroy our planet. A keen interest in the environment is essential, although a natural curiosity about people and the countries or cultures they come from is necessary. The course will provide pupils with opportunities to visit places of geographical interest as well as getting involved in fieldwork.

Course Content and Assessment

The GCSE Geography course taught at Yavneh College consists of 3 units – units 1 and 2 make up 75% of the full GCSE grade and are both examined by a 1½ hour examination taken at the end of the course. Unit 3 is a local fieldwork investigation which is completed under controlled conditions and makes up 25% of the full GCSE grade.

Unit 1: Physical Geography

• The Restless Earth explores the distribution of plates, the location and formation of landforms that occur at different types of plate margins, the causes and characteristics of different types of volcanoes, the location, cause and effects of earthquakes and the cause and effect of a tsunami. 
• The Living World explores the components of micro-ecosystems, the location, climate and vegetation of the hot deserts, tropical rainforests and temperate deciduous forests, the use of deciduous forests, the economic, social, political and environmental effects of deforestation and case studies relating to the sustainable management of the rainforests and two hot deserts. 
• Water on the Land explores the processes and landforms that result from river erosion and depositation, the causes and consequences of flooding in the UK, the advantages and disadvantages of hard and soft engineering strategies and the social, economic and environmental impact of building dams.

Unit 2: Human Geography

• Population Change explores the stages of population growth, changing population structures, the causes and implications of population change, the effectiveness of national population policies, the problems associated with an ageing population and the causes and consequences of migration.
• Changing Urban Environments explores the causes and consequences of urbanisation in rich and poor countries, land uses in urban areas, issues facing urban areas e.g. housing, the causes and consequences of squatter settlements and characteristics of sustainable cities
• Tourism explores the causes and consequences of the growth of global tourism, the contribution of tourism to the UK economy, reasons for the increased demand in adventure holidays and the development of ecotourism.

Unit 3: Local Field Work Investigation  

• Pupils are required to investigate a topic related to the material studied on the course in their local area. A written report is then submitted to the exam board which consists of an introduction to the topic being investigated, details of the methodology used to conduct the investigation, a detailed analysis of the data collected and an evaluation of the way the investigation was conducted.

 

Assessment

AFL (assessment for learning) is used throughout the school and is an integral part of the learning experience for all pupils studying geography. Assessment of pupil progress is made through:

• Oral and written starter activities
• Directed and undirected questions and answers throughout lessons
• A range of visual, auditory and kinaesthetic learning activities in lessons
• Plenaries which enable pupils to self-assess their achievement of learning objectives
• Homework activities which test understanding of material covered in lessons
• Regular level marked assessments which link to National Curriculum criteria
• Self-assessments which enable pupils to monitor their own progress and achievement
• Peer assessments which allow pupils to evaluate the strengths and improvements other pupils can make to their work.

National Curriculum levelled assessments are completed by pupils every term - the assessments for each term are as follows:

Year 7

Autumn Term	Level marked assessment: planning the layout of a village and explaining reasons for land use choices made.
Spring Term	Level marked assessment: magazine article on ‘Living with Earthquakes’
Summer Term	Written examination on topics studied in Global and National Trade, The Global Fashion Industry and Tourism

Year 8

Autumn Term	Level marked assessment: presentation and written report about the issues surrounding deforestation and the sustainable management of the rainforests
Spring Term	Level marked assessment: survey and analysis of energy use
Summer Term	Written examination on topics studied in Ecosystems, Energy, Population and Crime

Year 9

Autumn Term:	Level marked assessment: Design of a worksheet suitable for year 6 pupils abut the different sectors of industry
Spring Term	Level marked assessment: PowerPoint presentation for Oxfam on problems faced by workers in LEDC’s
Summer Term	Written examination on topics studied in Development and Trade, The Global Fashion Industry and Tourism

Facilities

Geography is taught within the Social Sciences Department suite of classrooms. Each classroom has a data projector linked to a computer and a visualiser. At KS3 the textbook series used is Geography 1, 2 and 3, published by Oxford University Press.

Sixth Form

AS and A2 Geography: AQA specification (2030)

Students wishing to study A level Geography must have achieved at least Grade B in GCSE English Language, Geography and Science. Geography A Level will to appeal to students who are interested in the world around them and who want to develop their understanding of the global issues which threaten to destroy our planet.  A keen interest in the environment is essential, although a natural curiosity about people and the countries or cultures they come from is also necessary. The course will provide students with opportunities to visit places of geographical interest as well as get involved in fieldwork.   

AS Geography

The AS course consists of two units and provides a strong foundation for understanding the two main themes of this subject: human and physical geography. Physical geography looks at the scientific aspects of our world and emphasises the ways humans can help to manage them. Human geography on the other hand explores how people and groups move and live in the world around us and focuses on a range of current issues such as energy conversation.

Unit One: Physical and Human Geography
This unit is assessed by a 2 hour examination on the four topics areas studied using a mixture of structured short and extended answer questions. This unit contributes 70% to the final AS grade (35% to the full A level grade). The four topic areas studied include:

• Rivers, Floods and Management explores the drainage basin hydrological cycle, factors affecting river discharge, valley profiles, changing channel characteristics, processes and impact of rejuvenation, causes and impact of flooding and flood management strategies.
• Hot Desert Environments and their Margins explores the location and characteristics of hot deserts and their margins, the causes of aridity, the effects of wind and water and the causes and impact of desertification.
• Population Change explores population indicators, the validity and applicability of the demographic transition model, population structures at different stages of the demographic process, the social, economic and political impact of population change, the effect of population change on rural and urban areas and settlement case studies
• Energy Issues explores types of energy, global patterns of energy supply, the geopolitics of energy, the environmental impact of energy production, sustainable energy supplies and energy conservation.

Unit Two: Geographical Skills
This unit is assessed by a 1 hour examination using a mixture of structured skills and generic research and field work questions and contributes 30% to the final AS grade (15% to the full A level grade).  The questions in this unit will relate to the core sections studied in unit one: rivers, floods and management and population change.

A2 Geography
The A2 course consists of two units which build on the knowledge and skills developed at AS level.

Unit Three: Contemporary Geography Issues
This unit is assessed by a 2½ hour examination on the three topics areas covered using a mixture of structured short, extended and essay questions. This unit contributes 60% to the final A2 grade (30% to the full A level grade). The three topic areas studied include:

• Plate Tectonics and Associated Hazards explores types of plate margins, plate tectonics theory, volcanic activity, minor and major forms of extrusive activity, the causes, characteristics and consequences of seismic activity, including the study of tsunamis.
• Ecosystems: Challenge and Change explores the nature of ecosystems, ecosystems in the British Isles over time, the biome of one tropical region, the impact of human activity on local scale ecosystems and the relationships between biodiversity, sustainability and human activity.
• World Cities explores contemporary urban processes e.g. suburbanisation, characteristics and causes of urban decline and regeneration, the decentralisation of retailing and other services and issues of urban sustainability e.g. waste management

Unit Four: Contemporary Issue Evaluation
This unit is assessed by a 1½ hour examination based on an advanced information leaflet issued by the exam board prior to the date of the examination.  The examination will consist of a mixture of short and extended answer questions and will contribute 40% to the final A2 grade (20% to the full A level grade).