Geography
Why is the subject important?
There has never been a more important time to study Geography. It is essential in an age of rapid environmental, technological and political change that students are equipped with the knowledge and skills to understand how the world is changing and their place within it.
Geography is a unique and multi-disciplinary subject which draws upon various disciplines to enable students to understand the human and physical worlds and how they interact. The skills that are developed in Geography will allow students to become analytical, articulate, knowledgeable and evaluative citizens of the world. These skills could allow students to access careers in areas such as meteorology, sustainability, urban development, GIS analysis, education and economics, to name a few.
Year 7
What will I be studying?
- How do Geographers read maps?
- How do rivers shape the land?
- How has Halifax changed over time?
- How has ice shaped the north?
- How strong is the UK economy?
- Why is UK weather so changeable?
Career Links
Careers – Cartographer, teacher, GIS analyst, urban planner, police officer, hydrologist, flood protection officers, economist, accountant, researcher, public servant, politician, climate scientist.
Employability links – Students are equipped with important cartographic and graph analysis skills. Students will also be supported to consider different viewpoints in decision making and present their ideas clearly.
How will I be assessed?
Students will be assessment using three assessments throughout the year, these will take place in Term 2, Term 4 and Term 6. The assessments will cover the content students learn within the lesson and will be both knowledge and skill based.
Each term students will work towards answering the enquiry question for that topic. Building up an evidence and knowledge base to bring together understanding and demonstrate an application of knowledge. These marking points throughout the topics allow students to practice extended writing and apply the skills that they have learnt.
Students will also complete regular knowledge recall at the start of each lesson and take part in the Masters of Recall assessments, which take place at the end of each term to assess the retention of new knowledge.
Knowledge Organisers
- Term 1 – How do Geographers read maps?
- Term 2 – How do rivers shape the land?
- Term 3 – How has Halifax changed over time?
- Term 4 – How has ice shaped the north?
- Term 5 – How strong is the UK economy?
- Term 6 – Why is UK weather so changeable?
Which websites should I use to support my learning?
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/zrw76sg
https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/mapzone/map-skills
Year 8
What will I be studying?
- How developed is Africa today?
- What challenges does Europe face?
- Why is North America a risky place to live?
- How sustainable is South America?
- Is Asia’s demography a blessing or a curse?
- Why is the Middle East an important world region?
Career Links
Careers – Travel agent, journalist, environmentalist, volcanologist, researcher, climatologist, aid worker, public servant, politician, charity worker, banker, statistician.
Employability links – Students are equipped with the skill to analyse evidence and produce balanced arguments. This develops their written and oral communication skills to deliver a balanced argument.
How will I be assessed?
Students will be assessment using three assessments throughout the year, these will take place in Term 2, Term 4 and Term 6. The assessments will cover the content students learn within the lesson and will be both knowledge and skill based.
Each term students will work towards answering the enquiry question for that topic. Building up an evidence and knowledge base to bring together understanding and demonstrate an application of knowledge. These marking points throughout the topics allow students to practice extended writing and apply the skills that they have learnt.
Students will also complete regular knowledge recall at the start of each lesson and take part in the Masters of Recall assessments, which take place at the end of each term to assess the retention of new knowledge.
Knowledge Organisers
- Term 1 – How developed is Africa today?
- Term 2 – What challenges does Europe face?
- Term 3 – Why is North America a risky place to live?
- Term 4 – How sustainable is South America?
- Term 5 – Is Asia’s demography a blessing or a curse?
- Term 6 – Why is the Middle East an important world region?
Which websites should I use to support my learning?
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/zrw76sg
https://www.gapminder.org/dollar-street
https://www.neom.com/en-us/regions/theline
Year 9
What will I be studying?
- How can we close the global development gap?
- How risky is our world?
- Why is the world urbanising?
- How is climate change changing our future?
- How can global resources be managed?
- How healthy is the pond ecosystem at Beechwood Park?
Career Links
Careers – Development officer, researcher, interpreter, risk analysis, ICT analyst, sustainability officer, geologist, aid worker, public servant, politician, project officer, charity worker, urban planner, entrepreneur.
Employability links – Students are equipped to have a broad understanding of the challenges of our rapidly changing world and can analyse a range of data to produce a balanced argument.
How will I be assessed?
Students will be assessment using three assessments throughout the year, these will take place in Term 2, Term 4 and Term 6. The assessments will cover the content students learn within the lesson and will be both knowledge and skill based.
Each term students will work towards answering the enquiry question for that topic. Building up an evidence and knowledge base to bring together understanding and demonstrate an application of knowledge. These marking points throughout the topics allow students to practice extended writing and apply the skills that they have learnt.
Students will also complete regular knowledge recall at the start of each lesson and take part in the Masters of Recall assessments, which take place at the end of each term to assess the retention of new knowledge.
Knowledge Organisers
- Term 1 – How can we close the global development gap?
- Term 2 – How risky is our world?
- Term 3 – Why is the world urbanising?
- Term 4 – How is climate change changing our future?
- Term 5 – How can global resources be managed?
- Term 6 – How healthy is the pond ecosystem at Beechwood Park?
Which websites should I use to support my learning?
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/zrw76sg
https://ourworldindata.org/urbanization
https://www.habitatforhumanity.org.uk/what-we-do/slum-rehabilitation/what-is-a-slum/
Who to contact about Phase Two Geography:
Ms Mortimer – Deputy Curriculum Leader – cmortimer@halifax.trinitymat.org
GCSE Geography
What will I be studying?
Paper 1 – Living with the Physical Environment
- Section A: The Challenge of Natural Hazards – Natural Hazards, Tectonic Hazards, Weather Hazards and Climate Change
- Section B: The Living World – Ecosystems, Tropical Rainforests and Hot Deserts
- Section C: Physical Landscapes in the UK – UK Diverse Landscapes, Coastal Landscapes and River Landscapes
Paper 2 – Challenges in the Human Environment
- Section A: Urban Issues and Challenges – Urbanisation, LIC/NEE City Case Study (Rio de Janeiro), UK City Case Study (Manchester) and Sustainable Cities
- Section B: The Changing Economic World – The Development Gap, LIC/NEE Rapid Economic Development Case Study (Nigeria), UK Economic Change
- Section C: Resource Management – Global Resources, UK Resources and Water
Paper 3 – Geographical Applications
- Section A: Issue Evaluation – The theme of the issue changes yearly and is released by the exam board in the March of Year 11.
- Section B: Fieldwork – Unseen Fieldwork and Student Fieldwork Investigations (Hebden Bridge and Salford Quays).
Career Links
Year 10:
Careers – Sustainability officer, geologist, aid worker, project officer, charity worker, politician, public servant, volcanologist, meteorologist, researcher, flood protection officer, hydrologist, researcher, climatologist, urban planner, environmental manager.
Employability links – Students will develop an appreciation of the role of sustainability in industry and future challenges which businesses will need to adapt to e.g. climate change.
Year 11:
Careers – Aid worker, public servant, politician, charity worker, project officer, researcher, environmental manager, urban planner, climatologist, project manager, economist, accountant, MP, journalist.
Employability links – Students will develop an understanding of the interdependence between different stakeholders, systems, processes, and places to support evidence-based decision-making.
How will I be assessed?
Students will be assessed across three exams in the summer of Year 11, one for each paper.
- Paper 1: 1 hour 30 minutes (35% of the GCSE) – 88 marks
- Paper 2: 1 hour 30 minutes (35% of the GCSE) – 88 marks
- Paper 3: 1 hour 15 minutes (30% of the GCSE) – 76 marks
Across the exam papers, students are assessed on four objectives:
- AO1: Demonstrate knowledge of locations, places, processes, environments and different scales (15% of total marks)
- AO2: Demonstrate geographical understanding of: concepts and how they are used in relation to places, environments and processes; the interrelationships between places environments and processes (25% of total marks)
- AO3: Apply knowledge and understanding to interpret, analyse and evaluate geographical information and issues to make judgements (35% of total marks)
- AO4: Select, adapt and use a variety of skills and techniques to investigate questions and issues and communicate findings (25% of total marks)
Which examination board am I following?
Exam Board: AQA
Specification: Geography (8035)
Website: www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/geography/gcse/geography-8035
Which websites should I use to support my learning?
GCSEPOD – Comprehensive, high-quality videos: www.gcsepod.com
BBC Bitesize – Simple explanations and quick multiple-choice quizzes: www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/examspecs/zy3ptyc
Internet Geography – Detailed explanations: www.internetgeography.net/aqa-gcse-geography/
Cool Geography – Detailed explanations and YouTube videos: www.coolgeography.co.uk
Time for Geography – Detailed explanations, particularly around the rivers and coasts topics: https://timeforgeography.co.uk/
Who to contact about Phase Three Geography:
Ms Mortimer – Deputy Curriculum Leader – cmortimer@halifax.trinitymat.org
