Ryton Students - Departments – Geography – Overview

 

Year 7

Year 8

Year 9

Year 10

Year 11

Year 12

Year 13

 

Year 7

 

 

 

Topic Covered

When

Assessment

Opportunities for parents to help

Introduction to the British Isles

September

Test

Help with Atlas work

 

What is Geography?

September - October

Environmental Investigation of local area (SAT Level)

Discussion about how the local area has changed

Ordnance Survey Mapskills

October - December

End of unit test

Assistance with mapwork skills such as grid references, direction, scale and interpretation of symbols.

Water & Rivers

January - March

Water Project (SAT Level)

Help with water usage survey at home

Weather

March - May

Microclimate Investigation (SAT Level)

Draw attention to media weather forecasts and their reliability

Settlement

May – July

 

 

End of Year Exam

May

SAT Level & class ranking

Help with revision

 

Year 8

 

 

 

Topic Covered

When

Assessment

Opportunities for parents to help

Introduction to Europe

September

Test

Help with Atlas work

 

Weathering & Erosion

September - October

Poster of Weathering & Erosion types

Observation of the effects of weathering in and around Newcastle

Developing Countries (focusing on Kenya)

 

October - December

“Life as a Maasai” diary (SAT Level)

Internet research

Environmental Issues (including issues relating to recycling, the local environment and Antarctica)

January - February

Recycling Survey

Antarctica Project (SAT Level)

Internet research and highlighting the need for recycling and conservation within the home

Primary Industry

March - April

Farming Project (SAT Level)

Drawing attention to the different types of farming found when traveling around the country

Secondary Industry

April - May

Manchester Inner City Debate

Discussion of how jobs within the family have changed from one generation to the next

End of Year Exam

May

SAT Level & class ranking

Help with revision

 

Year 9

 

 

 

Topic Covered

When

Assessment

Opportunities for parents to help

Introduction to World maps (Political, physical and climatic)

September

Test

Help with Atlas work

 

Natural Hazards, including earthquake, volcanoes, hurricanes and soil erosion

September - December

Hazards Newspaper based on independent research (SAT Level)

Help with research.

Highlighting hazards features in the news media

Ecosystem, focusing on Tropical Rainforests

January - April

Tropical Rainforests Project (SAT Level)

Help with research. Survey of rainforest projects within the home. Discussion of fair trade issues.

World Development Issues

April – May

Participation in and write of “The Trading Game”

Discussion of trade and development issues.  Highlight news about G8 Summits, Anti-Poverty campaigns etc

Tourism

May - June

Design for a new Theme Park

Look at the impact that tourism has had on the places you visit … changes in landscape, employment patterns, language and culture

 

Year 10

 

 

 

Topic Covered

When

Assessment

Opportunities for parents to help

Tectonic Hazards, including:

Earth’s structure

Tectonic theory

Earthquakes

Volcanoes

Fold Mountains

Human responses to tectonic hazards

Dates vary according to teaching set

Plate Tectonics

Mount Saint Helens Timeline

“The Kobe Mystery”

Design for a quake-proof building

Transhumance

 

End of Unit Test

Keep up to date with earthquake activity at www.usgs.gov

Glaciated Landscapes, including:

Glacial processes and systems

Erosional features

Depositional features

Human uses of glaciated regions

Dates vary according to teaching set

Weathering Processes

Glacial Erosion

Glacial Erosion and Deposition

Impact of people on landscape (Wastwater)

Mapskills exercise (Ambleside)

 

End of Unit Test

Ask for a description of features and processes if visiting glaciated areas like the Lake District, Scotiish Highlands or Alps!

Ecosystems, including:

Distribution of global ecosystems

Factors influencing distribution

Features of flora, fauna, soil and climate in 3 ecosystems, namely Tropical Rainforest, Savanna and Boreal Forests

Major threats facing these natural ecosystems

Sustainable use of natural resources

Dates vary according to teaching set

TRF Vegetation Adaptations

Participation in a debate on TRF exploitation

Causes & Effects of Acid Rain

Savanna food chains

Causes & effects of desertification

 

 

End of Unit Test

Encourage pupils to watch wildlife documentaries on TV and discuss the adaptations of flora and fauna with them, as well as the impact humans are having on these environments.

 

Year 11

 

 

 

Topic Covered

When

Assessment

Opportunities for parents to help

Settlement, including:

Factors influencing location

Urban morphology

Social inequalities

Urban sprawl

Urban regeneration

Urban issues in Developing Countries

Dates vary according to teaching set

Factors that affect location (Wooler)

Sphere of influence (shopping investigation)

Urbanisation issues in Sao Paulo

Redevelopment strategies in Newcastle

The impact of urban sprawl

Discuss changes you have witnessed in local settlements, especially Newcastle.  Have these changes brought benefits or problems.

Industry, including:

Factors influencing location

Industrial classification

History of Iron & Steel in the UK

Growth of Hi-Tech industries

Globalisation

Regeneration

Dates vary according to teaching set

Classification of Industries

Report on iron & steel location

Hi-tech industries: characteristics and location

The location of TNCs & how locations are chosen (Canon or Siemens)

Impact of Globalisation – the Banana Trade Role Play

Point out sites of old industries that have closed, or newly arrived industries.  Discuss how employment patterns have changed in your family through the generations.

Management of Resources, including:

Classification of resources

Global Warming

Oil disasters

Alternative energy sources

Trends in tourism

Tourism in the UK and Kenya , compared

Sustainable development

Dates vary according to teaching set

Sources and classification of energy

Braer Oil Disaster

Causes & Effects of Global Warming

HEP: location, advantages & disadvantages

Impacts of tourism

How environmentally friendly is your household?  Do you do any recycling, and if so, why?  

What are your views on nuclear energy and wind farms?

What do you expect from a holiday destination?  What impact do you think you have as a family on the places you visit.

 

Year 12

 

 

 

Topic Covered

When

Assessment

Opportunities for parents to help

River Environments

September - January

Variety of exam style questions based on data response, case studies and opinions analysis.  Case studies including the Mississippi, Tyne and Derwent (Derbyshire)

Promote the need for independent study, including research, reading text books and keeping up to date with relevant current affairs

Coastal Environments

September - January

Variety of exam style questions based on data response, case studies and opinions analysis.  Case studies including Dorset and Holderness

See Above

Derbyshire Fieldwork & Coursework

October - March

Coursework based on inquiries undertaken in Derbyshire on either Rural, Urban or Hydrological themes.

Encourage students to meet interim deadlines, proof read sections and check accuracy of maps, diagrams and graphs.

Rural Environments and Issues

January - June

Variety of exam style questions based on data response, case studies and opinions analysis.  Case studies including Wharfedale, Derbyshire Peak District & Tyne Valley

See Above

Urban Environments & Issues

January - June

Variety of exam style questions based on data response, case studies and opinions analysis.  Case studies including Newcastle, London and Mexico City

See Above

 

Year 13

 

 

 

Topic Covered

When

Assessment

Opportunities for parents to help

“Global Futures” independent research and coursework module

September - January

Coursework based on independent research on a human geography based topic covering sport, health, food supply and development.

Encourage students to meet interim deadlines, proof read sections and check accuracy of maps, diagrams and graphs.  Encourage students to undertake far reaching research on the internet rather than focusing on obvious sources.

Pollution – its causes, effects and management

September - January

Essay based questions covering and up to date range of pollution based issues, such as oil spills, industrial accidents, global warming and domestic waste.

Promote the need for independent study, including research, reading text books and keeping up to date with relevant current affairs

Population & Migration – demographic patterns and issues & the impact of migration

September - March

Variety of exam style questions based on data response, case studies and opinions analysis.  Issues covered include the UK’s aging population crisis, China’s One Child Policy and Africa’s AIDS crisis.

See Above

Weather & Climate

February - May

Variety of exam style questions based on data response, case studies and opinions analysis.  Topics covered include climatic classifications, weather systems, global warming and el Nino.

See Above

Global ecosystems – focusing on forest environments

February - May

Variety of exam style questions based on data response, case studies and opinions analysis.  Topics including global biomes, the carbon cycle and the structure and processes within three forest types.

See Above

Industry & Globalisation

September - February

Variety of exam style questions based on data response, case studies and opinions analysis.  Topics covered include global trade patterns, the growth and impact of transnational corporations and changing economic patterns.

See Above