Geography — Year 9

 

Geography Overview
Curriculum

Term 1: Changing Populations

In this unit students will learn all about population change, patterns and the distribution of people. They will look at an example of population control and discuss the impacts that this had on the country and its demographics. We will also look at the different types of migration, investigating how this impacts on a country and its structure. Finally, students will investigate the city of Southampton and understand how this city has evolved over time.

Knowledge and skills based assessment which focuses on mathematical and graphical skills. This will include the completion of a graph as well as annotating or interpreting photographs. Some questions will be multiple choice and others short answers. Marked out of 25.

Population
all the inhabitants of a particular place.

Birth Rate
The number of people born in a year, measured for every thousand of the population.

Census
A population survey usually carried out in a country every ten years.

Death Rate
The number of people who die in a year, measured for every thousand of the population.

Demographic Transition Model
A generalised model linking population changes with developmental changes over time.

  • Spiritual
  • Moral
  • Social
  • Cultural

Develop the individual:
This unit will make the individual aware of their place in an ever growing world. It will also help them to appreciate the needs of different areas as the demographics change.

Create a supportive community:
We will have opportunities to have discussions, debates and carry out decision making exercises to look at different solutions to the ever-growing population. Opportunities for group work and communication.

Term 2: Physical Landscapes and Glaciation

In this unit, students will study the diverse range of physical landscapes within the UK. Using map skills to locate the major upland and lowland areas and the river systems of the UK. A case study of river management in the UK will be covered concentrating on the different management strategies employed. We will also look at the impact ice has had on our landscape - including features such as: corries, arêtes and ribbon lakes.

The unit assessment will be in the form of a GCSE style test, with a combination of short and longer answer questions. One of which will be focused around Ordnance Survey Map extract.

Abrasion
Abrasion is a form of erosion caused by rubbing of fine particles against an object. The effect is much the same as using sandpaper. Water carries sediment (fine rock particles) that abrade the rocks.

Arête
A sharp mountain ridge formed by glacial erosion.

Freeze-thaw weathering
This occurs in cold climates when temperatures are often around freezing point and where exposed rocks contain many cracks. Water enters the cracks during the warmer day and freezes during the colder night, causing the cracks to widen.

Plucking
Plucking occurs when rocks and stones become frozen to the base or sides of the glacier and are plucked from the ground or rock face as the glacier moves.

Ribbon Lake
A ribbon lake is a long and narrow, finger-shaped lake, usually found in a glacial trough.

Glacial Trough
U-shaped valleys, or glacial troughs, are formed by the process of glaciation. They are characteristic of mountain glaciation in particular. They have a characteristic U shape, with steep, straight sides and a flat bottom.

Moraine
A mass of rocks and sediment carried down and deposited by a glacier, typically as ridges at its edges or extremity.

  • Spiritual
  • Moral
  • Social
  • Cultural

Develop the individual:
This unit will help pupils to develop an appreciation for the variety of landscapes within the UK. Pupils will work on communication and teamwork skills as they complete a project on glacial landscapes in England.

Create a supportive community:
Working together to complete a project, supporting each other with group and paired work.

Term 3: Natural Hazards

In this unit we will explore the topic of Natural Hazards and look at the risks that they pose to people and property. A number of hazards will be studied including: tectonic hazards, tsunamis, wildfires and tropical storms. Natural Hazards will be linked to a recent global case study as well as extreme weather in the UK. We will investigate ways in which we can reduce the impact of Natural Hazards through management. monitoring, prediction and planning.

This assessment will be a series of multiple chose questions and short answers focusing on a decision-making exercise. Students will need to use their geographical skills to interpret the resources. Marked out of 25.

Hazard
A danger or risk to people, property, animals or the environment.

Risk
A situation involving the exposure to danger.

Monitoring
To observe and check the progress of a potential hazard (volcano, earthquake or tropical storm) over a period of time, reviewing regularly.

Prediction
The action of forecasting the likelihood of an event (volcanic eruption) occurring.

Planning
The control of building and development to reduce the risk of a Natural Disaster.

Tsunami
A long, high sea wave caused by an earthquake or other disturbance of the sea floor.

Primary Effect
These are events which occur as a direct result of the ground shaking, eg buildings collapsing.

Secondary Effect
These are events which occur as a result of the primary effects, eg tsunamis or fires due to ruptured gas mains.

  • Spiritual
  • Moral
  • Social
  • Cultural

Develop the individual:
This will help individuals to appreciate the world in which we live.

Create a supportive community:
This will allow understanding and compassion when discussing the impact of large scale global disasters. Considering how people are affected and hte impact that this has on their lives.

Term 4: Earning a living

In this unit, we will be looking at the four main sectors of work and tracking how the percentage of workers in each of these sectors has changed as the UK has developed through time.

We will look at the North East and South East divide and consider the implications of this on local communities.

Why is the average age higher in the South East? This unit will have a focus on the shipbuilding industry and its decline as well as the car industry.

The assessment at the end of this unit will also be the synoptic end of year assessment for Year 9. It will include knowledge and case studies from all previous units of work as well as including a range of geographical skills.

Primary Sector
The primary sector of the economy is making direct use of natural resources. This includes agriculture, forestry, fishing and mining.

Secondary Sector
This is the manufacturing and assembly process. It involves converting raw materials into components, for example, making plastics from oil. It also involves assembling the product, eg building houses, bridges and roads.

Tertiary Sector
This refers to the commercial services that support the production and distribution process, eg insurance, transport, advertising, warehousing and other services such as teaching and health care.

Interdependence
This is when firms rely on other businesses in different sectors for raw materials, components or distribution.

Trade
This is the exchange of goods and services between one country and another.

Goods
Items bought into a country are called imports, and those sold to another country are called exports.

Quaternary Sector
This is the knowledge-based part of the economy - which typically includes services such as information technology, information-generation and -sharing, media, and research and development, as well as knowledge-based services like consultation

Work
This activity involving mental or physical effort done in order to achieve a result in exchange for a wage or payment.

  • Spiritual
  • Moral
  • Social
  • Cultural

Develop the individual:
Pupils learn about the idea of equality and inequality and explore how this affects workers in the UK.

Create a supportive community:
This fosters a good social understanding of how peoples lives may differ financially purely based on the location in which they live and work.

Term 5: Africa is not a country

A unit where students will address and challenge some of the misconceptions related to this continent of 54 countries that is diverse both culturally and geographically.

A decision making exercise based on a resource. Students will formulate answer based on skills they have acquired throughout the academic year.

Colonisation
a process of establishing occupation of or control over foreign territories or peoples for the purpose of cultivation, trade, exploitation or settlement, setting up coloniality and often colonies, such as for agriculture.

Colonialism
The policy or practice of acquiring full or partial political control over another country, occupying it with settlers, and exploiting it economically

  • Spiritual
  • Moral
  • Social
  • Cultural

Develop the individual:
Opportunities to explore and discuss other cultures and factors that have influenced the development of other countries.

Create a supportive community:
This will foster a greater understanding of different cultures and allow appreciation of this diversity.

Term 6: Resource use in the UK

In this unit of work we will discuss the different resources that are critical to life here in the UK, with a focus on Food, Water and Energy. Named examples will be used to illustrate the ways we use these resources.

The assessment for this unit will form part of the synoptic end of year assessment for Year 9. There will be a combination of questions, with some skills based, map based and longer answer questions.

Communication
The transfer or exchange of information by speaking, writing, or using some other medium.

  • Spiritual
  • Moral
  • Social
  • Cultural

Develop the individual:
Opportunities to think about the factors that lead to increased use of resources in the UK as well as alternatives for resources that are not sustainable.

Create a supportive community:
Fosters a culture of understanding regarding how certain factors may lead to increased demand for resources, as well as the impact of global events on resource supply.