Geography revision pack - Amazon Web Services

131 Pages·2014·0.85 MB·English

Oathall Community College Geography Department
GCSE revision Pack

This pack (along with the CGP GCSE Geography Revision guide you already have) is
designed to be your revision toolkit for the GCSE Geography exams.

What will you be tested on?

The exams: You have two exams each worth 37.5% of your GCSE
Paper 1 – Physical Geography
• Water on the Land
• The Coastal Zone
• The Restless Earth
Paper 2 – Human Geography
• Population
• The Challenge of Urban Areas
• Tourism
You have already completed your controlled assessment worth 25% of your GCSE.

What does this pack contain?

• A list of possible revision techniques/styles
- This will help to give you ideas about how to learn the information
needed for the exam.
• A list of command words and definitions
- This will help to make sure you fully understand what the exam
questions are asking you to do.
• Checklists for each topic
- Use this to make sure you have revised and are confident in all
aspects of each topic. Update them as your revision progresses.
• A list of key geographical vocabulary for each topic
- Learning this will make sure you are able to fully understand what the
questions in the exam are asking you to do.
• Example past paper questions with model answers/mark schemes
- These are good for testing your recall but also practicing exam
technique and skills. They should help you identify topics/case studies
and or specific skills that require further attention. It is a good idea
to photocopy these so you can have more than one attempt at each
question. Model answers will also help you to understand what a good
answer looks like.

1
• A booklet of all of the case studies you need for the exams
- As you know case study detail is vital especially if you are aiming for
the highest grades. This booklet will help you learn the case studies
and can then be used to check your recall of them.
• A revision summary sheet for each topic
- This has the main points needed for each topic. This will help you
identify strengths and weaknesses in your revision and even on its
own is an excellent resource – the minimum you must know (those of
you aiming for the highest grades will need more detail but this is an
excellent starting point).
• Topic summary question sheets
- A series of questions for each topic that will help you check your
subject knowledge and identify gaps that need to be filled (based on
and for use with the revision summary sheets)

Also, please remember that you have the CGP revision guide which as an excellent
tool for revision. Lots of the above resources are partly based on this revision
guided (along with the two core textbooks we have used during the GCSE course).
The aim being to ensure case studies, facts, figures etc are the same on all
resources. The CGP revision guide is especially good for those of you who like
diagrams and more colourful resources. The revision guide also has a really good set
of questions at the end of each topic you can use to test yourself.

There are other really useful resources available. We would gcsebitesize/geography
(especially for visual learners) as it has many presentations and video clips which
are really useful (one note of caution – some case studies are different to the ones
we have taught you). Also, by using appropriate key words in your search there are
some excellent video clips available on youtube (many of which students may
recognise from our lessons) that might also be helpful.

2
How to revise effectively for your Geography exam

REVISON IS NOT JUST READING YOUR NOTES. If you only do this
you will only retain 10% the info.

Pay attention to case studies. They account for about 1/3 of the marks and
precise, accurate knowledge of facts and figures is necessary to achieve the
higher grades.

Follow the 5 steps to success:

1. Complete the end of topic audits so you know where the gaps are
2. Go back over the info and highlight key points
3. Represent the info using the techniques shown in the table below
4. Remember the info without looking back
5. Use the info – try to answer an exam question with and then without
looking at the revision info. Mark your work by checking that you’ve
included all the info (using mark scheme/model answer).

Useful revision techniques

Revision What’s involved Tick box Tick box
technique – I’ve – I’ve
used used
this this
strategy strategy
once twice
Flash cards Summarise case studies and refer to regularly. Include
key facts/ precise data.
Colour coding Colour code the text into sections i.e.
environmental/social and economic impacts of London
Docklands Redevelopment.
Memory test Look at an important diagram for 20 seconds e.g. a
cross section of a meander. Then draw what you
remember. The look at the cross section again to see
what you missed and add in. Eventually draw the sketch
without looking at the original cross section.
Key word test. Read out 10 definitions and say what the key word is.

3
Mind maps Put a theme in the middle of an A3 piece of paper.
Write sub themes around it with important ideas and
case study information with specific facts and precise
data. Stick the finished diagram somewhere visible and
refer to it often i.e. fridge or bedroom wall.
Practice exam Practice writing responses. Look at past case study
questions questions. Look at feedback from teacher on how you
needed to improve on previous case studies that you
have answered.
Reading aloud Read a case study aloud then try to repeat all the facts
and figures you remember without looking at the
summary.
Repeated writing Copy pieces of text more than one time (5 times would
be appropriate (. Repetition will help to fix it in your
memory.

Key term Create flashcards to enable you to learn key terms. On
flashcards/online one side have the key term and on the reverse side
games write the definition. Get people to test you

Go to www.classtools.net to create online flashcards

You can make all sorts of games using this website.
Have a look around the site and take your pick.
Physical learning Associate corners of your room (or any room) with a
specific aspect f geography i.e. processes of erosion.
Memorise features of that process in the corner with
your notes.

Watch Look at ‘geography at the movies’ website. There are
geographical lots of relevant videos that you can watch and learn
videos from i.e.GCSE bitesize or www.gatm.org.uk. Or
http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips/. There are
even excellent clips on youtube if you do an appropriate
search.
Geog revision Go to this revision website and test yourself at the end
websites of topic quizzes and listen to the podcasts.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/geography/
http://www.s-cool.co.uk/gcse/geography
Use your mobile Create sound bites by recording your voice. Listen to
phone them again and again so you retain the info. Or film
yourself reinacting a case study etc.

4
Command Words

When completing your GCSE Geography exams you must read the question
carefully and answer it in the right way to make sure that you get as many
marks as possible. Always use geographical terms in your answers e.g.
compass directions, use the scale of the map, give grid references. Here are
some of the command words that you may be given:

Annotate - add notes or labels (detailed) to a map or diagram to
describe/explain what it shows.

Compare - look for ways in which features or places are similar and
different. e.g. a city in an LEDC compared to a MEDC

Complete - add to a map or graph to finish it off.

Contrast - look for the differences between features or places.

Define - explain what something means e.g. freeze-thaw.

Describe - give details about what a map or diagram shows. What is it like.

Discuss - usually wants a long answer, describing and giving reasons for or
explaining arguments for and against.

Draw - a sketch map or diagram with labels to explain something.

Explain or account for - give reasons i.e. for the location or appearance of
something.

Factors - reasons for i.e. the location of something such as a factory.

Give your ( or somebody else’s) views- say what you or a particular group
think about something , for example should limestone quarries be allowed in
the Peak District.

Identify - name, locate, recognise or select a particular feature or features,
usually from a map, photo or diagram.
5
Label - add notes or labels to a map or diagram to explain what it shows.
Mark - put onto a map or diagram.

Name, state, list - give accurate details or features.

Study - look carefully at a map, photo, table, diagram etc. and say what it
shows.

With reference to /refer to examples you have studied - give specific
details about your case studies.

With the help of/using the information provided - make sure you include
examples from the information, including grid references if it is a map.

6
Restless Earth checklist

Topic Understand and Need more Do not
know revision understand
The Earth’s crust is unstable,
especially at
plate margins.
I know the distribution of plates;
the differences between
continental and oceanic plates.
Types of plates
Destructive, constructive and
conservative
plate margins.
Landforms at plate margins
I know the location and formation
of fold mountains,
ocean trenches
Types of volcanoes
I know the location and formation
of fold mountains,
ocean trenches, composite
volcanoes and
shield volcanoes.
How people use these landforms
as a resource
and adapt to the conditions
within them.
Alps case study
I know the Alp case study of one
range of fold mountains.
The ways in which they are used –
farming,
hydroelectric power, mining,
tourism and how
people adapt to limited
communications, steep
relief, poor soils.
Volcanoes Case study MEDC Mt
St Helens or Montserrat
I know the case study of the
volcanic eruption – its cause;
primary and secondary effects;
positive and negative impacts;
immediate and long term
responses
7
Monitoring and predicting
I know about monitoring and
predicting volcanic
eruptions.
Supervolcanoes: Yellowstone Case
Study
I know the characteristics and
locations of a supervolcano and the
likely effects of an eruption both
local and global.
Location of earthquakes

I know that earthquakes occur at

constructive,

destructive and conservative plate

margins.

Features and measurement of
earthquakes
I know the features
of earthquakes – epicentre, focus,
shock
waves and the measurement of
earthquakes
using the Richter and Mercalli
Scales
Kashmir or Haiti LEDC case study
I know the case study of an
earthquake in a poor part of
the world I know the causes;
primary and secondary effects;
immediate and long-term responses
Kobe, Japan or Italy (MEDC)
case study
I know the causes, effects and
responses
I can compare an earthquake in a
poor country to one in a rich
country. Contrasts in
effects and responses will be clear
Predict and prepare
I know why there is a need
to predict, protect and prepare
and how this can be done.

8
Water on the land
checklist
Topic Understand and Need more Do not
know revision understand
I know the features of a river
basin (watershed, confluence,
source, mouth and drainage
basin)
How the shape of a river
changes
I know the long profile of a
river and know how this cross
section changes downstream

Processes of erosion
I know the four processes of
erosion ( hydraulic action,
abrasion, solution, attrition)
Upland river
landforms/features
I know how waterfalls and
gorges are formed in upland
areas. I know how a v-shaped
valley forms
Methods of transportation
and deposition
I know the four methods of
transportation (saltation,
suspension, solution and
traction)
I understand how and why a
river deposits its load.
Middle/lower course
features/landforms
I know the features of and
formation of meanders, ox
bow lakes, flood plains, deltas
and levees.
Causes of flooding
I know that rivers flood due
to a number of physical
and human causes. I know the
causes of flooding: physical –
prolonged
rain, heavy rain, snowmelt,
relief; and human –
deforestation, building
construction.
9
Increasing flood events over
last 20 years
I know that flooding appears
to be an increasingly frequent
event. The frequency and
location of flood events – in
the UK in the last 20 years.
MEDC flooding case study
I know the Boscastle case
study of flooding which is in a
rich part of
the world and
LEDC flooding case study
the Bangladesh case study in
a poorer area – the different
effects of and responses to
flooding.
The discussion about the
costs and
benefits of hard and soft
engineering debate
I know about hard engineering
strategies – dams
and reservoirs,
straightening.(The River Tees
as the case study)
I know about soft engineering
– flood warnings, preparation,
flood plain zoning, ‘do nothing’.
The costs and
benefits of these.
Rivers are managed to
provide a water
supply.
I know that in the UK there is
an increasing demand for

water; areas of deficit and

areas of surplus; the need for

transfer.
I know the Kielder Water,
Northumberland case study
of a dam/reservoir and know
the resulting economic, social
and environmental issues and
the need for sustainable
supplies.
10