The Kings School Grantham

Geography Department

AS LEVEL GEOGRAPHY

An Introduction to AS level Geography Induction Week Booklet Summer 2011

Geography is not just a subject but is part of our ever day lives.
It is not only an important and fascinating subject but it also develops a wide range of skills that support other subjects and are valued by employers. These skills include for example: data presentation, data analysis, literacy, numeracy, independence and teamwork (through fieldwork and controlled assessment), problem solving and evaluation.

Success at A level Geography.

How to be successful at A-level Geography: Step 1: Organisation of your notes and hand-outs You will need to buy a sturdy arch lever file and a set of plastic wallets. All the hand outs you receive from both your Geography teachers should be dated and labelled as to which part of the A level they are relevant to. The folders will be inspected on a regular basis.

Step 2: Further reading It is important that you make additional notes to those made in class by doing further reading using both your set textbook and also additional books from the library.

Step 3: Carrying out additional research It is crucial that you research the topics that you are studying by using the internet. Your Geography teacher will give you some suggested sites to look at and make notes from.

Step 4: Meeting Deadlines It is essential that you hand homework in on time. Failure to hand homework in on time will result in your Geography teacher contacting home.

Step 5: Attendance It is essential that you have good attendance to lessons. If you miss any lessons you should make sure that you catch up on any notes that are missed.

How to get the most from Geography lessons

Geography lessons should be an enjoyable experience and below are a few points which explain how to get the most out of lessons. Remember: Lessons provide you with a valuable insight into the subject besides just reading the textbook. They can provide new information and help to clarify your understanding. Preparing for lessons Know your course: Find out how your lessons relate to the unit you are completing and the course as a whole. Look in your unit handbook, exam board website or wider research for more information or ask your tutor. Reading before a lesson: Complete any work set by a teacher or find out if there is any recommended reading you can do in preparation. Preparatory reading will make it easier for you to engage with the lesson content. When the lessons are linked in a series, you should also review your notes from the previous lesson. Taking notes: Make sure your notes are complete but try to avoid taking too many detailed notes or just copying straight from your textbook. A dense transcript will be difficult to work with at a later stage. The following techniques will help you make structured, useful notes. Using structure in your notes: Use headings to order information. Highlight examples and illustrations. Using your own words: Putting each point in your own words will help you understand and recall the lecture content. Using fewer words: Reduce the number of words you use in taking notes: detailed notes are of little use in remembering facts and ideas.

Use keywords to represent points or ideas briefly. Add brief details of any examples or evidence that support a point.

Using hand-outs: Teachers use hand-outs to help you follow the lesson and to highlight important information. You can maximise the benefits of hand-outs by adding your own comments.

Highlight keywords. Add colour to categorise information. Add notes in the margin.

Organising your notes: A4 paper stored in a ring binder with dividers is the most practical system for organising notes. Begin each lesson with a clear heading, date etc Number the pages clearly so they can be easily kept in order later on. Following up lessons: Don't be afraid to ask your Geography teacher for clarification either in the lesson or afterwards. Review your notes as soon as possible after a lesson. Make the most of your review by:

highlighting points which seem particularly important or central; adding any details which you can remember from the lesson; adding questions to highlight areas you don't understand or need further information on.

Overcoming problems Failing concentration: You are much less likely to find your concentration straying when you use an active approach to note taking. Putting points into your own words, using space, colour and image, will make note taking a busy but interesting activity. Being left behind: You may find that the information is being delivered too fast for you to write down. If points pass you by, then leave a space and compare your notes with another student's. Doing some background reading for the lesson will help you to keep up as the information will not be entirely unfamiliar to you.

Exam Board: AQA Specification A Geography at AS-Level

At AS, all candidates will study core human and physical geography. In each area of study candidates will consider the values and attitudes of decision makers, consider their own values and attitudes to the issues being studied and support their learning of ideas through the study of specific case studies. Candidates will also develop a variety of geographical skills, which will broaden and deepen existing knowledge and be employed with a greater degree of independence.

People and Places

Your GCE Geography course gives you a strong foundation for understanding the two main themes of the subject: human geography and physical geography. Between them, theyre what makes our planet tick. Human geography deals with how people and the environment interact and the way we both exist. It also looks at how people and groups move and live in the world around us. For example, youll learn about stuff you see in the papers and on the news every day, including issues of sustainability. Physical geography on the other hand, is all about the scientific aspects of our world, with an emphasis on how we can manage them.

Get in touch with the Earth

The end result of studying human and physical geography is that youll have a better understanding of how mankind and the Earth work together. And its not all theory either. Youll get the opportunity to visit places of geographic interest and roll up your sleeves with some fieldwork.

Whats in store?
In the classroom during the first year (AS) youll get a solid grounding in Geography. Human and physical geography are studied with two compulsory subjects - such as flood management and population change - along with optional subjects which are of particular interest to you. Those optional subjects include food, energy or health issues. There will also be geographic investigative work and fieldwork. In the second year youll step up to topics like tectonics, climate change, world cities and the development of societies. Therell be more fieldwork too, with the freedom to choose your own area of research or to use ready-made study

GCE GEOGRAPHY (2030) AS outline At AS, all candidates will study core human and physical geography. In each area of study candidates will consider the values and attitudes of decision makers, consider their own values and attitudes to the issues being studied and support their learning of ideas through the study of specific case studies. Candidates will also develop a variety of geographical skills, which will broaden and deepen existing knowledge and be employed with a greater degree of independence. The AS specification has 2 units: Unit 1: Physical and Human Geography Topic list

Rivers, floods and management Cold environments, coastal environments and hot desert environments and their margins Global population change Food supply issues, energy issues and health issues.

Assessment Externally assessed Written Paper: Weighting:

2 hours 70% of total AS / 35% A Level marks

Structured short and extended questions. Unit 2: Applied Geography Topic list

Basic, investigative, ICT, graphical, cartographical and statistical skills Research skills and the assessment of AS fieldwork

Assessment Externally assessed Written Paper: Weighting:

1 hour 30% of total AS / 15% A Level marks

GCE Geography (2030) A2 outline At A2, candidates will continue to study a combination of human and physical geography. Candidates are required to choose whether to undertake preparatory investigative work in the field in order to be able to produce a fieldwork investigation, or undertake an issue evaluation exercise to extend the content within the specialised context of issue evaluation. The A2 specification has 2 units: Unit 3: Contemporary Geographical Issues Topic list

Plate tectonics and associated hazards Weather and climate and associated hazards Challenges facing ecosystems World cities evolution or revolution? Development and globalisation Contemporary conflicts and challenges.

Assessment Externally assessed Written Paper: Weighting:

2 hours 30 minutes 30% of total A Level marks

Structured short and extended questions and an essay. Unit 4A: Geography Fieldwork Investigation Assessment Written Paper: Weighting: 1 hour 30 minutes 20% of total A Level marks

Structured short and extended questions based on candidates' own fieldwork investigation. OR

Unit 4B: Geographical Issue Evaluation Assessment Written Paper: Weighting: 1 hour 30 minutes 20% of total A Level marks

Structured short and extended questions based on an advance information leaflet issued by AQA.

Geography Fieldwork: Where Geography comes to life!

The year 12 students do three individual days of fieldwork. One related to physical Geography, one related to Human Geography and one to write up the fieldwork days. Usually the physical fieldwork relates to rivers. Usually the Human fieldwork relates to an urban fieldwork study. The fieldwork relates to the Geographical skills exam. RESOURCES FOR NEW SPECIFICATION AS AND A2. Below are resources that could be accessed to help in the creation of resources for the teaching of the new specification. There are gaps. Often these topics are adequately covered in the general textbooks. General Text Books/Articles
Author Title Publisher ISBN

Smith, J & Knill, R Geography AS Student Book Nelson Thornes 978 0 7487 82581 Smith, J & Knill, R Geography A2 Student Book Nelson Thornes 978 0 7487 82598 Geography AS Online Electronic Resources Geography A2 Online Electronic Resources Barker, A, Redfern, D & Skinner, M AQA AS Geography Philip Allan Updates 978 0 340 946114 Barker, A, Redfern, D & Skinner, M AQA AS Geography Teacher Guide (Pack) Philip Allan Updates 978 0 340 946107 Barker, A, Redfern, D & Skinner, M Unit 1 Student Unit Guide Philip Allan Updates 978 0 340 948026 The Geographical Review Philip Allan Updates Philips University Atlas Philips 0 540 07696 1 Geofile: Nelson Thornes

 Redfern, D & Skinner, M Advanced Geography Philip Allan Updates Skinner M, Redfern D & Farmer G The Complete A-Z Geography Handbook Hodder & Stoughton 0 340 65489 9 Redfern, D & Skinner, M Coursework and Practical Techniques Philip Allan 0 86003 750 9 Nagle, G Advanced Geography Oxford University Press 0 19 913407 3 Nagle, G & Spencer, K Advanced Geography Through Diagrams Oxford Revision Guides, Oxford University Press Nagle, G & Spencer, K. Geographical Enquiries: Skills and Techniques for Geography Nelson Thornes 9780 74875318 5 Guinness, P & Nagle, G Advanced Geography :Concepts and cases Hodder & Stoughton 9780 3407 25085 Nichols, A More Thinking Through Chris Kington 1 899857 43 5 Cook, I, Hordern, B, McGahan, H & Ritson, P Geography In Focus Causeway Press 9 781 873929 919 Prosser, R, Raw, M & Bishop, V. Landmark AS Geography Collins Educational 9780007151165 Witherick, M Environment and People Stanley Thornes 0 74872 120 7 Briggs, D, Smithson, P, Addison, K & Atkinson, K Fundamentals of the Physical Environment, 2nd ed Routledge 0 41523 294 5 Waugh, D, Geography, An Integrated Approach Nelson Thornes 0 17444 706 X Ross, S, Morgan, J & Heelas, R Essential AS Geography Stanley Thornes 0 74875 175 0 Ross, S, Essential Mapwork Skills Nelson Thornes 0 7487 6461 5 Clark, A N Dictionary of Geography Penguin 0 1405 1388 4 Bowen, A & Pallister, J AS Level Geography: For AQA Specification A Heinneman 0 4353 5283 0 Bowen, A Advanced Geography for AQA Specification A Heinneman 043535 282 2 Cooper, S AS Geography AQA (A): Core Concepts in Human Geography: Unit 2,module 2 Philip Allan Updates 1 84489 028 7 Cooper, S AS Geography AQA (A):Core Concepts in Physical Geography Unit 1Philip Allan Updates 1 84489 027 9 General Websites Student action on world poverty: www.peopleandplanet.org.uk United Nations: www.un.org The Environment Agency: www.environment-agency.gov.uk

 The Met Office: www.metoffice.com Search Engine: www.refdesk.com (Encyclopedia of the Atmospheric Environment (2006) Weather) Encyclopedia of the Atmospheric Enironment: www.ace.mmu.ac.uk/eae/english.html Oxfam: www.oxfam.org.uk CIA: www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook Internet Geography: www.geography.learnontheinternet.co.uk Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: www.defra.gov.uk Food and Agricultural Organisation: www.fao.org/ S-Cool Revision Site: www.s-cool.co.uk/ GeoResources: www.georesources.co.uk Revision Notes: www.revision-notes.co.uk Barcelona Field Studies Centre: www.geographyfieldwork.com Hodder Education: www.hoddereducation.co.uk (Geocases Series 2)

Where will success take me?

Anywhere on Earth! If you specialise in geography at higher education (or use your Geography A Level as a stepping stone to study geology at university) you could find yourself doing things like charting oil wells or exploring rock formations throughout the world. And because geography is about the interaction between people and our planet, this fascinating subject is valid for a number of different career paths, like advertising, environmental management, law or social services.