AS and A-Level Geography Edexcel artment€¦ · folders depending on whether human or physical geography is ... being prepared for the new Geography AQA ... level Geography Edmonton

AS and A-level Geography

Edmonton Country School

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AS and A-Level Geography

Edexcel

‘Without Geography, you are nowhere’

NAME:______________________________

Target Grade:_________________________

Challenge Grade:______________________



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Contents

Policies and procedures Page 3-5

Useful contacts Page 5

Reading lists, useful websites and independent study Page 6 – 7

Course Aims Page 8

Course Structure Page 9

Assessment structure Page 10 - 12

Assessment objectives and command words Page 13 - 14

Modes of learning in Geography Page 15 - 17

Future career options in Geography Page 18



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Lesson Policy

1. Students must come fully equipped to all lessons, including the correct

folders depending on whether human or physical geography is taking

place

2. Students must bring a calculator, ruler, pencils, graph and lined paper to

all lessons

Fieldwork policy

1. Students must conduct a compulsory 4 days fieldwork in total for the

A LEVEL Geography course (2 days in year 12 and 2 days in year 13).

2. Students must attend all days’ fieldwork and use the time in the

outside environment to the full potential

3. Students must pre plan and collect all necessary research prior to the

fieldwork and students must write up a written report after each

fieldwork has taken place

HOMEWORK POLICY

In order to progress well during the A LEVEL Geography course: 1. A LEVEL Geography students are expected to complete a minimum of 5 hours independent

study which will include directed homework tasks per week. 2. Homework will be set in all lessons. 3. Homework must be recorded in your planner and completed by the next lesson. 4. Failure to complete homework will result in detention and parental notification

ATTENDANCE & PUNCTUALITY POLICY

In order to progress well during the course it is vital that students attend ALL lessons and arrive early to all lessons and internal assessments.

The attendance and punctuality of all sixth form students will be monitored and recorded weekly by the KS5 Co-ordinator. If you are late more than once to Science faculty lessons within a week you

will be issued with a detention. Lateness to lessons causes disruption to teaching and the learning of all students and will be taken very seriously.

In the unlikely event that you do miss a lesson an email explaining why you are absent must be sent to your teacher.

All work missed must be completed by the student. Internal exams can only be repeated if a doctor’s certificate for illness is provided.



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HELP

If you require help during the course please contact your teacher at the beginning or end of a lesson.

Alternatively you can ask questions via email or arrange a meeting at an appropriate time. It is vital

that you ask for help as soon as possible. Your teacher will do their best to assist you with your

concerns. It is also helpful if you can tell your teacher the section of the topic you are struggling with.

ACADEMIC ATTAINMENT

All students will be tested regularly throughout the course. Students are expected to achieve their

target grades as a minimum requirement. If a student does not achieve their target grade in a test

they will be required to re sit the examination and attend an intervention session with their teacher.

SUBJECT FOLDERS

All pupils are required to have a subject folder. The folder must be brought to ALL lessons. The folder

should compose of the following sections;

1) Course Handbook

2) Course Specification

3) Lesson Notes

4) Revision Notes

5) Homework

6) End of topic Tests



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STUDENT CONTRACT

I confirm that I have read and understood all policies set out in the A LEVEL

Geography course handbook. I am now fully aware of the structure of the

course and the high expectations that I must adhere to. I agree to follow these

policies and accept that failure to do so will result in sanctions up to and

including removal from the course.

SIGNED: ____________________________(student)

SIGNED: ________________________________(parent/carer)

DATE: _________________________________

USEFUL CONTACTS

Head of Geography: Ms M Barimah Email: [email protected]

HEAD OF HUMANITIES FACULTY Ms S O’Neill Email: s_o’[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]



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A level Geography reading list 1. Reading list for A - level Geography

At AS and A Level Geography it is expected that you can demonstrate to the examiners that

you have been partaking in wider reading.

Below is a list of books/journals and websites you could use over the next two years and

beyond in university.

The list below is the name of the text books that are published by the specific exam boards.

Find out your exam board from your teacher before you purchase this book.

Essential course teaxtbook: EDEXCEL - Edexcel GCE Geography Y 1 & 2 A Level Student Book and eBook (Person)

http://www.pearsonschoolsandfecolleges.co.uk/Secondary/Geography/16plus/EdexcelGeographyALevel2016/ISBN/Other/Student-Books/Edexcel%20A2%20Year%202%20Geography%20%20Student%20Book%202%20and%20ActiveBook.aspx

This is a list of some books you might want to consider

Geography: An Integrated Approach Fourth Edition

https://global.oup.com/education/product/9781408504079/?region=international

Journals are a good way of keeping up to date with what’s happening in the world of

geography. You can subscribe for a year or buy individual past publications.

Some good Geography magazines are:

Geography Review, Go to: http://www.philipallan.co.uk/geographyreview/index.htm

Geographical, Go to: http://www.geographical.co.uk/Home/index.html

You need to be aware of current global events that are related to the units you will be

studying; so look out for things in the news to do with the topics we are studying. You can

use Google Alerts to make this easier

http://www.google.co.uk/alerts?hl=en

There are also many good websites you can use. News website are partially good at keeping

you informed and up-to-date.

News websites include –









http://www.philipallan.co.uk/geographyreview/index.htm

http://www.geographical.co.uk/Home/index.html

http://www.google.co.uk/alerts?hl=en



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www.bbc.co.uk

http://www.telegraph.co.uk

You can also use websites like –

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/

http://www.geographyalltheway.com/

http://www.gatm.org.uk/

Finally, there are a plethora of websites offering you help with the subject content. Many

will cover topics you don’t study and most are based on the old specifications or different

exam boards so check the content is relevant to you when using these sites. This is a list of

the web sites that are currently being prepared for the new Geography AQA specification

for 2016.

www.geographyiseverything.co.uk

www.coolgeography.com

Record any other websites provided to you by your teacher throughout the year below

1.

2.

3.

4.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/

http://www.geographyalltheway.com/

http://www.gatm.org.uk/

http://www.geographyiseverything.co.uk/

http://www.coolgeography.com/



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Geography at A-Level Edexcel–

Aims: The A Level course aims to:

Provide students with a view of the world that concentrates upon the connection

between physical processes and human interactions.

We focus our study on:

1. Natural hazards and human vulnerability

2. Climate change as a context in which our vulnerability to hazards is increased

3. Globalisation and its impacts on people and places – including

also how resistance to globalisation can impact

4. Issues related to international migration

5. The reasons and issues related to the growth of megacities

6. Physical processes and conflicts on the world’s coastlines

7. Rebranding as a strategy to regenerate and reimage both urban and rural areas

8. Resource issues energy, water and biological resources

9. Superpower nations of the world and how development is rapidly impacting and

issues related to the future of food production especially in

environmentally marginal areas

Course Overview:

The Geography Department is a strong and successful department in the school and gains

very good examination results at both GCSE and A Level. In August 2014, 100% of students

achieved A*-C at A-level.



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At AS-level and A-level students have five Geography lessons each week. Lessons are delivered by a

team of Geography specialists.



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Assessment structure A LEVEL Geography:

AS specification which will be examined at the end of year 12 includes two papers:



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Alevel specification which will be assessed at the end of year 13 includes three papers and

coursework:



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A LEVEL Geography assessment objectives:



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A LEVEL Geography command words:



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Modes of learning:

Lessons delivered by the Geography department cater for all learning styles. We aim for

lessons to be student centred through choosing activities such as dictogloss, group

presentations, talk-like-an-expert, debates, card sorts and ranking activities. A wide and

varied range of these activities are used throughout the course. Your homework tasks will

often take the form of additional research or exam essay practice. Your teacher will provide

weekly feedback on your essay answers.

Group work is an important part of Geography and you will be seated near students who

your teacher feels you will work well with. You will be required to collaborate on tasks in

most lessons within your group and there will often be opportunities to work with other

member of the class through peer-teaching.

At A-level Geography it also crucial to keep up-to-date with topical events and geographical

news stories in your spare time. You should be motivated to work independently and it is

highly advised that make sets of keyword and case-study cards as you work your way

through the course. These will be vital for exam revision.



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What makes an A* in Geography

Requirements What this means

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Physical geography - theory and processes

All physical geography theory and processes required by the specification should be learnt and how they interact . For example, if a question asks about the formation of headlands and bays the sequence and processes involved should be included in any answer. It is often a good idea to learn the formation of landforms through diagrams.

Human geography – theory and processes

All human geography theory and processes required by the specification should be learnt and how they interact. For example, change in population through time with reference to changes in birth and death rates.

Case studies The Specification will require a number of case studies to be recalled about different locations . Learn four facts for each case study.

Application of appropriate knowledge to unfamiliar contexts.

The exam paper will have a number of questions based on stimulus material about locations you haven’t studied but you have studied the theory or processes involved. For example, you may have learnt about coastal defences at Lyme Regis and be asked how the coast should be defended at Swanage. You would apply your knowledge about coastal defences to the unfamiliar location.

Read and understand the command word.

Is the question asking you to describe, explain, analyse, label or annotate? Ensure that you respond to the correct command word.

Read and understand the question.

What is the question asking for? Study the question carefully underlining the key geographical terms. Does the question require recall of case study information or geographical theory / process or a mixture? Keep to the point with structured sentences and paragraphs which relate to the question.

Literacy The examiner will be looking for excellent use of spelling, punctuation and grammar and the accurate use of geographical terminology.

Skill

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To be competent at reading Ordnance Survey maps

For example, being able to complete cross-sections, recognise features on the map and patterns of human and physical features

To be competent at interpreting Atlas maps.

For example, comparing Atlas maps of physical geography and population distribution for a country or continent.

To be able to use and interpret photographs and satellite images.

To be able to use photographs with OS maps or to interpret photographs of different human or physical landscapes.

To be able to construct or complete a variety of graphs, maps and charts.

For example, bar graphs, line graphs, choropleth maps, pictograms, topological diagrams and population pyramids.

To be able to interpret a variety of graphs.

For example, to describe patterns or changes shown on a graph. Remember to use data from the graph in your response.

To have an understand of ICT and GIS

For example, how ICT can be used to enhance fieldwork and how GIS can aid geographical understanding.

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to identify geographical hypotheses and establish sequences of investigation.

For example, in controlled assessment to develop your own hypotheses and to plan a line of enquiry for your investigation.

To extract information form primary and secondary sources

To plan and carry out data collection techniques, with due regard taken for the assessment of risk. These could be in the field or from secondary sources of information such as the census.



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To describe, explain and draw conclusions from evidence

To be able to interpret and analyse the data that you have collected. To be able to answer your hypotheses and draw conclusions based on the data you have collected.

To evaluate data collection, presentation and analysis of evidence.

To be able to evaluate the investigation and suggest improvements for future studies.



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Career prospects in Geography:

Documents

AS and A-Level Geography Edexcel artment€¦ · folders depending on whether human or physical geography is ... being prepared for the new Geography AQA ... level Geography Edmonton