How to prepare for GCSE Geography

The Basics

• 3 exam papers

• Physical (35%)

• Human (35%)

• Geographical Applications: Skills and Fieldwork (30%)

• Multiple choice, short answer, extended prose

Assessment Objectives• AO1: Demonstrate knowledge of locations, places, processes,

environments and different scales (15%).

• AO2: Demonstrate geographical understanding of: concepts and how they are used in relation to places, environments and processes; the interrelationships between places, environments and processes (25%).

• AO3: Apply knowledge and understanding to interpret, analyse and evaluate geographical information and issues to make judgements (35%, including 10% applied to fieldwork context(s))

• AO4: Select, adapt and use a variety of skills and techniques to investigate questions and issues and communicate findings (25%, including 5% used to respond to fieldwork data and context(s)).

Multiple choice

questions

Level Marked QuestionsAnswer the questions in timed conditions!

Extended Prose Questions

Spelling, punctuation and grammar

Geographical skills

Geographical skills appear across all 3 papers. These are low tariff questions but they add up! Students need to be confident with them but also be able to do them quickly. A full checklist and support booklet will be printed and with all your children soon!

Paper 3: Geographical Applications

• Section A – questions based on a pre-release resource

• Section B - Fieldwork

Fieldwork Enquiries

Enquiry 1 - How does the River Wye change from source to confluence?

Enquiry 2 - How has the regeneration of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park impacted the surrounding areas?

Fieldwork titles

must be known

What questions could be asked?

• Planning the enquiry - including a risk assessment

• Methodology - what methods were, sampling techniques and why they were chosen

• Results• Data presentation/statistical analysis• Data analysis• Conclusions• Evaluating your enquiry

Paper 3: Fieldwork Skills

Graphical Skills

Mathematical Skills

Fieldwork Skills

Paper 3: The Issue Evaluation

• Pre-release - 6 page resource booklet - 19th March 2020

• Can be on any geographical issue anywhere in the world!

• Each student will be given a full copy of the pre-release just before/after Easter

• Prior to exam 2 weeks of class time devoted to preparing for this section of paper 3:– Skills – Interpretation of resources– Preparing for the decision making question

Revision Tools• Class work

• Google Classroom: case study sheets, glossary of key terms per topic, complete topic checklist, command words, unit summary videos practice questions and mark schemes and Revision PPTs

• Paper 1 & Paper 2 exam question booklets

• Paper 3 skills booklet - coming soon

All students now have access to Kerboodle Geography resources:● Skills pod videos and worksheets● Glossaries for each unit● Tests for each unit● Exam question support and structure● Full access to the AQA 9 - 1 digital

textbook● Logins - same as Science/languages

● All students have a log-in and a specific Geography classroom

● Follows AQA spec● Teacher sets assignments to

complete● Students can also work through each

unit to help revise every section in paper 1 & 2

Revision Tools

• Textbooks: Hodder, Oxford

• Revision Guides: CGP, Collins, My Revision Notes, BBC Bitesize

Other Online Resources

Wednesday lunchtime

Thursday after school

1 hour revision on topic

beforehand

Saturday sessions before

each paper

Student Examples

VISUAL LEARNERS

• Rewrite your notes as mind-maps/diagrams

• Use colour to highlight important things

• Draw diagrams and sketches to help you remember points.

• Turn case studies into images

• Use acroynyms

Mindmaps

AUDITORY LEARNERS

• ACT it out!• Sing it/Rap it• Tell a friend• Just a minute – talk for a minute on a topic• Create a podcast• Film yourself using the flip cams, create your own

revision news bite• Listen to songs about the topic• Watch a video about the topic – see bbc learning

broadband clips• Create a quiz to test your friends on a topic

Mnemonics

• Encoding information in a memorable phrase

• Using vivid, positive, humorous phrases

Lithosohere Asthenosphere Mantle Crust

Late Again Miss Cried

Rhymes or songs

• Helps to remember knowledge in sequence• Learn by repetition

READING WRITING

• Copy out your notes.

• Summarise your case studies into 5 bullet points

• Summarise them into 5 words

• Read your notes silently

• Rewrite the key points using different words.

• Write down key points from memory

• Create your own key words list

• Write an acrostic poem

Cue cards

• Cards with key word or question on one side and answer/ definition/ formula/ short list on reverse

Flow diagrams

• Use colour

• Encourages you to summarise notes to put in diagram ideal for case studies e.g. the construction of the Three Gorges Dam

Filtering – Post-its

• Turn a case study into:

– 5 sentences

– 5 key words

5 sentences

5 key words

Sound recordings

• Use revision notes or booklets to make recording

• Listen whilst travelling

• Make mindmaps/ diagrams while listening

Or

• Read revision notes out loud

KINAESTHETIC LEARNERS

• ACT out a case study

• Revise while you do kung-fu moves or other physical activity

• Create actions for different processes

• Mentally review what you’ve been revising while you’re swimming or jogging.

• Create actions for your revision – use your fingers for numbers

Journey technique

• Use an established journey

• Associate landmarks on the journey with the items to remember

• E.g. journey to school

• Could be useful for remember items in an order e.g. Demographic Transition Model (5 stages)

Making Revision funGeography Games

• Processes, features and models Pictionary e.g. tropical storm, plate boundaries

Key words charades e.g. destructive waves

Spell ASTHENOSPHERE