Revision Guide – Geography Year 10
SUBJECT: Geography
EXAM BOARD AND CODE: AQA/8035
NUMBER OF PAPERS: 3
LENGTH OF PAPERS: 1 hour 30 mins
EQUIPMENT REQUIRED: Black pen (and spare), pencil, eraser, ruler, calculator, protractor
WEBSITE LINK: https://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/geography/gcse/geography-8035/specification-at-a-glance
The recommended geography revision book is available via the parent pay shop at the link below
King Edward VI School, Bury St Edmunds (parentpay.com)
Topics to be revised
3.1 Living with the physical environment (Paper 1)
This unit is concerned with the dynamic nature of physical processes and systems, and human interaction with them in a variety of places and at a range of scales.
The aims of this unit are to develop an understanding of the tectonic, geomorphological, biological and meteorological processes and features in different environments, and the need for management strategies governed by sustainability and consideration of the direct and indirect effects of human interaction with the Earth and the atmosphere.
Section A: The challenge of natural hazards
In this section, students are required to study all the themes.
Natural hazards
Key idea – Natural hazards pose major risks to people and property.
Tectonic hazards
Key idea’s
- Earthquakes and volcanic eruptions are the result of physical processes.
- The effects of, and responses to, a tectonic hazard vary between areas of contrasting levels of wealth.
- Management can reduce the effects of a tectonic hazard.
Weather hazards
Key idea’s
- Global atmospheric circulation helps to determine patterns of weather and climate.
- Tropical storms have significant effects on people and the environment.
- The UK is affected by a number of weather hazards.
- Extreme weather events in the UK have impacts on human activity.
Climate change
Key idea’s
- Climate change is the result of natural and human factors, and has a range of effects.
- Managing climate change involves both mitigation (reducing causes) and adaptation (responding to change).
Section B: The living world
In this section, students are required to study Ecosystems, Tropical rainforests and Hot deserts.
Ecosystems
Key idea’s
- Ecosystems exist at a range of scales and involve the interaction between biotic and abiotic components.
Tropical rainforests
Key idea’s
- Tropical rainforest ecosystems have a range of distinctive characteristics.
- Deforestation has economic and environmental impacts.
- Tropical rainforests need to be managed to be sustainable.
Hot deserts
Key idea’s
- Hot desert ecosystems have a range of distinctive characteristics.
- Development of hot desert environments creates opportunities and challenges.
- Areas on the fringe of hot deserts are at risk of desertification.
Section C: Physical landscapes in the UK
UK physical landscapes
Key idea’s
- The UK has a range of diverse landscapes.
Coastal landscapes in the UK
Key idea’s
- The coast is shaped by a number of physical processes.
- Distinctive coastal landforms are the result of rock type, structure and physical processes.
- Different management strategies can be used to protect coastlines from the effects of physical processes.
River landscapes in the UK
Key idea’s
- The shape of river valleys changes as rivers flow downstream.
- Distinctive fluvial landforms result from different physical processes.
- Different management strategies can be used to protect river landscapes from the effects of flooding.
3.2 Challenges in the human environment (Paper 2)
This unit is concerned with human processes, systems and outcomes and how these change both spatially and temporally. They are studied in a variety of places and at a range of scales and must include places in various states of development, such as higher income countries (HICs), lower income countries (LICs) and newly emerging economies (NEEs).
The aims of this unit are to develop an understanding of the factors that produce a diverse variety of human environments; the dynamic nature of these environments that change over time and place; the need for sustainable management; and the areas of current and future challenge and opportunity for these environments.
Section A: Urban issues and challenges
In this section, students are required to study all the themes.
Key idea’s
- A growing percentage of the world’s population lives in urban areas.
- Urban growth creates opportunities and challenges for cities in LICs and NEEs.
- Urban change in cities in the UK leads to a variety of social, economic and environmental opportunities and challenges.
- Urban sustainability requires management of resources and transport.
Section B: The changing economic world
In this section, students are required to study all the themes.
Key idea
- There are global variations in economic development and quality of life.
- Various strategies exist for reducing the global development gap.
- Some LICs and NEEs are experiencing rapid economic development which leads to significant social, environmental and cultural change.
- Major changes in the economy of the UK have affected, and will continue to affect, employment patterns and regional growth.
Section C: The challenge of resource management
In this section, students are required to study Resource management and Water.
Resource management
Key idea
- Food, water and energy are fundamental to human development.
- The changing demand and provision of resources in the UK create opportunities and challenges.
Water
Key idea
- Demand for water resources is rising globally but supply can be insecure, which may lead to conflict.
- Different strategies can be used to increase water supply.
3.3 Geographical applications (Paper 3)
The Geographical applications unit is designed to be synoptic in that students will be required to draw together knowledge, understanding and skills from the full course of study. It is an opportunity for students to show their breadth of understanding and an evaluative appreciation of the interrelationships between different aspects of geographical study.
Section A: Issue evaluation
- A resource booklet will be available twelve weeks before the date of the exam so that students have the opportunity to work through the resources, enabling them to become familiar with the material. Students will not be allowed to take the original resource booklet into the examination room but will be issued with a clean copy in the exam.
- Assessment will consist of a series of questions related to a contemporary geographical issue(s), leading to a more extended piece of writing which will involve an evaluative judgement. Students will apply knowledge and understanding to interpret, analyse and evaluate the information and issue(s) in the pre-release resources booklet and the question paper. They will also use geographical skills to set the issue(s) in context and to examine conflicting viewpoints about the issue(s).
Section B: Fieldwork
Students need to undertake two geographical enquiries, each of which must include the use of primary data, collected as part of a fieldwork exercise.
Students’ understanding of the enquiry process will be assessed in the following two ways:
- questions based on the use of fieldwork materials from an unfamiliar context
- questions based on students’ individual enquiry work. For these questions students will have to identify the titles of their individual enquiries.
Students will be expected to:
- apply knowledge and understanding to interpret, analyse and evaluate information and issues related to geographical enquiry.
- select, adapt and use a variety of skills and techniques to investigate questions and issues and communicate findings in relation to geographical enquiry.
They will use the following geographical enquiry strand;
- Suitable question for geographical enquiry
- Selecting, measuring and recording data appropriate to the chosen enquiry
- Selecting appropriate ways of processing and presenting fieldwork data
- Describing, analysing and explaining fieldwork data
- Reaching conclusions
- Evaluation of geographical enquiry
3.4 Geographical skills (Paper 1,2,3)
Students are required to develop and demonstrate a range of geographical skills, including cartographic, graphical, numerical and statistical skills, throughout their study of the specification. Skills will be assessed in all three written exams. Ordnance Survey (OS) maps or other map extracts may be used in any of the three exams.
Revision Tips
- Speak to your teacher
- Create a timetable
- Use different strategies such as flash cards, interleaving, concept mapping and dual coding.
- Complete practise papers and revision activities for the revision guides online.
Useful websites:
Time for Geography
Geography | tutor2u
Seneca | Online Learning
GCSE Geography – AQA – BBC Bitesize
Exam Hints
For graphs – Use ‘TEA’ which is Trends, Evidence, Anomalies
For understanding the levelled (essay) questions; use ‘BUGS’ which is box the command word, underline the focus words, glance back at question when writing and then sprinkle with data to support your answer.
When structuring your essay questions use ‘Peel’ which is make a point, give evidence, explain the point further and link to other parts of the course/data/evidence etc.
If all else fails then ask yourself ‘ So what’ after writing something.
On Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar (Spag) always write something about the answer (even if you are not sure) as you can still collect marks for your Spag.
