Rivers: Waterfalls and Gorges

AQA GCSE Geography lesson for the new specification Unit 1C: In this lesson we look at waterfalls and gorges and how they are formed through the processes of erosion.

The starter is a retrieval practice grid filled in for the rivers work so far, but it’s editable.

We then look at how underlying geology plays and important part in the formation of waterfalls, the pupils have some questions to answer and I sometimes get a pupil to teach this bit. We then look at how waterfalls develop, after some teacher exposition the pupils will have an outline diagram of a waterfall with some tasks to complete on the diagram. We then look at the formation of gorges and how they relate to waterfalls. This time the pupils use the diagram on the board to create one themselves. We finish with a sketch from photograph of High Force. After we have introduced the waterfall and given some detail on its formation the pupils will create a field sketch either in a blank box, or using a feint outline, which they can draw over the top of. They then label features etc. We finish with a 6-mark question similar to the 2019 May exam on physical processes and waterfalls/gorges. There is advice and guidance should the pupils need it.

In a nutshell lesson includes:

Retrieval practice grid starter.
Question answer session on how a waterfall starts to form.
Blank outline actvity on the development of waterfalls over time.
Diagram activity on the formation of a gorge.
Worksheet activty on sketching High Force from a photograph.
6-mark GCSE question with guidance.

Hope this saves you some valuable planning time.

https://www.tes.com/teaching-resources/shop/markthegeographer