Extreme weather can be defined as atmospheric conditions that lie outside what is normal or expected based on location and previous climatic averages. Some experts argue that climate change is leading to more extreme weather events becoming more common in the UK and globally. This lesson examines the role of the turbulent jet stream as a key influencer on UK climates, and how if it gets ’ stuck’ our weather patterns also become static leading to heatwaves, droughts and flooding. This lesson includes article analysis from the Guardian, the use of the blue Oxford GCSE textbooks to fill in a table plus infographic analysis. Past paper worksheet included. Full lesson.

This full lesson and accompanying graded homework sheet explore the characteristics of the world’s most populated urban areas; megacities. Those places with a population of 10 million inhabitants or more are becoming increasingly common in the developing world. The lesson includes a starter, video question sheet for Andrew Marr’s Megacities series, episode 1 Link below; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=USktb5cXdRs There is a full answer sheet given for the video questions. The homework sheet asks students to analyse the proportional symbols megacities maop, and has a 6 mark exam style question and mark scheme. This should be done after watching the video and completing the lesson, but could also serve as a stand-alone revision activity.

An environmental quality survey ( or EQS) is a popular method of fieldwork. It involved measuring different aspects of the urban area by analysing a series of photographs from in and around Manchester ( although you could easily subsidize your own photo’s from your own local town or city). This GCSE focussed lesson takes students on a virtual journey from Manchester’s CBD to the urban rural fringe, showing them buildings and homes from along a transect. The students have to analyse the photographs carefully in order to make decisions on the appearence, safety and amount of green open space etc and fill in the pre-designed bi-polar grid accordingly. They can them choose to display their results on a radial graph ( template provided) or make a bar chart. The lesson ends with an exam questions, and gets them to evaluate the methods used to gather their primary data. This lesson would be good at KS3 to prepare them for fieldwork requirements of GCSE, or as a preparation lesson prior to EQS fieldwork at GCSE.

The physical geography of the UK can be briefly split into NW/ SE divide. With glacial valleys and high mountains in the North, and rolling hills and river valleys in the south. This lesson serves as an introduction to the GCSE AQA ‘UK physical landscapes’ topic. The lesson is designed to be used in conjunction with the blue Oxford GCSE Geography textbooks. Students look for map clues at the start to figure out where in the UK the photo was taken. Then they annotate a UK relief map from the powerpoint slides. There is a great True or False additional starter activity too.

In this 5th lesson in our cold climate series ’ Pol to Pole’ and following on from lesson 4 on extreme tourism in the Antarctic Cruise, learners examine human impacts on cold climates and Antarctica. Students main task is to evaluate which human threats are the most pressing and urgent, but completing a diamond 9 activity. Students could then follow this up by writing an international code of conduct for Antarctic scientists and visitors.

Food insecurity is where there is not enough physical, or financial access to a range of safe, nutritious food to keep a person healthy. The rise of global production chains and international food trading and export, has created food stress in various regions of the world, This has been made worse by climate change. This GCSE lesson links to the topic ’ Challenge of Resource Management’ under the AQA spec A curriculum for GCSE Geography. Each group will be given a different impact of food insecurity ( rising prices, social unrest, malnutrition, environmental degredation). They must explain the impact and come up with at least 3 ideas/ ways in which the problem can be alleviated. Think policy/ technology/ education. They are given 3 internet links to use may use in addition to textbooks to help. When the group presents their ideas/ solutions back to the group, each student must chose and write the best one and write this on their worksheet grid. This lesson is about students leading learning and teaching each other.

This full lesson gets students thinking about describing and explaining where most of the world’s ice is found. The Tundra biome is found at far north and south latitudes where the days are short and the winters are long. Permafrost and taiga forests are located here and only well adapted plants and animals survive, hence the name ’ treeless mountain tract’. The lesson has a differentiated map task where student must shade and label places within the tundra biome. There is also a match-up activity where they must link up definitions of icy landscape features with their pictures: glaciers, ice sheet, ice caps and snow patches.

National Parks were established in 1951 with the Peak District designated as the first official national park in England. They came about after mass protests in the 1930’s from the working classes demanding greater access to the countryside. Since then, many more have been added such as the ’ South Downs’ and ’ New Forest’. This lesson is based around developing maps skills at ks3 and generating a locational knowledge of the UK by building group ’ maps from memory’ maps of the UK national park. Maps from memory simply involved one person from each group going to look at the completed map outside the classroom, remembering the name and location of one park, then returning to add it onto their group blank map inside the classroom. It is a popular and well known geography learning game. The students then analyse 2 separate maps of two different national parks ; the Cairngorms national park, and the Pembrookshire Coast. They use the maps to fill in a comparison grid which asks them to identify human and physical attractions. This activity could be supplemented by use of ipads to navigate to BING maps or similar to find out more detailed information. This task could be done individually or or pairs. Finally there is a plenary discussion on alternative geographical futures ; what would the UK be like now if there were no National parks?

A code-busting themed revision worksheet aimed at developing key terms associated with fieldwork activities and the paper 3 AQA examination for GCSE geography. This easily lends itself to any school or centre and develops both literacy and numerical skills needed for the paper 3 exam. Full answers are provided.

Combining creativity and map skills where students need to read the map to fill out gaps in a story. The story will test students understanding on map symbols, grid references,direction, scale and distance, and there are extension questions which require critical thinking around the map for the most able students. Answers included! You could even ask your students to write their own map skills story too based on a map of their choice to embrace national story telling week.

This 6th lesson in our cold climate series aimed at year 7 / 8 examines why Arctic sea ice is reducing year on year due to climate change. Students develop their timeline skills to collect information on how ice cores show changes in air quality over time. Students then utilise their completed time line on sea ice to answer questions to test their understanding of the issues presented in the lesson.

Most countries devise their electricity generation mean through a mix of fossil fuels and renewable energy resources. This A3 revision poster gets students analysing energy mix trends from pie charts located onto the world map. The original map is available as a free download from the EDF energy website; edfenergy.com/energy/education however a large copy is made available on the second slide of the powerpoint. Students answer prompt questions onto the A3 sheet around a copy of the pie-chart map, such as ’ describe the UK’s energy mix’ and also ’ compare the energy mix between the USA and Brazil.’ There are questions designed to make student connect more broadly to the topic ’ Challenge of Resource Management. The energy mix section on this topic is core contact, therefore important for all students to understand. These would make ideal classroom displays or as independent revision work in the lead up to examinations. This worksheet is designed for middle to higher ability students but could be easily adapted for lower abilities with a few prompts/ sentence starters here and there.

Creative Travel Writing Adventure - Exploring Siberia on the Trans-Siberian Railway Description: Embark on an imaginative journey across the vast and enchanting landscapes of Siberia, Russia, as students dive into our captivating lesson, a part of our ‘Pole to Pole’ unit. Tailored for year 7 and adaptable for other KS3 classes, this lesson invites students to unleash their creativity through travel writing on the renowned Trans-Siberian Railway. Key Features: Geographical Exploration: Delve into the cold and sparsely populated region of Siberia, showcasing its breathtaking beauty and important landmarks such as the iconic River Ob and the stunning Lake Baikal. Map Integration: Students utilize maps to anchor their writing, seamlessly incorporating geographical features into their narratives. Differentiation: Abundant writing frames and resources cater to diverse abilities, ensuring an inclusive and enriching experience for all students. Literacy Skills Focus: Elevate literacy skills as students are encouraged to write in a compelling travel-journalism style, transporting readers on an imaginary adventure through Siberia. Why Choose This Resource? Immersive Learning: Engage students in a hands-on exploration of geography and creative writing, fostering a deep connection to the subject matter. Differentiated Approach: Cater to various learning styles and abilities with tailored resources, making the lesson accessible and enjoyable for every student. Cross-Curricular Integration: Seamlessly integrate geography and language arts, promoting a holistic approach to learning. Ideal for: Geography teachers seeking an interdisciplinary lesson plan. Educators focusing on creative writing skills development. Elevate your geography class with this exciting lesson. Download now and guide your students on a captivating journey through Siberia’s wonders!

Irrigation is the human process of artificially watering crops on a large scale using networks or canals ans sprinkler systems. Although irrigation can improve water availability and yield of crops in arid areas, it can also lead to contamination of local drinking water supplies which in turn creates substantial health problems. This lesson is appropriate for self-study/ remote learning from home and is designed for the AQA GCSE Geography specification A curriculum. It has tasks with lots of prompts, a card sort with answers and a 9 mark exam practice question with a detailed PEEL structure to follow; “(9marks) For a large scale agricultural scheme you have studied, explain how successful you think it has been in improving food supplies.” The lesson looks at the positive and negative impact of the Rajasthan Canal in India on agriculture and the local population. Students have to evaluate whether overall they think that the canal is good or bad for the region.

This 4th lesson in our cold climate series ’ Pole to Pole’ allows students to discover Antarctica through a virtual Antarctic cruise. They will learn to annotate the Antarctic icy landscape and discover what tourist activities away those on the cruise. We also compare how the Arctic is different from the Antarctic using a true or false quiz- the students find the answer by studying and comparing the 2 maps of the poles.

The river Tees flows for 85 miles through Northern England from Cross Fell in the Pennines, to the North sea near Middlesbrough. It shows typical valley features of the long profile of a river and is an important example to study for the new AQA GCSE Geography curriculum. This 6 part storyboard activity allows students to make notes independently at key stages along the river’ journey from the BBC bitesize website amongst others. This was written for lower to middle ability students in mind to give them lots of visual references to remember key facts about the river Tees. There are 3 exam type extension questions at the bottom of the worksheet to stretch the more able students in the class. To complete the task they must show skills such as field-sketching, map reading and comprehension.

Land use refers to what is built on the land at a specific point or the way in which humans use it; for example- residential, industrial, commerce and so on. Land use patterns vary considerably between HIc’s and Lic’s and this lesson examines the Hoyt and Burgess model with a focus task on Brazil. Students must place phototgraphs around their models base on their knowlege of land use patterns. They will start with a quick recap on keywords linked to the theme of urbanisation and urban environments. Fiinally a 4 mark exam question wil test their ability to compare land use between HIc’s and LIC’s. Written for the older AQA GCSE Geography syllabus, but still relevant today.

Unveiling the Mysteries of Global Atmospheric Circulation - GCSE Geography Lesson Plan Description: Demystify the complexities of global atmospheric circulation with our comprehensive lesson and worksheet designed to support GCSE geography students. This resource is crafted especially for middle and lower ability pupils, providing a clear and simplified understanding of the intricate mechanisms behind atmospheric circulation, including the heating effect of the equator and the spinning effect. Key Features: Concept Simplification: Tackle the challenges students face in comprehending global atmospheric circulation by breaking down complex physical processes into accessible components. Hands-On Learning: Engage students with a whole-class person model activity, offering a dynamic and interactive approach to understanding the global atmospheric system. Teamwork Skills: Foster collaboration and teamwork as students work together to create a tangible representation of atmospheric circulation, enhancing both their comprehension and interpersonal skills. Relevance to Biomes: Establish a foundation for future lessons on global biomes by ensuring students grasp the fundamentals of low and high-pressure systems and their geographical implications. Why Choose This Resource? Targeted Support: Tailored for middle and lower ability pupils, this lesson plan provides the necessary scaffolding to boost understanding and confidence. Practical Application: Reinforce theoretical concepts through hands-on activities, promoting active learning and retention. Preparation for Advanced Topics: Lay the groundwork for the study of global biomes by ensuring students grasp the fundamentals of atmospheric circulation. Ideal for: GCSE geography teachers focusing on concept clarification and foundational knowledge. Educators seeking engaging activities to make complex topics accessible for all students. Enhance your geography class with this invaluable lesson resource. Download now to simplify global atmospheric circulation and pave the way for deeper insights into the world’s biomes!

The tropical rainforest biomes are found close to the equator where low pressure systems create bands of high rainfall and long daylight hours that promote high plant growth. Rainforests are densely packed areas of tall vegeatation high amounts of life and biodiversity. This full KS3 lesson and associated sheets and activities give students a full understanding on the layers of the rainforest ecosystem structure, where they are found, and how to analyse and describe the climate of a rainforest using a climate graph. This lesson was originally designed as part of a year 7 ecosystems topic, but would work equally well for year 8. The main task involves students sketching a copy of a diagram on the layers of the rainforest and annotating it in detail using prompts and gap-fill sentences to help them. They then watch a video and make further independant labels.

Written for year 7, this lesson has a literacy focus and introduces students to some of the physical geography and landscape characteristics of the Tundra Biome and it’s cold environment. Students analyse the descriptive vocabulary and adjectives used to describe Svalbard, then build a bank of keywords as a class to use independently in their travel writing. The aim of the lesson is to complete an extended piece of writing to take the reader on an imaginary journey through the tundra around the archipelago of Svalbard ( travel journalism skills). There is a writing frame worksheet to support students write about the physical and human geography using the 5 senses. This differentiated lesson could easily be adapted for year 8 or 9 and gets student familiar with cold environments at GCSE geography.