Year 9

AUTUMN TERM: Brazil: Man vs. Rainforest?


This topic encompasses the idea that people change places by living, working and developing them, and this can cause conflict and controversy.

1. What do you already know about Brazil? Factfile Summary
2. Where is Brazil and what are its main physical features? Features Map
3. What are the four main regions of Brazil? Map
4. Where is the tropical forest biome? Biomes Tropical rainforests  Animals and plants Biome song
5.What is the equatorial climate like? Climate graph Equatorial climate You tube tutorial
6. What are daily weather conditions in the rainforest? Convectional rainfall  Clip
7. What is the structure of the tropical rainforest? Layers Clip Clip Info Adaptations
8. Who is eating who in the rainforest?  Food chains Food web Animation
9. Why is the rainforest so productive even when the soil is so poor? Tropical soils Soil Profile Nutrient cycle
10. Who can manage to survive in the rainforest? How does shifting cultivation work? Indigenous people Lifestyle Shifting cultivation
11. SUMMATIVE TEST (Physical characteristics of the rainforest)

12. If not many people are living in the rainforest, where is everybody else? History People
13. Why might the government want to use and develop the sparsely populated regions of Brazil? Economy
14. What activities are taking place in the rainforest today and why is it being destroyed? Activities
15. Why is it difficult to develop the rainforest sustainably? Tiki’s guide Threats
16. What is life like in the cities of Brazil and what problems do people face there? Cities
17. Why are people still moving to the favelas?
18. The favela game
19. Amazonia conference preparation Research Research2
20. Amazonia conference preparation
21. Amazonia conference presentations
22. LEVELLED ASSESSMENT (Amazonia conference report) Games Summary

SPRING TERM: Hazardous Earth


In this topic, students discover the amazing forces that operate in the atmosphere and at the earth’s crust, and how people have learned to live alongside the risk.

1.What are natural hazards? Bitesize Atmospheric hazard map
2. Can natural hazards be made worse through human activities? Global warming  Oil slicks
3. What are forest fires and how do they start? info Canadian risk maps Info
4. What is drought and where is it likely to occur? US drought monitor Water conservation tips UK droughts
5. How can flood events be managed in different locations? Flood summary
6. What are tropical storms and why is Bangladesh counted as a multi-hazard area? Cyclones
7. What is an avalanche and why does risk vary? Explanation Safety
8. What is the structure of the earth? Structure
9.What are tectonic plates and how do they move? Continental drift
10. Where are tectonic hazards located? slip, slide, collide
11.What are the four types of plate margins? Plate boundaries interactive
12. How can we describe an earthquake event, and how might people respond to it? aftershock mapping Predict and protect
13. LEVELLED ASSESSMENT (Earthquake resonse decision making task) 

14. What is a tsunami? Clip
15. What happened in the 2004 tsunami? Footage Info Animation Timeline Clip
16. What happened in the 2011 tsunami? Info  Footage long term effects Amazing photos Global link
17. Why were the effects different? basic summaries MEDC vs LEDC
18.What is a volcano? Types Key info Game Volcano world Summary info
19. What happened at Mt St. Helens? Rumble song! Seismic blog
20. How can volcanoes be monitored and eruptions managed? Prediction and protection Managing Mt Rainier Montserrat Observatory
21. Why do people want to live in a volcanic region? Reasons Reasons 2
22. How realistic is the film Dantes Peak to a real volcanic eruption? Plot Hints
23. LEVELLED ASSESSMENT (Dante’s Peak essay)


It can be difficult choosing which subjects to continue with – but here’s why geography is without doubt THE MOST IMPORTANT subject.
As the Chinese philosopher said “May you live in Interesting Times”, these clips below prove that it is pretty clear that we do. Without a sound geographical understanding how can any of us function at all?

Clip 1 Why I love geography

Clip 2 Thinking Like a Geographer

Clip 3 Changing geography

Don’t forget, if you choose geography as an option you may want to sign up quickly for the Y10 Malham trip. Speak to your geography teacher or check out the fieldwork tab on this websire for more information.

SUMMER TERM: Developing Africa


The topic looks at the huge contrasts within the continent of Africa, and what difficulties are faced as individual countries try and develop.

1. What is the physical geography of Africa?
2. What is the human history of Africa and how can it be explained by the physical geography?
3. What is development and how does it affect different people in parts of Africa?
5. Can we test a hypothesis to explain differences in development?
6. What is the geographical theory underpinning ‘the trade game’?
7. How does trade work?
8. What is the chocolate trade and can it be made fairer?
9. Why do some countries have nothing to trade?
10. How has human activity contributed to desertification?
11. Why is there not enough food to go around?
12. How can food security be improved?
13. Is international aid always helpful? UK aid
14.Do some large scale projects benefit everyone?

FINAL WEEKS OF TERM- Introduction to the iGCSE course

This topic gives those continuing with Geography into Y10 a head start by recapping basic map skills that will be needed for the iGCSE course, and introducing more complex techniques such as landscaping mapping through cross-section drawing. Those students not continuing with geography can take this opportunity to make sure they too are up to speed with their skills so they won’t get lost in future!

1. 16 point compass direction
2. Bearings
3. Scale
4. 4 figure grid references
5. 6 figure grid references
6. Contours and relief
7. Cross sections
8. Recognising drainage and settlement patterns


Local enquiry (4 week project): this may be used with some classes if appropriate at the end of the year

This topic gets students out and about in their local area, challenging their map, graphicacy and data collection skills to carry out a practical project to investigate geography in their local area. This topic is used as a stepping stone to prepare students for many of the skills and applications they will need to successfully tackle controlled coursework at GCSE.



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