GCSE Geography Specification A
Detailed Scheme of Work
Physical Geography Unit 6
Ice on the Land
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GCSE Geography Specification A
Detailed Scheme of Work
Physical Geography Unit 6
Ice on the Land
AQA Education (AQA) is a registered charity (number 1073334) and a company limited by guarantee registered in
England and Wales (number 3644723). Our registered address is AQA, Devas Street, Manchester M15 6EX.
AQA Specification A Physical Geography
Key Idea
(Scale)
The
amount of
ice on a
global and
continental
level has
changed in
the
past.(G+L)
Specification
Content
The last Ice
Age
(Pleistocene) –
time scale and
extent of
maximum ice
cover in the
northern
hemisphere.
Present extent
of ice cover.
Contrasts and
evidence of
changes –
global
temperatures.
Unit 6
Ice on the Land
Starters
Main activities
Plenaries
1.http://www.uwsp.edu/geo/faculty/ritte
r/geog101/textbook/glacial_systems/gl
aciation_causes.html includes a short
video clip (National Geographic)
hypothesising about the likely effects
of a new ice age
1. Describe the evidence for climatic change given in
this video
http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips/evidence-ofclimate-change/1490.html What other evidence would
support the idea of climatic change? This video at GATM
(Global Warming) considers the evidence for global
temperature change http://www.gatm.org.uk/?p=168
1. True false statements. Students can do
this as a quiz, or work in teams.
Alternatively they guess the correct
answers from 2 alternatives:
e.g. In the modern world about
(10%/30%) of land area (roughly
15,000,000 square kilometres) is covered
by glaciers, but during the last Ice Age
glaciers covered about (32%/52%) of the
total land area. (29/99%) of modern
glacial ice is located in the Arctic and
Antarctic.
In some parts of the Antarctic, the ice has
been measured as being over
(1500/4,200) metres thick.
The Antarctic ice sheet has been in
existence for at least (2/40) million years.
Glaciers store between (10% and
20%/70% and 80%) of all the freshwater
in the world.
The land underneath parts of the West
Antarctic Ice Sheet may be up to (0.5/2.5)
kilometres below sea level. The weight of
the ice pushes the land surface down.
The south of the United Kingdom has
been slowly (falling/rising) since the last
ice age , due to the weight of all that ice
being removed when it melted
2. Pose initial questions to test
knowledge of glaciation. e.g. What are
the differences between ice sheets and
glaciers? Where would you find
examples of each? Where in Britain
were there valley glaciers and ice
sheets? Which parts of the UK were
not covered by ice in the Ice Age? How
far did ice sheets extend across
Europe? What happened during the
interglacial periods? During the glacial
advance it would have been possible
to walk from the UK to France as there
was no English Channel. Why was
this? What would southern Britain have
been like during the last ice age?
3. Study a world map or atlas.
Can you identify which areas are
covered in ice?
Which continents have the most ice?
Which continents have the least ice?
How does the scale of glaciers vary in
different places?
Why do some parts of the world have
very little ice?
How is it possible for some areas
along the equator to be ice covered?
4. Brianstorm glaciation to find out
what students know about the topic
already. What do they know about ice
ages, glaciers, ice caps, melting ice,
2. Predict what will happen to temperature based on
graph of climate of past 1 million years
What has happened to our climate in the past?
Make notes about different periods in history. Annotate
graph. Record reasons for changes.
http://math.ucr.edu/home/baez/temperature/ has a wide
range of graphs showing temperature change since the
start of the Pleistocene
3. Research details of the Pleistocene and pose
questions for students to answer. When did it begin?
What percentage of the Earth’s surface was covered by
ice? How far south did the ice extend in Europe and in
North America? When did it end? What was the effect
on Britain? What happened in the highlands? What
happened in the lowlands? How many advances and
retreats of ice took place? What occurred during the
interglacial periods (including animal life)? What might
have caused temperatures to drop at the start of the ice
age? What might have been the effect on sea levels and
land levels? By how much did the temperatures drop?
What evidence do we have for temperature changes?
Produce maps to show the extent of ice over Britain and
Europe. Annotate with details of ice sheets (e.g.
Scandinavian), various limits, valley glaciation in the
mountains, effects on sea level, direction of movement
of ice etc
4. On the Web, students find the average winter and
summer temperatures for their area and for Greenland.
A good site to try is
2. Cloze type sentences with or without
words provided e.g. During the
Pleistocene era of the Quaternary, there
were fluctuations in ____________ of 5°
to 6°.
These fluctuations led to cold phases (
____________) and warm phases
(______________).
When the ice reached its maximum
extent, it covered about ____ of the
earth’s land surface.
icebergs, and the effects that
glaciation has had on the landscape
5. What is an ice age? When have
ice ages occurred, and what has
caused them to take place? (Ice ages
are periods of time when large areas
of Earth’s surface were covered with
ice sheets. The term Ice Age refers to
the last major glaciation that occurred
in North America and Eurasia, from 2
million to 11,500 years ago, during
the Pleistocene period. The
movement of Earth’s plates, reduction
of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere,
and changes in Earth’s orbit are three
major causes of ice ages.)
6. What happens to sea levels when
glaciers melt and water runs into the
sea?
Students discuss how high they think
sea-level could rise if different bodies
of ice were to melt
7. How much of Britain was covered
with ice during the last Ice Age?
Research this on the internet and then
draw your own line on a map of the UK
showing the maximum extent of the
ice.
8. Using maps of global ice coverage
20000 years ago and today, compare
the distribution of ice on the earth’s
surface. What are 2 sources of
evidence that show changes in global
temperature?
9. Show a picture of crevasses.
Imagine what it would be like being
lowered into a crevasse in a glacier.
Think of 8 words which sum up what it
would be like. Show a scene from
“Touching the void” to illustrate. There
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/psr/general/monsoon/. How do
they compare? How have Greenland's temperatures
changed over the last decade? Students predict what
might happen to the Greenland continental ice sheet if
average temperatures continue to rise the way they
have over the past decade—a summer temperature
increase of 1.5-2 degrees Celsius and a winter
temperature increase of 6 degrees Celsius. Ask students
how they think the continental ice sheet might respond
to these changes.
5. Construct time lines and associated maps, using
coloured overlays to show extent of ice at different
times. Include UK and Europe maps at height of ice
advance, comparing with present day
This can be linked to graphs / photographs / ice core
evidence
The point above which snow lies all year
is known as the __________
__________ .
Once snow has laid for some time, the
weight of the top layers causes the lower
layers to form ___________ .
It takes at least _________ years for
glacier ice to form.
Glaciers are usually formed on
_____________ slopes.
The process of glacier ice melting is
known as _______________.
The difference between the rate of melting
& the rate of accumulation is known as
the ____ ________ .
3. Give students a scenario – e.g. "The
world's temperature has increased by
6oC" “glaciers in the Alps completely melt”
or "We start to enter a new ice age".
Students have to come up with two
pluses, two minuses, and two interesting
things that might arise as a result of that
situation
4. Show these images of the Himalayas
mountains
http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips/th
e-mountains-and-glaciers-of-thehimalayas/10565.html and these images
of the melting of Arctic ice:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips/ar
ctic-sea-ice-melts/10476.html
are several trailers and clips
http://www.touchingthevoid.co.uk/
at
10.
http://www.museum.state.il.us/exhibits/
ice_ages/index.html
Illinois State Museum presents
information about the North American
continental glaciers. They provide
answers to the following questions:
What are Ice Ages?, When did Ice
Ages occur?, and Why do Ice Ages
occur?
11. Use some of the statistics and
facts at http://www.geographysite.co.uk/pages/physical/glaciers/facts
.html as a general introduction to
glaciation.
The
amount of
ice
depends
on the
glacial
budget.
This has
seen a loss
since 1950
and there
are
seasonal
changes
due to
fluctuations
in
temperatur
e.(R/L)
Glacial budget:
accumulation
and ablation,
advance and
retreat. Case
study of a
glacier –
recent retreat
since
nineteenth
century:
causes and
evidence.
Seasonal
shifts in
temperature
and glaciers.
1. This BBC class clip takes a look at
the changing balance of glacial
advance and retreat.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clip
s/evidence-for-global-warming-glacialretreat/1493.html
2. This video considers the changes in
one glacier
http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clip
s/the-franz-josef-glacier-formation-andflow/3079.html
3. This clip focuses on the flow and
formation of glaciers
http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clip
s/the-formation-flow-and-retreat-ofglaciers/3248.html
4. This site gives details of the impacts
of glacial melting
http://www.swisseduc.ch/glaciers/earth
_icy_planet/glaciers16-en.html
5. This clip shows the advance and
1. Use
http://vulcan.wr.usgs.gov/Glossary/Glaciers/description_
glaciers_hazards.html to research the seasonal changes
in glacial inputs and outputs
1 .Interactive exercise on seasonal
changes in sea-ice cover at:
http://www.discoveringantarctica.org.uk/m
ultimedia/flash/3_seasonal_change.html
2. Brainstorm ideas as to how a glacier might form. Write
statements a-f (below) on the board. (The sequence is
intentionally incorrect.) Put the statements into the
proper order.
a. The residual snow settles, becoming
more compact and dense.
b. The great weight of the top layers
compacts the deep layers.
c. Snow falls.
d. Annual snow accumulation far exceeds
the annual snowmelt.
e. Compacted snow freezes together and
creates sheets of ice.
f. The number of layers increases.
The correct sequence is: C, D, A, F, B, E.)
2. True false quiz e.g.
(If you think it is false put the correct
answer next to it.)
Today, glacial ice covers about 20% of
the Earth's land surface.
In the past ice sheets probably covered
about 30% of the Earth's land surface
Smaller glaciers can be found at high
altitudes in various mountain ranges in the
lower, middle, and higher latitudes e.g.
Mont Blanc, Canadian Rockies and The
Alps.
All glaciers move slowly uphill.
The highest part, where the snow falls
and turns to ice, is called the ablation
zone.
It is extremely cold in the accumulation
zone, lots of snow falls and the
temperature rarely rises above freezing.
As the glacier moves downhill in starts to
3.Read this article which describes the changes in one
glacier, Jakobshavn in Greenland,
http://researchnews.osu.edu/archive/greenice.htm.
This video shows the same glacier
retreat of ice
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBcMfaSxpk&feature=related
6. This interactive shows how glaciers
change in size over time
http://www.geographyteachingtoday.or
g.uk/images/activities/glaciation/glaciat
ion.html
7. Use
http://www.discoveringantarctica.org.u
k/ to find the answers to the following
questions:
What is happening to the world's ice?
Why is the ice melting?
What is happening to Antarctica?
(Tip: look at the ‘A Changing Climate'
section)
Watch a clip from the film ‘An
Inconvenient Truth' to draw a sketch
map of the retreat of the Columbia
glacier in Alaska
8. To get an impression of what
glaciers are like today, take a virtual
walk up to a glacier
http://www.swisseduc.ch/glaciers/
Select “unteraargletscher” under
“glaciers of the Alps” then select the
virtual excursion. Also select “Glaciers
of the World” then “Living ice” and also
“Nature’s conveyor belt”
9. There are several starters and
plenaries at radical geographyhttp://www.radicalgeography.co.uk/Sta
rtersandplenaries.html Try the brief
youtube video on Antarctica and some
of the interactive games
10. Use the resources available at
http://www.discoveringthearctic.org.uk/
6_climate_change.html to focus on
threats to glacier ice and longer term
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/sciencenow/3210/03.html
In this 5.23.05 dispatch, watch a video clip and slide
show about the NOVA scienceNOW expedition to
Greenland's Jakobshavn glacier
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/sciencenow/3210/nnvideo.html. Describe the changes in the size and
features of the glacier. Discuss the causes of retreat.
What is the evidence for change? What are the likely
implications of these changes? (The glacier is moving
faster and thinning more than expected. From 2000 to
2005, the glacier's speed increased dramatically—
instead of moving one foot per day, which is normal for a
glacier, the speed of the Jakobshavn Isbrae glacier has
increased to an astounding 40 metres per day, and no
one knows why. Compared to a decade ago, average
temperatures in Greenland have increased 2ºC during
the summer and 6ºC during the winter, leading to 60
percent more annual glacial melting).
4. Show this slide presentation about glacial budgets.
http://www.slideshare.net/tudorgeog/l2-glacial-budget
and refer to
http://itc.gsw.edu/faculty/bcarter/physgeol/glac/budget.ht
m then pose these questions: Explain the term ablation.
On which part of a glacier does most ablation occur?
Explain how the glacial budget affects whether a glacier
is advancing or retreating. Describe and explain how you
would expect the length of a glacier to change over a
one year period. Explain the causes of retreat of glaciers
over the past 100 years and the evidence for it.
5. Make a study of a single glacier e.g. The Grosser
Aletsch in Switzerland. Use the website
http://www.onthesnow.co.uk/gallery# to study a Google
image of the glacier and describe its features
6. Use the Wikipedia link
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aletsch_Glacier and
Understanding GCSE Geography text p109 to produce a
factfile: include length of glacier, location, maximum
depth, speed of movement, changes in size since 1850.
This site provides photographs of the glacier
http://www.swisseduc.ch/glaciers/alps/grosser_aletschgl
etscher/index-en.html.
warm up and melt.
The place where the glacier melts is
known as the accumulation zone.
A snowflake can spend up to 20 years in
a glacier before it melts.
Wales has never been glaciated.
Scotland has been glaciated.
3.Articulate
Divide the class into 2 teams. Give one
person from each team a handful of key
terms relating to glaciation. The first team
has 2 minutes to describe as many terms
as they can without saying the word itself,
their team has to guess the words
correctly and they can only have 1 pass. It
is then the turn of the other group. The
winning group is the group which guessed
the most terms correctly
4.Quick quiz Answer these questions:
a. What conditions must exist for a glacier
to form?
b. How does snow change into glacial
ice?
c. What conditions are needed before a
glacier will start to move?
d. What is meant by Zones of
accumulation and ablation, and how do
these zones control the apparent
movement of the glacier ?
e. What are crevasses, and how do they
form?
5. Show a series of images of a single
glacier e.g. Mer de Glace at
http://www.geographysite.co.uk/pages/physical/glaciers/tour.ht
ml Enlarge the images and classify the
landforms shown. What is happening to
the length of this glacier? What
implications does this have for the local
community? What are the environmental
implications? Describe the landscape
features
climatic change
Ice is a
powerful
force in
shaping
the land as
a result of
weathering
, erosion,
transportati
on and
deposition.
(R/L)
Freeze thaw
weathering.
Processes of
erosion –
abrasion and
plucking.
Processes of
movement and
transportation
– rotational
slip and
bulldozing.
Deposition and
the reasons for
it.
1.http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebit
esize/geography/glaciation/glacialproc
esses_video.shtml includes a simple
introduction to processes
What is the difference between
weathering and erosion? Study the
images on this website to show the
effects of weathering and erosion
http://www.swisseduc.ch/glaciers/earth
_icy_planet/glaciers10-en.html
2. This site provides the sounds
associated with ice moving
www.antarctica2000.net/sounds/other.
html
3. This youtube video shows the power
of ice
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIBF
Ake90SI&feature=player_embedded
4. Use the powerpoint presentations,
worksheets and video clips at
http://www.ngflcymru.org.uk/vtc/ngfl/geography/riv_gl
ac/glaciation/index.html as starters to
this key idea as well as other topics
5. There are several movies still
available at the “Geography at the
movies” site, although some have
been removed for copyright reasons.
The glaciation films appear under the
rocks category at
http://www.gatm.org.uk/geographyatth
emovies/rocks.html Some excellent
starters for this key idea and the next
one
1. Students draw annotated diagrams to show and
explain the processes of freeze thaw. Animations at
www.geography.ndo.co.uk/weathering5.htm
and www.yenka.com/freecontent/
attachment.action?quick=131&att=2799
2. Link process to definition. Start by asking questions
about each process of erosion
e.g. Which process is most likely in a hollow depression
on mountain side?
Which process is likely on steep valley sides where
temperature fluctuates around 0oC?
Which type occurs where steepening bedrock over
which glacier is moving?
Which type of erosion takes place due to the material
acting like sandpaper?
Which one relies on previously loosened material? Then
match process to definition.
Frost shattering – freeze-thaw produces loose material
that may fall from valley sides.
Abrasion – material trapped in glacier moves along and
like sand paper smooths the rock.
Plucking – glacier freezes on to rock and ice movement
pulls away mass of rock. As bedrock has got greater
strength than ice generally only previously loosened
material.
Rotational movement – downhill movement of ice, like a
landslide, pivots about a point
3.Draw labelled diagrams to show how each of the
following processes operates: freeze thaw weathering;
plucking; abrasion
Alternatively students produce powerpoint presentations
or animated films to show each of these processes
4. Rearrange statements about the freeze thaw process
into the correct sequence e.g.

During the day, whilst the sun is shining, rocks,
hollows and other weaknesses get wet or filled
with water as glacial ice melts and soaks the
rocks.
 At night the temperatures become colder and
the water in the cracks freezes.
 As the water freezes it expands and causes the
1. Picture Reveal
Template can be downloaded at:
http://www.mediafire.com/?1jzyjzemte
Pupils take it in turns to answer questions
and get to reveal a piece of the picture if
they are correct.
2. Revise the processes of glaciation and
take a short test to assess understanding
at
http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/learning/bit
esize/standard/geography/glaciation/proc
esses_rev1.shtml
3. Wrong and Right statements – related
to weathering and erosion processes e.g.
freeze thaw is a type of erosion, materials
transported by ice tend to be angular in
shape, plucking smooths the rock by the
scratching and scraping of material
trapped in the glacier
Teacher reads out a statement. If a true
statement – pupils put up the right hand, if
wrong – put up left hand.
4. Odd One Out from a group of three.
Two marks. One for the correct odd one
out and the second for the correct reason.
E.g. freeze thaw, plucking,
abrasion.....rotational slip, moraine,
bulldozing....



cracks to widen.
The next time the temperature is warm enough
for the ice to melt, the water thaws and
contracts.
This cycle continues, each time widening or
enlarging the cracks and hollows but a tiny
amount.
Eventually this continuous process causes rocks
to break up.
5. Research how glaciers erode e.g.
http://www.geographysite.co.uk/pages/physical/glaciers/erode.html then
answer these questions
1. What is Freeze-Thaw?
2. What is Plucking, and whereabouts could it occur in a
glacier?
3. What is abrasion and why is it an important cause of
glacial erosion?
4. What are the main sources of rock debris found on, in
and under a glacier?
5. What role do crevasses play in the erosional process?
6. The surface of a glacier is often littered with rock
debris of all shapes and sizes. In a river you might
expect some of this material to become rounded as it
moves downstream, but in a glacier most of the material
is rough and angular. Why do you think that the surface
debris is both angular and of such a wide range of sizes
7. How do you think you might be able to differentiate
between sediments transported by water over short and
long distances, and material transported only by the
glacial ice? What evidence would you look for in terms of
particle size, sorting and roundness?
Distinctive
landforms
result from
different
processes.
(R/L)
Landforms
resulting from
erosion –
characteristics
and formation
of corries,
arêtes,
1. BBC class clips include short videos
of glacial landforms
A highland landscape is described
before, during and after glaciation at
http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clip
s/highland-landforms-before-and-afterglaciation/4304.html
Landforms of glacial erosion video at
1. Carry out a matching exercise with cards showing
process, definition and explanation for moraines,
drumlins and other features.
2. Students describe each feature from a photograph,
and draw an annotated sketch.
3. Create a storyboard showing the processes involved
1.Play pictionary based on the landforms
listed in the spec content as well as the
processes in the other key ideas. The
game can be played in teams. Students
take it in turns to draw. Features and
processes to be printed on cards/pieces
of paper
pyramidal
peaks,
truncated
spurs, glacial
troughs, ribbon
lakes and
hanging
valleys.
Landforms
resulting from
transportation
and deposition
– drumlins,
lateral, medial,
ground and
terminal
moraine.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clip
s/landforms-of-upland-glaciation-inloch-lomond/1140.html, and
http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clip
s/loch-lomond-glaciallandforms/1138.html
2. Animation of moraine formation
http://www.ngflcymru.org.uk/vtc/terminal_moraines/en
g/Introduction/MainSession.htm
This considers boulder clay and
outwash
http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clip
s/glacial-drift-boulder-clay-andoutwash/3080.html
3. Show photographs of glaciated
landscapes and point out the features
created by, or altered by glaciation.
Ask students to suggest how they
might have been formed. Compare
with photographs of an unglaciated
upland landscape. What are the
differences?
4. Describing photos
Sit students in pairs back to back. Give
one student in each pair an image they then have to describe the image
to the second student. The second
student then draws what is described
onto paper
5. 10 Questions
Pupils sit at the front facing away from
the IWB. They must ask 10 YES or
NO questions to find out what the
picture/clue/keyword etc on the screen
is.
6. Map from Memory
Pupils work in groups of 4-6. Pupils
each have 20 seconds to study a map
or diagram of a glacial landform and go
in the formation of each feature, and the sequence of
formation. Devise a display board for each of the
landforms: corries, arêtes, pyramidal peaks, troughs,
truncated spurs, hanging valleys and ribbon lakes. They
select a glaciated region and collect photographs, maps
and aerial photographs of the region. They put together
the relevant display boards that could go alongside the
footpaths in the area to describe and explain the
features that can be seen. The second section of this
presentation deals with glaciated landscapes with good
contour diagrams:
www.slideshare.net/neilgood/
physical-landscapes-presentation
4. Use http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips/lochabera-high-level-glaciated-landscape/4306.html to complete
a landform recognition graphical exercise using blank
diagrams. The clip would fit in well with a mapping
exercise on the Lochaber area. (identification of
landforms)
5. Sequencing task to describe the formation of a corrie
(or glacial trough)-statements given on separate sheets
,students place in correct order
e.g. snow collects in a sheltered hollow on the NE side
of a mountain.......it turns to ice and then begins to move
downhill, pulled by gravity....as it moves it curves or
rotates (rotational slip)....material in the hollow is
loosened by freeze thaw weathering, and moving ice
plucks and abrades the material away from the sides of
the hollow..the hollow becomes wider and deeper as
erosion processes continue...most material is eroded
from the back wall, which becomes very steep. Less is
eroded at the front, so a lip forms here...when the ice
melts, a lake or tarn may form in the hollow behind the
lip.
6. Show this powerpoint presentation about glacial
landforms. Identify the landforms shown on the photo
images. Describe the formation of each one
http://www.geographyteachingtoday.org.uk/ks3resources/resource/glacial-environments/whatlandforms-of-erosion-will-disappearing-ice-reveal/mainactivity415/
2.Do a card sort exercise, matching
processes and landforms to definitions
and explanations eg The ‘sandpaper’
erosion effect that a glacier has on the
rock beneath it (abrasion), A sharply
pointed mountain found in glaciated
highland (pyramidal peak), A deep hollow
on the side of a mountain where ice
collects, often located below an arête
(corrie)
3. Show this video as a summary of the
landforms created by ice
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tM3x6_
vb8_s&feature=related ( from the
Discovery Channel)
4. Choose 3 photo images from
http://www.geographysite.co.uk/pages/physical/glaciers/tour.ht
ml Draw labelled sketches and state the
processes involved in forming the
landscape
5. Cloze exercise on glacial terms and
landforms e.g. _______ are small ice
sheets.
The three main processes of glacial
erosion are _______ _______, _______
and _______.
An armchair shaped hollow in the side of
a mountain is called a ______. It is the
result of glacial erosion.
A narrow knife-edge ridge separating two
corries is called an _______.
When three or more corries form on the
side of a mountain a _______ ______ is
formed.
A __ _______ valley is formed when a
glacier erodes the sides and bottom of a
v-shaped valley.
A _____ is a lake in a corrie.
A long, narrow lake found in a u-shaped
valley is known as a ______ _______.
A tributary glacial valley which has eroded
back to the group and draw what they
can remember
7. Use Dumpr to turn images of glacial
landforms into field sketches. Add
labels to the sketches
7. Show this powerpoint presentation which covers
several aspects of glaciation. Students make structured
notes on the landforms (erosional and depositional),
then attempt the examination questions, using the mark
schemes as a guide
http://www.slideshare.net/kgphipps/glaciation
8. This powerpoint focuses on glacial features of erosion
in the Nant Ffrancon Valley.
http://www.slideshare.net/RCha/glaciation-in-the-nantffrancon-valley?src=related_normal&rel=1024498
This slideshow has some good photos as well as
diagrams showing glaciated landscapes before, during,
and after glaciation
http://www.slideshare.net/ktburndred/glaciatedlandforms
9. This presentation includes a wide range of landforms,
OS map extracts and photo images. Use it to show the
formation of glacial landforms as well as highlighting
processes
http://www.slideshare.net/tudorgeog/glaciation-lesson-4presentation
10. Research the formation of corries at
http://www.geographysite.co.uk/pages/physical/glaciers/cwm.html. Write an
explanation of the formation of corries, referring to
processes within, under and above the ice, shape and
size, glacial and post glacial form. Using information at
http://www.geographysite.co.uk/pages/physical/glaciers/deposit.html, explain
the formation and appearance of drumlins and moraines
11. Show this slide presentation which illustrates how
glacial features can be identified on topographic maps.
Give students relevant OS maps and ask them to
identify, with grid references, examples of corries,
arêtes, pyramidal peaks, hanging valleys, ribbon lakes,
tarns and truncated spurs:
http://www.slideshare.net/expattam/glacial-features-ontopographic-maps
12. With the help of labelled diagrams describe the
formation of a i pyramidal peak ii hanging valley iii
much slower than the main valley is
known as a ______ _______.
6. This online exercise is an assessment
of understanding of the features of
glaciations, using photos and OS maps
http://www.uwsp.edu/geo/faculty/lemke/al
pine_glacial_glossary/exercise.html
7. Create an acrostic. Write GLACIAL
LANDFORMS down the side of the page.
Make each letter the first letter of a word,
phrase or sentence about erosional or
depositional landforms
8. Provide students with a table of glacial
features and ask them to draw the contour
patterns. Pick 3 glacial features on an OS
map. Describe a walk between the 3 to a
partner. Use grid references to explain
your route and describe the features you
see.
9. Call out glacial features and ask
students to classify them according to
whether they are erosional or depositional
10. Ask students to draw a series of
simple diagrams to show how the erosion
of 2 back to back corries can result in the
formation of an arête. Add labels to
describe the processes. Why are arêtes
dangerous features to walk along?
11. a. What pattern would the contour
lines on a map form to represent a corrie,
a pyramidal peak and a hanging valley?
b. List the features in the order in which
you might expect to see them in a trip
from the top of a mountain to the bottom
c. How would you tell the difference
between a U shaped and a V shaped
valley on a map?
d. Put these features in the correct order
of development in a glacial landscape, so
glacial trough iv terminal moraine
Students could do this as a group task and present to
the rest of the class, perhaps as a powerpoint
presentation
13 .Read articles about moraines and drumlins e.g.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glaciate, and make sure that
you understand what each feature looks like, and how it
is formed.
Once you understand each feature, make brief notes on
each, explaining its origins and appearance.
To test your knowledge of depositional features, answer
the following questions.
a. Drumlins might have been formed in different ways.
Outline 2 theories of formation
b. Till is sometimes called 'boulder clay', and individual
rocks within it are often described as 'sub-angular'. Why
do you think the term 'boulder clay' is sometimes used,
and what does 'sub-angular' mean?
c. What can be discovered about a glacier’s movement
by studying drumlin shape?
d. Starting at the source of the glacier, put these types of
moraine into the order in which you'd first encounter
them as you travelled down the mountain side to the
valley floor below the glacier. Give reasons for the order
in which you list them.
Lateral Moraine, Terminal Moraine, Recessional
Moraine, Medial Moraine, Push Moraine, Ground
Moraine.
e. In what ways do you think that past glacial deposition
affects human activity?
14. Use this article about the Cairngorms to describe the
formation of glacial features. The data on corries could
be used to construct a rose diagram to show orientation
http://www.sthelens.oxon.sch.uk/Geography/Downloads/
Geopress%20Factsheets/Geo%20factsheets/197%20Gl
aciation_in_Scotland.pdf
15. Modelling of landscapes using papier mache /
coloured clay / playdough. Group could make model
with individuals producing explanatory postcards for
marked features.
16. Create a 4 column table to record the characteristics
and formation of features of erosion and deposition eg
that they start with the first feature to be
formed, and end with the last one...there
may be some arguments about where to
place a few of these, so discuss it and
explain your choices.
Valley Glaciers, Pyramidal Peaks, Snow
Patches, Aretes, Corries, tarns, U Shaped
Valleys/glacial trough, truncated spurs.
Ribbon Lakes.
12. This glaciation test is quite
challenging. Students can register and
receive a certificate with a grade
http://geographyfieldwork.com/TestGlaciat
ionIntro.htm
13. Try this penalty shootout game on
glaciation
http://www.juicygeography.co.uk/glaciers.
html
14. This interactive exercise about
Cannock Chase covers the movement of
ice
http://www.sln.org.uk/geography/flash/can
nock01.swf
15. A question of glaciations (powerpoint
quiz) is available at
http://www.cfbt.com/lincolnshire/secondar
y,special,education/geography/usefulreso
urces.aspx
Feature
Arete
Hanging
valley
Landscape
s that are
actively
affected by
snow and
ice attract
tourists.
This leads
to conflict
and issues
over the
use of such
areas.(R/L)
Case study of
an Alpine area
for winter
sports and an
area for
sightseeing of
glaciers – the
attractions for
tourists;
economic,
social and
environmental
impact. The
need for
management
and the
management
strategies
used and their
level of
success.
Avalanche
1.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7r
z5pS2V4ws&feature=player_embedde
d and
http://www.planetgeography.co.uk/GC
SE%20ice_on_the_land.htm#The_glac
ial_budget are youtube videos about
the range of tourist facilities in
Chamonix. Ask students to list the
attractions and to explain why skiing
has increased so much in popularity in
recent years
2. Write a series of questions about
an interesting image of tourism in a
glacial environment. Who? What?
Where? Why? When?
3. Design a poster advertising the
attractions of a glaciated area
4. Show some of the videos at this site
http://www.onthesnow.co.uk/gallery#
What are attractions of skiiing and ski
Descrip
tion
A
sharp
ridge
Formation
Example
2 corries
form next to
each other,
leaving a
steep sided
ridge
Small
glacier in the
tributary
valley was
less
powerful
than the
main glacier,
so was left
perched
high above
the lower
valley floor.
Striding
Edge
(Lake
District)
High
level
tributar
y
valley,
with
steep
drop to
main
valley,
often
with
waterfa
ll
1. Students write a letter to a customer who is planning
to book a skiing holiday and has requested information
about the safety of the location with respect to
avalanche activity. Students select one location each
and describe avalanche forecasting, building design,
defences, planning and education.
2. For the range of sports and activities possible in a
glacial region as well as tips regarding avalanche
hazards, see www.valdinet.com/tip.php
For sports and activities in Snowdonia centred on Capel
Curig, see
www.heartofsnowdonia.co.uk/activities.htm
Enter ‘avalanche France le Fornet’ into a search engine
for video footage and reports.
Use the National Geographic site to find out the causes
of avalanches and safety tips
http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/
natural-disasters/avalanche-profile/
This site shows glacial hazards using satellite images
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/earth/glacierssatellite.html
1. Connect 4
Have a grid on the IWB and a list of
questions. Divide the class into a red and
yellow team. The teams take it in turns to
choose numbers that correspond to your
questions. First team to connect 4 in a
row (column or diagonally), by answering
the questions correctly, wins
Continuum or Opinion Line
2. Have students stand somewhere along
an "opinion line" (from front to back of
classroom) showing how much they agree
with a given statement, e.g.. "The Alps (or
Himalayas) resources should be exploited
to the full".
Also works well with statistics, e.g. "What
% of the world’s fresh water reserves are
held as ice?" - 0% at the front, 100% at
the back
3. Argument Tunnel
This is a useful way to get everybody
hazards.
resorts for tourists? What activities
would you like to do? What possible
problems do the large number of
visitors bring to areas such as the
Alps?
5. What is an avalanche? Why is it
such a dangerous hazard? Which
areas are most at risk? What factors
make the risk greater? Why have more
people been killed in avalanches in
recent years? What time of year is
worst for avalanches? Why is this?
What can be done to protect people?
How long would you survive if you
were trapped in an avalanche? What
types of avalanches are there? (loose
snow, slab) See p 141-143 in the
Nelson Thornes text
6. This short film examines the causes
of avalanches
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0R
WLxOFGLY&feature=player_embedde
d and this looks at the factors involved
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wcr1
Sl-T9S0&feature=player_embedded
7. A range of graphs showing the
changing number so deaths due to
avalanches in the USA is available at
http://avalanche.state.co.us/acc/accide
nts_stats.php Comment on the trends.
Can you give reasons for the changes
that have taken place?
8. Show this map of avalanche
regions. Describe where they are
located.
9. Try this interactive activity on
avalanches on the National
Geographic site:
http://environment.nationalgeographic.
com/environment/natural-
Students describe the causes of avalanches, the effects
they have and the management of the hazard
3. Design a tourist brochure about the French or Swiss
Alps and include information about the glacial features in
the area. Include diagrams and sketches. Research the
range of tourist activities available including summer
activities. Use a map extract to plan a touring holiday in
which the visitors stop off at various points and do short
walks and visit various features.
Ask students to draw up a table listing the advantages
and disadvantages that tourism brings to glaciated areas
4. Conflict matrices to show various interest groups e.g
skiers / sightseers / local guides / local businesses /
conservationists with conflict scored or simply noted and
commented upon
5. Read the information about tourism in the French
Alps in the Nelson Thornes text pages 135 -137.
Prepare a fact file about Chamonix, to include the
following details: Location, population, tourist attractions
in winter, attractions in summer, advantages of tourism
to the Chamonix area, environmental problems caused,
social problems, economic problems, conflicts,
management measures to protect the environment,
measures to protect the economy. Refer also to
www.chamonix.com
6. Pose a number of issues relating to avalanches as
hazards e.g. Who gets caught in avalanches? When
and where avalanches happen. Avalanche types.
Avalanche factors: What conditions cause an
avalanche? Avalanche gear. Tips for avalanche survival.
Avalanche danger scale. Use
http://nsidc.org/snow/avalanche/ for background
information. Look also at the Scottish avalanche
information service site at http://www.sais.gov.uk/aboutavalanches.asp
7. Produce a safety guide for people visiting areas with
a high avalanche risk See
http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/
natural-disasters/avalanche-safety-tips/ for ideas
involved in expressing opinions and
looking at different values and attitudes.
Get the students into 2 lines facing each
other, have a topic that you wish to
discuss e.g. developing Alpine area for
tourism. One side will be arguing for the
idea, the other side against. They have
about a minute to ‘argue’ their points with
the person opposite then move 1 side up
1 place so that they can ‘argue’ with
another person. At the end you can have
a game of argument tennis where you
choose three people, two of whom take it
in turns to make their points and respond
to the other persons points, the third
person scores the argument by awarding
the person who makes the best point with
tennis score (15 love etc)
4. Show this video which illustrates how
some areas can be protected from
avalanches
http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips/lif
e-in-the-pyrenees-mountainsroads/8426.html
5. Students are divided into groups and
recap the main features of their case
study e.g. Chamonix. Subdivide into
different aspects studied e.g.
Tourism in the French Alps
- Winter attractions
- Summer attractions
Impacts of tourism in the French Alps
- Benefits of tourism
- Problems of tourism
Managing tourism in Chamonix
6. Recap the key terms of this unit e.g.
Responsible tourism
Sustainable management
disasters/avalanche-interactive/
10. Show this youtube video about
avalanches http://wn.com/Avalanche
as well as this clip which shows how
an avalanche starts
http://www.naturefootage.com/video_cl
ips/JWI01_537.
11. 10. Research case study details
of avalanches
e.g. Indian Kashmir (February 2008)
Europe (2006)
8. Students watch the Channel 4 clip Avalanche
conditions in Galtür and/or use this site to obtain
information http://schoolswikipedia.org/wp/a/Avalanche.htm . They then use a
worksheet to arrange the causes of the avalanche, as
mentioned in the two clips from long to short term
causes. Students can also decide which, if any, can be
seen as the trigger. Discuss the answers as a class. Use
the discussion as an opportunity to explore how the
causes are linked - for example - are low pressure and
low temperatures connected? Explore understanding of
long term and short term and encourage students to
explain their thinking where there are disagreements for example - can gravity seen as the longest term
cause, as it has existed the longest, or as the trigger, as
it triggered the built up snow to finally travel down the
mountain? Students then read an exam-style mark
scheme for the question What caused the Galtür
avalanche in 1999? Discuss their understanding as a
class and ask students which aspects they, personally,
may find the most challenging. Students then use the
mark scheme, and their work on the long term/short term
scale, to answer the question aiming for full marks.
9
.http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/teachers/activities/2418_
avalanch.html has a classroom activity which
investigates the complexities of snowpack formation and
shows how avalanches occur. See also
http://www.ur.co.nz/avalanche/experiment.htm To
support this activity, there are 6 video clips of
avalanches at
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/avalanche/capture.html
and the experiment is shown at
http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips/avalanches/108
58.html
Glacial
retreat can
pose a
threat to
the
economies
The impact of
retreat and
unreliability of
snowfall in
some resorts.
The economic,
1. This BBC class clip looks at the
threat of global warming to the ski
industry
http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clip
s/global-warming-threat-to-skiindustry/6007.html
1. This article considers the future of the skiing industry.
http://www.geographyteachingtoday.org.uk/images/text/
KS3_Glaciation_3MeltingMountains.pdf
Why is skiing so important to people and places in the
Alps?
Why is skiing in the Alps under threat?
1. Show this video as a summary of the
changes taking place in glacial
environments
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/scienceno
w/video/3210/w03-220.html
of areas
relying on
tourism
and result
in damage
to fragile
environme
nts.(R/L)
social and
environmental
impact –
including the
concept of
fragile
environments.
2. This interactive game considers
threats to fragile environments
http://www.discoveringthearctic.org.uk/
swf/6_boardgame/6_climate_challenge
.html
3. Explain what is meant by fragile
environment, environmental impact
and management strategy
4. Print off examples of newspaper
reports which highlight threats to alpine
resorts e.g. Daily Telegraph
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/earth
news/3342553/Climate-change-threatto-alpine-ski-resorts.html
New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/16/w
orld/europe/16austria.html?_r=1
Daily Mail
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article
-12104/Ski-resorts-face-globalwarming-threat.html
http://www.thisisdevon.co.uk/news/We
st-scientists-ski-resorts-Alps-riskextreme-flooding/article-2300778detail/article.html
Ask students to highlight any factual
evidence of climate change mentioned,
then consider the effects of retreating
glaciers. Make a list of the likely
consequences
5. Show the pictures of retreating
glaciers found at this site
http://www.worldviewofglobalwarming.
org/pages/glaciers.html Compare the
“then” and “now” images and state how
far some of the glaciers have retreated
2. Imagine that you are work in the tourist industry in the
Alps. Because skiing is under threat, you will have to
think of another way to attract visitors to the Alps.
Write a list of all of your ideas.
Now, in groups of four, pick the best idea and design a
leaflet, poster or advertising campaign that could be
used to attract a new type of tourist to the Alps.
3. What consequences might the change in glaciation
have for human economic activity and the tourism
industry? Many places in the European Alps and
elsewhere depend on their nearby glaciers as a primary
resource for tourism and recreation. The following
websites show what may happen to particular valleys in
Switzerland as a result of changes to the volume of ice
in the glacier;
http://www.sp.uconn.edu/~geo101vc/Lecture2/sld012.ht
m Here is a model from North America.
http://nrmsc.usgs.gov/research/glacier_model.htm What
consequences might this have for a range of economic
activities in this area?
4. Study the information on p138-139 in the Nelson
Thornes text about the impact of climate change on the
Alps. What is the evidence for climate change ? What
effects has this had on the lower level resorts in the
Alps? What have been some of the responses to glacial
retreat in the lower level resorts? What problems may
occur if the higher level wilderness areas are developed
for tourism?
2. Show me the links!
Pupils to write down on a blank piece of
A4 everything they can remember about
glaciation. This can be done as a group
activity on the board. After 5 minutes of
brainstorming pupils join up words that
are linked. They can also give reasons
why they are linked
3. Use the http://classtools.net/ by Russel
Tarr in lessons. From tools for giving
pupils time limits on tasks using the
countdown timer, to using the Venn
diagram tool get pupils to identify the
economic, social and environmental
impacts of an issue such as retreating ice.
4. Ask students to create a 30 second
soundbite for a local radio programme on
the future of the Alps (or the Cairngorms).
Different students take on roles of people
with different views.
5. Predictions about the future include the
fact that “Up to 75% of alpine glaciers will
disappear within the next 50 years” Ask
students to discuss the implications of this
– e.g. greater risk of avalanches, more
flooding, closure of all ski resorts below
2000m, more soil erosion, unemployment,
diversification of tourist activities, more
summer tourism etc
6. Show this video depicting melting
glaciers in the Himalayas, including those
emanating from Mt Everest
http://www.neok12.com/php/watch.php?v
=zX457c067c60500a41185d7f&t=Glacier
s What has been the rate of retreat
recently? What are the implications for
local people (e.g. irrigation)
Nelson Thornes materials for this theme (kerboodle) include :
Interactive activities - What are the features of a pre-glacial river valley? (Two forms of this interactive activity, one for each tier)
Simulation - How can the impact of avalanches be reduced?
Animation - The formation of a corrie
Text and image case study (slide show) - The avalanche hazard: Galtür
Image analysis - Studying a glacial valley: Nant Ffrancon
WebQuests - Climbing Mont Blanc (Two forms of this interactive activity, one for each tier)
Video - The Nant Ffrancon
PowerPoint presentation - Tourism in the Alps: Chamonix
Worksheet s - Glacial landforms (Two worksheets, one for each tier)
Case study -This case study on an aspect of the topic extends material in the student book and includes activities
Fieldwork investigation - an example of a controlled assessment task that might be set for the ice on the land option
‘Test yourself’ - two interactive multiple-choice quizzes (one for each tier)
‘On your marks’ - an example of an AQA examination question on the topic, with detailed advice from an examiner on how to analyse the question and plan the answer, and
examiner commentary on a sample answer
Other websites
http://www.swisseduc.ch/glaciers/earth_icy_planet/index-en.html An excellent site with a wide range of images and details of glaciations
National Geographic articles since 1996 are available online, including many of the photographs used in the magazines:
Iceman: http://www7.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0707/feature2/
Big Thaw: http://www7.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0706/feature2/
http://www7.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0706/feature2/gallery1.html
GeoSigns: http://magma.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0409/feature2/
All about Glaciers http://nsidc.org/glaciers/
Describes the life of a glacier and includes information about where and how glaciers develop.
http://www.geography-site.co.uk/pages/physical.html#Glaciers. The Geography Site provides explanations of many aspects of glaciation. Good for research, assignments and
illustrations.
A series of videos relating to glaciation are found at http://www.neok12.com/Glaciers.htm
http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/earth/geophysics/glacier.htm covers several aspects of glaciations
http://vulcan.wr.usgs.gov/Glossary/Glaciers/framework.html is a comprehensive site with useful images
The BBC learning zone has class clips at http://www.bbc.co.uk/apps/ifl/learningzone/clips/queryengine?ContentType=text%2Fhtml%3B+charset%3Dutf8&SuppressCaching=1&page=1&pagesize=12&results=search&config=results_pre&attrib_1=SCHOOL_LEVEL_NAME&oper_1=eq&val_1_1=&attrib_2=SUBJECT_NAME&o
per_2=eq&val_2_1=&attrib_3=TOPIC&oper_3=eq&val_3_1=&attrib_4=SearchText&oper_4=eq&val_4_1=glacier&clipsSearch.x=12&clipsSearch.y=12
http://www.uwsp.edu/geo/faculty/ritter/geog101/textbook/glacial_systems/glaciation_causes.html is a detailed online text about glaciations with some embedded video clips
and images
Although aimed at A Level students there are several good powerpoint presentations and other resources at http://www.geogonline.org.uk/y13_glaciation.htm
http://www.landforms.eu/cairngorms/ has images and explanations of landforms in the Cairngorms