The KING’S Medium Term Plan – Geography
Year 9 Senior Programme – Learning Cycle Five
Module
Weather Hazards
Building on
Prior Learning
Students are beginning to cover content outlined in the new AQA A GCSE Geography specification. Throughout LC1-5
students are introduced to key themes across all physical and human topics. The aim of this year is to allow students to gain
an overview of each topic at foundation stage, and focus on students improving their Geographical skills, and where
appropriate, tackling contemporary and complex Geographical concepts by forming opinions based on evidence. Each topic
will be taught in more detail in year 10&11 where exam technique will be introduced and focussed on.
Overarching
Subject
Challenging
question
Lines of
Enquiry
Are tropical storm systems the most threatening natural hazard facing the future of the
UK?
Week 1: Do global atmospheric circulation help to determine patterns of weather and climate?
Week 2: Do tropical storm systems develop as a result of specific physical conditions?
Week 3&4: To what extent do tropical storms have a significant impact on people and the environment?
Week 5: How is the UK affected by weather hazards?
Week 6: Revision & assessments
Week 7: Gap Teaching
Exam Board
Links:
Topic
Progress
Statements
Five ‘Key Ideas’ for this module have been created to guide students through the learning process. The specific specification
content is listed in italics beneath the key ideas.
1. Global atmospheric circulation model: Pressure belts and surface winds
Describe the causes of tropical storms – locating and describing global pressure belts and surface wind patterns.
Explaining how these led to the formation of tropical storms
2&3. The global distribution of tropical storms: Causes
Describe the global distribution of tropical storms (hurricanes, cyclones and typhoons) linking its formation to general
atmospheric circulation. Explaining how climate change may affect the frequency and intensity of tropical storms
4. The impacts of weather hazards on people and the environment
Describe the primary and secondary effects of tropical storms as well as the immediate and long-term responses.
Students must use a case study example. Evaluation of how effective PPP can limit the effects of weather hazards.
5. How the UK is affected by weather hazards
Describe the different weather hazards that we are at risk of in the UK and using an example, evaluate the causes,
effects and responses to a UK storm event
Assessment in week 6 will be against the above objectives.
GAP teaching will be informed by analysis of assessments in week 7.
Week 1
LOE: Global atmospheric circulation model: Pressure belts and surface winds
3 hours of
lessons plus 1
hour of
homework
each week
Stage 1: Global distribution of weather hazards
Hypothesis: “All weather hazards can be found in the same locations”
KGP Success Criteria
LO: By the end of the lesson students will be able to identify the different types of weather hazards and locate the
regions that they are more likely to affect
Students working towards GP2 should be able to: To identify the different types of weather hazards
Students working towards GP3&4 should be able to: describe the differences between weather hazards, commenting on their
location around the world
Students working towards GP5-6 should be able to: Compare the locations of several different types of weather hazards
Stage 2: Pressure belts
Stage 2 Hypothesis: “‘Surface winds only travel from areas of high pressure to areas of low pressure’”
KGP Success Criteria
LO: By the end of the lesson students will be able to describe what a pressure belt is, and identify the location of
these pressure belts
Students working towards GP2 should be able to: To describe what a pressure belt is
Students working towards GP3&4 should be able to: describe the location of pressure belts across the world
Students working towards GP5-6 should be able to: Evaluate the importance of pressure belts in the formation of weather
hazards
Stage 3: Surface winds
Stage 3 “‘Hadley Cells and Ferrel Cells all contain ascending warm, moist air and descending, dry air”
KGP Success Criteria
LO: By the end of the lesson students will be able to describe what surface winds are, and explain their role in the
formation of weather hazards
Students working towards GP2 should be able to: To describe where we find Hadley cells and list the features of them
Students working towards GP3&4 should be able to: Explain the characteristics of Hadley and Ferrel cells
Students working towards GP5-6 should be able to: Compare and contrast the location and characteristics of Hadley and
Ferrel cells, linking it to the type
Home learning:
Research the ‘Coriolis force’
1. Definition relating to surface winds
2. How it affects winds in the northern and southern hemisphere
3. How it affects strongly blowing winds compared to winds travelling much slower
4. Diagram to show how it words (can be hand drawn)
Week 2
LOE: The global distribution of tropical storms: Causes
3 1hr lessons
plus 1hr
homework
Stage 1: Global distribution of tropical storms
Hypothesis: “Tropical storms form as a direct result of atmospheric circulation”
KGP Success Criteria
LO: By the end of the lesson students will be able to describe the relationship between tropical storms and general
atmospheric circulation
Students working towards GP2 should be able to: To describe the location of tropical storms
Students working towards GP3&4 should be able to: explain the link between tropical storms and atmospheric circulation
Students working towards GP5-6 should be able to: Evaluate the role of general atmospheric circulation in the formation of
tropical storms
Stage 2: Causes of tropical storms
Stage 2: “Water is the most important factor in the formation of tropical storms”
KGP Success Criteria
LO: By the end of the lesson students will be able to describe how changes in atmospheric water and temperature
can lead to the formation of tropical storms
Students working towards GP2 should be able to: describe how tropical storms are created
Students working towards GP3&4 should be able to: Describe how changes in water and temperature lead to the formation
of tropical storms
Students working towards GP5-6 should be able to: Evaluate the role of water vapour in the atmosphere and temperatures
work together to cause the formation of tropical storms.
Stage 3: The future of tropical storm systems
Stage 3 “Climate change will have no impact on the frequency and intensity of tropical storm systems”
KGP Success Criteria
LO: By the end of the lesson students will be able to explain how climate change could have an impact on the
intensity and distribution of tropical storm systems.
Students working towards GP2 should be able to: To describe how the intensity of tropical storms will differ due to climate
change
Students working towards GP3&4 should be able to: Explain how storm intensity and frequency is expected to change due to
climate change.
Students working towards GP5-6 should be able to: Discuss the extent to which climate change may affect the intensity and
frequency of tropical storm events.
Home learning:
Knowledge organiser revision for mid-term test next week (assessed lesson 3 of week 3)
Week 3
LOE: The coast is shaped by a number of physical processes
Stage 1: The primary and secondary effects of tropical storms.
3 1hr lessons
plus 1hr
homework
Stage 1: “Primary effects cause more damage than secondary effects”
KGP Success Criteria
LO: By the end of the lesson students will be able to give examples of primary and secondary effects of tropical
storms commenting on the severity of the impacts caused.
Students working towards GP2 should be able to: list different primary and secondary effects of tropical storms
Students working towards GP3&4 should be able to: Explain how different primary and secondary effects have an impact on
people and the environment
Students working towards GP5-6 should be able to: Evaluate the impact of primary and secondary effects socially,
economically and environmentally.
Numeracy focus – create comparative bar chart to show the cost damage of tropical storms in HIC’s and LIC’s
Stage 2: Hurricane Katrina – causes & effects
Stage 2: “The impacts of Hurricane Katrina were made worse by human actions”
KGP Success Criteria
LO: By the end of the lesson students will be able to explain the causes and effects of Hurricane Katrina
Students working towards GP2 should be able to: To describe the causes and list the different impacts of Hurricane Katrina
on the USA
Students working towards GP3&4 should be able to: Explain the causes and evaluate the different impacts of Hurricane
Katrina on the USA
Students working towards GP5-6 should be able to: Discuss the social, economic and environmental impacts of Hurricane
Katrina on the USA
Stage 3: Mid-term review
Stage 3: “I can accurately explain the distribution and causes of tropical storm systems”
KGP Success Criteria
LO: By the end of the lesson students will be able to evaluate the responses to Hurricane Katrina
Students working towards ALL GP’s should be able to: To recap the causes and effects of tropical storm systems across the
world
Home learning:
Research task: Causes, effects and responses to storm Desmond UK (to be used in lesson 2 of week 5)
Week 4
3 1hr lessons
plus 1hr
homework
Stage 1: Hurricane Katrina – Immediate and long term responses
Stage 1: “The US government responded well to the effects of Hurricane Katrina”
KGP Success Criteria
LO: By the end of the lesson students will be able to evaluate the responses to Hurricane Katrina
Students working towards GP2 should be able to: To list the different immediate and long term responses to Hurricane
Katrina
Students working towards GP3&4 should be able to: Explain in detail the different immediate and long term responses to
Hurricane Katrina
Students working towards GP5-6 should be able to: Evaluate the different immediate and long term responses to Hurricane
Katrina
Stage 2: How prediction, protection and planning (PPP) can reduce the effects of tropical
storms
Stage 2 “Prediction, preparation and planning are more effective at reducing the effects of tropical storms”
KGP Success Criteria:
LO: By the end of the lesson students will be able to define the meaning of prediction, preparation and planning and
determine its importance when explaining how best to reduce the effects of tropical storms
Students working towards GP2 should be able to: define prediction, preparation and planning – giving a brief description of
how each works
Students working towards GP3&4 should be able to: Explain the importance of PPP in reducing the effects of tropical storms
Students working towards GP5-6 should be able to: Evaluate the importance of PPP in reducing the effects of tropical storms
as a way of managing weather hazards in a sustainable way
Stage 3: How prediction, protection and planning (PPP) can reduce the effects of tropical
storms
Stage 2 “Prediction, preparation and planning are more effective at reducing the effects of tropical storms”
KGP Success Criteria:
LO: By the end of the lesson students will be able to define the meaning of prediction, preparation and planning and
determine its importance when explaining how best to reduce the effects of tropical storms
Students working towards GP2 should be able to: define prediction, preparation and planning – giving a brief description of
how each works
Students working towards GP3&4 should be able to: Explain the importance of PPP in reducing the effects of tropical storms
Students working towards GP5-6 should be able to: Evaluate the importance of PPP in reducing the effects of tropical storms
as a way of managing weather hazards in a sustainable way
Home learning: Given each week, due in one week later
Image analysis exam-based question (REACH marked Week 5)
Week 5
LOE: Why are the Maldives disappearing?
3 1hr lessons
plus 1hr
homework
Stage 1: UK weather hazards
Stage 1 “The UK is not affected by weather hazards”
KGP Success Criteria:
Students working towards GP2 should be able to: identify the different types of weather hazards experienced in the UK
Students working towards GP3&4 should be able to: Explain how weather hazards affect the UK
Students working towards GP5-6 should be able to: Comment on the reasons why the UK experiences some types of
weather hazards more than others
Stage 2: Causes and effects of Storm Desmond (UK 2015-16)
Stage 2: “Storm Desmond was one of the UK’s most deadly storms of recent years”
KGP Success Criteria:
Students working towards GP2 should be able to: list the causes of Storm Desmond and locate the affected area of the UK
Students working towards GP3&4 should be able to: Describe the causes and explain the different social, economic and
environmental causes of Storm Desmond
Students working towards GP5-6 should be able to: Describe the causes and analyse the different social, economic and
environmental causes of Storm Desmond.
Numeracy focus – create/analyse storm hydrographs to show the response of the River Cocker to storm Desmond
Stage 3: Responses to Storm Desmond (UK 2015-16)
Stage 3: “The UK needs to invest in more management of coastal areas at risk of weather hazards”
KGP Success Criteria:
Students working towards GP2 should be able to: Give examples of the ways that the government and local authority
responded to Storm Desmond
Students working towards GP3&4 should be able to: Explain the ways that the government and local authority have
responded to the effects of Storm Desmond, commenting on the ways that the management could be improved in the future
Students working towards GP5-6 should be able to: Evaluate the ways that the government and local authority have
responded to the effects of Storm Desmond, commenting on the ways that the management could be improved in the future
Home learning:
Revision for end of learning cycle assessment.
Week 6
Revision and Assessment Week
Gap Analysis Reinforcement
Gap
This end of module time will be allocated to re-teaching any gaps discovered in each individuals knowledge as a result of the
Reinforcement assessment process. The whole class will address any common misconceptions which have been highlighted through the
assessment analysis but students will also be given time to work with the teacher individually or in small groups to address
any areas of the content where they feel they need additional help.
Extended Learning
(This is not part
of the ‘timed’
schedule but is
seen as
additional
support)
Extended learning is expected in a variety of forms. During home learning, pupils may be asked to use the following sites to
complete quick quizzes, research and analysis tasks, GCSE style questions and more open ended tasks. It is expected that
students will develop an up-to-date awareness of current geographical issues, and if opportunities arise, on-going events or
topics may be substituted in lessons or home learning tasks to ensure content is of the most relevant nature for students.
http://www.geography.org.uk/
http://www.geographyinthenews.rgs.org/
http://www.un.org/en/
http://www.gatm.org.uk/
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/
http://www.independent.co.uk/topic/Geography
http://www.bbc.co.uk/education
http://www.coolgeography.co.uk/GCSE/AQA%20GCSE.htm
http://www.geographyrocks.co.uk/gcse-revision.html
http://www.acegeography.com/aqa-a-gcse.html