PLC for GCSE Geography
RAG rate the following areas of the specification then use this to direct your
revision activities – remember everything is on the VLE and your revision
booklet should be helpful too!
Paper 1 – Physical Geography
Water on the Land
Red
I understand the 4 processes of erosion – attrition, hydraulic action, abrasion
and solution
I know that rivers erode vertically and laterally
I know how a river transports material – traction, saltation, suspension and
solution
I know the difference between a cross and long profile and can sketch these
I can explain how erosional landforms are made (waterfalls, gorges)
I can explain how depositional landforms are made– levees and floodplains
I can explain how meanders and oxbow lakes are made
I know what the term discharge means
I understand the factors that affect discharge and can explain them
I can interpret a hydrograph
I know what the terms peak rainfall, peak discharge and lag time all mean
I know what a flood is and why a flood happens – both the physical (type and
frequency of precipitation, relief, rock type, snowmelt) and human causes
(deforestation and land use)need to be known!
I know that flooding is becoming more common and can explain why
I can answer an exam question using a MEDC flood – Boscastle, Tewkesbury
and Cockermouth. I know the causes, effects and responses of this flood
(remember you must also be able to differentiate between human and physical
causes, short term and long term effects and immediate and long term
responses)
I can answer an exam question using a LEDC example – Bangladesh. I know the
causes, effects and responses of this flood (remember you must also be able to
differentiate between human and physical causes, short term and long term
effects and immediate and long term responses)
I understand what hard engineering is and can give a few examples
I understand what soft engineering is and can give a few examples
I can discuss the costs (disadvantages) and benefits (advantages) of hard and
soft engineering
I can explain why the UK needs more water and the challenges this presents
due to water deficit and surplus. I also can explain why we need to use water
more sustainably. I understand and can explain water transfer and can use
Ladybower reservoir to discuss the effects of dam construction (economic,
environmental and social)
Amber
Green
The Restless Earth
Red Amber
I can draw a labelled diagram to show the structure of the earth – core, mantle
and crust
I know the crust is divided into plates and these plates move
I can give three differences between continental and oceanic crust
I understand why and how plates move – constructive, destructive, collision
and conservative
I understand how fold mountains are made and can name a fold mountain
range (The Alps/Andes). I can explain how this area is used, the problems that
exist and how these are managed
I understand how an ocean trench is made
I can recognise, sketch and give the features of a composite cone volcano and a
shield volcano
I can use an example to illustrate the causes, effects (primary and secondary
effects) and responses (immediate and long term) of a volcano
I know how volcanoes can be managed/predicted
I know the features of a supervolcano
I can discuss the likely effects of a supervolcanic eruption - Yellowstone
I can describe and explain the distribution of earthquakes
I know what the focus, epicentre and seismic waves are
I know how earthquakes are measured – Mercalli and Richter Scale
I can use a MEDC to show my understanding of the cause of earthquakes, the
effects (primary and secondary) and responses (immediate and long term)
I can use a LEDC to show my understanding of the cause of earthquakes, the
effects (primary and secondary) and responses (immediate and long term)
I can explain what a tsunami is and why they happen
Using a case study (The Boxing Day Tsunami) I can illustrate the devastating
effects of a tsunami
I can explain how tsunami danger can be reduced
I can discuss management of all tectonic hazards
Green
The Coastal Zone
Red
I understand what weathering is – biological and chemical
I understand what mass movement is and can explain the 4 types of mass
movement
I can explain how a destructive and constructive wave is different
I understand how the sea erodes the coast – hydraulic power, abrasion,
attrition, solution
I can explain how, why and where deposition occurs
I can explain how various erosional landforms are made – headlands and
bays, caves, arches, stacks and stumps and cliffs and wave cut platforms.
I can draw sketches to show how the above landforms are made
I can explain how depositional landforms are made – spits, bars, beaches
(shingle and sand)
I can draw sketches to show how these landforms are made
I can explain how the sea transports material and sediment – traction,
saltation, suspension, solution and longshore drift
I know why sea levels are rising and the implications (effects) of this
I can use a case study (London and East Anglia) to discuss the impacts of
coastal flooding
I can describe the effects of cliff collapse through a case study (Mappleton
and the pig farmers)
I can discuss how coastal erosion can be managed (Mappleton and
Holderness)
I know how the coast can be managed (hard and soft engineering)
I know the costs and benefits of sea walls, groynes, rip rap (hard engineering
strategies)
I know the costs and benefits of beach nourishment, dune regeneration and
managed retreat (soft engineering)
I can describe the species and vegetation that lives in a coastal habitat
(Hengistbury Head)
I appreciate the issues people create in coastal habitats and know some of
the things Hengistbury Head has done to minimise the effects
Amber
Green
Paper 2 Human Geography
Changing Urban Environments
Red
I know what an urban area is
I can explain what urbanisation is
I know where urbanisation is occurring most rapidly
I understand the causes of urbanisation in MEDCs – industrialisation,
changes in farming etc
I understand the causes of urbanisation in LEDCs – internal migration
(rural-urban migration) and high rates of population growth
I can draw the Burgess model from memory and know the land-uses in
each zone
I can discuss the advantages and disadvantages of living/working in each
zone
I know we have a housing dilemma and have an idea of how this can be
tackled
I can define brownfield and greenfield sites and know the advantages and
disadvantages of building houses on these sites
I know the problems that exist in the inner city
I know the Government has done plenty to tackle these issues- UDCs,
Sustainable Communities, City Challenge
I know traffic is a big issue and am aware of a number of schemes to tackle
it
I know about the park n ride schemes in cities like Bath and Bristol and can
evaluate these
I know about the congestion charge in London and can evaluate it
I know CBDs can look tired and know how Glasgow has regenerated its city
centre
I know that segregation can exist in multicultural areas– Leeds & Bradford
I know how this can affect people
I can suggest how segregation can be tackled – Leeds and Bradford
I know what a slum/shanty town/favela is and what they are like
I can describe the problems in detail and how these affect people
I know how some residents have tried to improve things for themselves –
lending agency in Dharavi, tour guides in Rio, Two Brothers Foundation
I can explain what a site and service scheme is
I can explain what ASH is and know my case study – Paradise City
I know all the problems that are created as a result of rapid urbanisation
and industrialisation – waste disposal, air and water pollution
I know what a sustainable city is and what they are like
I know there are three strands to sustainability – social, economic and
environmental
I know why Curitiba leads the way as an example of sustainable urban
living
Amber
Green
Tourism
Red
I know why tourism has grown in the last 60 years – greater wealth, more
leisure time, better transport
I know that there is a great variety of holidays on offer
I am aware that most countries use tourism as a way to make money MEDCs and LEDCs
I know why people visit the UK
I appreciate how important tourism is to the British economy – how many
does it employ? How much of our wealth is earned through tourism?
I know the external factors that affect tourist numbers (factors that lead to
an increase/decrease)
I can draw the Butler model from memory and name the stages
I know some things about Blackpool and could use it in an exam question
on a coastal resort
I know what a National Park, their aims and when they were set up
I can name several National Parks in Britain
I appreciate the problems/issues tourists can create in the Yorkshire Dales
I am aware of some of the things that the Yorkshire Dales is doing to
reduce the negative effects of tourism and ensure it remains attractive to
tourists in the future
I know what the term mass tourism means
I know why Kenya is a popular tropical destination for lots of people
I can discuss the positive and negative effects of mass tourism on Kenya,
its people, economy and environment
I am aware of a number of strategies Kenya has introduced to manage
these effects
I know what an extreme environment is and can give examples
I know why adventure holidays are becoming more and more popular
I know why people might visit Antarctica
I can explain in detail the challenges that face Antarctica as a tourist
destination
I can explain these terms – conservation and stewardship
I know what ecotourism is
Through examples I can explain how ecotourism helps people, the
economy and the environment
Amber
Green
Population Change
Red
I know the world’s population is growing fast and why
I know what the birth rate and death rate are
I understand the Demographic Transition Model (DTM) and can sketch it
from memory
I can explain the changes which happen to birth and death as a country
develops
I can draw a population pyramid
I can identify the stage a country is on the DTM by looking at its population
pyramid
I can interpret a population pyramid
I can explain the effects of increasing urbanisation, agricultural change,
female education and greater sexual equality on the rate of population
change
I know that LEDCs have the problem of a high birth rate
I can explain why it is important they do something to tackle this
I can explain in detail what the Chinese Government have done to tackle
population issues – The One Child Policy
I can evaluate this policy
I know what I think of this policy and can express my opinion on it clearly
I know how Kerala has tackled its population through a programme of
social change
I know that many MEDCs have an ageing population
I can explain the issues and benefits this creates
I know what France and the UK has done to cope with an ageing
population
I know what migration is and can explain why people move (push and pull
factors)
I know what internal, international, voluntary, forced migration all are and
can give examples
I know why Polish people move to the UK and the positive and negative
effects of this movement on Poland and the UK
I know the difference between a refugee and an asylum seeker
I can explain the impact refugee movement has on a country (The Jungle –
Calais)
Amber
Green