Geography
Geography at the West Somerset Community College aims to foster a wonder for the world around us. We are a popular and successful subject that constantly seeks to broaden and enhance the experience we give to our students.
Geography has a wealth of courses at all levels and for all abilities, Including GCSE Geography, Entry level Geography and BTEC Travel and Tourism at KS4. At KS5 we offer AS and A level Geography and Environmental Studies.
Geography is based in the Humanities block with a suite of two main teaching rooms, a sixth form seminar room and a computer room. ICT facilities are available throughout the teaching area. In addition there are numerous opportunities to use the department's own subject library of texts at all levels, CD Roms, Videos, maps and slides.
Fieldwork is an integral part of Geography as it helps to foster an active discovery of our world.
KEY STAGE THREE
Year 9 Geography provides opportunities for students to research, observe, model, empathise, explain, apply knowledge and synthesise information
During the year all Year 9 students investigate the following topics:
- Sustainable Farming
- Uganda
- Economic Development
- Should we defend our coasts?’
- Sustainable development
KEY STAGE FOUR
Key stage 4 Geography builds and develops the skills gained in Year 9.
Geography: (GCSE and Entry Level)
GCSE and Entry Level students investigate the following topics.·
- Providing for Population Change
- Planning for Change (settlement and employment)
- Coping with Environmental Change (coasts and hazards)
- Use and abuse of the Environment: Water
- Use and abuse of the Environment: Recreation and Leisure
BTEC Travel and Tourism First Certificate
BTEC courses allow students to develop knowledge and skills directly linked to the world of work. Units studied include:
- The UK Travel & Tourism industry
- Types of tourism
- Motivation for travel
- History of the UK travel and tourism industry
- Legislation and issues affecting the tourist industry
KEY STAGE FIVE
Geography: Advanced Subsidiary AS. Advanced A2
AS Units (Year 12)
- Unit 1: Physical and Human Environment: Rivers, Coasts, Population and food supply·
- Unit 2: Geographical Skills (based on a week's residential field trip in Devon)
A2 Units (Year 13)
- Unit 3: Contemporary Geographical Issues: Plate tectonics and hazards, Ecosystems, Development and globalisation and World cities
- Unit 4: Geographical Fieldwork Investigation or Geographical Issues Evaluation
Next Steps: As well as the obvious careers, Geography's exceptional skill base fosters
routes into direct employment in planning, leisure, environment, land management,
Civil Service, Banking, Local Government as well as entry to higher education; as a
major degree subject or related degrees providing access to teaching, business, civil
engineering, planning, leisure etc. Further professional and vocational studies may be
undertaken.
Worldwide Quiz
Every year one of the options for summer House Games is to take part in a mega world wise quiz. Test just how geographical your knowledge is and get points for your House.
Assignments Calendar 2008 – 2009
| Calendar week | Date | Year 9 | Year 10 | Year 11 |
| 1 | Sep 1 | Introduction Task | Population: UN report | Water: Hydrological Cylce |
| 2 | 8 | Population: Key Terms | Water: Water Stores | |
| 3 | 15 | Fronter: Farming 1 | Population: Pyramids | Water: Water Use |
| 4 | 22 | Population: China Case Study | Water: Rhine | |
| 5 | 29 | Fronter: Farming 2 | Population: China Case Study | Water: Rhine |
| 6 | Oct6 | Population: UK Case Study | Water: Three Gorges Dam | |
| 7 | 13 | Fronter: Farming 3 | Population: UK Case Study | Water: Three Gorges Dam |
| 8 | 20 | Population: Revision | Water: Revision | |
| Half term | ||||
| 9 | Nov3 | Fronter: Coasts 1 | Hazards: Plate margins | DME preparation |
| 10 | 10 | Hazards: Key Terms | DME preparation | |
| 11 | 17 | Fronter: Coasts 2 | Hazards: Montserrat | Mock Exams: Revision |
| 12 | 24 | Hazards: Montserrat | Mock Exams: Revision | |
| 13 | Dec 1 | Fronter: Coasts 3 | Hazards: Mozambique Floods | Settlement: UK housing for the future |
| 14 | 8 | Hazards: Mississippi Floods | Settlement: Sao Paulo | |
| 15 | 15 | Christmas Challenge | Hazards: Revision | Settlement: Sao Paulo |
| Christmas | ||||
| 16 | Jan 5 | Fronter: Development 1 | Resources: Should we burn oil? | Settlement: Transport |
| 17 | 12 | Resources: Key terms | Settlement: Waste | |
| 18 | 19 | Fronter: Development 2 | Resources: Malthus and Boserup | Settlement: Revision |
| 19 | 26 | Resources: Biogas in India | Employment: Key terms | |
| 20 | Feb 2 | Fronter: Development 3 | Resources: Coal in the UK | Employment: Employment around the world |
| 21 | 9 | Resources: Revision | Employment: Nike | |
| Half term | ||||
| 22 | 23 | Fronter: Sustainability 1 | Coasts: Key terms | Employment: Nike |
| 23 | Mar 1 | Coasts: Cost benefit analysis | Employment: Reading | |
| 24 | 8 | Fronter: Sustainability 2 | Coasts: Sea defenses | Employment: Reading |
| 25 | 15 | Coasts: Holderness | Employment: Revision | |
| 26 | 23 | Fronter: Sustainability 3 | Coasts: Holderness | General revision |
| 27 | 30 | Coasts: Revision | General revision | |
| Easter | ||||
| 28 | Apr20 | Fronter: Japan 1 | Tourism: Key terms | DME and revision; water |
| 29 | 27 | Tourism: Conflicts in National Parks | DME and revision; tourism | |
| 30 | May4 | Fronter: Japan 2 | Tourism: Lake District | DME and revision; coasts |
| 31 | 11 | Tourism: Ecotourism | DME and revision; hazards | |
| 32 | 18 | Fronter: Japan 3 | Coursework: Research | DME and revision: none DME topic |
| Half term | ||||
| 33 | June1 | Fronter: Uganda 1 | Coursework:Introduction | GCSE EXAMS |
| 34 | 8 | Coursework: Data Collection | GCSE EXAMS | |
| 35 | 15 | Fronter: Uganda 2 | Year 10 Exam Preparation | |
| 36 | 22 | Coursework: Data Presentation | ||
| 37 | 29 | Fronter: Uganda 3 | Coursework: Analysis | |
| 38 | July 6 | Coursework: Conclusion/Evaluation | ||
| 13 | ALW | Work experience | ||
| 39 | 20 | |||
| Summer |