Year 8 Geography

Unit Content

Unit 1

Earthquakes

Students build on prior knowledge of plate tectonics by studying earthquakes and tsunamis, exploring the physical processes that cause them and how humans interact with them. The unit works through causes, effects and responses with a significant emphasis on the contrast between low- and high-income countries (LIC/HIC) by covering events in countries such as Haiti and Japan.

Key knowledge developed:

  • Knowing how earthquakes are distributed across the world
  • Knowing the processes that create earthquakes and tsunamis
  • Knowing how humans interact with earthquakes in countries of varying wealth

Key skills developed:

  • How to use development indicators to explain differences in the impact of earthquakes and tsunamis
  • How to explain physical and human processes using key vocabulary
  • How to use specific examples to evaluate human responses to earthquake and tsunami events

Assessment: Learning is assessed formatively at the start of Term 2 with a range of practice questions that can be self, peer or teacher assessed. This unit is then assessed summatively at the start of Term 3 and Term 6, with a range of short and long questions using a variety of command words.

Unit 2

Asia

In this unit, students study the most populated of the world's continents. They learn about the various biomes of Asia, and the vast difference in their landscapes. Looking more closely at countries, students evaluate at the advantages and disadvantages of industrialisation in China, as well as the rapid development of Dubai. Later in the unit, students explore the human and natural causes of climate change, and make connections between feeding the world's growing global population and achieving environmental sustainability.

Knowledge developed:

  • Knowing the countries and biomes of Asia
  • Knowing human and physical causes of climate change
  • Understanding the causes and consequences of rapid development
  • Understanding global issues around food production and distribution

Skills developed:

  • How to interpret information from population pyramids
  • How to explain the steps that lead to tropical storms
  • How to analyse information from a proportional symbol map.

Assessment: Learning is assessed formatively in lessons, through the use of students’ class notebooks alongside quizzes and discussions. Learning is summatively assessed at the beginning of Term 6, in a written assessment.

Unit 3

Urbanisation

Students build on prior knowledge of shanty towns in low-income countries (LIC) by examining urbanisation in high-income countries (HIC). The unit covers causes of urbanisation before examining how HIC cities respond to the challenges of urbanisation. There is a strong link to local geography, as students consider how new housing, as seen in local villages, can be sustainably planned. 

Key knowledge developed:

  • Understanding historical and contemporary causes of urbanisation
  • Understanding the challenges of and responses to HIC urbanisation around the world
  • Understanding the strategies that make new housing estates sustainable

Key skills developed:

  • How to interpret and analyse graphs relating to urbanisation
  • How to write a formal letter of complaint about the challenges of urbanisation
  • How to plan a sustainable housing estate

Assessment: Learning is assessed during the unit through a sustainable housing plan activity and, formatively, at the start of Term 4 with practice questions. It is later assessed summatively, at the start of Term 6, with a range of short and long questions using a variety of command words.

Unit 4

Coasts

Students build and apply their knowledge of river processes by examining processes relating to coasts. In this unit, students explore the UK coastline, studying coastal landforms, and how humans interact with and affect these. Through studying a range of specific examples students are able to build on their existing knowledge of the coastline.

Key knowledge developed:

  • Understanding the processes that shape coastal landforms
  • Understanding the ways in which humans interact with the coastline, positively and negatively
  • Understanding the challenges the UK's coastline faces

Key skills developed:

  • How to plan the management of coastal erosion with sea defences
  • How to explain the formation of coastal landforms through coastal processes
  • How to make and label diagrams with key processes

Assessment: Learning is assessed summatively at the start of Term 6 with a range of short and long questions using a variety of command words.

Unit 5

Tourism

Students examine the topic of tourism through the lens of closing the development gap (building on Year 7 knowledge of development). Learning focuses on what tourism is and how it has grown before turning towards an in-depth study of tourism in Ibiza. This case study helps students to evaluate successes and failures of the industry and how future tourism could be more sustainable.

Key knowledge developed:

  • Understanding how tourism relates to the development gap
  • Understanding positive and negative impacts of tourism in social, economic and environmental (SEE) categories
  • Understanding sustainable tourism strategies in SEE categories

Key skills developed:

  • How to calculate growth in tourism
  • How to plan sustainable tourism strategies using SEE categories
  • How to evaluate impacts of and strategies for tourism

Assessment: Learning is assessed during the unit through the Ibiza sustainable tourism plan activity and, summatively, at the start of Term 6 with a range of short and long questions using a variety of command words.

Unit 6

Africa

Students study Africa, examining both the physical and human landscapes across the continent. Through the unit students challenge stereotypes of Africa and develop positive attitudes to its diverse geographies. This is achieved by studying the opportunities and challenges people face, socially, economically and environmentally.

Key knowledge developed:

  • Knowing the range of environments in Africa
  • Understanding the challenges and opportunities that people face
  • Understanding the interaction between humans and the physical landscape

Key skills developed:

  • How to use data to complete climate graphs
  • How to evaluate geographical opportunities and challenges
  • How to explain our connections to Africa

Assessment: Learning is assessed formatively through the use of student booklets, and through a variety of questions distributed throughout the unit's lessons.