Free teaching materials for delivering Earth science related content across UK KS1-KS5 subject areas.
Earth science subject material occurs throughout the school curricula in the UK. This site hosts a wide range of materials for use by teachers at all levels of education, including lesson plans, activities, and expert knowledge boosters.
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Energy, homeostasis and the environment
Population size and ecosystems
Overview
This topic covers populations and factors which regulate them. The nature of ecosystems and the efficiency of biomass transfer within them are also considered. Nutrient cycles play an important role in the recycling of resources within an ecosystem and it is important to understand the impact of human activity on these.
Working scientifically
This topic gives learners opportunities to develop skills in the use of ICT such as computer modelling in studying population change and predator-prey relationships. There is also opportunity for fieldwork in investigating the distribution and abundance of organisms in a habitat.
Learners should be able to demonstrate and apply their knowledge and understanding of
(l) the carbon cycle
(m) the effects of human activities on the carbon cycle including climate change affects the distribution of species and is a possible cause of extinction
(n) the role of bacteria in the nitrogen cycle and the significance of nitrates in producing proteins and nucleic acids
(o) the importance of human activities such as ploughing and drainage in producing the aerobic conditions needed for nitrification and the economic importance of the nitrogen cycle in relation to food production and fertiliser application
(p) the process of eutrophication and algal blooms and that drainage has adverse effects on habitats
Human impact on the environment
Overview
As the size of the human population increases, there is an increasing need to consider the detrimental effects that this can have on ecosystems. There needs to be effective management of the conflict between human needs and conservation in order to maintain sustainability of biological resources.
Working scientifically
There are a number of opportunities in this topic for independent research. This could involve experimental investigation; using online and offline research skills including using websites, textbooks and other printed scientific sources of information and the correct citation of sources of information.
Learners should be able to demonstrate and apply their knowledge and understanding of
(a) the reasons for species becoming endangered and causes of extinction
(c) the issues in agricultural exploitation – conflicts between production and conservation and possible means to resolve such conflicts as illustrated by deforestation and overfishing
(d) the increased human pressures on the environment including the need to achieve sustainability by changes in human attitudes and making informed choices
(e) the need for political decision making to be informed by knowledge based on sound scientific principles
Variation, inheritance and options
Variation and evolution
Overview
This topic covers the mechanisms of evolution and speciation. Darwinian evolution depends on variation within a population and allows survival of a population in a constantly changing environment.
How Science Works
The study of evolution and speciation allows learners to develop the ability to: use theories, models and ideas to develop scientific explanations; use knowledge and understanding to pose scientific questions, define scientific problems, present scientific arguments and scientific ideas
Learners should be able to demonstrate and apply their knowledge and understanding of
(k) Darwin’s theory of evolution that existing species have arisen through modification of ancestral species by natural selection
2.1.6 Designing and constructing substructures (in contemporary practice)
Methods for investigating subsoil
- Understand the techniques available when undertaking a site investigation:
- Excavation of trial pits
- Borehole drilling
- Insitu sampling of soils, undisturbed samples and
- Disturbed samples
- Soil testing and analysis
Producing information for foundation design
- Know that foundation design and selection relies upon accurate information regarding soil properties, and understand that the process of soil testing from laboratory or from field testing involves:
- Plate bearing test
- Penetration test
- Moisture content analysis
- Density of soils
- Soil classification per layer
- Ground water conditions and level
- Chemical analysis
Methods for improving subsoil
- Understand the methods that are available for improving the condition of the subsoil:
- Vibro compaction/floatation
- Soil mixing techniques
- Dynamic weight compaction
- Installation of drainage
- Grouting and injection
- Geotextiles and geomembranes
- Chemical stabilisation
Principles for designing foundations
- Know that the design of foundations should include consideration of the following:
- Soil investigation report
- Loads to be supported
- Bearing capacity of soil
- Other soil parameters
- Suitable depth for the foundation
- Foundation area
- Check settlement
2.2.2 Factors, including legislation and government that influence the design process for buildings and assets
- Aware of the parameters of the planning process:
- Impact on the local area
- Effect on trees and wildlife & the impact on any Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) or Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB)
- Issues concerning drainage and surface water runoff
- Aware of the constraints that information gathered from the planning process may have on building design
- Flood risk
- Contaminated land
2.3.2 Properties of construction materials
The ways in which common materials are manufactured/ processed before use
- Understand how the following construction materials are manufactured and processed:
Cement:
- Cement: raw materials such as limestone are crushed to provide a fine material for blending.
- Mortar: a paste used to bind and point building blocks typically made on-site from a mixture of sand, cement and water
- Concrete: a composite material, consisting mainly of cement, water and aggregate
Brick:
- Natural clay minerals are crushed, and additives blended to produce different shades. The mix is shaped, dried, and then fired.
2.3.3 Degradation of construction materials
The causes of material degradation
- Know the following causes of material degradation, and understand how the process occurs.
- Corrosion
- Frost damage
- Water damage
- Pollution
- Solar radiation
2.3.9 Building services systems
The energy forms used in electrical, air conditioning, refrigeration and heating systems
- Know the difference between renewable and non-renewable forms of energy and be able to categorise various forms of energy:
Non-renewable forms of energy:
- Coal
- Oil
- Gas
Renewable forms of energy:
- Solar energy, converted into electricity (photovoltaics) or used to heat air or water (solar thermal)
- Wind energy, converted into electricity using turbines
- Hydroelectric power, converting the potential energy of moving water to generate electricity
- Geothermal power, using ground source heat energy
- Bioenergy, from burning biomass to generate electricity and heat
2.1 Thermochemistry
Overview
A quantitative approach to the energy changes taking place during both chemical and physical processes is used to explain why some changes are exothermic and others endothermic. This is supported by a variety of practical work which offers opportunities for evaluation of methodology and data.
How Science Works
There are opportunities here for learners to:
use appropriate methodology, including information and communication technology, to answer scientific questions and solve scientific problems;
carry out experimental and investigative activities, including appropriate risk management, in a range of contexts;
evaluate methodology, evidence and data, and resolve conflicting evidence.
Specified Practical Work
Indirect determination of an enthalpy change of reaction, for example, for magnesium oxide and carbon dioxide to form magnesium carbonate.
2.3 The wider impact of chemistry
Overview
This is an opportunity to reflect on how an understanding of chemical principles can be used to inform judgements on the correct balance between exploiting the Earth’s natural resources and ensuring that future generations will not be adversely affected by our decisions. Should we develop the technologies to extract shale gas reserves in order to satisfy energy needs or should low-carbon energy be the focus?
How Science Works
There are opportunities here for learners to:
use knowledge and understanding to pose scientific questions, define scientific problems;
present scientific arguments and scientific ideas;
analyse and interpret data to provide evidence, recognising correlations and causal relationships;
consider applications and implications of science and evaluate their associated benefits and risks;
consider ethical issues in the treatment of humans, other organisms and the environment;
evaluate the role of the scientific community in validating new knowledge and ensuring integrity.
Learners should be able to demonstrate and apply their knowledge and understanding of:
(a) social, economic and environmental impact of chemical synthesis and the production of energy
(b) role of green chemistry in improving sustainability in all aspects of developments.
2.5 Hydrocarbons
Overview
This topic considers saturated and unsaturated hydrocarbons derived from the petroleum industry and their respective uses as fuels and in making plastics. Particular attention is given to understanding the very different ways is which alkanes and alkenes react.
Mathematical Skills
Learners will develop their ability to understand the symmetry of 3D shapes in studying E–Z isomerism.
How Science Works
There are opportunities here for learners to:
communicate information and ideas in appropriate ways using appropriate terminology;
consider applications and implications of science and evaluate their associated benefits and risks;
consider ethical issues in the treatment of humans, other organisms and the environment;
evaluate the ways in which society uses science to inform decision making.
Learners should be able to demonstrate and apply their knowledge and understanding of: combustion reaction of alkanes and benefits and drawbacks relating to the use of fossil fuels, including formation of carbon dioxide, acidic gases and carbon monoxide.
3.1 The living environment
3.1.1 Conditions for life on Earth
3.1.1.1 How the main conditions, which allowed early life to develop and survive on planet Earth, came about
- Atmosphere
- The mass of Earth and force of gravity retained an atmosphere.
- The atmosphere provided gaseous resources: carbon dioxide, methane, nitrogen.
- Atmospheric pressure and temperature maintained liquid water.
- Insolation
- A suitable temperature range was controlled by incoming insolation and its behaviour in the atmosphere. This was controlled by the surface albedo, absorption of infrared energy and the presence of the atmosphere.
- Position in the solar system
- Suitable temperatures were maintained by the distance from the Sun.
- Orbital behaviour
- The rotation and tilt of the Earth on its axis and its orbit around the Sun, controlled daily and seasonal variations in insolation and temperatures.
- Magnetosphere
- The magnetosphere provides protection from radiation: the Earth’s molten core produced a magnetic field (magnetosphere) that deflects solar radiation.
3.1.1.2 How the presence of life on Earth has brought about environmental change
How biota have helped to maintain stability
- Oxygen production
- Oxygen was first produced by photosynthetic bacteria, then by algae and plants.
- Ozone layer
- Ozone was produced by chemical reactions involving oxygen and ultraviolet light in the stratosphere.
- Carbon sequestration
- Atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations were reduced by photoautotrophs.
- Biogeochemical cycles
- The processes of biogeochemical cycles are linked by living organisms, preventing the build-up of waste products or shortages of resources.
How historical conditions for life were monitored in the past and how these methods have been developed over time
Students should understand how changes in monitoring methods have allowed more accurate estimation of past conditions on Earth.
- Limitations of early methods:
- lack of ancient historical data
- limited reliability of proxy data for ancient conditions
- limited coordination between researchers
- lack of sophisticated equipment for accurate measurements
- inability to measure many factors
- lack of data collection in many areas
- reliance on proxy data, e.g. dendrochronology, pollen analysis
- Improved methods:
- collection of long-term data sets
- the use of electronic monitoring equipment
- gas analysis of ice cores
- isotope analysis of ice cores
improved carriers for monitoring equipment, e.g. helium balloons, aircraft, satellites
3.1.2 Conservation of biodiversity
3.1.2.1 The importance of the conservation of biodiversity
Resources and how sustainable habitat management strategies can be used to secure future supplies
- Wood
- Timber for structural uses.
- Fibres
- Plant and animal fibres.
- Oils
- Uses of vegetable oils.
- Fuels
- Biofuels.
- New foods
- Many plant species have the potential for commercial cultivation.
Ecosystem services and their interaction with each other
- Atmospheric composition
- The role of living organisms in the regulation of the composition of the atmosphere: O2, CO2, water vapour.
- Biogeochemical cycles
- The importance of living organisms in biogeochemical cycles.
- Interspecies relationships
- Living organisms often provide services that aid the survival of other species, e.g. pollination, seed dispersal and habitat provision.
- Soil maintenance
- Living organisms are important in soil formation and erosion control, e.g. plants, detritivores, decomposers.
3.1.2.2 How humans influence biodiversity, with examples in a range of different context
Changes in abiotic factors
- Human activities may change the abiotic features of a habitat, making it more or less suitable for the survival of wildlife.
- The changes may be caused by an action, or by inactivity, e.g. stopping plagioclimax management.
- Water availability, e.g. by drainage or flooding.
- Light levels, e.g. by forest clearance.
- Oxygen availability, e.g. by pollution of water with organic matter.
- Nutrient levels, e.g. fertiliser runoff from farmland.
- pH, e.g. acid mine drainage.
- Temperature, e.g. thermal pollution from power stations.
Changes in biotic factors
- Changing the population size of one species often has an impact on the population size of other species.
- Introduced species.
- Loss of inter-species relationships.
- Habitat destruction Many human activities remove the natural communities of species:
- deforestation
- expansion of farmland
- urbanisation
- mineral extraction
- flooding by reservoirs.
3.1.2.3 Methods of conserving biodiversity
Habitat conservation
- Management and conservation of habitats
Features, importance, threats and conservation methods for:
- Temperate broadleaf woodland
- Tropical rainforest
- Tropical coral reefs
- Deep-water coral reefs
- Oceanic islands
- Antarctica
3.2 The physical environment
3.2.1 The atmosphere
3.2.1.2 Global climate change: how interconnected natural systems cause environmental change
Students should select, analyse and evaluate the data available on natural and anthropogenic climate change.
- Greenhouse gases
- The anthropogenic sources of greenhouse gases, residence times and relative effects: CO2, CH4, NOx, tropospheric ozone, CFCs.
- Changes in oceans
- Changes in thermohaline circulation in the North Atlantic.
- Changes in ocean, wind and current patterns: El Niño.
- Sea level rise.
- Changes in the cryosphere
- Reduced snow cover – amount and duration.
- Glaciers: changes in extent and speed of movement.
- Land ice caps and ice sheets: changes in thickness and movements.
- Ice shelves: changes in the break-up of ice shelves and the impact on land ice movements.
- Sea ice: changes in thickness and area of sea ice cover.
- Changes in climate processes
- Precipitation changes:
• amount, duration, timing and location
• changes in proportions of rain and snow.
- Wind pattern changes: direction, velocity.
- Difficulties monitoring and predicting climate change
- Students should understand the limitations in the available data when attempting to predict future natural an anthropogenic climate change. They should be able to evaluate the reliability of existing information and discuss the methods that are used to fill gaps in current knowledge including remote sensing.
- Students should be able to discuss the importance of accurate, representative data in climate modelling.
- Uncertainty of ecological impacts of climate change:
• changes in species survival caused by changes in abiotic factors
• changes in species survival caused by changes in biotic factors
• changes in species distribution
• population fragmentation.
- Why there is uncertainty over the use of some data in drawing conclusions.
• Lack of historical data: atmospheric composition, temperature, weather patterns.
• Limited reliability of proxy data.
• Lack of understanding of natural processes that control weather, ocean currents and their interconnections.
• How understanding is improved by climate modelling.
• Natural changes and fluctuations that mask changes caused by anthropogenic actions.
• Time delay between cause and effect.
- Feedback mechanisms and tipping points
- Impact of negative feedback mechanisms caused by:
• increased low-level cloud
• increased photosynthesis.
- Impact of positive feedback mechanisms:
• melting permafrost
• ocean acidification
• reduced albedo
• melting methane hydrate
• increased forest and peat fires
• increased cirrus clouds
• more rapid decomposition of dead organic matter in soil.
- The role of tipping points in climate change.
- Carbon footprints and sustainable development
- Students should compare the per capita carbon emissions and carbon footprints for different countries to evaluate different strategies to achieve sustainable development.
- How the control of greenhouse gases may help achieve sustainable lifestyles.
3.2.1.3 Ozone depletion
Students should consider the success of tackling ozone depletion and compare this with other environmental issues.
- The study of ozone depletion should be used as an example of an environmental issue where all the stages of scientific investigation are present.
- Identification of an environmental issue.
- Formulation of a hypothesis.
- Collection, analysis and evaluation of data.
- Proposal for solutions.
- Enactment of solutions
- Rowland-Molina hypothesis
- Collection, analysis and interpretation of data, an evaluation of data collection methods available and the reliability of data produced
– The collection of data on ozone depletion:
• ground-based data collection
• aerial/satellite surveys
• variability of results: spatial, temporal, altitude.
- Why ozone depletion has been greatest over Antarctica
- Unusual atmospheric conditions over Antarctica:
• very low temperatures
• ice crystals
• stratospheric clouds
• polar vortex winds.
- The restoration of the ozone layer
- Main features of the Montreal Protocol (on substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer) (1987):
• use of alternative processes
• use of alternative materials
• collection and disposal of CFCs and other ozone-depleting substances (ODSs).
- Evaluation of the effectiveness of the methods used to restore the ozone layer compared with the effectiveness of tackling other atmospheric pollution problems
- An analysis of the evidence for changes in area of ozone depletion, ozone concentrations and UV levels.
- A comparison with the effectiveness of tackling climate change.
3.2.2 The hydrosphere
3.2.2.1 The impact of unsustainable exploitation
- Students should understand that the natural hydrological cycle is in a state of dynamic equilibrium. Human activities that alter the rates of processes in the hydrological cycle can lead to changes in residence times and quantities in the reservoirs of the cycle.
- Students should be able to use the technical terminology related to the hydrological cycle to discuss anthropogenic changes and strategies that may allow sustainable exploitation.
- Students should be able to explain how human activities change processes in the hydrological cycle.
- Students should be able to explain the consequences of changes in the hydrological cycle.
- Analysis and evaluation of strategies for sustainable management
- Students should use examples of water resources that have been exploited unsustainably.
3.2.2.3 Ocean currents: the importance of thermohaline circulation in distributing heat and regulating climate
- Students should discuss the impacts of changes in thermohaline circulation on the climate of countries around the North Atlantic, including the UK.
3.2.2.4 Increasing sustainability by treating contaminated water
- The methods used to remove the following contaminants:
- litter
- suspended solids
- some metals and odours
- organic pollutants
- salt
- pathogens.
3.2.2.5 Increasing sustainability by economical use and the exploitation of new sources
- Management of water resources:
- metering
- low water-use appliances
- greywater use
- exploitation of new sources
- rainwater catchment
- new reservoirs/estuary barrages
- unexploited aquifers
- inter-basin transfers.
3.2.3 Mineral resources
3.2.3.1 Minerals extracted from the lithosphere
The mineral resources extracted from the lithosphere are non-renewable as they are reformed too slowly to be replaced within timescales that would allow human use. Long-term use relies on an understanding of the scientific methods that will increase supplies, extend use and find alternatives for those in restricted supplies.
Students should understand the importance of resources extracted from the lithosphere on society.
• Metals and metal ores.
• Industrial minerals.
3.2.3.2 Geological processes that produced localised concentrations of recoverable mineral deposits
- Geological processes
- Hydrothermal deposition.
- Metamorphic processes.
- Proterozoic marine sediments.
- Physical sediments.
- Biological sediments
- Reserves and resource
- The reserves include the amount of material that can be exploited using existing technology under current economic conditions.
- The resource includes all the material that could be exploited technically and economically now or in the future.
- Lasky’s principle
3.2.3.4 How a range of exploratory techniques work
- Exploratory techniques
- Satellite imagery.
- Seismic surveys.
- Gravimetry.
- Magnetometry.
- Resistivity.
- Trial drilling.
3.2.3.5 Factors affecting mine viability
- For a mining operation to be viable, a wide range of geological and economic criteria must be met.
- Ore purity and cut-off ore grade.
- Chemical form.
- Associated geology: overburden, hydrology.
- Economics: cut-off ore grade and mining costs.
3.2.3.6 Control of the environmental impacts of mineral exploitation
- All mining activities impact on the environment, but good site management and post-mining restoration can minimise problems.
- Turbid drainage water.
- Spoil.
- Leachate neutralisation.
- Site management.
- Site restoration.
3.2.3.7 Strategies to secure future mineral supplies
- As high-grade deposits become depleted, it is important to develop new technologies to find and extract new deposits, including low-grade and less accessible deposits.
- Manufactured products should be designed to minimise the amount of material needed and extend the lifetime of material use.
- Improvements in exploratory techniques
- including remote sensing.
- Bioleaching with acidophilic bacteria.
- Phytomining.
- Cradle to Cradle design.
- Recycling
- The advantages of recycling:
• conservation of mineral resources
• reduced energy use (of mineral extraction)
• reduced mineral extraction/processing impacts
• reduced waste disposal impacts.
• Difficulties with recycling schemes • identification of materials.
- Separation of mixed materials.
- Reduction in quality.
- Increased transport costs/impacts.
- Collection difficulties.
- Lack of consumer cooperation.
3.2.4 Biogeochemical cycles
3.2.4.2 The carbon cycle including human influences
- The processes in the carbon cycle that are affected by human activities
- Photosynthesis.
- Aerobic respiration.
- Anaerobic respiration.
- Combustion.
- CO2 dissolving in the sea/exsolving from the sea.
- Biomass movements.
- Changes in carbon reservoirs.
- Increased atmospheric concentration of CO2.
- Less soil dead organic matter.
- Increased concentrations of dissolved CO2, carbonic acid, hydrogen carbonate ions.
- Increased atmospheric concentration of methane.
- Reduced amount of carbon in plant biomass.
- Reduced amount of carbon in fossil fuels.
- Sustainable management of the carbon cycle: methods of counteracting human activities that alter the natural equilibria of the carbon cycle
- Alternatives to fossil fuel use.
- Carbon sequestration.
- Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS).
- Matching afforestation to deforestation.
- Increasing soil organic matter.
- Conservation of peat bogs.
3.2.4.3 The nitrogen cycle including human influences
3.2.4.4 The phosphorus cycle including human influences
3.2.5 Soils
3.2.5.1 How human activities affect soil fertility
3.2.5.2 Causes of soil degradation and erosion
3.2.5.3 Soil management strategies to increase sustainability
3.1.1 Water and carbon cycles
3.1.1.2 The water cycle
- Global distribution and size of major stores of water – lithosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere and atmosphere.
- Processes driving change in the magnitude of these stores over time and space, including flows and transfers: evaporation, condensation, cloud formation, causes of precipitation and cryospheric processes at hill slope, drainage basin and global scales with reference to varying timescales involved.
- Drainage basins as open systems – inputs and outputs, to include precipitation, evapotranspiration and runoff; stores and flows, to include interception, surface, soil water, groundwater and channel storage; stemflow, infiltration overland flow, and channel flow. Concept of water balance.
- Runoff variation and the flood hydrograph.
- Changes in the water cycle over time to include natural variation including storm events, seasonal changes and human impact including farming practices, land use change and water abstraction.
3.1.1.3 The carbon cycle
- Global distribution, and size of major stores of carbon – lithosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere, biosphere, atmosphere.
- Factors driving change in the magnitude of these stores over time and space, including flows and transfers at plant, sere and continental scales. Photosynthesis, respiration, decomposition, combustion, carbon sequestration in oceans and sediments, weathering.
- Changes in the carbon cycle over time, to include natural variation (including wild fires, volcanic activity) and human impact (including hydrocarbon fuel extraction and burning, farming practices, deforestation, land use changes).
- The carbon budget and the impact of the carbon cycle upon land, ocean and atmosphere, including global climate.
3.1.1.4 Water, carbon, climate and life on Earth
- The key role of the carbon and water stores and cycles in supporting life on Earth with particular reference to climate. The relationship between the water cycle and carbon cycle in the atmosphere. The role of feedbacks within and between cycles and their link to climate change and implications for life on Earth.
- Human interventions in the carbon cycle designed to influence carbon transfers and mitigate the impacts of climate change.
- The focus is on hot deserts and their margins, where the operation of characteristic aeolian and episodic fluvial processes with their distinctive landscape outcomes are readily observable. In common with water and carbon cycles, a systems approach to study is specified.
3.1.2 Hot desert systems and landscapes
3.1.2.2 Systems and processes
- Sources of energy in hot desert environments: insolation, winds, runoff.
- Sediment sources, cells and budgets.
- Geomorphological processes: weathering, mass movement, erosion, transportation and deposition.
- Distinctively arid geomorphological processes: weathering (thermal fracture, exfoliation, chemical weathering, block and granular disintegration).
- The role of wind – erosion: deflation and abrasion; transportation; suspension, saltation, surface creep, deposition.
- Sources of water: exogenous, endoreic and ephemeral; the episodic role of water; sheet flooding, channel flash flooding.
3.1.2.3 Arid landscape development in contrasting settings
- Origin and development of landforms of mid and low latitude deserts: aeolian – deflation hollows, desert pavements, ventifacts, yardangs, zeugen, barchans and seif dunes; water – wadis, bahadas, pediments, playas, inselbergs.
- The relationship between process, time, landforms and landscapes in mid and low latitude desert settings: characteristic desert landscapes.
3.1.2.4 Desertification
- The changing extent and distribution of hot deserts over the last 10,000 years. The causes of desertification – climate change and human impact; distribution of areas at risk; impact on ecosystems, landscapes and populations. Predicted climate change and its impacts; alternative possible futures for local populations.
3.1.3 Coastal systems and landscapes
3.1.3.2 Systems and processes
- Sources of energy in coastal environments: winds, waves (constructive and destructive), currents and tides. Low energy and high energy coasts.
- Sediment sources, cells and budgets.
- Geomorphological processes: weathering, mass movement, erosion, transportation and deposition.
- Distinctively coastal processes: marine: erosion – hydraulic action, wave quarrying, corrasion/abrasion, cavitation, solution, attrition; transportation: traction, suspension (longshore/littoral drift) and deposition; sub-aerial weathering, mass movement and runoff.
3.1.3.3 Coastal landscape development
- Origin and development of landforms and landscapes of coastal erosion: cliffs and wave cut platforms, cliff profile features including caves, arches and stacks; factors and processes in their development.
- Origin and development of landforms and landscapes of coastal deposition. Beaches, simple and compound spits, tombolos, offshore bars, barrier beaches and islands and sand dunes; factors and processes in their development.
- Estuarine mudflat/saltmarsh environments and associated landscapes; factors and processes in their development.
- Eustatic, isostatic and tectonic sea level change: major changes in sea level in the last 10,000 years.
- Coastlines of emergence and submergence. Origin and development of associated landforms: raised beaches, marine platforms; rias, fjords, Dalmatian coasts.
- Recent and predicted climatic change and potential impact on coasts.
- The relationship between process, time, landforms and landscapes in coastal settings.
3.1.3.4 Coastal management
- Human intervention in coastal landscapes. Traditional approaches to coastal flood and erosion risk: hard and soft engineering. Sustainable approaches to coastal flood risk and coastal erosion management: shoreline management/integrated coastal zone management.
3.1.3.6 Case studies
- Case study(ies) of coastal environment(s) at a local scale to illustrate and analyse fundamental coastal processes, their landscape outcomes as set out above and engage with field data and challenges represented in their sustainable management.
Case study of a contrasting coastal landscape beyond the UK to illustrate and analyse how it presents risks and opportunities for human occupation and development and evaluate human responses of resilience, mitigation and adaptation.
3.1.4 Glacial systems and landscapes
3.1.4.3 Systems and processes
- Glacial systems including glacial budgets.
- Ablation and accumulation – historical patterns of ice advance and retreat.
- Warm and cold based glaciers: characteristics and development.
- Geomorphological processes – weathering: frost action, nivation; ice movement: internal deformation, rotational, compressional, extensional and basal sliding; erosion: plucking, abrasion; transportation and deposition.
- Fluvioglacial processes: meltwater, erosion transportation and deposition.
- Periglacial features and processes: permafrost, active layer and mass movement.
3.1.4.4 Glaciated landscape development
- Origin and development of glaciated landscapes.
- Erosional and depositional landforms: corries, arêtes, glacial troughs, hanging valleys, truncated spurs, roches moutonnées. Characteristic glaciated landscapes.
- Origin and development of landforms and landscapes of glacial deposition: drumlins, erratics, moraines, till plains. Characteristic glaciated landscapes.
- Fluvioglacial landforms of erosion and deposition: meltwater channels, kames, eskers, outwash plains. Characteristic fluvioglacial landscapes.
- Periglacial landforms: patterned ground, ice wedges, pingos, blockfields, solifluction, lobes, terracettes, thermokarst. Characteristic periglacial landscapes.
- The relationship between process, time, landforms and landscapes in glaciated settings: characteristic glaciated and periglacial landscapes.
3.1.4.5 Human impacts on cold environments
- Concept of environmental fragility. Human impacts on fragile cold environments over time and at a variety of scales. Recent and prospective impact of climate change. Management of cold environments at present and in alternative possible futures.
3.1.5 Hazards (optional section)
3.1.5.1 The concept of hazard in a geographical context
Nature, forms and potential impacts of natural hazards (geophysical, atmospheric and hydrological). Hazard perception and its economic and cultural determinants. Characteristic human responses – fatalism, prediction, adjustment/adaptation, mitigation, management, risk sharing – and their relationship to hazard incidence, intensity, magnitude, distribution and level of development. The Park model of human response to hazards. The Hazard Management Cycle.
3.1.5.2 Plate tectonics
- Earth structure and internal energy sources. Plate tectonic theory of crustal evolution: tectonic plates; plate movement; gravitational sliding; ridge push, slab pull; convection currents and seafloor spreading.
- Destructive, constructive and conservative plate margins. Characteristic processes: seismicity and vulcanicity. Associated landforms: young fold mountains, rift valleys, ocean ridges, deep sea trenches and island arcs, volcanoes.
- Magma plumes and their relationship to plate movement.
3.1.5.3 Volcanic hazards
- The nature of vulcanicity and its relation to plate tectonics: forms of volcanic hazard: nuées ardentes, lava flows, mudflows, pyroclastic and ash fallout, gases/acid rain, tephra. Spatial distribution, magnitude, frequency, regularity and predictability of hazard events.
- Impacts: primary/secondary, environmental, social, economic, political. Short and long-term responses: risk management designed to reduce the impacts of the hazard through preparedness, mitigation, prevention and adaptation.
- Impacts and human responses as evidenced by a recent volcanic event.
3.1.5.4 Seismic hazards
- The nature of seismicity and its relation to plate tectonics: forms of seismic hazard: earthquakes, shockwaves, tsunamis, liquefaction, landslides. Spatial distribution, randomness, magnitude, frequency, regularity, predictability of hazard events.
- Impacts: primary/secondary; environmental, social, economic, political. Short and long-term responses; risk management designed to reduce the impacts of the hazard through preparedness, mitigation, prevention and adaptation.
- Impacts and human responses as evidenced by a recent seismic event.
3.1.5.5 Storm hazards
- The nature of tropical storms and their underlying causes. Forms of storm hazard: high winds, storm surges, coastal flooding, river flooding and landslides. Spatial distribution, magnitude, frequency, regularity, predictability of hazard events.
- Impacts: primary/secondary, environmental, social, economic, political. Short and long-term responses: risk management designed to reduce the impacts of the hazard through preparedness, mitigation, prevention and adaptation.
- Impacts and human responses as evidenced by two recent tropical storms in contrasting areas of the world.
3.1.6 Ecosystems under stress (optional section)
3.1.6.5 Marine ecosystems
- The distribution and main characteristics of coral reef ecosystems. Environmental conditions associated with reef development.
- The following aspects should be examined with reference to a named, located coral reef:
- Factors in the health and survival of reefs:
- Natural: Water temperature, acidity, salinity, algal blooms.
- Human activity and its impact: Major drainage basin schemes, onshore development, desalination, pollution, tourism, fishing.
- Future prospects for coral reefs.
Practical skills
- Experimental design and methods
- Units, observations and data formatting
- Processing, analysis and interpretation of qualitative and quantitative data
- Data collection methods in the lab and field, including rock descriptions, use of compass clinometers, photomicrographs, and diagnostic tests
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Foundations in Geology
- Mineral description and ID
- Mineral structure and chemistry
- The rock cycle
- Description, classification, identification and petrology of sedimentary, metamorphic and igneous rocks
- Origin, description, and identification of fossils, and their use in palaeoenvironmental interpretation
- Use of radiometric dating in rocks and minerals, and the plotting of half life curves
- Geochronology and the use of eras and periods in the Phanerozoic using biostratigraphy
Global Tectonics
- Earth formation and structure, and the differentiation of the Earth
- Application of geophysical monitoring and investigation methods
- Plate tectonic features, processes and driving forces
- Plate boundaries, magma genesis, and how the evolution of magma relates to intrusion and volcanic hazards
- Rock deformation features, and identifying them via photos, maps, and cross sections
- Earthquake processes
Interpreting the Past
- Uniformitarianism, the facies approach, and facies associations
- Sediment transport, sedimentary structures and use to interpret way-up and palaeoenvironment in fluvial, desert, and marine systems.
- Construction and interpretation of graphic logs
- Geochronology, lithostratigraphic and biostrastigraphic correlation, and relative dating principles
Petrology and economic geology
- Turbidity currents, Bouma sequences, cyclothems, and vertical and lateral facies changes
- Deposition of banded iron formations and implications for the environments
- Fluids in rocks, Darcy’s Law, groundwater flow, quality and chemistry
- Igneous petrology, element substitution in minerals, assimilation, differentiation and fractionation in magmas, and the formation of layered intrusions
- Mid ocean ridges, sea floor production, and hydrothermal processes including massive sulfide deposits
- Metamorphic petrology, including metamorphic grade, isograd interpretations, formation and interpretation of metamorphic fabrics
- Exploration for metals. Crustal abundances, factors which produce economic deposits, and the different styles of deposit.
- Exploration methods
Geohazards
- Earthquake processes, liquifaction, earthquake engineering, seismic hazard risk analysis
- Probabilistic and deterministic forecasting of geohazards
- Use of GIS to improve disaster planning and communication
- UK geohazards, including shrink-swell clays, subsidence, landslides and tsunami
- Engineering geology, rock and soil weathering and characterisation
- Tunnels, dams and conncontaminated ground
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Basin analysis
- How the Earth has changed through time and how to interpret this from the geological record and geochemistry of the rocks
- Evolution of life on earth as a record of gradual change
- Mass extinctions
- Lagerstätten deposits and exceptional preservation
- Hydrocarbon basins; formation, maturation and capture of oil and gas, and the exploration processes.
- Whole basin analysis, integrating sedimentary structures and processes with biostratigraphy and palaeoenvironmental analysis
Oscillations and nuclei
Nuclear decay
Overview
This topic covers the spontaneous nature of nuclear decay and the nature of alpha, beta and gamma radiation. It introduces the concept of half-life, activity and decay constant. Learners study the exponential decay law in both graphical and algebraic form.
Working Scientifically
There are opportunities within this topic for learners to plot and interpret graphs; to process and analyse data using appropriate mathematical skills; to safely and correctly use a range of practical equipment and materials; to make and record observations; to use ionising radiation, including detectors.
How Science Works
There are opportunities within this topic for learners to use appropriate methodology, including ICT, to answer scientific questions and to solve scientific problems; to evaluate methodology, evidence and data, and resolve conflicting evidence to consider ethical issues in the treatment of humans and the environment, to evaluate the ways in which society uses science to inform decision making.
Learners should be able to demonstrate and apply their knowledge and understanding of:
(a) the spontaneous nature of nuclear decay; the nature of α, β and γ radiation, and equations to represent the nuclear transformations using the 𝐴𝑍X notation
(b) different methods used to distinguish between α, β and γ radiation and the connections between the nature, penetration and range for ionising particles
(c) how to make allowance for background radiation in experimental measurements (d) the concept of the half-life, T½
Nuclear energy
How Science Works
There are opportunities within this topic for learners to use knowledge and understanding to pose scientific questions, define scientific problems, present scientific arguments and scientific ideas; to consider applications and implications of science and evaluate their associated benefits and risks; to evaluate the ways in which society uses science to inform decision making. Learners can be given the opportunity to consider and evaluate the benefits and risks to society of the commissioning, building and siting of nuclear power stations. The ethical issues involved in the treatment of the surrounding environment can be considered and the way in which society uses the knowledge and understanding of science to inform decision making.
Fields and options
Electrostatic and gravitational fields of force
How Science Works There are opportunities within this topic for learners to analyse and interpret data to provide evidence, recognise correlations and causal relationships. Learners can be given the opportunity to use theories and models to predict the motion of satellites and planets. Applications and uses such as geostationary satellites can be studied and their benefits and risk evaluated as well as the ethical issues involved in their use
Energy and the environment (Option)
Overview
In this topic, learners will consider different factors which affect the rate at which the temperature of the Earth rises. Common sources of renewable and non-renewable energy are discussed and their development as sources of energy, both in the UK and internationally are compared. Learners study the effect of insulation on thermal energy loss and perform quantitative calculations on comparative uses of energy transfer.
Learners should be able to demonstrate and apply their knowledge and understanding of:
(a) how the following affect the rate at which the temperature of the Earth rises including:
(i) the need for thermal equilibrium: that is the balance between energy inflow from the Sun and energy re-radiated from the Earth in the of global energy demand and the effect of CO2 levels in the atmosphere
(ii) the origin and means of transmission of solar energy and the form of the Sun’s power spectrum including the idea that wavelengths are converted into the near infrared in the atmosphere
(iii) the use of Wien’s law (λmax T = constant) and Stefan-Boltzman T4 law in the context of solar power
(iv) use of the density equation and Archimedes’ principle to explain why rising sea levels are due to melting ice caps and that the melting of ice on land increases sea levels but melting icebergs do not
(b) the common sources of renewable and non-renewable energy and be able to compare their development and use both in the UK and internationally
Subject mapping and integration completed by Maggie Williams, Emma Wotherspoon, Amanda Owen, Pete Burgess, Pete Rowley, & Lucy Stott
Working scientifically (Years 1 & 2)
During years 1 and 2, pupils should be taught to use the following practical scientific methods, processes and skills through the teaching of the programme of study content:
- asking simple questions & recognising that they can be answered in different ways
- observing closely, using simple equipment
- performing simple tests
- identifying and classifying
- using their observations & ideas to suggest answers to questions
gathering and recording data to help in answering questions
Everyday materials (Year 1)
Pupils should be taught to:
- distinguish between an object & the material from which it is made
- identify and name a variety of everyday materials, including wood, plastic, glass, metal, water, and rock
- describe the simple physical properties of a variety of everyday materials
- compare and group together a variety of everyday materials on the basis of their simple physical properties.
Notes & guidance (non-statutory)
Pupils should explore, name, discuss and raise and answer questions about everyday materials so that they become familiar with the names of materials and properties such as: hard/soft; stretchy/stiff; shiny/dull; rough/smooth; bendy/not bendy; waterproof/not waterproof; absorbent/not absorbent; opaque/transparent. Pupils should explore and experiment with a wide variety of materials, not only those listed in the programme of study, but including for example: brick, paper, fabrics, elastic, foil.
Living things and their habitats (Year 2)
Pupils should be taught to:
- explore and compare the differences between things that are living, dead, and things that have never been alive
- identify that most living things live in habitats to which they are suited and describe how different habitats provide for the basic needs of different kinds of animals and plants, and how they depend on each other
- identify and name a variety of plants and animals in their habitats, including micro-habitats
describe how animals obtain their food from plants and other animals, using the idea of a simple food chain, and identify and name different sources of food
Uses of everyday materials (Year 2)
Pupils should be taught to:
- identify and compare the suitability of a variety of everyday materials, including wood, metal, plastic, glass, brick, rock, paper and cardboard for particular uses
find out how the shapes of solid objects made from some materials can be changed by squashing, bending, twisting and stretching.
Human and physical geography
- identify seasonal and daily weather patterns in the United Kingdom and the location of hot and cold areas of the world in relation to the Equator and the North and South Poles
- use basic geographical vocabulary to refer to:
key physical features, including: beach, cliff, coast, forest, hill, mountain, sea, ocean, river, soil, valley, vegetation, season and weather
Geographical skills and fieldwork
- use world maps, atlases and globes to identify the United Kingdom and its countries, as well as the countries, continents and oceans studied at this key stage
- use simple compass directions (North, South, East and West) and locational and directional language [for example, near and far; left and right], to describe the location of features and routes on a map
- use aerial photographs and plan perspectives to recognise landmarks and basic human and physical features; devise a simple map; and use and construct basic symbols in a key
use simple fieldwork and observational skills to study the geography of their school and its grounds and the key human and physical features of its surrounding environment.
Lower KS2 (Year 3)
Working scientifically
During years 3 and 4, pupils should be taught to use the following practical scientific methods, processes and skills through the teaching of the programme of study content:
- asking relevant questions and using different types of scientific enquiries to answer them
- setting up simple practical enquiries, comparative and fair tests
- making systematic and careful observations and, where appropriate, taking accurate measurements using standard units, using a range of equipment, including thermometers and data loggers
- gathering, recording, classifying and presenting data in a variety of ways to help in answering questions
- recording findings using simple scientific language, drawings, labelled diagrams, keys, bar charts, and tables
- reporting on findings from enquiries, including oral and written explanations, displays or presentations of results and conclusions
- using results to draw simple conclusions, make predictions for new values, suggest improvements and raise further questions
- identifying differences, similarities or changes related to simple scientific ideas and processes
Using straightforward scientific evidence to answer questions or to support their findings
Rocks
Pupils should be taught to:
- compare and group together different kinds of rocks on the basis of their appearance and simple physical properties
- describe in simple terms how fossils are formed when things that have lived are trapped within rock
- recognise that soils are made from rocks and organic matter.
Notes & guidance (non-statutory)
Linked with work in geography, pupils should explore different kinds of rocks and soils, including those in the local environment.Pupils might work scientifically by: observing rocks, including those used in buildings and gravestones, and exploring how and why they might have changed over time; using a hand lens or microscope to help them to identify and classify rocks according to whether they have grains or crystals, and whether they have fossils in them. Pupils might research and discuss the different kinds of living things whose fossils are found in sedimentary rock and explore how fossils are formed. Pupils could explore different soils and identify similarities and differences between them and investigate what happens when rocks are rubbed together or what changes occur when they are in water. They can raise and answer questions about the way soils are formed
Upper KS2 (Years 5&6)
Working scientifically
During years 5 and 6, pupils should be taught to use the following practical scientific methods, processes and skills through the teaching of the programme of study content:
- planning different types of scientific enquiries to answer questions, including recognising and controlling variables where necessary
- taking measurements, using a range of scientific equipment, with increasing accuracy and precision, taking repeat readings when appropriate
- recording data and results of increasing complexity using scientific diagrams and labels, classification keys, tables, scatter graphs, bar and line graphs
- using test results to make predictions to set up further comparative and fair tests
- reporting and presenting findings from enquiries, including conclusions, causal relationships and explanations of and degree of trust in results, in oral and written forms such as displays and other presentations
Identifying scientific evidence that has been used to support or refute ideas or arguments
Earth and space
Pupils should be taught to:
- describe the movement of the Earth, and other planets, relative to the Sun in the solar system
- describe the movement of the Moon relative to the Earth
- describe the Sun, Earth and Moon as approximately spherical bodies
- use the idea of the Earth’s rotation to explain day and night and the apparent movement of the sun across the sky.
Notes and guidance (non-statutory)
Pupils should be introduced to a model of the Sun and Earth that enables them to explain day and night. Pupils should learn that the Sun is a star at the centre of our solar system and that it has eight planets: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune (Pluto was reclassified as a ‘dwarf planet’ in 2006). They should understand that a moon is a celestial body that orbits a planet (Earth has one moon; Jupiter has four large moons and numerous smaller ones).
Note: Pupils should be warned that it is not safe to look directly at the Sun, even when wearing dark glasses.
Pupils should find out about the way that ideas about the solar system have developed, understanding how the geocentric model of the solar system gave way to the heliocentric model by considering the work of scientists such as Ptolemy, Alhazen and Copernicus.
Pupils might work scientifically by: comparing the time of day at different places on the Earth through internet links and direct communication; creating simple models of the solar system; constructing simple shadow clocks and sundials, calibrated to show midday and the start and end of the school day; finding out why some people think that structures such as Stonehenge might have been used as astronomical clocks.
Evolution and inheritance
Pupils should be taught to:
• recognise that living things have changed over time and that fossils provide information about living things that inhabited the Earth millions of years ago
• recognise that living things produce offspring of the same kind, but normally offspring vary and are not identical to their parents
• identify how animals and plants are adapted to suit their environment in different ways and that adaptation may lead to evolution.
Notes and guidance (non-statutory)
Building on what they learned about fossils in the topic on rocks in year 3, pupils should find out more about how living things on earth have changed over time. They should be introduced to the idea that characteristics are passed from parents to their offspring, for instance by considering different breeds of dogs, and what happens when, for example, labradors are crossed with poodles. They should also appreciate that variation in offspring over time can make animals more or less able to survive in particular environments, for example, by exploring how giraffes’ necks got longer, or the development of insulating fur on the arctic fox. Pupils might find out about the work of palaeontologists such as Mary Anning and about how Charles Darwin and Alfred Wallace developed their ideas on evolution.
Note: At this stage, pupils are not expected to understand how genes and chromosomes work.
Pupils might work scientifically by: observing and raising questions about local animals and how they are adapted to their environment; comparing how some living things are adapted to survive in extreme conditions, for example, cactuses, penguins and camels. They might analyse the advantages and disadvantages of specific adaptations, such as being on two feet rather than four, having a long or a short beak, having gills or lungs, tendrils on climbing plants, brightly coloured and scented flowers
Human and physical geography
Describe and understand key aspects of:
- physical geography, including: climate zones, biomes and vegetation belts, rivers, mountains, volcanoes and earthquakes, and the water cycle
- human geography, including: types of settlement and land use, economic activity including trade links, and the distribution of natural resources including energy, food, minerals and water
Geographical skills and fieldwork
- use maps, atlases, globes and digital/computer mapping to locate countries and describe features studied
- use the eight points of a compass, four and six-figure grid references, symbols and key (including the use of Ordnance Survey maps) to build their knowledge of the United Kingdom and the wider world
Use fieldwork to observe, measure, record and present the human and physical features in the local area using a range of methods, including sketch maps, plans and graphs, and digital technologies.
Human and physical geography
- Understand, through the use of detailed place-based exemplars at a variety of scales, the key processes in:
- Physical geography relating to: geological timescales and plate tectonics; rocks, weathering and soils; weather and climate, including the change in climate from the Ice Age to the present; and glaciation, hydrology and coasts
- Human geography relating to: population and urbanisation; international development; economic activity in the primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary sectors; and the use of natural resources
Understand how human and physical processes interact to influence, and change landscapes, environments and the climate; and how human activity relies on effective functioning of natural systems
Geographical skills and fieldwork
- Build on their knowledge of globes, maps and atlases and apply and develop this knowledge routinely in the classroom and in the field
- Interpret Ordnance Survey maps in the classroom and the field, including using grid references and scale, topographical and other thematic mapping, and aerial and satellite photographs
- Use Geographical Information Systems (GIS) to view, analyse and interpret places and data
Use fieldwork in contrasting locations to collect, analyse and draw conclusions from geographical data, using multiple sources of increasingly complex information
Working scientifically
Through the content across all three disciplines, pupils should be taught to:
Scientific attitudes
- pay attention to objectivity and concern for accuracy, precision, repeatability and reproducibility
- understand that scientific methods and theories develop as earlier explanations are modified to take account of new evidence and ideas, together with the importance of publishing results and peer review
- evaluate risks.
Experimental skills and investigations
- ask questions and develop a line of enquiry based on observations of the real world, alongside prior knowledge and experience
- make predictions using scientific knowledge and understanding
- select, plan and carry out the most appropriate types of scientific enquiries to test predictions, including identifying independent, dependent and control variables, where appropriate
- use appropriate techniques, apparatus, and materials during fieldwork and laboratory work, paying attention to health and safety
- make and record observations and measurements using a range of methods for different investigations; and evaluate the reliability of methods and suggest possible improvements
- apply sampling techniques.
- apply mathematical concepts and calculate results
- present observations and data using appropriate methods, including tables and graph
- interpret observations and data, including identifying patterns and using observations, measurements and data to draw conclusions
- present reasoned explanations, including explaining data in relation to predictions and hypotheses
- evaluate data, showing awareness of potential sources of random and systematic error
- identify further questions arising from their results.
- understand and use SI units and IUPAC (International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry) chemical nomenclature
- use and derive simple equations and carry out appropriate calculations
- undertake basic data analysis including simple statistical techniques.
Chemistry
Material cycles and energy
Photosynthesis
- the reactants in, and products of, photosynthesis, and a word summary for photosynthesis
- the dependence of almost all life on Earth on the ability of photosynthetic organisms, such as plants and algae, to use sunlight in photosynthesis to build organic molecules that are an essential energy store and to maintain levels of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere
- the composition of the Earth
- the structure of the Earth
- the rock cycle and the formation of igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks
- Earth as a source of limited resources and the efficacy of recycling
- the carbon cycle
- the composition of the atmosphere
The production of carbon dioxide by human activity and the impact on climate
Physics
- fuels and energy resources
Magnetism
- Earth’s magnetism, compass and navigation
- gravity forces between Earth and Moon, and between Earth and Sun (qualitative only)
The seasons and the Earth’s tilt, day length at different times of year, in different hemispheres
Header text
Living with the physical environment
The challenge of natural hazards
3.1.1.1 Natural hazards
Natural hazards pose major risks to people and property.
- Definition of a natural hazard.
- Types of natural hazard.
- Factors affecting hazard risk.
3.1.1.2 Tectonic hazards
Earthquakes and volcanic eruptions are the result of physical processes.
The effects of, and responses to, a tectonic hazard vary between areas of contrasting levels of wealth.
Management can reduce the effects of a tectonic hazard.
3.1.1.4 Climate change
Climate change is the result of natural and human factors, and has a range of effects.
- Evidence for climate change from the beginning of the Quaternary period to the present day.
- Possible causes of climate change:
- natural factors – orbital changes, volcanic activity and solar output
- human factors – use of fossil fuels, agriculture and deforestation.
- Overview of the effects of climate change on people and the environment.
Managing climate change involves both mitigation (reducing causes) and adaptation (responding to change).
- Managing climate change:
- mitigation – alternative energy production, carbon capture, planting trees, international agreements
adaptation – change in agricultural systems, managing water supply, reducing risk from rising sea levels
The living world
3.1.2.3 Hot deserts
Hot desert ecosystems have a range of distinctive characteristics.
- The physical characteristics of a hot desert.
- The interdependence of climate, water, soils, plants, animals and people.
- How plants and animals adapt to the physical conditions.
- Issues related to biodiversity.
Development of hot desert environments creates opportunities and challenges.
- A case study of a hot desert to illustrate:
- development opportunities in hot desert environments: mineral extraction, energy, farming, tourism
- challenges of developing hot desert environments: extreme temperatures, water supply, inaccessibility.
- Areas on the fringe of hot deserts are at risk of desertification.
- Causes of desertification – climate change, population growth, removal of fuel wood, overgrazing, over-cultivation and soil erosion.
- Strategies used to reduce the risk of desertification – water and soil management, tree planting and use of appropriate technology.
3.1.2.4 Cold environments
Cold environments (polar and tundra) have a range of distinctive characteristics.
- The physical characteristics of a cold environment.
- The interdependence of climate, permafrost, soils, plants, animals and people.
- How plants and animals adapt to the physical conditions.
- Issues related to biodiversity.
Development of cold environments creates opportunities and challenges.
- A case study of a cold environment to illustrate:
- development opportunities in cold environments: mineral extraction, energy, fishing and tourism
Cold environments are at risk from economic development.
- The value of cold environments as wilderness areas and why these fragile environments should be protected.
Physical landscapes in the UK
3.1.3.2 Coastal landscapes in the UK
The coast is shaped by a number of physical processes.
- Wave types and characteristics.
- Coastal processes:
- weathering processes – mechanical, chemical
- mass movement – sliding, slumping and rock falls
- erosion – hydraulic power, abrasion and attrition
- transportation – longshore drift
- deposition – why sediment is deposited in coastal areas.
Distinctive coastal landforms are the result of rock type, structure and physical processes.
- How geological structure and rock type influence coastal forms.
- Characteristics and formation of landforms resulting from erosion – headlands and bays, cliffs and wave cut platforms, caves, arches and stacks.
- Characteristics and formation of landforms resulting from deposition – beaches, sand dunes, spits and bars.
- An example of a section of coastline in the UK to identify its major landforms of erosion and deposition.
Different management strategies can be used to protect coastlines from the effects of physical processes.
- The costs and benefits of the following management strategies:
- hard engineering – sea walls, rock armour, gabions and groynes
- soft engineering – beach nourishment and reprofiling, dune regeneration
- managed retreat – coastal realignment.
- An example of a coastal management scheme in the UK to show:
- the reasons for management
- the management strategy
- the resulting effects and conflicts.
3.1.3.3 River landscapes in the UK
The shape of river valleys changes as rivers flow downstream.
- The long profile and changing cross profile of a river and its valley.
- Fluvial processes:
- erosion – hydraulic action, abrasion, attrition, solution, vertical and lateral erosion
- transportation – traction, saltation, suspension and solution
- deposition – why rivers deposit sediment.
Distinctive fluvial landforms result from different physical processes.
- Characteristics and formation of landforms resulting from erosion – interlocking spurs, waterfalls and gorges.
- Characteristics and formation of landforms resulting from erosion and deposition – meanders and ox-bow lakes.
- Characteristics and formation of landforms resulting from deposition – levées, flood plains and estuaries.
- An example of a river valley in the UK to identify its major landforms of erosion and deposition.
Different management strategies can be used to protect river landscapes from the effects of flooding.
- How physical and human factors affect the flood risk – precipitation, geology, relief and land use.
- The use of hydrographs to show the relationship between precipitation and discharge.
- The costs and benefits of the following management strategies:
- hard engineering – dams and reservoirs, straightening, embankments, flood relief channels
- soft engineering – flood warnings and preparation, flood plain zoning, planting trees and river restoration.
An example of a flood management scheme in the UK to show:
- why the scheme was required
- the management strategy
- the social, economic and environmental issues.
3.1.3.4 Glacial landscapes in the UK
Ice was a powerful force in shaping the physical landscape of the UK.
- Maximum extent of ice cover across the UK during the last ice age.
- Glacial processes:
- freeze-thaw weathering
- erosion – abrasion and plucking
- movement and transportation – rotational slip and bulldozing
- deposition – why glaciers deposit sediment (till and outwash).
Distinctive glacial landforms result from different physical processes.
- Characteristics and formation of landforms resulting from erosion – corries, arêtes, pyramidal peaks, truncated spurs, glacial troughs, ribbon lakes and hanging valleys.
- Characteristics and formation of landforms resulting from transportation and deposition – erratics, drumlins, types of moraine.
- An example of an upland area in the UK affected by glaciation to identify its major landforms of erosion and deposition.
Glaciated upland areas provide opportunities for different economic activities, and management strategies can be used to reduce land use conflicts.
- An overview of economic activities in glaciated upland areas – tourism, farming, forestry and quarrying.
Conflicts between different land uses, and between development and conservation.
Challenges in the human environment
The challenge of resource management
3.2.3.1 Resource management
The changing demand and provision of resources in the UK create opportunities and challenges.
- Water:
- the changing demand for water
- water quality and pollution management
- matching supply and demand – areas of deficit and surplus
- the need for transfer to maintain supplies.
- Energy:
- the changing energy mix – reliance on fossil fuels, growing significance of renewables
- reduced domestic supplies of coal, gas and oil
- economic and environmental issues associated with exploitation of energy sources.
3.2.3.3 Water
Demand for water resources is rising globally but supply can be insecure, which may lead to conflict.
- Areas of surplus (security) and deficit (insecurity):
- factors affecting water availability: climate, geology, pollution of supply, over-abstraction, limited infrastructure, poverty.
Different strategies can be used to increase water supply.
- Overview of strategies to increase water supply:
- diverting supplies and increasing storage, dams and reservoirs, water transfers and desalination
- an example of a large-scale water transfer scheme to show how its development has both advantages and disadvantages.
- Moving towards a sustainable resource future:
- water conservation, groundwater management, recycling, ‘grey’ water
3.2.3.4 Energy
Different strategies can be used to increase energy supply.
- Overview of strategies to increase energy supply:
- renewable (biomass, wind, hydro, tidal, geothermal, wave and solar) and non-renewable (fossil fuels and nuclear power) sources of energy
- an example to show how the extraction of a fossil fuel has both advantages and disadvantages.
- Moving towards a sustainable resource future:
- individual energy use and carbon footprints. Energy conservation: designing homes, workplaces and transport for sustainability, demand reduction, use of technology to increase efficiency in the use of fossil fuels.
Header text
Header text
Working scientifically
Through the content across all three disciplines, students should be taught so that they develop understanding and first-hand experience of:
1. The development of scientific thinking
- the ways in which scientific methods and theories develop over time
- using a variety of concepts and models to develop scientific explanations and understanding
- appreciating the power and limitations of science and considering ethical issues which may arise
- explaining everyday and technological applications of science; evaluating associated personal, social, economic and environmental implications; and making decisions based on the evaluation of evidence and arguments
- evaluating risks both in practical science and the wider societal context, including perception of risk
- recognising the importance of peer review of results and of communication of results to a range of audiences
2. Experimental skills and strategies
- using scientific theories and explanations to develop hypotheses
- planning experiments to make observations, test hypotheses or explore phenomena
- applying a knowledge of a range of techniques, apparatus, and materials to select those appropriate both for fieldwork and for experiments
- carrying out experiments appropriately, having due regard to the correct manipulation of apparatus, the accuracy of measurements and health and safety considerations
- recognising when to apply a knowledge of sampling techniques to ensure any samples collected are representative
- making and recording observations and measurements using a range of apparatus and methods
- evaluating methods and suggesting possible improvements and further investigations
- applying the cycle of collecting, presenting and analysing data, including:
- presenting observations and other data using appropriate methods
- translating data from one form to another
- carrying out and representing mathematical and statistical analysis
- representing distributions of results and making estimations of uncertainty
- interpreting observations and other data, including identifying patterns and trends, making inferences and drawing conclusions
- presenting reasoned explanations, including relating data to hypotheses
- being objective, evaluating data in terms of accuracy, precision, repeatability and reproducibility and identifying potential sources of random and systematic error
- communicating the scientific rationale for investigations, including the methods used, the findings and reasoned conclusions, using paper-based and electronic reports and presentations
4. Vocabulary, units, symbols and nomenclature
- developing their use of scientific vocabulary and nomenclature
- recognising the importance of scientific quantities and understanding how they are determined
- using SI units and IUPAC chemical nomenclature unless inappropriate
- using prefixes and powers of ten for orders of magnitude (e.g. tera, giga, mega, kilo, centi, milli, micro and nano)
- interconverting units
- using an appropriate number of significant figures in calculations
Biology
Evolution, inheritance and variation
- the process of natural selection leading to evolution
- the evidence for evolution
Chemistry
Chemical and allied industries
- carbon compounds, both as fuels and feedstock, and the competing demands for limited resources
- fractional distillation of crude oil and cracking to make more useful materials
- extraction and purification of metals related to the position of carbon in a reactivity series
- evidence for composition and evolution of the Earth’s atmosphere since its formation
- evidence, and uncertainties in evidence, for additional anthropogenic causes of climate change
- potential effects of, and mitigation of, increased levels of carbon dioxide and methane on the Earth’s climate
- common atmospheric pollutants: sulphur dioxide, oxides of nitrogen, particulates and their sources
The Earth’s water resources and obtaining potable water
Physics
- renewable and non-renewable energy sources used on Earth, changes in how these are used
- forces and fields: electrostatic, magnetic, gravity
- pressure in fluids acts in all directions: variation in Earth’s atmosphere with height, with depth for liquids, up-thrust force (qualitative)
- amplitude, wavelength, frequency, relating velocity to frequency and wavelength
- transverse and longitudinal waves
- velocities differing between media: absorption, reflection, refraction effects
Magnetism and electromagnetism
- exploring the magnetic fields of permanent and induced magnets, and the Earth’s magnetic field, using a compass
- relating models of arrangements and motions of the molecules in solid, liquid and gas phases to their densities
Atomic structure
- masses and sizes of nuclei, atoms and small molecules
- differences in numbers of protons, and neutrons related to masses and identities of nuclei, isotope characteristics and equations to represent changes
- radioactive nuclei: emission of alpha or beta particles, neutrons, or gamma-rays, related to changes in the nuclear mass and/or charge
- radioactive materials, half-life, irradiation, contamination and their associated hazardous effects, waste disposal
Space physics, the main features of the solar system
Statutory guidance listed in bold
Interdependence
Pupils should be enabled to explore:
• ‘Me’ in the world;
• How plants and animals rely on each other within the natural world;
• Interdependence of people and the environment;
• The effect of people on the natural environment over time;
• Interdependence of people, plants, animals and place (e.g. Geography: How people’s actions can affect plants and animals. e.g. Science: Some living things that are now extinct.).
Place
Pupils should be enabled to explore:
• ‘Me’ in the world;
• How plants and animals rely on each other within the natural world;
• Interdependence of people and the environment;
• The effect of people on the natural environment over time;
• Interdependence of people, plants, animals and place (e.g. Geography: How people’s actions can affect plants and animals. e.g. Science: Some living things that are now extinct.).
Movement and Energy
Pupils should be enabled to explore:
• Sources of energy in the world;
• How and why people and animals move;
• Changes in movement and energy over time.
Change over time
Pupils should be enabled to explore:
• Ways in which change occurs in the natural world;
• How people and places have changed over time (e.g. Geography: Aspects of change that have occurred over time in the local area, for example, seasonal change or changes that might improve aspects of the local area, such as, recycling. e.g. Science: Changes in the local natural environment, including how they can affect living things.)
• Positive change and how we have a responsibility to make an active contribution
Interdependence
Pupils should be enabled to explore:
• how they and others interact in the world (e.g Geography: Jobs associated with the journey of a product from raw material to consumer. e.g. Geography: How we might
act on a local or global issue);
• how living things rely on each other within the natural world (e.g. Geography: Some of the ways people affect/ conserve the environment both locally and globally.);
• interdependence of people and the environment and how this has been accelerated over time by advances in transport and communications (e.g. History: Ways in which the use of natural resources through time has affected the local and global environment, for example, industrialisation since Victorian Times.);
• the effect of people on the natural and built environment over time (e.g. Geography: Local habitats, for example, woodland, lake, river, seashore, protected area or pond.).
Place
Pupils should be enabled to explore:
• how place influences the nature of life;
• ways in which people, plants and animals depend on the features and materials in places and how they adapt to their environment (e.g. Geography: Humans are largely responsible for how natural resources are used because the Earth has a finite supply of these. e.g. Science: Why materials are chosen for their use. e.g Science: The Earth’s structure determines the nature of habitats and availability of resources);
• features of, and variations in places, including physical, human, climatic, vegetation and animal life;
• our place in the universe;
• change over time in places;
• positive and negative effects of natural and human events upon a place over time.
Movement and Energy
Pupils should be enabled to explore:
• how place influences the nature of life;
• ways in which people, plants and animals depend on the features and materials in places and how they adapt to their environment (e.g. Geography: Humans are largely responsible for how natural resources are used because the Earth has a finite supply of these. e.g. Science: Why materials are chosen for their use. e.g Science: The Earth’s structure determines the nature of habitats and availability of resources);
• features of, and variations in places, including physical, human, climatic, vegetation and animal life;
• our place in the universe;
• change over time in places;
• positive and negative effects of natural and human events upon a place over time.
Change over time
Pupils should be enabled to explore:
• how change is a feature of the human and natural world and may have consequences for our lives and the world around us (e.g. Geography: The consequences of change through investigating global issues, for example, rainforest destruction or light pollution. e.g. Science: The origins of all materials can be traced back to the earth, the air, the water, or living things {plants and animals});
- ways in which change occurs over both short and long periods of time in the physical and natural world (e.g. Science: How some materials can change or decay while
others do not, such as fossil formation);
• The effects of positive and negative changes globally and how we contribute to some of these changes (e.g. Science: How waste can be reduced, reused or recycled and how his can be beneficial. e.g Science: Changes of state in the water cycle.).
Note on progress in learning in The World Around Us:
Teaching should provide opportunities for children as they move through Key Stages 1 and 2 to progress:
• from making first-hand observations and collecting primary data to examining and collecting real data and samples from the world around them;
• from identifying similarities and differences to investigating similarities and differences, patterns and change;
• from recognising a fair test to designing and carrying out fair tests;
• from using everyday language to increasingly precise use of subject specific vocabulary, notation and symbols;
• from developing a sense of place using maps to locate places to using resources such as atlases, maps and digital sources to identify and describe places and environments
investigated;
• from using tools, components and materials to design and make to combining, designing and making skills and techniques with knowledge and understanding in order
to present solutions;
• from sequencing events and objects on a time line in chronological order to developing a sense of change over time and how the past has affected the present.
Note on resources for KS1 & 2:
The Council for the Curriculum Examinations and Assessment (CCEA), advises government on what should be taught in Northern Ireland’s schools, monitors standards in examinations and awards qualifications. The CCEA website includes a wide range of resources for teaching Earth Science Lessons:
Unit 1 – Planet Earth
Unit 2 – Dynamic Earth
Unit 3 – Violent Earth
Unit 4 – Future Earth.
Ref: https://ccea.org.uk/learning-resources/earth-science-lessons
Environment and Society: Geography
Pupils should have opportunities to:
- develop geographical skills to interpret spatial patterns including atlas and map-work skills;
- develop enquiry and fieldwork skills – questioning, planning, collecting, recording, presenting, analysing, interpreting information and drawing conclusion
Relating to a range of primary and secondary sources;
- develop critical and creative thinking skills to solve geographical problems and make informed decisions;
- develop a sense of place through the study of:
- range of local, national, European and global contexts;
- contrasting physical and human environments;
- issues of topical significance;
In order to develop an understanding of:
- physical processes of landscape development;
- the interrelationships between physical and human environments;
- the dynamic nature of physical and human environments;
- the ways in which places are interdependent;
- the need for social, economic and environmental change to be sustainable.
- Explore issues related to Media Awareness (e.g. Investigate the causes and consequences of an environmental event making the news and evaluate how it is reported in the media. Create a video/ news bulletin to inform about, for example, an earthquake, volcano, extreme weather event, local pollution incident, etc.)
- Develop an understanding of how people in different places interact with their environment (e.g. Contrast how people from different parts of the world adapt to threats/ opportunities posed by their environments (physical, social, economic).
- Explore issues related to Ethical Awareness (e.g. Research and debate ethical issues in geography, for example, nuclear power, use of non-renewable resiurces, etc.)
- Investigate how the skills developed through Geography will be useful to a range of careers, for example, jobs involving charting and mapping, data handling, educating, marketing, planning, resource or environmental management, report-writing, surveying, tourism, transportation, weather forecasting, etc.
- Investigate how physical processes operate to create distinct and diverse environments, for example, Marble Arch caves, The Mournes, The Giant’s Causeway, local peatlands, The Burren, The Alps, Grand Canyon, tropical rainforests, savannah grassland, etc.
- Investigate the impact of conflict between social, economic and environmental needs, both locally and globally, for example, erosion, flooding, pollution, loss of biodiversity, climate change, desertification, deforestation, etc.
- Explore how we can exercise environmental stewardship and help promote a better quality of life for present and future generations, both locally and globally, for example, sustainable classrooms, eco-schools, Citizenship Action Projects, resource and waste management strategies, promotion of geo- and biodiversity,
Sustainable towns/cities, conservation of natural resources, eco-tourism, etc. Explore issues related to Economic Awareness.
Science and Technology
Pupils should have opportunities to:
- Develop skills in scientific methods of enquiry to further scientific knowledge and understanding:
- Planning for investigations,
- Obtaining evidence,
- Presenting and interpreting results;
- Develop creative and critical thinking in their approach to solving scientific problems;
- Research scientific information from a range of sources;
- Develop a range of practical skills, including the safe use of science equipment;
- Learn about:
Chemical and material behaviour
- Atoms and chemical changes
- Structures, properties, uses of materials
- Elements, compounds and mixtures
- The environment and human influences
- The solar system and universe.
- Explore issues related to Mutual Understanding (e.g. Respect and co-operate with others in the process of scientific enquiry, for example, work effectively as part of a team in investigative work.)
- Explore issues related to Spiritual Awareness (e.g. Develop a sense of wonder about the universe, for example, the scale from the smallness of the atom to the vastness of outer space; the complexity, diversity, and interdependence of living things.)
- Investigate how the media (internet, television, radio, newspapers) help inform the public about science and science related issues. (e.g. Explore some of the strengths and limitations of these sources of information, for example, compare and contrast different approaches to dealing with scientific issues.)
- Identify how skills developed through science will be useful to a wide range of careers, for example, jobs involving building and construction, education, engineering, environmental management, forensics, etc.
- Investigate the effects of pollution, for example, water, air, land, etc. and specific measures to improve and protect the environment, for example, renewable energy, efficient use of resources, waste minimisation, etc.
- Explore the importance of biodiversity, how it impacts on our lives and how it is affected by human activity.
- Investigate what can be done to conserve and promote biodiversity, for example, anti-pollution strategies, habitat management, etc.
- Demonstrate a range of practical skills in undertaking experiments, including the safe use of scientific equipment and appropriate mathematical calculations;
- Use investigative skills to explore scientific issues, solve problems and make informed decisions;
- Research and manage information effectively, including using Mathematics and using ICT where appropriate;
- Show deeper scientific understanding by thinking critically and flexibly, solving problems and making informed decisions, demonstrating using Mathematics and using ICT where appropriate;
- Demonstrate creativity and initiative when developing ideas and following them through;
- Work effectively with others;
- Demonstrate self-management by working systematically, persisting with tasks, evaluating and improving own performance;
- Communicate effectively in oral, visual, written, mathematical and ICT formats, showing clear awareness of audience and purpose.
Note on resources for KS3:
The Council for the Curriculum Examinations and Assessment (CCEA), advises government on what should be taught in Northern Ireland’s schools, monitors standards in examinations and awards qualifications. The CCEA website includes a wide range of resources for teaching Geography and Science.Ref: https://ccea.org.uk/key-stage-3/learning-resources
Ecological relationships and energy flow
Carbon Cycle
Students should be able to:
1.7.11 demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the significance of photosynthesis, respiration, combustion, fossilisation, feeding, excretion, egestion and decomposition in the carbon cycle, and how substances are constantly removed from and returned to the environment.
Global warming
Students should be able to:
1.7.12 evaluate the evidence for how environmental changes affect the distribution of organisms, limited to increasing levels of carbon dioxide leading to global warming and demonstrate knowledge and understanding of: the causes, including combustion of fossil fuels and deforestation; and the problems associated with this, including:
– increasing temperatures (melting ice caps, rising sea levels or flooding);
– increasing frequency of extreme weather (storms or drought); and
– loss of habitats.
Nitrogen cycle
Students should be able to:
1.7.13 demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the role that microorganisms have in the nitrogen cycle, to include nitrogen fixation, nitrification, denitrification and decomposition (knowledge of the names of specific bacteria is not required) and apply this to aerobic and anaerobic conditions, for example waterlogging.
Variation and natural selection
Natural selection
Students should be able to:
2.5.3 demonstrate knowledge and understanding of how variation and natural selection may lead to evolution or extinction, including:
- competition for resources often leading to differential survival of the best adapted phenotypes, for example antibiotic resistance; surviving phenotypes are more likely to reproduce and pass on their genes to the next generation;
- the theory of evolution as a continuing process of natural selection that leads to gradual changes in organisms over time, which may result in the formation of a new species;
- the role of fossils in providing evidence for evolution; and
- extinction of a species over time as a consequence of failure to adapt to environmental change.
Metals and reactivity series
Students should be able to:
2.1.6 examine the relationship between the extraction of a metal from its ore and its position in the reactivity series, for example:
- aluminium, a reactive metal, is extracted by electrolysis; and
- iron, a less reactive metal, is extracted by chemical reduction; and
2.1.7 recall that the Earth’s resources of metal ores are limited and that alternative extraction methods, such as phytomining, are used.
2.1.8 recall the following aspects of phytomining:
- plants are used to absorb metal compounds such as copper(II) compounds;
- the plants are harvested, then burned to produce ash, which contains the metal compounds;
- an acid is added to the ash to produce a solution containing dissolved metal compounds (leachate);
- copper can be obtained from these solutions by displacement using scrap iron; and
- this technique avoids traditional mining methods of digging,
Redox, rusting and iron
Students should be able to:
2.2.5 describe the extraction of iron from haematite including:
- the production of the reducing agent;
- the reduction of haematite; and
- the removal of acidic impurities.
Organic chemistry
Students should be able to:
2.5.3 recall that a hydrocarbon is a compound/molecule consisting of hydrogen and carbon only;
2.5.4 recall the general formula of the alkanes and the molecular formula, structural formula and state at room temperature and pressure of methane, ethane, propane and butane;
2.5.5 recall that crude oil is a finite resource and is the main source of hydrocarbons and a feedstock for the petrochemical industry;
2.5.6 describe and explain the separation of crude oil by fractional distillation;
2.5.7 describe the fractions as largely a mixture of compounds of formula CnH2n+2, which are members of the alkane homologous series, and recall the names and uses of the following fractions:
- refinery gases used for bottled gases;
- petrol used as a fuel for cars;
- naphtha used to manufacture chemicals and plastics;
- kerosene as a fuel for aircraft;
- diesel as a fuel for cars and trains;
- fuel oils used as fuel for ships; and
- bitumen used to surface roads and roofs.
2.5.28 demonstrate knowledge that the combustion of fuels is a major source of atmospheric pollution due to:
- combustion of hydrocarbons producing carbon dioxide, which leads to the greenhouse effect causing sea level rises, flooding and climate change;
- incomplete combustion producing carbon monoxide (toxic) and soot (carbon particles), which cause lung damage; and presence of sulfur impurities in fuels, which leads to acid rain damaging buildings, destroying vegetation and killing fish
Renewable energy resources
Students should be able to:
1.4.5 explain that renewable energy is defined as energy that is collected from resources that will never run out or which are naturally replenished within a human lifetime;
1.4.6 evaluate examples of renewable energy such as sunlight, wind, hydroelectricity, tidal, waves, wood and geothermal heat; and
1.4.7 demonstrate knowledge of how using renewable energy resources can affect the environment, for example causing habitat destruction or visual pollution.
1.4.8 explain that:
- a non-renewable energy resource is one that has a finite supply and it will run out some time; and
- fossil fuels such as oil, natural gas and coal are considered non-renewable because they cannot be replaced within a human lifetime;
1.4.9 demonstrate knowledge that nuclear energy based on fission is also non-renewable since supplies of uranium ore will not last forever;
1.4.10 demonstrate understanding of how using non-renewable energy resources can affect the environment, for example causing acid rain or global warming.
Atomic and nuclear physics
Radioactive decay
Students should be able to:
1.5.8 recall that some nuclei are unstable and disintegrate, emitting alpha, beta or gamma radiation randomly and spontaneously, and that such nuclei are described as radioactive; and
1.5.9 explain that alpha particles are helium nuclei consisting of two protons and two neutrons, beta particles are fast electrons, and gamma radiation is an electromagnetic wave of high energy.
1.5.13 demonstrate understanding that:
- most radioactive background activity comes fromnatural sources such as cosmic rays from space,rocks and soil, some of which contain radioactive elements such as radon;
- gas, living things and plants absorb radioactive materials from the soil, which are then passed along the food chain;
there is little we can do about natural background radiation, although people who live in areas with a high background due to radon gas require homes to be well ventilated to remove the gas.
Nuclear fission
Students should be able to:
1.5.22 discuss and debate some of the political, social, environmental and ethical issues relating to using nuclear energy to generate electricity, demonstrating
understanding that:
- although using nuclear power produces employment opportunities for many people, many are still concerned about living close to nuclear power plants and the storage facilities used for radioactive waste;
- incidents at nuclear power plants in Ukraine and Japan have caused huge economic, health and environmental damage to the area surrounding the power plant; and
- although nuclear fission does not release carbon dioxide, the mining, transport and purification of the uranium ore releases significant amounts of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
Space physics
Earth and the solar system
Students should be able to:
2.5.1 describe the main features of the Solar System, including the Sun, the rocky and gas planets, moons, asteroids and comets;
2.5.2 recall the order of the eight planets from the Sun outwards;
2.5.3 demonstrate understanding that gravity provides the force needed for the orbital motion of planets, comets, moons and artificial satellites;
2.5.4 explain the use of artificial satellites in the observation of the Earth, weather monitoring, astronomy and communications.
Header text
Biology
Ecological relationships and energy flow
Carbon cycle
Students should be able to:
1.7.9 demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the significance of photosynthesis, respiration, combustion, fossilisation, feeding, excretion, egestion and decomposition in the carbon cycle, and how substances are constantly removed from and returned to the environment.
Nitrogen cycle
Students should be able to:
1.7.10 demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the role that microorganisms have in the nitrogen cycle, including nitrogen fixation, nitrification, denitrification and decomposition (knowledge of the names of specific bacteria is not required) and apply this to aerobic and anaerobic conditions, for example waterlogging.
Variation and natural selection
Natural selection
Students should be able to:
2.5.3 demonstrate knowledge and understanding of how variation and natural selection may lead to evolution or extinction, including:
- the theory of evolution as a continuing process of natural selection that leads to gradual changes in organisms over time, which may result in the formation of a new species; and
- extinction of a species over time as a consequence of failure to adapt to environmental change.
Chemistry
Students should be able to:
2.1.6 examine the relationship between the extraction of a metal from its ore and its position in the reactivity series, for example:
- aluminium, a reactive metal, is extracted by electrolysis; and
- iron, a less reactive metal, is extracted by chemical reduction.
Redox, rusting and iron
Students should be able to:
2.2.5 describe the extraction of iron from haematite including:
- the production of the reducing agent;
- the reduction of haematite; and
- the removal of acidic impurities.
Organic Chemistry
Students should be able to:
2.5.3 recall that a hydrocarbon is a compound/molecule consisting of hydrogen and carbon only;
2.5.4 recall the general formula of the alkanes and the molecular formula, structural formula and state at room temperature and pressure of methane, ethane, propane and butane;
2.5.5 recall that crude oil is a finite resource and is the main source of hydrocarbons and a feedstock for the petrochemical industry;
2.5.6 describe and explain the separation of crude oil by fractional distillation;
2.5.7 describe the fractions as largely a mixture of compounds of formula CnH2n+2, which are members of the alkane homologous series, and recall the names and uses of the following fractions:
- refinery gases used for bottled gases;
- petrol used as a fuel for cars;
- naphtha used to manufacture chemicals and plastics;
- kerosene as a fuel for aircraft;
- diesel as a fuel for cars and trains;
- fuel oils used as fuel for ships; and
- bitumen used to surface roads and roofs.
Physics
Students should be able to:
1.4.5 explain that renewable energy is defined as energy that is collected from resources that will never run out or which are naturally replenished within a human lifetime;
1.4.6 evaluate examples of renewable energy such as sunlight, wind, hydroelectricity, tidal, waves, wood and geothermal heat; and
1.4.7 demonstrate knowledge of how using renewable energy resources can affect the environment, for example causing habitat destruction or visual pollution.
1.4.8 explain that:
– a non-renewable energy resource is one that has a finite supply and it will run out some time; and
– fossil fuels such as oil, natural gas and coal are considered non-renewable because they cannot be replaced within a human lifetime;
1.4.9 demonstrate knowledge that nuclear energy based on fission is also non-renewable since supplies of uranium ore will not last forever;
1.4.10 demonstrate understanding of how using non-renewable energy resources can affect the environment, for example causing acid rain or global warming.
Atomic and nuclear physics
Students should be able to:
1.5.5 recall that some nuclei are unstable and disintegrate, emitting alpha, beta or gamma radiation randomly and spontaneously, and that such nuclei are described as radioactive;
1.5.6 explain that alpha particles are helium nuclei consisting of two protons and two neutrons, beta particles are fast electrons, and gamma radiation is an electromagnetic wave of high energy.
1.5.7 describe nuclear disintegrations in terms of equations involving mass numbers and atomic numbers, and complete the equations by
balancing the mass numbers and atomic numbers: alpha decay, beta decay, gamma decay.
1.5.10 demonstrate understanding that:
– most radioactive background activity comes from natural sources such as cosmic rays from space, rocks and soil, some of which contain radioactive elements such as radon;
– gas, living things and plants absorb radioactive materials from the soil, which are then passed along the food chain;
– there is little we can do about natural background radiation, although people who live in areas with a high background due to radon gas require homes to be well ventilated to remove the gas.
Students should be able to:
1.5.19 discuss and debate some of the political, social, environmental and ethical issues relating to using nuclear energy to generate electricity, demonstrating
understanding that:
– although using nuclear power produces employment opportunities for many people, many are still concerned about living close to nuclear power plants and the storage facilities used for radioactive waste;
– incidents at nuclear power plants in Ukraine and Japan have caused huge economic, health and environmental damage to the area surrounding the power plant; and
– although nuclear fission does not release carbon dioxide, the mining, transport and purification of the uranium ore releases significant amounts of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
The Earth and Solar System
Students should be able to:
2.5.1 describe the main features of the Solar System, including the Sun, the rocky and gas planets, moons, asteroids and comets;
2.5.2 recall the order of the eight planets from the Sun outwards;
2.5.3 demonstrate understanding that gravity provides the force needed for the orbital motion of planets, comets, moons and artificial satellites;
2.5.4 explain the use of artificial satellites in the observation of the Earth, weather monitoring, astronomy and communications.
Unit 1: Understanding our natural world
Theme A: River environments
The drainage basin: a component of the water cycle
Students should be able to:
• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the following elements of the drainage basin and their interrelationships:
– inputs (precipitation);
– stores (interception by vegetation);
– transfers (surface runoff/overland flow, infiltration, throughflow, percolation and groundwater flow); and
– outputs (river discharge and evapotranspiration).
• Identify and define the following characteristics of a drainage basin:
– watershed;
– source;
– tributary;
– confluence; and
– river mouth;
• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of how gradient, depth, width, discharge and load change along the long profile of a river and its valley;
River processes and landforms
Students should be able to:
• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the following processes:
– erosion (attrition, abrasion/corrasion, hydraulic action and solution/corrosion);
– transportation (solution, suspension, saltation and traction); and
– deposition;
• Explain (with reference to places for illustration purposes only) the formation of the following river landforms using annotated cross-sectional diagrams:
– waterfall;
– meander, including slip-off slope and river cliff; and
– floodplain and levees;
• Interpret aerial photographs and OS maps to identify river landforms and land uses;
Sustainable management of rivers
Students should be able to:
• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the physical and human causes of flooding in the context of one case study from the British Isles (for example Somerset Levels, 2014); and
• Recognise the impacts of flooding on:
– people (loss of life, property and insurance cover); and
– the environment (pollution and destruction of wildlife habitats).
• Demonstrate knowledge of the following flood management methods:
– hard engineering (dams, flood walls, levees, embankments, and straightening and deepening the river); and
– soft engineering (washlands, land use zoning and afforestation); and
• Investigate one case study of a river outside the British Isles (for example the Mississippi) and evaluate the river management strategy used, referring to the principles of sustainability.
Theme B: Coastal environments
Coastal processes and landforms
Students should be able to:
• Demonstrate understanding that the dynamic nature of the coast is due to constructive and destructive waves;
• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the following processes:
– erosion (attrition, abrasion/corrasion, hydraulic action and solution/corrosion);
– transportation (longshore drift); and
– deposition;
• Explain the formation of the following coastal landforms (with reference to places for illustration purposes only):
– erosional landforms (headland, cliff, wave cut platform, cave, arch, stack and stump); and
– depositional landforms (sandy beach, shingle beach and spit, including hooked spit); and
• Interpret aerial photographs and OS maps to identify coastal landforms and land uses.
Sustainable management of coasts
Students should be able to:
• Recognise the following reasons for coastal defences:
– in all continents, except Africa, most people live near coasts;
– coastal areas are important economically, for example as a location for tourism, fishing and port activity; and
– sea levels rise as a result of climate change;
• Describe and evaluate the following methods of coastal management:
– hard engineering (sea walls, groynes and gabions); and
– soft engineering (beach nourishment and managed retreat); and
• Investigate one case study of coastal management from the British Isles (for example Newcastle, County Down), and evaluate the coastal management strategy used, referring to the principles of sustainability.
Theme D: Restless Earth
Plate tectonics theory
Students should be able to:
• Describe the structure of the Earth (inner and outer core, mantle and crust);
• Demonstrate knowledge that the Earth’s crust is made up of a number of plates;
• Demonstrate understanding of how convection currents cause plate movement;
• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the formation of landforms at the following plate margins:
– constructive plate margin (mid-ocean ridges);
– destructive plate margin (subduction zones and ocean trenches);
– collision zones (fold mountains); and
– conservative plate margins (fault lines).
Basic rock types
Students should be able to:
• Demonstrate understanding of the formation of the following basic rock types and recognise their characteristics:
– igneous (basalt and granite);
– sedimentary (limestone and sandstone); and
– metamorphic (slate and marble).
Managing earthquakes
Students should be able to:
• Understand the causes and global distribution of earthquakes in relation to plate boundaries;
• Distinguish between the focus and epicentre of an earthquake;
• Demonstrate knowledge that earthquake magnitude is measured on a seismograph using the Richter scale;
• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the following physical consequences of earthquakes:
– liquefaction; and
– tsunamis;
• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the causes and impacts of an earthquake by doing the following, using one case study from an MEDC or LEDC:
– identifying the plates involved;
– describing the short-term and long-term impacts on people and the environment; and
– evaluating how the country prepared for and responded to the earthquake (describing both immediate and long-term strategies implemented after the event);
Volcanoes: characteristics and consequences
Students should be able to:
• Describe the characteristics of the following:
– shield volcanoes;
– composite volcanoes; and
– supervolcanoes; and
• Discuss the potential global impacts, on people and the environment, of a supervolcano eruption (for example Yellowstone).
Unit 2: Living in our world
Theme D: Managing our environment
Human impact on the environment
Students should be able to:
• Describe the greenhouse effect, define carbon footprint and understand how both of these contribute to climate change;
• Evaluate the effects of climate change on the following (with reference to places for illustration purposes only):
– the environment;
– people; and
– the economy;
Strategies to manage our resources
Students should be able to:
• Describe the waste hierarchy and the concept of ‘reduce, reuse and recycle’;
• Evaluate the benefits and disadvantages of one renewable energy source as a sustainable solution, for example wind farms.
Level 2 (Primary 5-7)
Having explored the substances that make up Earth’s surface, I can compare some of their characteristics and uses. SCN 2-17a
I can apply my knowledge of how water changes state to help me understand the processes involved in the water cycle in nature over time. SCN 2-05a
I have investigated different water samples from the environment and explored methods that can be used to clean and conserve water and I am aware of the properties and uses of water. SCN 2-18a
Through exploring nonrenewable energy sources, I can describe how they are used in Scotland today and express an informed view on the implications for their future use. SCN 2-04b
I can report and comment on current scientific news items to develop my knowledge and understanding of topical science. SCN 2-20b
Level 3 or 4 (Secondary 1-3)
I can participate in practical activities to extract useful substances from natural resources. SCN 3-17b
I have carried out research into novel materials and can begin to explain the scientific basis of their properties and discuss the possible impacts they may have on society. SCN 4-16a
Landscapes
Through evaluation of a range of data, I can describe the formation, characteristics and uses of soils, minerals and basic types of rocks. SCN 3-17a
I can explain some of the processes which contribute to climate change and discuss the possible impact of atmospheric change on the survival of living things. SCN 3-05b
I have explored how different materials can be derived from crude oil and their uses. I can explain the importance of carbon compounds in our lives. SCN 4-17a
By investigating renewable energy sources and taking part in practical activities to harness them, I can discuss their benefits and potential problems. SCN 3-04b
By contributing to an investigation on different ways of meeting society’s energy needs, I can express an informed view on the risks and benefits of different energy sources, including those produced from plants. SCN 4-04a
Through investigation, I can explain the formation and use of fossil fuels and contribute to discussions on the responsible use and conservation of finite resources. SCN 4-04b
Having selected scientific themes of topical interest, I can critically analyse the issues, and use relevant information to develop an informed argument. SCN 4-20b
I have researched new developments in science and can explain how their current or future applications might impact on modern life. SCN 4-20a
Environmental Management
Through exploring the carbon cycle, I can describe the processes involved in maintaining the balance of gases in the air, considering causes and implications of changes in the balance. SCN 4-05b I can monitor the environment by collecting and analysing samples. I can interpret the results to inform others about levels of pollution and express a considered opinion on how science can help to protect our environment. SCN 4-18a
National 5 & Higher
Environmental Science
Pollution of air, land and water
Environmental Assessment & Monitoring
Use & interpretation of hydrographs in environmental monitoring
Implementation of government policy leading to legislation and initiatives
Earth’s internal heat – sources & heat flow
Mechanisms of plate boundaries & the resources they produce
Formation & environmental impact of Bauxite deposits
Sources, production & assessment of geothermal energy
Surface & subterranean hydrological cycle
Oceanic circulation
Soil compositions, structure and uses
Biofuels
Atmospheric composition & circulation
Natural causes of both long- and short-term climate change
Demand for and security of access to global resources – energy, food & water
Sustainable management of water resources
Water quality improvements and monitoring
Energy – sources, production and evaluation of shale gas, hydrogen and nuclear energy
Waste management – including quantifying and monitoring environmental impacts, anthropogenic climate change
Level 1 (Primary 2-4)
Throughout all my learning, I take appropriate action to ensure conservation of materials and resources, considering the impact of my actions on the environment. TCH 1-02a
Level 2 (Primary 5-7)
I can investigate the use and development of renewable and sustainable energy to gain an awareness of their growing importance in Scotland or beyond. TCH 2-02b
I can analyse how lifestyles can impact on the environment and Earth’s resources and can make suggestions about how to live in a more sustainable way. TCH 2-06a
I can make suggestions as to how individuals and organisations may use technologies to support sustainability and reduce the impact on our environment. TCH 2-07a
I can discuss the environmental impact of human activity and suggest ways in which we can live in a more environmentally responsible way. SOC 2-08a
Level 3 or 4 (Secondary 1-3)
Engineering geology
I can solve problems through the application of engineering principles and can discuss the impact engineering has on the world around me. TCH 4-12a
I can extend my use of manual and digital graphic techniques to realise ideas, concepts and products and recognise the importance of real world standards. TCH 4-11a
I can analyse products taking into consideration sustainability, scientific and technological developments. TCH 4-05a
I can select and use digital technologies to access, select relevant information and solve real world problems. TCH 4-01a
National 5 & Higher
Higher Geography
Atmospheric composition & circulation
Oceanic circulation
Impacts of changing climate patterns on communities
Natural & anthropogenic climate change – causes, impacts & development of responses
Surface & subterranean hydrological cycle
Basin characteristics
Monitoring & mitigating land use impacts on hydrological cycles
Soil compositions, structure and uses
Development and mapping of glacial landscapes
Development and mapping of coastal landscapes
Development and mapping of fluvial landscapes
Development and mapping of karst landscapes
Land Management issues caused by conflicting use of Scotland’s landscapes
Impacts of population growth on demand for natural resources, water and energy
Land degradation (focusing on soil erosion)
Causes, impacts & monitoring of earthquakes
Causes, impacts & monitoring of volcanic hazards
Causes, impacts & monitoring of tropical storms
Level 1 (Primary 2-4)
Climate change
By exploring climate zones around the world, I can compare and describe how climate affects living things. SOC 1-12b
Level 2 (Primary 5-7)
Landscapes
I can describe the major characteristic features of Scotland’s landscape and explain how these were formed. SOC 2-07a
Science communication
I can consider the advantages and disadvantages of a proposed land use development and discuss the impact this may have on the community. SOC 2-08b
Geohazards I can describe the physical processes of a natural disaster and discuss its impact on people and the landscape. SOC 2-07b
Level 3 or 4 (Secondary 1-3)
Natural resources
I can explain how the distribution and control of important natural resources affects the international power and influences of states. SOC 4-11b
I can discuss the sustainability of key natural resources and analyse the possible implications for human activity. SOC 4-08a
Geohazards
I can describe the physical processes of a natural disaster and discuss its impact on people and the landscape. SOC 2-07b
I can explain how the interaction of physical systems shaped and continue to shape the Earth’s surface by assessing their impact on contrasting landscape types. SOC 4-07a
Landscapes
I can evaluate the changes which have taken place in an industry in Scotland’s past and can debate their impact. SOC 4-05b
Having investigated processes which form and shape landscapes, I can explain their impact on selected landscapes in Scotland, Europe and beyond. SOC 3-07a
Climate change
I can identify threats facing the main climate zones, including climate change, and analyse how these threats impact on the way of life. SOC 4-12a
Energy
Having studied an economic activity, I can explain its development and assess the impact of change within its locality and beyond. SOC 4-10c
Science communication
I can use specialised maps and geographical information systems to identify patterns of human activity and physical processes. SOC 4-14a
I can explain why a group I have identified might experience inequality and can suggest ways in which this inequality might be addressed. SOC 3-16a
I can discuss the extent to which my choices and decisions are influenced by the ways in which I am informed. SOC 3-17b
Environmental Management
I can identify the possible consequences of an environmental issue and make informed suggestions about ways to manage the impact. SOC 3-08a
I can investigate the climate, physical features and living things of a natural environment different from my own and explain their interrelationship. SOC 3-10a I can develop my understanding of the interaction between humans and the environment by describing and assessing the impact of human activity on an area. SOC 4-10a
National 5 & Higher
Browse Foundation Phase Resources
Knowledge and Understanding of the World
Places and people
Children should be given opportunities to:
• learn about where their locality is
• learn about distance and how to follow directions and routes
• use and make simple maps, to find where places are and how places relate to other places
• identify natural features, e.g. rivers, hills, beaches, and the human features, e.g. buildings, roads, bridges, of their own locality
• begin to recognise differences between their own locality, localities in other parts of Wales and in different parts of the world
• use atlases and globes
• investigate how places change, e.g. the weather, the seasons, buildings, people’s jobs
• recognise how people’s actions can improve or damage the environment.
Myself and other living things
Children should be given opportunities to:
• identify the effects the different seasons have on some animals and plants.
Myself and non-living things
Children should be given opportunities to:
• experiment with different everyday objects and use their senses to sort them into groups according to simple features
• experiment with different everyday materials and use their senses to sort them into groups according to simple properties
• develop an awareness of, and be able to distinguish between, made and natural materials
• understand how some everyday materials change in shape when stretched, squashed, bent and twisted, and when heated or cooled
Key Stage 1
Key Stage 2
Understanding places, environments and processes
- Pupils should be given opportunities to:
- identify and describe natural and human features, e.g. weather conditions, types of buildings
- identify similarities and differences to describe, compare and contrast places and environments
- describe the causes and consequences of how places and environments change, e.g. by season; from past to present; the need for sustainability
- Pupils should be given opportunities to carry out:
- fieldwork to observe and investigate real places and processes
- Pupils should be given opportunities to:
- observe and ask questions about a place, environment or a geographical issue, e.g. Why does it flood?
Key Stage 3
Understanding places, environments and processes
- Pupils should be given opportunities to:
- describe and explain physical features, e.g. the features of a river
- explain the causes and effects of physical and human processes and how the processes interrelate, e.g. causes and consequences of tectonic activity
- explain how and why places and environments change and identify trends and future implications, e.g. climate change.
- Pupils should be given opportunities to study:
- the physical world: the processes and landforms of coasts or rivers
- the hazardous world: global distribution, causes, and impacts of extreme tectonic and other hazardous events
- threatened environments: characteristics of, and possibilities for, their sustainable development
- Pupils should be given opportunities to carry out fieldwork to observe and investigate real places and processes
Key Stage 4
Living with the physical environment
The challenge of natural hazards
3.1.1.1 Natural hazards
Natural hazards pose major risks to people and property.
- Definition of a natural hazard.
- Types of natural hazard.
- Factors affecting hazard risk.
3.1.1.2 Tectonic hazards
Earthquakes and volcanic eruptions are the result of physical processes.
- Plate tectonics theory.
- Global distribution of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions and their relationship to plate margins.
- Physical processes taking place at different types of plate margin (constructive, destructive and conservative) that lead to earthquakes and volcanic activity.
The effects of, and responses to, a tectonic hazard vary between areas of contrasting levels of wealth.
- Primary and secondary effects of a tectonic hazard.
- Immediate and long-term responses to a tectonic hazard.
- Use named examples to show how the effects and responses to a tectonic hazard vary between two areas of contrasting levels of wealth.
Management can reduce the effects of a tectonic hazard.
- Reasons why people continue to live in areas at risk from a tectonic hazard.
- How monitoring, prediction, protection and planning can reduce the risks from a tectonic hazard.
Climate change
Climate change is the result of natural and human factors, and has a range of effects.
- Evidence for climate change from the beginning of the Quaternary period to the present day.
- Possible causes of climate change:
- natural factors – orbital changes, volcanic activity and solar output
- human factors – use of fossil fuels, agriculture and deforestation.
- Overview of the effects of climate change on people and the environment.
Managing climate change involves both mitigation (reducing causes) and adaptation (responding to change).
- Managing climate change:
- mitigation – alternative energy production, carbon capture, planting trees, international agreements
- adaptation – change in agricultural systems, managing water supply, reducing risk from rising sea levels.
Hot deserts
Hot desert ecosystems have a range of distinctive characteristics.
- The physical characteristics of a hot desert.
- The interdependence of climate, water, soils, plants, animals and people.
- How plants and animals adapt to the physical conditions.
- Issues related to biodiversity.
Development of hot desert environments creates opportunities and challenges.
- A case study of a hot desert to illustrate:
- development opportunities in hot desert environments: mineral extraction, energy, farming, tourism
- challenges of developing hot desert environments: extreme temperatures, water supply, inaccessibility.
- Areas on the fringe of hot deserts are at risk of desertification.
- Causes of desertification – climate change, population growth, removal of fuel wood, overgrazing, over-cultivation and soil erosion.
- Strategies used to reduce the risk of desertification – water and soil management, tree planting and use of appropriate technology.
Header text
Cold environments
Cold environments (polar and tundra) have a range of distinctive characteristics.
- The physical characteristics of a cold environment.
- The interdependence of climate, permafrost, soils, plants, animals and people.
- How plants and animals adapt to the physical conditions.
- Issues related to biodiversity.
Development of cold environments creates opportunities and challenges.
- A case study of a cold environment to illustrate:
- development opportunities in cold environments: mineral extraction, energy, fishing and tourism
Cold environments are at risk from economic development.
- The value of cold environments as wilderness areas and why these fragile environments should be protected.
Coastal landscapes in the UK
The coast is shaped by a number of physical processes.
- Wave types and characteristics.
- Coastal processes:
- weathering processes – mechanical, chemical
- mass movement – sliding, slumping and rock falls
- erosion – hydraulic power, abrasion and attrition
- transportation – longshore drift
- deposition – why sediment is deposited in coastal areas.
Distinctive coastal landforms are the result of rock type, structure and physical processes.
- How geological structure and rock type influence coastal forms.
- Characteristics and formation of landforms resulting from erosion – headlands and bays, cliffs and wave cut platforms, caves, arches and stacks.
- Characteristics and formation of landforms resulting from deposition – beaches, sand dunes, spits and bars.
- An example of a section of coastline in the UK to identify its major landforms of erosion and deposition.
Different management strategies can be used to protect coastlines from the effects of physical processes.
- The costs and benefits of the following management strategies:
- hard engineering – sea walls, rock armour, gabions and groynes
- soft engineering – beach nourishment and reprofiling, dune regeneration
- managed retreat – coastal realignment.
- An example of a coastal management scheme in the UK to show:
- the reasons for management
- the management strategy
the resulting effects and conflicts
River landscapes in the UK
The shape of river valleys changes as rivers flow downstream.
- The long profile and changing cross profile of a river and its valley.
- Fluvial processes:
- erosion – hydraulic action, abrasion, attrition, solution, vertical and lateral erosion
- transportation – traction, saltation, suspension and solution
- deposition – why rivers deposit sediment.
Distinctive fluvial landforms result from different physical processes.
- Characteristics and formation of landforms resulting from erosion – interlocking spurs, waterfalls and gorges.
- Characteristics and formation of landforms resulting from erosion and deposition – meanders and ox-bow lakes.
- Characteristics and formation of landforms resulting from deposition – levées, flood plains and estuaries.
- An example of a river valley in the UK to identify its major landforms of erosion and deposition.
Different management strategies can be used to protect river landscapes from the effects of flooding.
- How physical and human factors affect the flood risk – precipitation, geology, relief and land use.
- The use of hydrographs to show the relationship between precipitation and discharge.
- The costs and benefits of the following management strategies:
- hard engineering – dams and reservoirs, straightening, embankments, flood relief channels
- soft engineering – flood warnings and preparation, flood plain zoning, planting trees and river restoration.
An example of a flood management scheme in the UK to show:
- why the scheme was required
- the management strategy
The social, economic and environmental issues
Glacier landscapes in the UK
Ice was a powerful force in shaping the physical landscape of the UK.
- Maximum extent of ice cover across the UK during the last ice age.
- Glacial processes:
- freeze-thaw weathering
- erosion – abrasion and plucking
- movement and transportation – rotational slip and bulldozing
- deposition – why glaciers deposit sediment (till and outwash).
Distinctive glacial landforms result from different physical processes.
- Characteristics and formation of landforms resulting from erosion – corries, arêtes, pyramidal peaks, truncated spurs, glacial troughs, ribbon lakes and hanging valleys.
- Characteristics and formation of landforms resulting from transportation and deposition – erratics, drumlins, types of moraine.
- An example of an upland area in the UK affected by glaciation to identify its major landforms of erosion and deposition.
Glaciated upland areas provide opportunities for different economic activities, and management strategies can be used to reduce land use conflicts.
- An overview of economic activities in glaciated upland areas – tourism, farming, forestry and quarrying.
Conflicts between different land uses, and between development and conservation.
Challenges in the human environment
Resource management
Water
The changing demand and provision of resources in the UK create opportunities and challenges.
- the changing demand for water
- water quality and pollution management
- matching supply and demand – areas of deficit and surplus
- the need for transfer to maintain supplies.
- Energy:
- the changing energy mix – reliance on fossil fuels, growing significance of renewables
- reduced domestic supplies of coal, gas and oil
- economic and environmental issues associated with exploitation of energy sources
Energy
Different strategies can be used to increase energy supply.
- Overview of strategies to increase energy supply:
- renewable (biomass, wind, hydro, tidal, geothermal, wave and solar) and non-renewable (fossil fuels and nuclear power) sources of energy
- an example to show how the extraction of a fossil fuel has both advantages and disadvantages.
- Moving towards a sustainable resource future:
- individual energy use and carbon footprints. Energy conservation: designing homes, workplaces and transport for sustainability, demand reduction, use of technology to increase efficiency in the use of fossil fuels.
UNITED NATIONS Sustainable Development Goals
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