Teacher Guide.
1.Summary – Aims and Content
The thinking skills exercise in the accompanying file tests whether students understand key vocabulary associated with river flooding. The river Severn flowing into Shrewsbury is used as the case study. The activity is based on vocabulary used in the case study in WJEC Coursemate to New Wider World, Nelson Thorne 2004, but is adaptable to any concept as shown in the extension exercise.
The exercise may be used either as interactive self-assessment screen activities, enabling students to work independently or in small groups, or as a whiteboard facilitywith whole class discussion. The exercise can be developed as a paper activity.
The exercise may be completed during the learning process or as revision. Students can use the activity as the basis from which to write an examination answer.
The resources are differentiated and may be used with GCSE students of different abilities as outlined in the description below.
2. Links to: WJEC specifications
a)WJEC GCSE Geography A (Mainstream) specification:
Generalisation 1A, Key Idea 6, Specific Learning Outcome – Knowledge and understanding of the causes and effects of river flooding, evaluation of schemes for control of river flooding.
Examination technique
b)Key skills: C2 1a, towardsC2 1b, C2.3.
c)PSE: Community and Environmental aspects
d)Welsh Bac core: contribute to knowledge of contemporary issues in Wales.
Background resources
WJEC Coursemate for New Wider World, Nelson Thorne, 2004. Chapter 2
3. Activities - suggested approaches
Your Targets gives a checklist of what the student should be able to do by the end of the exercise.
Odd one out (Introduction) sets the scene by outlining the purpose of the following activities. It uses examination questions to highlight differing topics within river flooding. The importance of recognizing these differing topics is vital since it forms the basis for the rest of the activities.
Odd one out - Photos
As on the TV show ‘Have I got News for You’ this frame uses photos for students to identify the odd one out giving their reasons. The photos can be seen altogether on one screen or each one brought up to a larger size using the magnifying glass icon. The clues button gives a written description of the photographs. This may be useful for students who have difficulty with the photographs.
If the activity is being used for the whiteboard, students could be given four cards numbered 1-4. Then, individually, or in teams, they show the number they consider being correct. The class can then discuss the answers before the check answer button is used. This approach could be used for the word frames also.
Odd one out - Words [1 – 8]
The activity continues with key phrases used in river flooding. Eight sets of four phrases are given and, for each, students have to identify the odd one out based on the different topics within flooding.
More able students should complete the exercise without recourse to the reveal button which gives the links for 3 of the phrases. Students who find the activity difficult could use the reveal button. Further help could be given by simultaneously using WJEC Coursemate for New Wider World, which has these words under topic headings.
Extension Work
More able students should complete the extension exercise which invites students to develop two odd one out exercises based on Desertification in the Sahel and Industry in South Wales. Suggested topics within these are given. The exercise could only be completed as revision. Further, students could devise their own ‘odd one out’ from any geographical concept and its topics.
Bringing it together
Students are asked to complete the original examination question using the phrases in the exercise.
4. Paper Activities
Teachers could make cards of the 32 words and phrases. The words would need the identification 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4; 2.1 etc or each set of 4 words or phrases could be photocopied onto a different colour of card. The class could be arranged to complete the exercise individually, in groups or as a whole class exercise. Adaptation of the exercises for different ability levels could be addressed in the same way as above. The extension activity is also a paper activity.