Practical Endorsement in a Level Geology Student Skills Tick Table

A LEVEL

GEOLOGY

Teacher Resource

Practical Endorsement in A Level Geology – student skills tick table

The table provided on the following pages allows students to track their coverage of the skills, apparatus and techniques included in the Practical Endorsement. Students can place a tick in the relevant cell to indicate that they have demonstrated a skill in a particular context.

The table is designed to be used in conjunction with the PAG activities provided by OCR, but may be adapted for use with activities developed within the centre or sourced elsewhere.

There is no formal requirement for students to keep records of this type. However, OCR supports approaches in which students are encouraged to take responsibility for their learning and skills development. It can be valuable and motivational for students to be aware of where they have achieved particular competencies, and for them to be able to see their development over time.

This table could be used in a context of self-assessment and/or as the basis for teacher discussion, at the centre’s discretion. This table provides just one approach to skills tracking; many others are possible, and centres are encouraged to use whatever method works for them. Possible approaches to using this resource include:

Student self-assessment ticking off an individual skill when they feel they achieve competence
Student self-assessment using a RAG rating such as – I need more practice / I can do this / I am a confident doing this
Teachers could use this table to maintain records as part of the minimum documentary requirements for the Practical Endorsement, however the OCR Activity Trackerspreadsheets available from Interchange provide a less labour-intensive way of doing so

Where cells are shaded grey, this indicates that the particular skill, apparatus or technique is not explicitly mapped against that OCR activity. However, it is possible that students demonstrate skills beyond those explicitly mapped. This might, for example, be the case if the activity is modified within the centre, or if students take the initiative to perform additional work. Therefore, ticks might be placed in any cell based on the student’s actual performance.

GCE Geology1

Practical Endorsement in A Level Geology – student skills tick table

Name: / OCR PAG Activity / 1.1 / 1.2 / 1.3 / 2.1 / 2.2 / 2.3 / 3.1 / 3.2 / 3.3 / 4.1 / 4.2 / 4.3 / 5.1 / 5.2 / 5.3 / 6.1 / 6.2 / 6.3
Date / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / /
1.2.1 / a) apply investigating approaches to practical work
b) safely use a range of practical equipment & materials
c) follow written instructions
d) make and record observations/measurements
e) keep appropriate records of experimental activities
f) present information and data in a scientific way
g) use appropriate software and tools to process data, carry out research and report findings
h) use online and offline research skills including websites, textbooks and other printed scientific sources of information
i) correctly cite sources of information
j) use a wide range of experimental and practical instruments, equipment and techniques
1.2.2 / a)location of geological features in the field using traditional navigation and basic field survey skills without the use of GPS
b)identification of geological structures in the field, recording observations as field sketches
c) use of a compass clinometer to measure two- and three-dimensional geological data across a range of scales
d)construction of graphic logs using appropriate scale and symbol sets for unfamiliar geological sequences
e)use of sampling techniques in fieldwork
f)application of classification systems using distinguishing characteristics to identify unknown minerals and fossils
g)production of annotated scientific drawings of fossils, or small scale features, from hand samples using a light microscope, or hand lens observation
h)production of full rock descriptions of macro and micro features from conserved hand samples and unfamiliar field exposures
i)use of photomicrographs to identify minerals and rock textures
j)use of appropriate apparatus to record a range of quantitative measurements (to include mass, time, volume, temperature and length)
k)(i)use of physical and chemical testing to identify minerals to include: density test
k)(ii)use of physical and chemical testing to identify minerals to include: Mohs hardness test
l)use of methods to increase accuracy of measurements, such as timing over multiple observations, or use of a fiducial scale
m)(i)use of ICT to compile and analyse geological data sets to enable visualisation using geographic information system (GIS)
m)(ii)use of ICT to collect, process and model geological data
Name: / OCR PAG Activity / 7.1 / 7.2 / 7.3 / 8.1 / 8.2 / 8.3 / 9.1 / 9.2 / 9.3 / 10.1 / 10.2 / 10.3 / 11.1 / 11.2 / 11.3 / 12.1 / 12.2 / 12.3
Date / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / /
1.2.1 / a) apply investigating approaches to practical work
b) safely use a range of practical equipment & materials
c) follow written instructions
d) make and record observations/measurements
e) keep appropriate records of experimental activities
f) present information and data in a scientific way
g) use appropriate software and tools to process data, carry out research and report findings
h) use online and offline research skills including websites, textbooks and other printed scientific sources of information
i) correctly cite sources of information
j) use a wide range of experimental and practical instruments, equipment and techniques
1.2.2 / a)location of geological features in the field using traditional navigation and basic field survey skills without the use of GPS
b)identification of geological structures in the field, recording observations as field sketches
c) use of a compass clinometer to measure two- and three-dimensional geological data across a range of scales
d)construction of graphic logs using appropriate scale and symbol sets for unfamiliar geological sequences
e)use of sampling techniques in fieldwork
f)application of classification systems using distinguishing characteristics to identify unknown minerals and fossils
g)production of annotated scientific drawings of fossils, or small scale features, from hand samples using a light microscope, or hand lens observation
h)production of full rock descriptions of macro and micro features from conserved hand samples and unfamiliar field exposures
i)use of photomicrographs to identify minerals and rock textures
j)use of appropriate apparatus to record a range of quantitative measurements (to include mass, time, volume, temperature and length)
k)(i)use of physical and chemical testing to identify minerals to include: density test
k)(ii)use of physical and chemical testing to identify minerals to include: Mohs hardness test
l)use of methods to increase accuracy of measurements, such as timing over multiple observations, or use of a fiducial scale
m)(i)use of ICT to compile and analyse geological data sets to enable visualisation using geographic information system (GIS)
m)(ii)use of ICT to collect, process and model geological data

GCE Geology1