Edexcel GCSE Geography B

Practical support to help you deliver this Edexcel specification

Course planner

This course planner has been produced to help you implement this Edexcel specification. It is offered as an example of one possible model that you should feel free to adapt to meet your needs and is not intended to be in any way prescriptive. It is in editable Word format to make adaptation as easy as possible.

The new GCSE Geography B specification has been designed so that teachers can deliver the content in 120 hours of guided learning. Many centres have moved to a three-year Key Stage 4, with students starting their GCSE courses in Year 9; this means they will be delivering the content over a three-year period, with a number starting this in September 2015.

This course planner provides two models for delivering the content over 3 years:

●Model A: An integrated approach that combines content and skills across topics.

●Model B: A linear approach that alternates between Components 1: Global Geographical Issues and Component 2: UK Geographical Issues in Year 9 and 10,then focuses on Component 3: People and Environment Issues – Making Geographical Decisionsin Year 11.

Each model covers the content of the whole specification and is based on two hours a week.

The 2016 Edexcel Geography B specification is split into three content components.

Component 1: Global Geographical Issues, 37.5% of the qualification

●Topic 1: Hazardous Earth

●Topic 2: Development dynamics

●Topic 3: Challenges of an urbanising world

Written examination: 1 hour and 30 minutes, 94 marks.

Component 2: UK Geographical Issues, 37.5% of the qualification

●Topic 4: The UK’s evolving physical landscape

●Topic 5: The UK’s evolving human landscape

●Topic 6: Geographical investigations

Written examination: 1 hour and 30 minutes, 94 marks.

Component 3: People and Environment Issues – Making Geographical Decisions, 25% of the qualification

●Topic 7: People and the biosphere

●Topic 8: Forests under threat

●Topic 9: Consuming energy resources

Written examination, 1 hour and 30 minutes, 64 marks.

Our free support includes:

●a dedicated Geography Advisor, Jon Wolton

●additional GCSE Geography B specimen papers

●student exemplars with assessment commentary

●mock marking training

●Getting Started Guide and course planners for a two-year and three-year GCSE

●schemes of work and topic packs for every topic

●support with embedding high-quality fieldwork into teaching

●Thinking Geographically: Maths and statistics – based on the proven approach of Pearson Maths

●Thinking Geographically: Literacy – based on the proven approach of Pearson English: Grammar for Writing

●Getting Ready to Teach training events.

A three-year GCSE 2016 Geography B course

Model A: An integrated approach

 refer to integrated skills which could be delivered at this stage of the course.

Date (w/b)
2015 / Term/
week / Content / Notes
Autumn term, Year 9
31 Aug / Week 1 / Topic 1: Hazardous Earth
EQ3: Why do the causes and impacts of tectonic activity and management of tectonic hazards vary with location?
1.7–1.9
 Social media / Roughly 5 lessons of content.
This is a familiar and accessible start to the GCSE for Year 9 students.
There is scope to use 1 lesson for revision, and another as part of a memorisation task / test with Topic 3.
7 Sept / Week 2
14 Sept / Week 3
21 Sept / Week 4
28 Sep / Week 5 / Topic 2: Development dynamics
EQ2: How is ONE of the world’s emerging countries managing to develop?
2.4–2.7
Practice data tasks
Descriptive statistics task, e.g. mean, difference from mean
Research skills – ahead of group projects on different countries / Roughly 7 lessons of content. One suggestion could be group projects on different countries. Could allow 7 lessons for skills development if necessary, e.g. research / group skills / statistics. Please see Appendix 2 in the specification for definitions.
Doing 2.4–2.7 first means dealing with more abstract 2.1–2.3 later.
5 Oct / Week 6
12 Oct / Week 7
19 Oct / Week 8
Half term
2 Nov / Week 9 / Continue Topic 2: Development dynamics
9 Nov / Week 10
16 Nov / Week 11 / Topic 8: Forests under threat
EQ: What are the threats to forest biomes and how can they be reduced?
8.1, 8.3, 8.5 – TRF
8.2, 8.4, 8.6 – Taiga
GIS and forest loss
Introduce DME questions about different methods of sustainability in the TRF.
Introduce DME question about conflicts in the Taiga environment.
To revise the topic, debate which environment is greater threatened / Roughly 12 lessons of content.
This could be taught by ‘forest type’ or sequentially (8.1–8.6), comparing the forests along the way.
Use this topic to start introduction students to some types of DME questions.
23 Nov / Week 12
30 Nov / Week 13
7 Dec / Week 14
14 Dec / Week 15
2016 / Christmas break followed by Spring term
4 Jan / Week 1 /  Finish Topic 8: Forests under threat / Perhaps review the topic information followed by DME application as suggested above.
11 Jan / Week 2
18 Jan / Week 3 / Review work of first half term
25 Jan / Week 4 / Topic 2: Development dynamics
EQ1: What is the scale of global inequality and how can it be reduced?
2.1–2.3 / Roughly 9 lessons of content and 6 lessons of skills development (after half term).
Make use of concrete examples taught earlier for 2.4–2.7.
1 Feb / Week 5
8 Feb / Week 6
Half term
22 Feb / Week 7 / Income quintiles
Class debate about value of development indicators
Review of 2.1–2.9 (earlier in year)
Exam prep and then exam review
29 Feb / Week 8
7 Mar / Week 9
14 Mar / Week 10
21 Mar / Week 11 / Return to Topic 1: Hazardous Earth
EQ2: How are extreme weather events increasingly hazardous for people?
1.4–1.6 / Roughly 5 lessons of content and 3 lessons of skills development.
Easter break followed by Summer term
11 Apr / Week 1 / GIS skills and cyclones
Data manipulation re. hazard events
Exam skills: comparing two case studies
18 Apr / Week 2
25 Apr / Week 3
2 May / Week 4 / Topic 5: The UK’s evolving human landscape
EQ1: Why are places and people changing in the UK?
5.1, 5.2
Research on local area population pyramids
 Research on local area census data
 Research on local area opinions about migration
Includes time for practice fieldwork in local area (urban / rural) / Key ideas 5.1 and 5.2 must be taught before the rest of Topic 5 and the fieldwork tasks.
Roughly 7 lessons of content.
There is time for doing local practical fieldwork for either the urban or rural context. Depending on school location, Topic 5 and 4 could be swapped around.
9 May / Week 5
16 May / Week 6
23 May / Week 7
Half term
6 June / Week 8 / Continue practice fieldwork
13 June / Week 9
20 June / Week 10 / Topic 4: The UK’s evolving physical landscape
EQ1: Why does the physical landscape of the UK vary from place to place?
4.1, 4.2
Photo interpretation skills
Cross sections
OS map scale and landforms
GIS and data work
Formulating fieldwork questions
Exam technique
Exam revision / Similarly, 4.1 and 4.2 must be taught first.
Roughly 7 lessons of content.
27 June / Week 11
4 July / Week 12
11 July / Week 13
18 July / Week 14
Start of summer break, end of Year 9
Date (w/b)
2016 / Term/
week / Content / Notes
Autumn term, Year 10
5 Sept / Week 1 / Review and revision of UK’s evolving physical landscape, ahead of continuing with Topic 4.
12 Sept / Week 2 / Topic 4: Coastal change and conflict and River processes and pressures
EQ2: processes and human modification
EQ3: management
4.3, 4.4 and 4.5 (Coasts)
Followed by 4.6, 4.7 and 4.8 (Rivers) / Roughly 11 lessons of content.
Teach both Coastal change and conflict AND River processes and pressures.
19 Sept / Week 3
26 Sept / Week 4
3 Oct / Week 5
10 Oct / Week 6
17 Oct / Week 7
24 Oct / Week 8
Half term
7 Nov / Week 9 / Continue Topic 4: Coastal change and conflict and River processes and pressures
14 Nov / Week 10
21 Nov / Week 11 / Topic 6: Geographical investigations
Fieldwork and research linked to either Investigating coastal change and conflict or Investigating river processes and pressures.
See Topic 6 in the specification for fieldwork requirements. / A minimum of one day of coasts or rivers fieldwork should be carried out. In addition, 3 weeks of lesson time should be spent on fieldwork preparation, processing and presenting data, analysis and explanation and coming to conclusions.
28 Nov / Week 12
5 Dec / Week 13
12 Dec / Week 14 / Topic 3: Challenges of an urbanising world
EQ1: What are the causes and challenges of rapid urban change?
3.1–3.3
 Satellite land-use exercise
19 Dec / Week 15
2017 / Christmas break followed by Spring term
9 Jan / Week 1 / Continue with Topic 3: Challenges of an urbanising world
16 Jan / Week 2
23 Jan / Week 3
30 Jan / Week 4 / Return to Topic 1: Hazardous Earth
EQ1: How does the world’s climate system function, why does it change and how can this be hazardous for people?
1.1–1.3
Revision of 8.1–8.6
Exam skills: DME / Roughly 5 lessons of content.
6 Feb / Week 5
13 Feb / Week 6
Half term
27 Feb / Week 7 / FinishTopic 1: Hazardous Earth
6 Mar / Week 8
13 Mar / Week 9 / Topic 7: People and the biosphere
EQ: Why is the biosphere so important to human wellbeing and how do humans use and modify it to obtain resources? / Roughly 4 lessons of content.
Topic 1 and Topic 7 could be taught together over roughly 9 lessons.
This gives scope for setting out the links between global climate and biome distribution.
20 Mar / Week 10
27 Mar / Week 11
Easter break followed by Summer term
17 Apr / Week 1 / Return to Topic 5: The UK’s evolving human landscape
Case Study: Dynamic UK cities
5.3 and 5.4: city functions and structure, influence of population movement, employment and services
5:5: challenges and opportunities of change
5.6 strategies for improving ways of life
5.7 and 5.8 the city and accessible rural areas are interdependent, challenges of rural change / Roughly 11 lessons of content and 8 lessons of skills development outlined after half term.
Must focus on one major city in the UK and an accessible rural area.
24 Apr / Week 2
1 May / Week 3
8 May / Week 4
15 May / Week 5
22 May / Week 6
Half term
5 June / Week 7 / FinishTopic 5: The UK’s evolving human landscape
Recap / review of Topics 5.1 and 5.2
 Develop fieldwork questions
 Recap of census data work
Revision of Topic 5
Exam practice and exam review
12 June / Week 8
19 June / Week 9
26 June / Week 10 / Topic 6: Geographical investigations
Fieldwork and research linked to eitherInvestigating dynamic urban areas or Investigating changing rural areas.
See Topic 6 in the specification for fieldwork requirements. / A minimum of one day of urban or rural fieldwork should be carried out. In addition, 3 weeks of lesson time should be spent on fieldwork preparation, processing and presenting data, analysis and explanation and coming to conclusions.
3 July / Week 11
10 July / Week 12
17 July / Week 13 / Review / spare week
Start of summer break, end of Year 10
2017 / Autumn term, Year 11
4 Sept / Week 1 / Return to Topic 3: Challenges of an urbanising world
EQ2:Why does quality of life vary so much within ONE megacity in a developing country OR emerging country?
3.4–3.7
 Debate / discussion about variation
Review and recap of 3.1–3.3
Exam techniques and exam review / Roughly 7 lessons of content.This develops the work done in Topic 1 and Topic 2 and allows the possible development of nested, contextualised understanding of a city of the student’s choice. Please see Appendix 2 in the specification for definitions.
11 Sept / Week 2
18 Sept / Week 3
25 Sept / Week 4
2 Oct / Week 5
9 Oct / Week 6
16 Oct / Week 7 / Topic 9: Consuming energy resources
EQ: How can the growing demand for energy be met without serious environmental consequences?
9.1–9.6 / Roughly 12 lessons of content.Preparation for the synoptic DME could be done here.
23 Oct / Week 8
Half term
6 Nov / Week 9 / Finish Topic 9: Consuming energy resources
13 Nov / Week 10
20 Nov / Week 11
27 Nov / Week 12
4 Dec / Week 13
11 Dec / Week 14
18 Dec / Week 15
2018 / Christmas break followed by Spring term
8 Jan / Week 1 / Mocks
15 Jan / Week 2 / Mocks
22 Jan / Week 3 / Mocks
29 Jan / Week 4 / Revision: Topic 1
5 Feb / Week 5 / Revision: Topic 1
12 Feb / Week 6 / Revision: Topic 2
Half term
26 Feb / Week 7 / Revision: Topic 2
5 Mar / Week 8 / Revision: Topic 3
12 Mar / Week 9 / Revision: Topic 4
19 Mar / Week 10 / Revision: Topic 4
26 Mar / Week 11 / Revision: Topic 5
2 Apr / Week 12 / Revision: Topic 5
Easter break followed by Summer term
23 Apr / Week 1 / Revision: DME prep
30 Apr / Week 2 / Revision: DME prep
7 May / Week 3
14 May / Week 4
21 May / Week 5
Half term followed by examinations

Model B: A linear approach

 refer to integrated skills which could be delivered at this stage of the course.

Date (w/b)
2015 / Term/
week / Content / Notes
Autumn term, Year 9
31 Aug / Week 1 / Welcome to GCSE Geography lesson
7 Sept / Week 2 / Topic 2: Development dynamics
EQ1: What is the scale of global inequality and how can it be reduced?
2.1–2.3
 Income quintiles
 Class debate about value of development indicators
EQ2: How is ONE of the world’s emerging countries managing to develop?
2.4–2.7
One suggestion could be group projects on different countries
Practice data tasks
 Descriptive statistics task, e.g. mean, difference from mean
Research skills – ahead of group projects on different countries / Roughly 22 lessons over 11 weeks of teaching time for delivering the content, developing skills and revision.
14 Sept / Week 3
21 Sept / Week 4
28 Sep / Week 5
5 Oct / Week 6
12 Oct / Week 7
19 Oct / Week 8
Half term
2 Nov / Week 9 / Finish Topic 2: Development dynamics
Revision and exam prep
9 Nov / Week 10
16 Nov / Week 11
23 Nov / Week 12
30 Nov / Week 13 / Topic 4: The UK’s evolving physical landscape
EQ1: Why does the physical landscape of the UK vary from place to place?
4.1, 4.2
Photo interpretation skills
Cross sections
OS map scale and landforms
GIS and data work
Formulating Fieldwork questions
Topic 4: Coastal change and conflict and River processes and pressures
EQ2:processes and human modification
EQ3: management
4.3, 4.4 and 4.5 (Coasts)
Followed by 4.6, 4.7 and 4.8 (Rivers) / Roughly 21 lesson over 11 weeks of teaching time to deliver the content, develop skills and revision.
Teach both Coastal change ANDconflict and River processes and pressures.
7 Dec / Week 14
14 Dec / Week 15
2016 / Christmas break followed by Spring term
4 Jan / Week 1 /  Continue Topic 4: The UK’s evolving physical landscapes
11 Jan / Week 2
18 Jan / Week 3
25 Jan / Week 4
1 Feb / Week 5
8 Feb / Week 6
Half term
22 Feb / Week 7 / Revision and exam prep
29 Feb / Week 8
7 Mar / Week 9 / Topic 6: Geographical investigations
Fieldwork and research linked to either Investigating coastal change and conflict or Investigating river processes and pressures.
See Topic 6 in the specification for fieldwork requirements. / A minimum of one day of coasts or rivers fieldwork should be carried out. In addition, 3 weeks of lesson time should be spent on fieldwork preparation, processing and presenting data, analysis and explanation and coming to conclusions.
14 Mar / Week 10
21 Mar / Week 11
Easter break followed by Summer term
11 Apr / Week 1 / Topic 3: Challenges of an urbanising world
EQ1: What are the causes and challenges of rapid urban change?
3.1–3.3
 Satellite land-use exercise / Roughly 22 lessons over 12 weeks of teaching time for delivering the content, developing skills and revision.
18 Apr / Week 2
25 Apr / Week 3
2 May / Week 4
9 May / Week 5
16 May / Week 6
23 May / Week 7
Half term
6 June / Week 8 /  Continue Topic 3: Challenges of an urbanising world
EQ2:Why does quality of life vary so much within ONE megacity in a developing country OR emerging country?
3.4–3.7
 Debate / discussion about variation
Revision and exam prep / Please see Appendix 2 in the specification for definitions.
13 June / Week 9
20 June / Week 10
27 June / Week 11
4 July / Week 12
11 July / Week 13 / Review and breathing space
18 July / Week 14
Start of summer break, end of Year 9
Date (w/b)
2016 / Term/
week / Content / Notes
Autumn term, Year 10
5 Sept / Week 1 / Topic 1: Hazardous Earth
EQ1: How does the world’s climate system function, why does it change and how can this be hazardous for people?
1.1–1.3
EQ2: How are extreme weather events increasingly hazardous for people?
1.4–1.6
 GIS skills and cyclones
 Data manipulation re. hazard events
Exam skills: comparing two case studies / Roughly 22 lessons over 11 weeks to deliver the content, develop skills, revision and exam prep.
12 Sept / Week 2
19 Sept / Week 3
26 Sept / Week 4
3 Oct / Week 5
10 Oct / Week 6
17 Oct / Week 7
24 Oct / Week 8
Half term
7 Nov / Week 9 / Continue Topic 1: Hazardous Earth
EQ3: Why do the causes and impacts of tectonic activity and management of tectonic hazards vary with location?
1.7–1.9
 Social media
Revision and exam prep
14 Nov / Week 10
21 Nov / Week 11
28 Nov / Week 12 / Topic 5: The UK’s evolving human landscape
EQ1: Why are places and people changing in the UK?
5.1, 5.2
 Research on local area population pyramids
 Research on local area census data
 Research on local area opinions about migration
Includes time for practice fieldwork in local area (urban / rural) / Roughly 22 lessons over 11 weeks of teaching to deliver the content, develop skills, revision and exam prep.
5 Dec / Week 13
12 Dec / Week 14
19 Dec / Week 15
2017 / Christmas break followed by Spring term
9 Jan / Week 1 / Continue Topic 5: The UK’s evolving human landscape
Case Study: Dynamic UK cities
5.3 and 5.4: city functions and structure, influence of population movement, employment and services
5:5: challenges and opportunities of change
5.6 strategies for improving ways of life
5.7 and 5.8 the city and accessible rural areas are interdependent, challenges of rural change
Recap / review of topics 5.1 and 5.2
 Develop fieldwork questions
 Recap of census data work / Must focus on one major city in the UK and an accessible rural area.
16 Jan / Week 2
23 Jan / Week 3
30 Jan / Week 4
6 Feb / Week 5
13 Feb / Week 6
Half term
27 Feb / Week 7 / Continue with Topic 5: The UK’s evolving human landscape
Revision of Topic 5
Exam practice and exam review
6 Mar / Week 8
13 Mar / Week 9 / Topic 6: Geographical investigations
Fieldwork and research linked to eitherInvestigating dynamic urban areas or Investigating changing rural areas.
See Topic 6 in the specification for fieldwork requirements. / A minimum of one day of urban or rural fieldwork should be carried out. In addition, 3 weeks of lesson time should be spent on fieldwork preparation, processing and presenting data, analysis and explanation and coming to conclusions.
20 Mar / Week 10
27 Mar / Week 11
Easter break followed by Summer term
17 Apr / Week 1 / Topic 7: People and the biosphere
EQ: Why is the biosphere so important to human wellbeing and how do humans use and modify it to obtain resources?
7.1, 7.2
There is scope for setting out the links between Topic 1 global climate and Topic 7 biome distribution. / Roughly 6 hours of lessons over 3 weeks to deliver the content and develop skills.
24 Apr / Week 2
1 May / Week 3
8 May / Week 4 / Revision: Component 1
15 May / Week 5 / Revision: Component 1
22 May / Week 6 / Revision: Component 2
Half term
5 June / Week 7 / Revision: Component 2
12 June / Week 8 / Exam practice: Component 1
19 June / Week 9 / Exam practice: Component 2
26 June / Week 10 / Exam practice: review and feedback
3 July / Week 11 / Breathing space for Year 10 work experience and end of year activities.
10 July / Week 12
17 July / Week 13
Start of summer break, end of Year 10
2017 / Autumn term, Year 11
4 Sept / Week 1 / Topic 8: Forests under threat
EQ: What are the threats to forest biomes and how can they be reduced?
8.1, 8.3, 8.5 – TRF
8.2, 8.4, 8.6 – Taiga
 GIS and forest loss
Introduce DME questions about different methods of sustainability in the TRF.
Introduce DME question about conflicts in the Taiga environment.
To revise the topic, debate which environment is greater threatened. / Roughly 18 hours of lessons over 8 weeks to deliver the content, develop skills and revision.
This could be taught by ‘forest type’ or sequentially (8.1–8.6), comparing the forests along the way
11 Sept / Week 2
18 Sept / Week 3
25 Sept / Week 4
2 Oct / Week 5
9 Oct / Week 6
16 Oct / Week 7
23 Oct / Week 8
Half term
6 Nov / Week 9 /  Continue Topic 8: Forests under threat
13 Nov / Week 10 / Topic 9: Consuming energy resources
EQ: How can the growing demand for energy by met without serious environmental consequences?
9.1–9.6 / Roughly 18 hours of lessons over 8 weeks to deliver the content, develop skills and revision.
20 Nov / Week 11 / Preparation for the synoptic DME could be done here.
27 Nov / Week 12
4 Dec / Week 13
11 Dec / Week 14
18 Dec / Week 15
2018 / Christmas break followed by Spring term
8 Jan / Week 1 / Continue Topic 9: Consuming energy resources
15 Jan / Week 2
22 Jan / Week 3
29 Jan / Week 4 / Year 11 mocks
5 Feb / Week 5 / Year 11 mocks
12 Feb / Week 6 / Year 11 mocks
Half term
26 Feb / Week 7 / Revision: Topic 1
5 Mar / Week 8 / Revision: Topic 2
12 Mar / Week 9 / Revision: Topic 3
19 Mar / Week 10 / Revision: Topic 4
26 Mar / Week 11 / Revision: Topic 5
2 Apr / Week 12 / Revision: Topic 6
Easter break followed by Summer term
23 Apr / Week 1 / Revision: Topic 7
30 Apr / Week 2 / Revision: Topic 8
7 May / Week 3 / Revision: Topic 9
14 May / Week 4 / Exam practice: DME
21 May / Week 5 / Exam practice: DME
Half term followed by examinations

1