Edexcel GCSE Geography A Checklist

The Physical Environment

This check list contains the following units:
1 – The Changing Landscape of the UK
Choice of 2 from 1A, 1B & 1C
1A – Coastal Landscapes & Processes
1B – River Landscapes & Processes
1C – Glaciated Upland Landscapes and Processes

2 – Weather Hazards & Climate Change

3 - Ecosystems, Biodiversity & Management
This Symbol Indicates a case study you This Symbol Indicates a skills you may be
will need to know. expected to apply in the exam.
 1. The Changing Landscapes of the UK

Types of Rocks Human Activity on UK Distinctive Landscapes

Characteristics & Distribution Advantages and disadvantages of:
 Sedimentary (Chalk, Limestone)  Agriculture on the South Downs
 Igneous (Basalt, Granite)  Forestry on the South Downs
 Metamorphic (Schists, Slates)  Spring-line Settlements on the South Downs

The Role of Geology & Past Tectonic Processes The Role of Geology & Past Tectonic Processes
 Upland (Igneous & Metamorphic Rocks)  Upland (Igneous & Metamorphic Rocks)
 Lowland (Sedimentary Rocks)  Lowland (Sedimentary Rocks)

Distinctive Upland & Lowland Landscapes Skills

Dartmoor  I can read a Geological Map.
 Joints  I can identify a geological cross section to show
 Freeze thaw weathering the relationship between geology and relief.
 Tors  I can locate key physical features such as
 Clitter slopes uplands, lowland basins and rivers on UK
Malham Cove outline maps.
 Limestone Pavements  I can identify physical and human Geography
 Grykes features on OS maps.
 Clints
North & South Downs
 Cretaceous Period
 Scarp Slope
 Dip Slope
 1A. Coastal Landscapes and Processes
The Coastal Zone & Coastal Influence of waves & geology on The causes and effects of Managing Coastal erosion & flood
Processes the coastal landscape coastal erosion risk
Processes of Coastal Erosion Waves  Rates of coastal erosion Shoreline Management Plans
 Hydraulic Action  Wind strength (or speed)  No Intevention
 Abrasion  Wind duration
Natural Causes  Hold the line
 Solution  Fetch
 Rising sea level  Managed realignment
 Attrition  Swash  Storms & Storm surges  Advance the line
 Backwash
Weathering Processes  Destructive waves
Human Causes Advantages & disadvantages of coastal
 Mechanical (freeze thaw)  Constructive waves  Groynes management
 Chemical (acid rain)
 Dredging
 Biological (roots & Geological Structure  Building coastal defences Soft engineering
burrowing & nesting)  Discordant Coasts
 Beach Nourishment
 Swanage
Effects of Erosion  Sand dune regeneration
Mass movement  Bay  Settlements
 Rock Falls  Headland
 Tourism
 Slumping  Concordant Coasts
 Infrastructure Hard Engineering
 Sliding  Lulworth Cove
 Agriculture  Sea Walls
 Bay
 Groynes
Transportation  Rip rap
 Traction Landforms of coastal Deposition
 Saltation  Longshore Drift
 Suspension  Prevailing Wind Case Study – Dawlish Warren sand spit
 Solution  Beaches
 Profile (Storm beach &  Physical factors changing the spit
 Deposition berm)  Human factors changing the spit
 Spit  Dawlish Warren Beach management scheme
Landforms of coastal Erosion  Saltmarsh  Environmental Impact
 Cliff  Bar  Adaptation & resilience
 Wave cut notch  Lagoon
 Wave cut platform Skills
 Caves
 Arch  I can read a geological map to link coastal form to geology.
 Stack  I can identify coastal landforms on OS maps.
 Stump  I can use an OS map to investigate the impact of human intervention.
 1B. River Landscapes and Processes
Drainage basins and river River processes form distinct Storm Hydrographs Managing Flood Risk
processes landscapes  Hydrograph Advantages and disadvantages of
Drainage basin  Interlocking Spurs  Rising Limb flood defences
 Watershed  Waterfalls & Gorges  Falling Limb
 Source  Meanders  Lag time Hard Engineering
 Tributary  Oxbow lakes  Peak discharge  Embankments (levees)
 Confluence  Flood plains  Channelisation
 Mouth  Levees Land-use Management  Flood Relief Channels
 Afforestation  Dams & Reservoirs
Processes of River Erosion Causes and effects of flooding in  Managing
 Hydraulic Action the UK Farmland Soft Engineering
 Abrasion Physical Causes of Flooding  Managing drainage  Washlands
 Solution  Intense rainfall in urban areas  River restoration
 Attrition  During of rainfall  Flood-plain Zoning
 Snow melt
Weathering Processes  Rock Type Reduce the Impact of Flooding
 Mechanical (freeze thaw)  Relief  Flood waring & strategies for the home
 Chemical (acid rain)
 Biological (plant roots) Human causes of Flooding Case Study – The River Dee
 Deforestation  The Long Profile
Mass movement  Urbanisation  Characteristics of the River Dee (Bradshaw’s Model)
 Soil creep  Human factors changing the river
 Sliding  Climate Change  Physical factors changing the river
 Flows  Predicting the risk of flooding in the Dee catchment
Effects on People & the
Transportation Environment Examples Skills
 Traction  Somerset 2014  I can read a geological map to link coastal form to geology.
 Saltation  Boscastle 2004  I can use UK weather and climate data
 Suspension  Tewkesbury 2007  I can draw a simple storm hydrograph using rainfall and
 Solution  North Wales 2012 discharge data.
 I can identify river landforms on OS maps.
 Deposition  I can use an OS map to investigate the impact of human
intervention.
 1C. Glaciated Upland Landscapes and Processes
Glaciers
Landforms of glacial erosion Case Study – Changes to the glaciated uplands of Snowdonia
Types of Glaciers
 Corries Changing physical landscape of Snowdonia
 Ice sheet
 Tarn  Geology of Snowdonia
 Valley glacier
 Arête  Settlement living in Snowdonia
 Pyramidal peak  Farming & Forestry
The glacial system
 Glacial trough (U-shaped valley)  Human impacts on natural processes
 Zone of accumulation
 Truncated spurs
 Zone of ablation
 Hanging valleys Development in the glaciated uplands of Snowdonia
 Calving
 Misfit stream  Water storage & supply
 Ribbon lake  Quarrying & mining
Glacial Budget
 Roche moutinnee  Renewable energy (Hydro-electric power)
 Seasonality
 Many years/ Centuries  Recreation, tourism & conservation
Landforms of glacial
transportation & deposition The impact of development in Snowdonia
Glacial and post-glacial processes
Glacial Erosion
Moraine  Advantages & disadvantages of development in Snowdonia
 Ground Moriane  Managing development in Snowdonia
 Abrasion
 Lateral Moriane
 Plucking
 Medial Moriane The impact of climate change on development in Snowdonia
 Terminal Moriane  Pros and cons of Farming
Glacial Movement &
 Recessional Moriane  Pros and cons of recreation and tourism
Transportation
 Basal sliding
 Drumlins
 Rotational slip Skills
 Moraine
 Carg and tail  I can use UK weather and climate data
Deposition  I can identify glaciated upland landforms on OS maps.
 Bulldozing  I can use an OS map to investigate the impact of human
intervention.
Post-glacial processes
 Mechanical weathering
(freeze thaw)
 Rock falls
 Soil movement

Global Climate
 Atmospheric Circulation
 Coriolis effect
 Jet streams
 Oceanic Circulation
Global Climate Change
Natural Causes of climate
change
 Eccentricity
 Axial tilt
 Precession
 Solar Variation
 Volcanism
 Surface impact
 Greenhouse effect
Human causes of climate
change
 Enhanced greenhouse
effect
 Industry
 Transport
 Energy
 Farming
Negative Impact of Climate
Change
 Food Production
 Sea level rise: Maldives
 Retreating glaciers &
melting ice sheets
2. Weather Hazards & Climate Change
The UK climate Case Study – Hurricane Sandy, USA (2012) [developed country]
 UK climate over change over  Social Impacts
time  Economic Impacts
 Environmental Impacts
Significance of the UK’s location on  Responses to the disaster
climate
 Maritime influence Case Study – Typhoon Haiyan, Philippines (2013) [emerging]
 Prevailing wind  Social Impacts
 North Atlantic Drift  Economic Impacts
 Circulation cells  Environmental Impacts
 Altitude  Responses to the disaster
Tropical cyclones Drought Case Study – Drought in
 Formation of cyclones Natural causes of drought California, USA (2012-
 Movement of cyclones  Meteorological present)
 Location of cyclones  Hydrological  Location
 Frequency of cyclones  Causes
Human causes of drought  Key effects
Impacts of Tropical Cyclones  Dams  Key responses
 High winds  Deforestation
 Intense rainfall  Agriculture Case Study – Drought in
 Storm surges Ethiopia (1983-present)
 Coastal flooding Impacts of drought  Location
 Landslides  Social Impacts  Causes
 Economic Impacts  Key effects
Effects on People & the  Environmental Impacts  Key responses
Environment Examples
 Somerset 2014
Skills
 Boscastle 2004  I can interpret line graphs/ bar charts showing climate
 Tewkesbury 2007
change.
 North Wales 2012  I can use maps to track the movement of tropical cyclones.

The World’s ecosystems
Distribution of ecosystems
 Temperature
 Convection cell
 Tilt of the Earth
 Inter-Tropical Convergence
Zone (ITCZ)
 Interior of continents
 High mountains
Characteristics & Vegetation
of biomes
 Tropical rainforest
 Tropical grasslands
 Deserts
 Temperate grasslands
 Temperate forest
 Boreal forest
 Tundra
 Mountain
 Mediterranean
Local factors affecting
distribution
 Altitude (Height)
 Soils
 Humans
The Biosphere
Resources of the Biosphere
 Food
 Medicine
 Fuel
 Building materials
3. Ecosystems, Biodiversity & Management
The Nutrient Cycle Tropical Rainforests Deciduous Woodland
Gersmel’s Model  Tropical rainforest  Deciduous characteristics
 Soil characteristics  Biotic factors
 Litter  Biotic factors  Abiotic factors
 Biomas  Abiotic factors  Food Webs
 Biodiversity in the TRF  Deciduous Biodiversity
 Biotic Components  Goods & Services
 Abiotic components Importance of the TRF
 Goods & services Threats to ecosystem
The UK’s Ecosystems  Climate change  Climate change – Milder
Terrestrial (land) ecosystems  Changes to TRF structure winters
 Woodland  Changes to TRF function  Climate change – Fire
 Moorland  Changes to TRF biodiversity  Climate change – drought
 Wetlands  Biodiversity
 Heathland Deforestation in the TRF
 Deforestation in the Deforestation
Marine Ecosystems Madagascan TRF  Deforestation vs coniferous
 Inshore habitats  Tavy & Deforestaion  Economic causes
 Offshore habitats  Population growth &  Social causes
deforestation
Benefits of Marine Ecosystems  Logging & deforestation Case Study – The New Forest:
 Tourism Sustainable Deciduous woodland
 Fishing Case Study – Sustainable management
 Energy: oil rainforest management in  Purpose of New Forest
 Energy: offshore wind farms Madagascar  Woodland management
 Government Policies  Sustainable use of New
Human activities that damage marine  Ecotourism Forest
ecosystems  Rainforest services
 Overfishing  Sustainable agriculture Skills
 Eutrophication  Social benefits  I can use a world map to
 Construction of deep-water ports  Problems locate global biomes
 Coastline economic development  Example – Analamazaotra  I can compare climate graphs
 Offshore wind farms reserve  I can use and interpret
nutrient cycle & food web
Skills diagrams.
 I can interpret line graphs showing the range of future global population  I can use GIS to identify the
projections and the likely impact to resources. pattern of forest loss.
 Edexcel GCSE Geography A Checklist
The Human Environment
This check list contains the following units:
4 – Changing Cities
5 – Global Development
6 – Resource Management

Choice between one of the following:

6A – Energy Resource Management
6B – Water Resource Management
This Symbol Indicates a case study you This Symbol Indicates a skills you may be
will need to know. expected to apply in the exam.
 Case Study – Birmingham: A Case Study – Mumbai/
4. Changing Cities major UK city Mexico City: A major city in
 The Site and situation of an emerging country
Urbanisation is a global Degree of Urbanisation varies
Birmingham  The Site and situation of
process across the UK
 Trends of population living  The Structure of Birmingham city
Physical Factors
 Tees-exe line  The Structure of the city
in urban areas
 Urbanisation  Mountains/Steep slopes The changing city
 Counter-urbanisation  Urbanisation (18th & 19th Reasons for variable
(North)
 Re-urbanisation  Thin soils (North) Centuries) population growth
 Shanty towns  Low and flat land (South)  Suburbanisation (1920s &  Rural-to-urban migration
 Rich Soils (South) 1930s)  Rates of natural increase
 Counter-urbanisation (1970s)  Economic investment &
Why are cities in emerging &
 Re-urbanisation (after 1990) Growth
developing countries growing Historical Factors
so fast?  Industrial Revolution
 Natural increase  Industrial Centres Migration Causes & Impact of
 Migration  Conurbations  National Migration Migration
 Push factors  International Migration  National Migration
 Pull factors  Impact of Migration  International Migration
Recent Economic Factors
 Megacities  Focus on tertiary industries  Impact of Migration
 Focus on quaternary  Population Characteristics
 Population
Degree of Urbanisation varies industries
 Industries in London Causes of De-industrialisation Characteristics
across the UK
 Globalisation
 UK population distribution
 De-centralisation Effects of rapid growth
 Population density Political Factors (London)
 Centre of UK Government  Technological advances  Housing
 Relationship with the EU  Transport developments  Informal & Under –
 World-class financial centre  Impacts of de-industrialisation employment
 Pollution
Skills Changes and Impacts
 I can interpret line graphs and calculate rate of population  Inequality in Birmingham Changes and Impacts
growth.  Quality of life in Birmingham  Inequality in the city
 I can use satellite images to identify land use zones and urban  Changes in retailing in  Quality of life in the city
patterns. Birmingham  Sustainable urban living
 I can use and interpret population pyramids & choropleth maps.  Sustainable urban living  Bottom-up strategies
 I can use GIS/satellite images, historic images and maps to  Top-down strategies
investigate spatial growth.
 5 Global Development
Factors comprising Factors affecting Uneven development International strategies to Types of Aid
Quality of Life development Location of countries of high and reduce uneven development  International Aid
Economic Economic factors low GDP.  Foreign Direct investment  Government Aid
 Income  Average wealth/ Income (FDI)  Multilateral Aid
 Job Security  Growth rate of an As countries and regions  Fair Trade  Bilateral Aid
 Standard of Living economy develop:  International Aid  Voluntary Aid
 Trade surplus/deficit  Infant mortality falls  Debt relief  Short-term
Social  Unemployment rate  Total fertility rate declines  Remittances emergency aid
 Family & Friends  Cost of living  Life expectancy rises  Top-down development  Long-term
 Education  % of the pop. Living in urban e.g. HS2, England emergency aid
 Health Social factors areas increases.  Bottom-up development
 Housing e.g. Water aid, Mali or Case Study – Positive
Physical  Education Measuring inequality within SPARC, India & negative impacts of
 Diet/Nutrition  Health countries rapid development in
 Water Supply  Equity  Gini Coefficient Case Study – How India, an India
 Climate  Opportunities for leisure  Gross Disposable Household emerging country is  Air Pollution
 Water Pollution
 Environmental & recreation Income (GDHI) developing
 India’s Location & Context  Deforestation
quality/ hazards
 Desertification
Technological factors Causes of global inequalities in the World
 Greenhouse gases
Psychological  Electrification  Physical environment  Environmental Contrasts
 Climate change
 Happiness  Internet access  Demography  Social & religious
 Managing growth
 Security  Efficiency gains in  Political & Economic Policies composition
 Freedom farming & industry  History (Colonialism)  Internal Boundaries
Skills
 Social Investment  The Indian diaspora  I can compare
How development is Cultural factors rankings of countries
measured  Happiness Impact of uneven development Uneven Development using development
 Democratisation  Regional Contrasts indicators
 Gross Domestic  Access to housing  I can use proportional
Product (GDP)  Balance between  Health  Economic Core regions flow line maps to
 Human Development traditional & imported  Education (Mumbai) visualize trade
Index (HDI) cultures  Employment  Periphery (Bihar) patterns & flows
 Life expectancy  Work-life balance  I can interpret
 Technology & Appropriate
 Mean schooling  Changing Economic Sectors population pyramids.
 Expected years of
technology  I can use socio-
Food & water security  Food & water security  Trade, aid and investment economic data to
schooling  Availability of food  Demographic Change calculate data to
 Gross National Income 
 Access to food Skills Changing social factors calculate the
(GNI)  Geopolitics difference from the
 Corruption perceptions  Consumption of food  I can interpret population pyramids
 I can interpret choropleth maps  Technology & Connectivity mean, for the core and
index  Water security periphery regions.
 I can use numerical economic data
 6. Resource
Management
Classifying resources
 Abiotic resources
 Biotic resources
 Non-renewable
resources
 Renewable resources
How is exploitation
changing environments?
 Deforestation in
Cameroon
 Oil extraction in
Ecuador
 Overfishing in the
North Sea
Distribution of natural
resources on a global and
national scale
 Global variety &
distribution
 Minerals & fossil fuels
 Agriculture & forestry
 Natural resources in
the UK
Consumption of resources
 Global patterns of
consumption
 Global energy
consumption
 Global food
consumption
 Global fresh water
Skills
 I can use and interpret UK
and World maps showing
distribution of resources.
6A. Energy Resource Management 6B. Water Resource Management
Types of Energy Resources Development of renewable Global variation of fresh Meeting the demand
Pros & Cons energy resources water supply for water
Non-renewable (Finite)  Wind energy e.g. London Array Distribution of countries  Desalination
 Fossil Fuels  Hydro-electric Power (HEP) in:  Management
 Coal e.g. Itaipu HEP plant, Brazil &  Water Surplus disputes
 Oil Paraguay  Water deficit  Las Vegas Water
 Natural Gas  Solar Power e.g. Mojave Problems
 Nuclear (Renewable Desert, USA Causes of water stress
energy from a finite  Population growth How stakeholders can
resource) Development of non-renewable  Climate change manage energy
energy resources  Level of Development resources
Renewable energy  Oil reserves e.g. Athabasca tar Differences in Water  Individuals
 Wind sands, Canada consumption  Organisations
 Hydro-electric Power  Natural Gas – Fracking  Agriculture (Irrigation of  Governments
(HEP)  Nuclear Energy - Uranium crops)
 Solar  Industry (Cooling Case Study –
 Tidal & Wave Disputes over energy resources machinery, washing Sustainable water
 Geothermal  Fracking (Pros & Cons in USA) Management, UK
products)
Increase water use
 Biofuels  Should the UK introduce  Washing (Drinking &
 Build Reservoirs
fracking (Pros & Cons) Washing)  Extract more water
UK’s Energy Mix (2014)  Recycle Water
 Gas 34.1% How stakeholders can manage  Change in supply & Decrease water use
 Oil 34% energy resources Demand for water in  Water Meters
 Coal 16.4%  Individuals (Carbon footprint) Las Vegas  Cut use by farmers
 Nuclear 7.1%  Organisations  Education to use less
 Bioenergy 5.5%  Governments Water Supply problems in
 Wind & Hydro 1.9% Case Study – Sustainable
the UK
Case Study – Sustainable energy water Management, China
 Imports 0.9%  Rainfall imbalance
Management, China (Emerging) Hard engineering
 Seasonal imbalance  South-North Water
 China’s Energy Mix
Reasons for variations in  HEP – Three Gorges Dam  Ageing Infrastructure Transfer scheme
global energy mix Management Plan
 Solar Power – Gobi Desert  Effective Monitoring
 Population Water Supply problems in
 Water Irrigation
 Income & wealth Case Study – Sustainable energy emerging & developing  Environmental
 Availability of energy Management, Germany(Developed) Countries protection of freshwater
 Germany’s Energy Mix  Unsafe Water  Agriculture
supplies
 Wind – Norsee Ost farm  Pollution of water courses  Cities & Industry
 Growth of industry
 Solar Power – Bavaria Solarpark  Low annual rainfall: The
 Technological Advances Sahel
 Edexcel GCSE Geography A Checklist
Fieldwork & UK Challenges
This check list contains the following units:
7 – Geographical Investigation – Fieldwork
You must choose between
7A Physical – River or Coastal landscapes
7B Human – Rural or Urban environments

8 – Geographical Investigations – UK Challenges

This Symbol Indicates a skills you may be
expected to apply in the exam.
 7 Geographical Investigations 8 Geographical Investigations – UK Challenges

Stages of the Enquiry Process Resource Consumption & Sustainability UK Landscape Challenges
1. The Enquiry Question & Location of study  Changes to the UK Population Sustainable development in UK National Parks
2. Methodology – Range of techniques and  Pressure on UK Ecosystems  Conservation Apprentices
methods used in fieldwork  Agribusiness  Change transport habits
3. Data Presentation – Processing and presenting  Greenfield sites  Encourage local businesses to use
fieldwork data  Brownfield sites renewable energy sources
4. Analysing and explaining fieldwork data  Green Belt  Create more employment in national parks
5. Conclusion  Addressing the issue of consumption  Funding & investments to small businesses.
6. Evaluation and critical reflection of fieldwork
data, methods used, conclusions drawn and Sustainable Transport Options in the UK River Flood Risk in the UK
knowledge gained.  Public Transport Systems  Flooding resulting from
 Cycle Hire & Routes  Increasing population
Skills  Car Sharing  Changes in land use
 I can identify questions or issues for  Zero/low emission transport  Climate change
investigation.  Congestion Charge  Somerset Levels 2013/2014
 I can develop a hypothesis and/or key  Hard & soft engineering to manage
questions. Settlement, population & Economic flooding.
 I can consider appropriate sampling techniques Challenges
(Systematic vs random vs stratified).  The ‘two speed economy’ The UK coastal challenges
 I can consider health & safety and undertake Solutions  Storm Surges (December 2013)
risk assessment.  High Speed Rail 2 (HS2)  Addressing coastal flood risk
 I can select data collection methods and  Transport across Northern UK  Hard & soft engineering to manage
equipment to ensure accuracy and reliability.  Improve Northern Airport flooding.
The UK’s climate change challenges
 I can present my data using ICT and hand drawn connections  Changes to average temperatures
methods.  Pros & Cons of Brownfield &  Changes to average precipitation
 I can write descriptively, analytically and Greenfield
critically about my findings. Impacts
 I can write well evidences and informed Migration and the UK  Risk of drought
conclusions.  Patterns of migration change  Water deficits
 Reasons for migration  Ecosystems
 Migrants  Food supply (Local & global)
 Emigrant
 Immigrant Responses on an individual, local, national &
 Net Migration international scales.
 Views of different groups (Businesses,
local government)