Topic title: Carbon and Water cycles
Year group: 13
When taught: September to February
What are we learning?
- Carbon and water cycles as natural systems
- Water cycle
- Global distribution of water and the characteristics of the major stores
- Processes driving change within the water cycle on a global and local scale (Hill slope and Drainage basin)
- Concept of dynamic equilibrium in the cycle
- Drainage basins as an open system and the concept of balance
- Runoff variation and flood hydrographs
- Changes in the water cycle over time – natural and human
- A case study of a river catchment (R. Wye) at a local scale to illustrate the water balance and the impact of flooding/water abstraction on the basin
- Carbon cycle
- Global distribution of carbon and the characteristics of the main stores
- Factors driving change in the carbon cycle – temporal and spatial.
- Change in the carbon cycle over time – natural and human
- The carbon budget
- Water, carbon, climate and life on Earth
- Key roles of both cycles in supporting life on earth.
- Relationship between the water and carbon cycles in the atmosphere and feedback loops associated with interruptions to dynamic equilibrium
- Climate change and its implication for all life on Earth
- Human interventions designed to influence carbon transfers and mitigate the impacts of climate change
- A case study of a Tropical Rainforest ecosystem (The Amazon) to show the interrelationship between the water and carbon cycle, their relationship to environmental change and human activity.
Why is this important to know?
- An understanding of the dynamic nature of Earth’s physical processes and systems is needed to be able to understand and explain climate change and its present and potential impacts.
- Humans interact with Earth’s physical processes in a variety of places and at a range of scales.
- Considers the direct and indirect effects of human interaction with the Earth and the atmosphere. This includes students’ own interaction i.e. their own carbon footprint, role they play from shaping national policy to the impacts of decisions made on a day-to-day basis.
- There is a need for management strategies governed by sustainability and the need to return to a dynamic equilibrium.
Where does this link into our past and future learning?
- This topic links and deepens learning within the other A level modules, encourages the development of synoptic linking – Coastal landscapes (marine transgression and regression), Hazards (impact on frequency and areas affected by tropical storms but also mitigating and adapting to climatic hazards associated with climate change). There are also strong synoptic links to Global Systems and Global Governance in terms of the mitigative actions and adaptation strategies.
- The learning from this unit closely links with units covered at KS4 particularly Hazards, coastal landscapes, Urban Environments (flood management/urban growth and development) and resources (energy, water and food)
- In terms of future learning, the unit plays a vital role in creating global citizens, who are aware of how their actions and the actions of others will create a disturbance in global dynamic equilibrium. They will also have a clear idea of the need to mitigate and adapt to future challenges.
How will we be assessed on this topic?
- Assessment and feedback through the use of exam style questions within lessons/homework tasks. Mid and end of unit assessments (based on AQA past exam papers) and a full mock exam (based on AQA past exam papers)
What makes a strong piece of work in this topic? What are teachers hoping to see?
- Strong AO1 – Knowledge and understanding of places, environments, concepts, processes, interactions and change, at a variety of scales
- Strong AO2 – Application of knowledge and understanding in different contexts to interpret, analyse and evaluate geographical information and issues.
- Strong AO3 – analysis and evaluation of the theory, case studies and resources presented (seen in lesson and unseen (exam paper based))
- Synoptic linking and thinking – being able to see the connective tissue between (and within) the units we cover.
- Being able to bring in and demonstrate a relevant wider understanding, developed through wider reading and research, within written responses.
- Use detailed case study knowledge in support of points in 9 and 20 mark responses
- A knowledge of the different question styles and the ability to tailor your responses to this.
What key words are there in this topic?
What can I try if I want to stretch and challenge myself on this topic?
- Regularly re-read and review your work. Use the specification to help make revision notes for each section.
- Complete past exam questions on this unit. Click here – this platform makes accessing papers and mark schemes more straight forward than the AQA site)
- Read through the answers and commentary offered by AQA on responses completed on paper 1 – click here read the comments and use this to improve your own exam technique.
- Watch or read the news – Flooding, river management, climate change and how we should tackle it are all hot topics. News stories can be used within your exam responses.
- Visit the River Wye and carry out research on the basin
- Research what the main outcomes/agreements from the last COP conference were.
What wider reading can be done on this topic?
Does, R. (2006) Extreme Floods: A History in a Changing Climate, Sutton Publishing
Fagan, B. M. (2001) The Little Ice Age: How Climate made History 1300-1850, Basic Books
Gore, A. (2006) An Inconvenient Truth, Bloomsbury
Halliday, S. (2004) Water A Turbulent History, The History Press
Lynas, M. (2008) Six Degrees: Our Future on a Hotter Planet
Pearce, F. (2007) When the Rivers Run Dry: What happens When Our Water Runs Out? Eden Project Books
Podcasts
‘The Geographical’ podcast
Radio 4: Net Zero: A Very British Problem
BBC World Service: The Climate Question
‘How to save a planet’ podcast (Spotify)
BBC ‘Inside Science’ podcast
Supporting document/links:
Found on Satchel – My Drive –A level – Geography
- File check lists
- Key words
- Specification
- Key lesson resources
