Geography

turbanfever

Ok so i'm going into 6th year after the summer. i'm doing geography at school but we are so far behind. We have a full class and the majority picked geog because its simple. the whole year, there wasnt a class that wasnt disrupted because of people talking (and teacher stops the class until they finish) or just not listening.
She said herself in march (i think) that we were behind and it went even more downhill since then! So i'm wondering if people could tell me what i should have covered by now? So i can learn it myself. I'm hoping to get an a in Higher, so any answers will be greatly appreciated!

Also we're using the book Planet and People. Would it be enough just to learn from this book? I saw on another thread how people didnt think it had enough detail? Does that mean it's not possible to get an A from it?

**Timbuk2**

No, I do not think that book has enough detail to get an A. My advice would be to comb through the exam papers very finely, and do out an answer (with at least 15 SRPs for 30 mark answers) for each topic, and then learn your answers. The book 'Exam Skills' by Sue Honan has sample answers written out to many of the past questions, and a lot of people (myself included) found it excellent (all of the answers in that book are A1-standard).

By the end of 5th year, we had all of the Physical Section done, and Geoecology (the option) finished. In 6th year, we did Regional Geography all the way up until the mocks, and after the mocks we did our elective (we did the Human elective). This left us with about 3 weeks to revise.

H2student

That's basically my class for two years. You're better off learning yourself. Look at the exam papers and you'll get an idea what you have to cover. Getting "Exam skills" as said timbuk2 is a good idea but I'm note sure if there would be a newer version next year hm...

**Timbuk2**

Just to add to my above post. Exam Skills doesn't cover every single topic - it just covers the most examined ones. If you look at the Geography papers, you will see many topics that come up year after year after year (examples are interaction with the rock cycle, interaction with coastal/fluvial processes, landform development etc.).

However, if I was a betting man, I would say that if you knew everything in exam skills (there are still quite a number of essays to learn!), you would have a good choice on the day. But I would still try and have a background knowledge of the less-asked topics, such as the small regions (e.g. industrial decline, islam world etc.)

Also, it's worth noting that if your school does the Culture and Identity or Ocean-Atmosphere Environment, they are not covered in the book - only Global Interdependence and Geoecology are covered, but they are the most common.

turbanfever

Thanks I'll definitely be getting that book.

By the end of 5th year, we had all of the Physical Section done, and Geoecology (the option) finished. In 6th year, we did Regional Geography all the way up until the mocks, and after the mocks we did our elective (we did the Human elective). This left us with about 3 weeks to revise.

this is the sort of info i was looking for we have only covered The Physical Section (CH 1 - 11) and a bit of regional (CH 14 and half of CH16) :eek:

I know we are doing the Human Elective because we bought the books but she took them off us at the start of 5th yr. We are going to be doing the Geoecology option. 3 weeks isnt very long and you had a lot more done it doesnt look like we'll get the course done by our exams let alone the mocks.

H2student

Well we only had 1/3 of the human elective and none of the geoecology done when the mocks came. Had to self study Geoecology which was pretty easy and actually scored the highest in that question o_O. (literally only 2 days of work)

We had one week to revise btw. Revision in class isn't going to help you to be honest. Most of the work involved is learning off material by yourself at home.

leg

I was in the same situation as you with less work done thanks to a crap teacher.
Start of 6th year i went throught the exam papers to see what comes up it really is very repitive. I then got the Sue Honan book and learned off answers for the entire 6th year 1 or 2 a week and your sorted.
I went into the exam with about 40 answers prepared and there wasnt a question i couldnt answer its not that hard a subject you just need to take the initiative

turbanfever

Thanks for all the replies! Looks like i have a long summer ahead of me if i wanna get the course finished!

monaghanmissus

**Timbuk2** wrote: »

The book 'Exam Skills' by Sue Honan has sample answers written out to many of the past questions, and a lot of people (myself included) found it excellent (all of the answers in that book are A1-standard.

couldn't agree more! absolutely amazing book!

Healium

turbanfever wrote: »

Thanks for all the replies! Looks like i have a long summer ahead of me if i wanna get the course finished!

No! Jesus H. Christ on a bike, NO!
Take your summer off and make the most of it. You have no idea how soul-crushing 6th year is. The only thing that will keep you sane are the memories of this summer, and telling yourself how you'll eventually have that much fun again! September-June is a long, LOOONG time. Even if you worked steady, and then really worked hard from the mocks, you could get your A

The___________

Be careful learning answers exactly from books like Exam Skills or Short-cuts to Success, the last thing an examiner wants to correct is 150 identical essays on Waterfalls or Interaction with the rock cycle!
Instead try to write your own answers use as many sources as you can this will help to make your answer stand out from the crowd-It will also help you to remember your answers better-you are far more likely to remember an answer that is your own work than one from an exams booklet.

spurious

Look at the SYLLABUS if you want to see what can be asked, not what has been in the past.