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Welcome to Geography!
The Mallaig High School Geography Department is located in one of the best places in the country to study the discipline of Geography. From our classroom, we have stunning views of the Small Isles, the Isle of Skye, and the Ardnamurchan Peninsula. Stretching out beneath us is the Sound of Sleat where boat traffic is an everyday sight. During tourist season, the steam train huffs and puffs beneath the cliff, a small reminder that this landscape captivates visitors as much as it does us.
Geography in Broad General Education (S1-3)
Geography forms a core subject of the Social Studies disciplines (alongside History and Modern Studies) within the Scottish Curriculum for Excellence. Throughout the Broad General Education (BGE) phase, pupils learn about the following topics:
S1: Introduction to Geography and Map Skills; Biomes (from the tundra to the tropical rainforest); Settlements.
S2: Earth Forces (tectonic plates, natural hazards); Development; Rivers.
S3: Weather; Urban Geography; Glaciation.
Useful links:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/z77pr82
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/levels/zvk2fg8
Geography in Senior Phase (S4-6)
Students pursuing Geography qualifications in Senior Phase typically take the subject between National 4 and Advanced Higher levels. These courses encourage students to develop their skills in literacy, numeracy, as well as map reading and conducting fieldwork.
National 4/5:
1. Physical Geography: Weather, Glaciation, Coasts.
2. Human Geography: Population, Urban Geography (cities such as Edinburgh and Mumbai), Rural Geography (farming).
3. Global Issues: Climate Change, Natural Regions (biomes).
4. Assignment: Researching a geographical topic, carrying out fieldwork (if applicable), and writing up an essay about the analysis of findings (this constitutes 20% of the final mark in this course).
Useful links:
https://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/47446.html
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/znbw2hv
https://www.internetgeography.net/national-5-geography/
https://timeforgeography.co.uk/
Higher:
1. Physical Geography: Lithosphere (glaciation and coasts), Hydrosphere (rivers and their landforms), Atmosphere, Biosphere (soils).
2. Human Geography: Population, Urban Geography (change in Edinburgh and Rio de Janeiro), Rural Geography (rural land degradation in the Sahel, land use conflict in the Lake District).
3. Global Issues: Climate Change, River Basin Management.
4. Assignment: Researching a geographical topic, carrying out fieldwork (if applicable), and writing up an essay about the analysis of findings (this constitutes 27% of the final mark).
Useful links:
https://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/47922.html
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/zmhs34j
https://timeforgeography.co.uk/
Advanced Higher:
1. Exam Paper based on: Physical and Human Geography Fieldwork Techniques; Data Processing Techniques (Statistics), Data Visualisation Techniques (Graphs and Maps).
2. Geographical Issue essay: 1,800 words on an issue chosen by the candidate.
3. Geographical Study essay: 3,000-word-long research essay that can be either desk-based or fieldwork-based.
Useful links:
https://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/48465.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ho62TKB8IAY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-nzrmpjyKU
https://timeforgeography.co.uk/video-collections/fieldwork-techniques/
Skills
The study of geography helps pupils develop the ability to handle complex sources of information straddling both the humanities and the sciences:
literacy: written and verbal communication
numeracy: data analysis and interpretation
map reading
data collection through fieldwork
critical thinking
problem-solving
Employability and career pathways
Geography helps people get into a wide variety of careers! These include, but are not limited to:
teaching and research
conservation
town planning
banking/finance
consulting
journalism/media
development/foreign aid work
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