20 revision Ideas to Prepare Students for External Geography Assessment

Content Strategies for Whole Classes

Thanks to Ian McHale – Science facilitator for the template!

Strategy 1 – Alphabet Run Stand all students in class up. First student must name a key word on the topic starting with ‘A’. If not relevant or they cannot answer within time limit of 10 secs

they sit – if OK they remain standing. Second student then names a key word starting with ‘B’ - continues around the class. Only those standing play until one remains who is the winner!

Strategy 2 Spotlight Choose one pupil to stand at the front under the spotlight. The rest of the class should quickly write the numbers 1 to 10 in rough. Ask the pupil in the spotlight a series of ten questions. The rest of the class should put ticks, crosses or question marks next to

each number if they think his/her answers are correct, wrong or ‘not sure’. Once the questions are over the teacher can go through the answers and the class signal tick, cross or not sure. They could hold

up the traffic lights to make it quick. This allows you to monitor how much of the topic has been understood.

Strategy 3 Guess Who Write a series of names/elements/features/processes/environments/terms on post-it notes. Sit the class in a circle and stick the post-it notes on their foreheads so they can’t read them. Each pupil takes it in turns to ask question to ascertain who, or what, they are. If the answer to the question is yes they get another

go, if it is no then the next person has a turn. The first person to guess is the winner but better to keep going until all are guessed.

A variation is to get one person at the front of the class facing their peers under the whiteboard. Put the name of the feature/ process/ key word on the board and they have to ask questions with a yes/no answer and see how many tries it takes to discover who they are.

Strategy 4 Hide ‘n Seek – Create around 30 cards with half having the name of a geographic term and the other its meaning based around a geographic

topic you have studied. Put students in pairs First complete a matching pairs so they know what the terms are. Then get students to place the cards face down in a random order on the table. They take it in turns to turn over 2 cards to try to

find the pair. If they get it correct they keep the pair. If they get it wrong they put it back as it was and their partner has a try. Person with most pairs at the end is the winner.

Strategy 5 Quiz On lineSign up to quizlets (free for teachers) and create flash or matching cards for your students on the topics you have studied at http://quizlet.com/teachers. There is a whole range of these that have already been done so do a search first! Students then can click on these and see how many they can answer. It will provide endless learning as long as what you put up is what you expect them to know. Too many facts and figures will put them off!

An alternative is to create cards like this yourself. While this takes ages to do it will keep students busy for ages and they enjoy being able to do this in pairs.

Even more exciting is socrative http://www.socrative.com/. This is also free for teachers. It allows you to make up a quiz for your students and also lets you see how they are doing or doing this as a race between different groups to add to the excitement. There are also many quizzes already done you can use.

Strategy 6 LinksThis is great especially at Level 2 and 3 looking for the links between elements/processes/features.

Put students into teams of around 10 Each pupil is given a card with a term /process/ element/ feature/ concept. Start with one person who goes around the group and tries to find a link between their card and the other persons. This can be an

interaction / they occur in a sequence/ in the same place etc. When done it moves to the next person until all completed. Student then writes 3 of the most important links for their card.

A variation is to do this with a whole class if you can come up with enough cards (eg natural processes environment at Level 3) They have to walk around the room talking to their peers about their cards until they find a ‘partner’. Once all pupils are partnered up they explain to the rest of the class why they think they are partners.

Strategy 7 Last Man StandingGet the class to stand up. The teacher makes several statements about a topic – students to raise right hand if True and left hand if False (this works best if students close their eyes so they cannot see how rest of class votes!). All who were wrong sit down. Keep going until there is one person left standing who is the winner!

Strategy 8 Class Dominoes

Prepare cards with 2 halves. At the top of the first card you write START. On the bottom half write a question to do with a topic. Put the answer at the top of the next card. Below that write down another question with the answer on the 3 rd card etc until you have completed as many cards as you have students in the class. At the bottom of the last card you write END. Give one card randomly to each class member. Person with the START card reads out their question and the one with the answer follows. The idea is to see if the whole class can keep the momentum going uninterrupted until they get to the end!

Strategy 9 Key BingoPut a list of around 20 key words to do with a topic on the board. Students have to draw a grid of 9 squares (3 x 3) and in each square write down one of the key words (different one in each square). You then draw out the name of the key word from a hat and give the meaning of it or a named example. If the student thinks they have the key word on their grid they cross it off. First to get all 3 in a line is a winner and then first to complete all 9 squares. Word of warning – it pays to check all squares have been filled in before you start or student will quickly learn to fill them in as you go!

Strategy 10 Fly SwatCome up with around 15 key words on a topic and put these names clearly on the whiteboard so they cover it all. Put students into 2 teams. Get the first pair up and give them a fly swat each (you can get these cheaply at the $2 shop or supermarket) and stand behind a line equidistant from the board. The teacher then gives a definition and the first to ‘swat’ the answer is the winner. The great thing about fly swats is there is always one that is first! Others in the team can yell out answers if needed.

For additional strategies look at ‘Revision Ideas” at http://secondarysocialscience.wikispaces.com/Revision

Answering Question Strategies for Whole Classes

Strategy 11 –Unpacking questions

Use the template on the next page run off at A3 size. Just paste new questions in the middle Students have to attempt the underlined sections first. Then attempt the question individually

Key IdeasUnpack the questionIdentify and highlight the key words

EssentialsWhat must you include in your answer?

OrganisationPlan how you will answer this

Student Exemplar:

IMPACT ON HUMANS AND THEIR RESPONSES

Read the following Geographic Concepts. Include specific references to them, as well as to the extreme natural event and to the environment of the case study (studies) you have named on page 6, to support your answers to this question.

Geographic ConceptsChange involves any alteration to the natural or cultural environment. As people interact with their environment, both are changed.Perspectives may influence how people interact with environments and the decision and responses that they make.

Fully explain how your named extreme natural event has affected the cultural environment. You may use diagrams, and include some of the ideas from the table below, to support your answer.

Language FeaturesGeographic TerminologyWhat geographic terms can you include in the answer?

ConceptsWhat concept(s) can you include and what do they mean?

Linking words & phrasesWhat linking words can be useful when explaining?

Specific informationWhat specific information can you include?

Write what the question means in your own words

In class Strategy 12 – Plan an answer using word targets before diving in

Word Targets – Aiming for good answers Answer

Could

Should

Must

Question

In class Strategy 13– Use your school acronym to write an answerThis is a question from a level 1

Make sure your answer is DEAD SEXY

This means in the whole answer youDescribeExplainAdd a concept and aDiagram

In each paragraph you haveStatementElaborationeXampleYour reason why

Population distribution can be influenced by BOTH natural (physical) factors and cultural factors. Some of these are listed in the table below.

Natural (physical) Cultural

ClimateRelief

(landforms)ResourcesSoil fertility

Economic

Historical

PoliticalSocial

Fully explain why the population is located where it is in your named country or region.

Strategy 14 Choice

This is a useful strategy where students have to make decisions about the content they will use. It therefore works best at Level 2 or 3. It helps to get students more aware of the needs of planning and the introduction.

Put students into groups of 3-4. Give each an A3 copy of the sheet on the next page with a question inserted into the first box. For example:

Level 2 Name ONE group or individual who interacts with your chosen large natural environment. Fully explain how this group or individual

interacts with your chosen large natural environment

Level 3 Identify characteristics of a natural feature in your geographic environment. Comprehensively analyse how different interacting

natural processes have caused these characteristics of the feature.

Instructions then are to:

1. Brainstorm possible ways you could answer this question in the first box (ie which group? Which feature of the above)

2. Come to a valid decision on which of these you will use 3. Brainstorm ideas based on the decision you have made and put into the second box4. From your ideas decide which of them are a priority - circle the 3-4 you think most relevant. 5. Next formulate a plan – what order will you do this in? Put this in the 3rd box.6. Go through your introduction – what must be contained in a good introduction? Put this in the next box.7. Finally come up with a good introduction to the essay.

QUESTION:

CHOICE

PREFERENCE BRAINSTORM

PLAN What must go in the introduction

INTRODUCTION

In class Strategy 15 – Connecting wordsHave a good look at the connecting language below, this graphic comes from http://jamieleeclark85.wordpress.com/ other good ideas there

Now complete paragraphs about the following science ideas using connecting words from above

A contrasting paragraph about regions where the population is dense and regions where the population is sparse

A comparing paragraph about different environments effected by an ENE

An adding paragraph about why your case study environment is vulnerable to your ENE

An emphasizing paragraph about the significant effects of migration on places people go to.

A sequencing paragraph about the process(es) causing your ENE

An example paragraph about methods of population control

Alternatively write six paragraphs on one topic, e.g. the effects of your ENE on environments, Population change

A contrasting paragraph A comparing paragraph An adding paragraph

An emphasizing paragraph A sequencing paragraph An example paragraph

In class Strategy 16 - Talking to the Answer. Similar to talking to the text, unpack exemplar answers and annotate them with comments and questions

Possible questions or comments

What geographic terminology is used?What connecting words are used?What concept(s) are included?What specific information is used?Does the answer flow – can you write a plan for it?What else could you add to the answer?What surprised you?What will you not do that they did?What will you definitely do that they did?What grade do you think they achieved and why?

The NCEA site has numerous examples you can use at http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/ncea/assessment/search.do?query=Geography&view=exams&level=01

In class Strategy 17 What is the Grade?

This is similar but uses prepared answers

Hand out a series of answers of which one is at each level. See if the students can work out which is which and give reasons for their decision. There are several examples of these available at: http://secondarysocialscience.wikispaces.com/Revision

Strategy 18 – RISK

This is a strategy for students to use to check why they did not get an answer or did not answer to the level they could. Tell them to add the letters RISK to the bottom of the answer. Then go through it and check for the following:

R eading – Did they not read the question correctlyI nterpretation - Did they not interpret the question correctly. This could be not including correct command words or

not doing a diagram with correct conventions.S pecific information - Did they not use enough specific case study informationK nowledge Was it a question of not knowing enough about the topic

If students can work out what is at fault with an answer it will be much more beneficial than you telling them.

Strategy 19 - Pass the Buck –This aims to improve the quality of written answers.

Set a difficult question and give pairs a piece of A3 paper to answer on. Tell them to have a go at the answer within a time limit (eg 5 minutes). When the time is up the pair pass their answer to another pair who also pass theirs on. The pair must now read

the answer they have received, correct errors and add any ideas they think have been left off. After another 5 minutes the process can start again. After 3 goes the answers are passed back to the original pairs who have 5-10 minutes to review all the

corrections and additions. Hopefully the finished article will demonstrate how much can be done with proper attention to detail.

Variation – get the pairs to write an answer and then a different pair to mark it according to the mark scheme. They then return it to the original pair who re-draft the answer to hand it in to you.

In class Strategy 20 A picture says a thousand words…………

Put students into groups of 4 with a piece of A3 paper. Number each person in the group. While one person does the drawing other members of the group are able to advise. Time each task for 60 seconds and then it goes to the next member.

Number 1 comes to the front – you tell them to draw the outline only of an environment you have studied in class

Number 2 has to add specific place names to the outline

Number 3 has to annotate the map to answer a specific question

Number 4 has to check the map has its conventions (frame, title, key, North arrow, colour, scale etc)

Completed map is brought to the front and judged for the winner.

Variation

A variation of this is to provide a model answer for each of the 4 tasks. The student comes up and is given 1 minute to view the answer. They then back to the group and explain what it looks like for the others to draw! This has the advantage of modeling good practice.

Okay then smarty-pants! Try some previous years papers

Summary Notes

Make brief outlines of the key ideas.

Use mnemonics like FACKTS

Question & Answer cards

Put question on one side and the answer on the other.

Test yourself regularly.

Make a Poster

Flow chart of a process creating an environment.

Draw a process in action. Make a cartoon of the process. Illustrate all the factors

Make Your Own PodcastThen you can listen to your own voice!

Concept or Mind MapSee ideas at

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/graphicorganizers/