Ideas and words to use in map skills questions….

• Describe and explain the shape of the built up area of Reading. Use evidence from the photograph and the Ordnance Survey map in your answer (6 marks)

Failure to do both would result in a maximum of 3 marks

What does it look like? Where does it go? Where does it not go?

In other words, the buildings – not the farmland or woodland, etc

Evidence? What does this mean on a map? Let’s have a look at the map on the

next slide!

Use Grid references

All of built up Area to North of

motorway Avoids these areasWHY?

Seems to be in 4Distinct pieces…

Nearly all to SouthOf this…

Distances?Direction?

On these questions…

Use distances - How? Use the scale! This is the most underused resource in GCSE Geography skills answers…

This is true not only of map skills Questions. On the other

Sections, if you are given a mapLook to use the scale if possible!

Use Grid References

Either Six figure or four figure…

On the previous question you could have said how far the settlement stretches across both from east to west and north to south in kilometres!

Direction…Are certain parts of the map more obviously clustered with

settlement or features than others? Equally, are there some areas where there clearly is very little? Don’t say top right, say North East! Don’t say bottom left, say South West!

Main lines of communication…

Settlements are not where they are accidentally! They usually follow clear patterns…

Are they found clustered around main roads?

Are they found near railway lines?

Do the settlements avoid the high ground?

Is the settlement on flat land?

Does the settlement look to avoid areas that could be prone to flooding?

ALSO CONSIDER SOUTHAMPTON Attractive features of Southampton.swf

Words you might see in the map skills exam questions…

DISTANCE – an obvious one, but check whether it is a straight line distance they want you to look at, or whether it is the distance by road or by rail, etc

RELIEF – Not just what you will feel when the exam is over! This refers to the height and shape of the land. How could you work this out? Contour lines, Triangulation pillars and spot heights all give you a good indication.

What about describing the relief?

Try to use the following words in your descriptions – examiners like them!

‘Gently sloping’ where the contours are far apart

‘steep’ where the contours are close together

‘Undulating’ where it seems to go up and down

DRAINAGE

This is often used in questions on relief – i.e. – Describe the relief and drainage found in the part of the map that stretches eastwards from Grid square 6545 to Grid square 6945.

OR Compare the relief and drainage in Grid Squares 6545 to 7865

SO WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?

Drainage means you need to look at the way water drains within a place.

Does it go eastwards, westwards, etc?

How many rivers can be found in the square?

How big (or wide) are the rivers?

Can you see tributaries or confluences?

The best answers will tie relief and drainage together. On the example above the river flows within the valley – flat land

….continued Clear patterns of drainage are shown on this map…

The tributaries cross steep slopes on their journey…

Drainage Basin features

Drainage basin features.swf

Settlement Patterns…Settlement shapeAs well as coming in a variety of sizes, settlements also come in a variety of shapes.Settlements usually develop in a particular pattern (but not always). A nucleated settlement is where the buildings are clustered around a central point, e.g. a bridge or market square. A linear settlement is where the buildings are arranged in a line - usually along a river or road. A dispersed settlement is where the buildings are spread out or scattered. Dispersed settlements are often found in remote, sparsely-populated areas.

What about comparing?To compare, according to the English Dictionary is…• 1. To consider or describe as similar, equal, or analogous; liken.• 2. To examine in order to note the similarities or differences of.

What words do you need to use to DIRECTLY compare?

Differences… Similarities

X is ____ whereas Y is____

Similarly…

X, on the other hand Both X and Y are alike in that

In contrast… X also has…

Examples of good and bad practice…Compare the relief and land uses in grid squares 7877 and 6677 4 marks

Student A: Grid Square 7877 has a school in the middle. It has a road running from top to bottom. Grid Square 6677 has a river running from the left to the bottom and a farm in the top right..

WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS? HOW MANY MARKS WOULD YOU GIVE IT?

Examples of good and bad practice…Compare the relief and land uses in grid squares 7877 and 6677 4 marks

Student B: Grid Square 7877 has a road running from north to south. Along this road is a school alongside a railway running from the North west to the south of the square, whereas in 677 there are no main roads or railways. To the south-east of the square there is housing, whereas 6677 has only got one piece of evidence of settlement, Bottom Farm in the North east of the square. However, this is one similarity in that they both have a far. In terms of relief, 7877 is fairly flat, with no real contour lines, and a spot height of 38m. In contrast, 6677 is higher and steeper, especially in the North east of the square where the contour lines are very close together.

WHAT IS RIGHT WITH THIS? HOW MANY MARKS WOULD YOU GIVE IT?

MAPS GIVE PATTERNS…

Describe the pattern of roadsshown on the map

The best preparation for your map skills section is…

PAST PAPERS…

We have lots of these – see me for past examples and the OS map inserts.

Practice makes perfect, but also practice makes permanent!