Geography at Banff Academy

Subject Specialist Teacher lead BGE Courses

These are under development and more information will be available at a future date.

This follows a National Geography light course. Sampling from each area and building the skills required to be successful at National 4/5 in the following years.

The topics we normally cover are:

• Weather

• Volcanoes

• Rio de Janeiro Favelas

• Glacial Formations

• Land uses within Glacial Landscapes

National Geography is offered at Levels 4 and Levels 5. The courses run alongside each other, covering the same concepts and ideas. The major difference between them is the assessment methods.

National 4 - Unit assessments which are not restricted by a time limit

National 5 - Multiple units within the one assessment which has a time limit specific to the number of marks in the assessment.

The topics and units we cover in National Geography are:

• Physical Environments

  • Glacial Landscapes

  • Coastal Landscapes (not 2020/2021)

  • Weather

  • Land Uses in a Glacial or Coastal Environment

• Human Environments

  • Urban Environments - Glasgow and Rio de Janeiro

  • Rural - Farming in the U.K. and India

  • Population

• Global Issues

  • Environmental Hazards - Volcanoes, Earthquakes, and Tropical Storms

  • Health (Not 2020/2021)

• Assignment - Not in 2020/2021

Higher Geography is available as a progression from National 5 Geography but is also possible as a crash course having not done Geography before.

The topics and units we cover in Higher Geography are:

• Physical Environments

  • Atmosphere

  • Biosphere

  • Hydrosphere

  • Lithosphere

    • Glacial Landscapes

    • Coastal Landscapes (not 2020/2021)

• Human Environments

  • Urban Environments -

    • Edinburgh

    • Rio de Janeiro

  • Rural

    • Rural Land Degradation

    • Rural Land Use Conflicts

  • Population

    • Collection of data

    • Consequences of Population structures

    • Forced and Voluntary Migration

• Global Issues

  • Climate Change

  • Development and Health - not 2020/21

• Geographical Skills

• Assignment - Not in 2020/2021

Advanced Higher Geography is a course that builds on everything learnt in Higher Geography. You need to of completed Higher to an excellent level to consider attempting the Advanced Higher course.

Advanced Higher is very self-directed and driven which would prepare you well for the type of learning you would encounter at University.

What you need to do at Advanced Higher:

Geographic Study

• • Worth 60/110% of your overall grade

  • 3000 words

  • An individually chosen project where you collect data, compile your information and create a report based on a self-created question or topic

Geographical Issues Essay

• • Worth 27% of your overall grade

  • 1800 words

  • An essay where you critically evaluate a current complex geographical issue using a wide range of sources and viewpoints.

Question Paper - Not in 2020/2021

• Map interpretation

• Gathering and Processing Techniques

• Geographical Data Handling