Geography GCSE

Revision Tips

1.  Step One - PLC, Revisit the specification to assess your strengths and areas for development (Find PLCs for every topic in Google Classroom)

2. Step Two- BLANK PAGE - For the area you are revising,  write down everything you can remember on a blank piece of paper.  This active revision technique makes you think about what you have studied, what you can remember and helps you organise your knowledge and understanding.

3. Step Three - RECAP - Compare your blank page to your PLC.  Identify the gaps and spend time recapping the topic content.  You could read about the topic (using BBC bitesize, Your case study booklet, Internet Geography or Knowledge organisers found on google classroom).  or watch revision videos covering the areas you feel less confident about,

4. Step Four - REVISION - Use an active technique to produce a revision resource covering the topic you are revising.  Active revision techniques include revision cards, mid maps, sketch notes and revision clocks.  Do not copy or highlight text - these techniques have little impact on learning.

5. REVISION TECHNIQUE 1 - REVISION CARDS - 1 Make notes on an area of study.  This could involve highlighting information in a revision book or writing information out.  Effective Students avoid copying huge chunks of text.  They read the information - then summarise it.  2 Once you have gathered notes summarise your notes on revision cards - blank postcards or post-it notes are good for this.  You can then stick them all around your bedroom, toilet, bathroom etc.3 Read your revision cards through regularly.  Once you're confident about knowing the information write keywords about the topic on a card.  Then revise from these.

6. REVISION TECHNIQUE 2 - MIND MAPS - A mind map is a spider diagram that contains information in the form of pictures and text.  Mind maps can be used to plot information relevant to the different topics in geography.  When you create a mind map you should use lots of colur and include diagrams and sketches.  This makes the information more interesting to your brain.  Here are the stages of creating mind maps.  Stage 1 - In the centre of a piece of A4 paper identify the topic you are producing your mind map about. Stage 2 - You now need to draw the main topic braches.  These need to contain the main categories of information that will be included in your spider diagram.  You can use the What? When? Why? Where? So what? technique.  Stage 3 Finally you need to include the subcategories or detail to your mind map.

7. REVISION TECHNIQUE 3 - ASKING QUESTIONS WHEN TAKING NOTES- This technique involves asking questions when making notes.  What?, When? Why? Who and How?

8. REVISION TECHNIQUE 4 - CHANGE THE FORM OF THE INFORMATION:  Your text book contains a lot of information.  Some people can read this information and remember it!  If you find it hard to retain information that you read then do something with it! For example take a piece of text and transform it into a diagram.

9. REVISION TECHNIQUE 5 - TEACH IT! Another useful method of learning information is to try and teach someone else what you have learnt.  A good method to use is to write down the key points of what has been learnt over a set period e.g 3 lessons and try to teach the other person, who questions everything he or she cannot understand.

10. REVISION TECHNIQUE 6 WHAT WOULD YOU TELL YOUR BROTHER? Simplify some text about the topic you are revising and write down what you would tell someone younger than you.

11. REVISION TECHNIQUE 7- CONDENSE IT! 1 Read a paragraph of text and condense it into one sentence, 2 Read a paragraph of text and identify the six most important words.  Highlight them.

12. REVISION TECHNIQUE 10 - SEQUENCING - Photocopy a paragraph of text.  Cut up the sentences.  Mix them up then attempt to rearrange them order - this works well for the formation of physical features through process e.g the formation of a wave cut platform. a waterfall or the formation of a tropical storm.

13. REVISION TECHNIQUE 12 - PODCASTING Use software like Audacity or Garageband to create a MP3 you can upload to your phone .  Then revise on the move.

14. REVISION TECHNIQUE 13 - TESTING TIMES - Get a friend or member of your family to ask you questions.

15. REVISION TECHNIQUE 14 - RAM BAM (read a  minute - Bullet a minute)  Reading though notes without a purpose is DULL and ineffective.  Set yourself a traget of scanning (not close reading) a page or two in a minute.  Close the book and then write in a minute (or a bit more) ALL that you can REMEMBER.

16. Step Five REVIEW: Review your learning.  Start by completing quizzes (Seneca/Quizzlet/Internet Geography google forms) to check your understanding.  Next attempt past exam questions to practice applying your knowledge and understanding.  Finally revisit your PLC and update it.  Still got gaps? Do more revision!

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