Monday 19 December 2011

Cold Environments Possible Questions

Hi all,
I have been putting together initial ideas for possible questions. I have put the document on the A2 Cold Environments Page. Check you open up the correct link.
Also, see the post below for a link to a powerpoint which takes you through what to revise and the post below that has new links added to it for periglacial landscapes in the UK.
Please email me if you need help or have any questions.
Miss H

Cold Environments Jan 2012 What to revise!

Hi all,
I have tried to put together on the PPT (link below) a summary of what you need to look at over the holidays. In particular, it focuses on what the focus means by 'differing scales' and on the last two slides I have broken down the aspects you need to look at over the hols.

https://docs.google.com/present/edit?id=0AYcjglZYANJ9ZGZ2czhwZnJfNDM4aHJiMmJrY3Y

Monday 12 December 2011

Cold Environments Links

Some of the links from the sheet:
http://www.donsmaps.com/icemaps.html
http://www.geography-fieldwork.org/icefieldwork/glacial/stage3.htm
http://eprints.whiterose.ac.uk/911/1/clarkcd1.pdf
http://www.eco-challenge-xtra.org/fieldstudies/documents/vol10.2_271.pdf
http://www.geographypages.co.uk/a2cold.htm
http://bgrg.org/pages/education/alevel/coldenvirons/Lesson%2011.htm
http://qra.org.uk/outreach/educational_links
http://www.thefsc.org/fieldstudies/documents/vol5.3_139.pdf
http://www.highlandsciencefestival.com/index.asp?pageid=100800
http://www.landforms.eu/cairngorms/

Other links (mainly periglacial landscapes starting points);
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Periglacial-Processes-Landforms-Britain-Ireland/dp/0521169127#reader_0521169127
http://www.devon.gov.uk/bap-periglaciallandscapes.pdf - good starting point for Devon periglacial landscapes
http://www.geog.cam.ac.uk/research/projects/cambridgethermokarst/
http://www.cairngormslearningzone.co.uk/periglacial-processes.html
http://brian-mountainman.blogspot.com/2010/12/periglacial-landscape-change-eastern.html
http://jncc.defra.gov.uk/pdf/gcrdb/GCRsiteaccount2284.pdf

Friday 9 December 2011

COLD ENVIRONMENTS FOCUS EXAM 2012

The focus for the exam is below and then underneath it I have given you some guidance about the terms you need to be aware of and have given your 4 summary questions which you can start finding out the answers to from your folders. Please bullet point answers to these questions before your next Geography lesson.

Research Focus

OPTION 2: Cold Environments – Landscapes and Change

• Explore the processes which shaped the landscape during the Pleistocene within a region such as the British Isles.

• Research the wide variety of landscapes and landforms created at differing scales by glacial and periglacial processes within a chosen region.

Key terms to begin your preparation:
Pleistocene
Glacial processes
Periglacial processes
Glacial landscapes
Glacial landforms
Periglacial landscapes
Periglacial landforms

Key questions to answer:
1) What is the Pleistocene (epoch)? What time period does it include? What was the distribution of cold environments during this time (ensure you include glacial and periglacial)?
2) What are the key glacial processes which would have been at work during this time?
3) What are the key periglacial processes which would have been at work during this time?
4) What landforms did these processes create in glacial and periglacial landscapes?

Wednesday 23 November 2011

Energy Report Questions

Introduction: What is the background to the issues? Russia’s role as a key oil and gas exporter and Europe’s, China’s and Japan’s thirst for energy.


Russia and Europe
• What were geopolitical causes of tension between Russia and Ukraine?
• What happened during the crisis (2006, 2009 and 2007 in Belarus)
• Why is it predicted that it will never become a ‘full blown’ crisis?
• What is Europe doing to try and not be so reliant on Russia?


Russia, China and Japan (ESPO oil pipeline)
• Why are China and Japan so concerned about the ESPO oil pipeline? Why do they need this pipeline to succeed?
• Why did Russia agree to continue it to the Pacific Coast? What has Russia done to keep China on side? Why did they think this was important to do?


Conclusion: is Russia producing a more energy insecure world?

Russia and Energy Security

http://www.allbusiness.com/government/elections-politics-campaigns-elections/11509006-1.html
http://en.rian.ru/russia/20090217/120190194.html
http://csis.org/files/media/csis/events/080226_ruseura_itohppt.pdf

Tuesday 15 November 2011

Energy Questions for Homework

The questions are below - treat each of them like a 5 or 6 mark question.
1) What happened to the amount of energy demanded by China and India? What is projected to happen to demand in the next 50 years?
2) Why, at present, is China demanding more energy?
3) How is China fulfiling it's demand for energy? Why can India not follow in it's footsteps?
4) What are the possible energy futures for each country?

Some links which might help:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4715980.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/4716528.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/7189539.stm
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/02/world/asia/02india.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=thirsting%20for%20energy%20in%20indias%20boomtowns%20and%20beyond&st=cse
http://www.energybusinessreports.com/shop/item.asp?itemid=1398&affillink=ebd

Friday 4 November 2011

13 D Cold Environments Work for Monday's lesson

Hi all,
while I am away on Monday please could you complete the following. Our case study is Alaska and one of the challenges/ opportunities is the drilling for oil. We are going to look a great deal of detail about ANWR in the north but today I want you to examine the risk of oil spills as a consequence of transporting oil in this part of the world.
Exxon Valdez Oil Spill - answer the questions below (bullet points are fine)
1) When did the spillage take place?
2) Why did the spillage happen?
3) What was the environmental cost of the spill?
4) How much oil leaked from the tanker?
5) How does the Exxon accident compare with other spills?
6) How big an area was affected?
7) Why was the spillage so difficult to clear up?
8) What methods were used to clean up the spill?
9) What were the estimated costs of the spill?

These websites might help:
http://www.solcomhouse.com/valdez.htm
http://www.eoearth.org/article/exxon_valdez_oil_spill
http://www.afsc.noaa.gov/Quarterly/jas2001/feature_jas01.htm
http://www.evostc.state.ak.us/
The last website has an excellent video which lasts about 20 mins.

Wednesday 2 November 2011

Year 13 Superpowers Homework

Hi all,
below are the questions I would like you to answer for homework. Let me know if you are unsure about any of them.
1.Suggest and justify a set of criteria for defining what is a superpower
2.Examine the ways in which superpowers exert their influence
3.To what extent have the ways of maintaining power changed over time?
4.Explain and illustrate what is meant by ‘cultural imperialism’
5.In what ways are the old core countries threatened by the new superpowers
6.‘The tensions between today’s superpowers are economic rather than political’. Discuss

Friday 22 July 2011

Hong Kong - for Dan!

Hi Dan,
below is what I would recommend to do. It will be really, really, really hot so look out for air con opportunities!

1) Man Mo Temple on Hong Kong island - easy walk from The Peak
2) Big Buddha and Po Lin monastery - out of the city but well worth a visit, can be quite busy
3) The Peak - view over the city
4) Going up the Bank of China (but you need id to get up there)
5) We went to the Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery but it is a massive set of steps to get up to it and it was soooooo hot.

I hope you have an amazing time,
Miss H

Year 12/13 Cold Environments Summer Homework

The list of links below take you to a variety of different articles about aspects of cold environments. Choose 4 to read and make notes on. Challenge yourself, don't just go for the easy option!

History of our Earth and the Quaternary Period

http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/earth/earth_timeline/quaternary_ice_age about the Quaternary period and ice ages. Don’t just read the text, also watch the 3 video clips.

http://www.dhushara.com/Biocrisis/10/sept/ice.pdf - the history of life on Earth

Climatic causes of cold environments

http://www.coolgeography.co.uk/A-level/AQA/Year%2012/Cold%20environs/Distribution/Distribution%20cold%20environments.htm- distribution of cold environments

http://www.scienceblog.com/community/older/2002/B/20026267.html - impact of changing ocean currents on our climate.

http://planetearth.nerc.ac.uk/features/story.aspx?id=136 – the impact of solar activity on the earths climate.

http://planetearth.nerc.ac.uk/features/story.aspx?id=100 – how small changes around the world can have a dramatic impact on the earth’s climate.

http://planetearth.nerc.ac.uk/news/story.aspx?id=788 – impact of volcanic eruptions on earth’s climate.

http://science.jrank.org/pages/47865/Milankovich-cycles-climate-change.html Detailed information about the Milankovich Theory.

http://bgrg.org/pages/education/alevel/coldenvirons/Lesson%202.htm - climate of cold environments - causes and actual climate figures

Case Study information
http://www.discoveringantarctica.org.uk/alevel_2_2.html detailed information about Antarctica’s climate

http://www.discoveringantarctica.org.uk/alevel_1_4.html Ice sheets and glaciation linked to Antarctica

http://planetearth.nerc.ac.uk/features/story.aspx?id=208 the impacts of climate change on the Arctic

Cold Environments Landforms and Landscapes (in preparation for Sept work)

http://books.google.co.uk/books?hl=en&lr=&id=j4Icc5p5wOIC&oi=fnd&pg=PR5&dq=periglacial+environents&ots=FzpLJtJPid&sig=MFMv7QrfFN_WP7RRH9mUVZ3tWWA#v=onepage&q&f=false- skim read chapters 2 and 3 about periglacial environments

http://www.devon.gov.uk/bap-periglaciallandscapes.pdf - short article on Snowdonia

http://daac.gsfc.nasa.gov/geomorphology/GEO_9/GEO_CHAPTER_9.shtml - Glaciers and glacial landforms

http://www.gg.rhul.ac.uk/MScQS/Web-projects/166/index.html - landforms in one area of Scotland, look at all the tabs on the left of the page.

http://www.the-cryosphere.net/5/13/2011/tc-5-13-2011.pdf - Pingos in Canada

http://www.journalofmaps.com/article_depository/europe/Lukas_geomorphology_1130310648.pdf - landforms in Scotland

http://www.devon.gov.uk/bap-periglaciallandscapes.pdf- Periglacial landforms in Devon

Friday 1 April 2011

OPEC

The problem with OPEC? http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/country_profiles/7739320.stm - go down to the bottom of the article and read the ‘issues’ Wikipedia – OPEC – read the third paragraph and the paragraph under ‘Production Disputes’ Why do you think OPEC fears it’s influence will reduce in the future?

Nagoya - Biodiversity Management

Extra reading: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/oct/29/biodiversity-talks-ministers-nagoya-strategy http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/news/351060,conference-adopts-nagoya-protocol.html Try to summarise the articles using the hierarchy method.

Tuesday 22 February 2011

13D Mr Osborne Work

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1v4GXY7W6z6nxroBHC6d38DedR7DgI0I8J_NxFnj-PrA/edit?hl=en&authkey=CNzm710

1) 1) Use the maps above (LINK) to describe the distribution of coral and mangrove. In your answer ensure that you make reference to:

· Latitude

· Sea areas

· Names of countries

2) 2) Explain the nature of the SYMBIOTIC relationship that exists between coral and mangrove swamps.

3) 3) CASE STUDY.

Go to the following web site and make your own notes on the way tourist development at Cancun has meant disaster for mangroves and coral.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/dec/09/cancun-mangrove-paradise-megasprawl

Wednesday 16 February 2011

13B Work

Your work for this week and the holidays!
1) Look at your biosphere health map from the Red List and pick 2 or 3 places from the map. Find out why those areas are experiencing a loss of plant and animal species. Be ready to feed this back in a quick seminar when we get back.
2) Open the powerpoint from the link below. Print off the first slide which shows the different threats which affect the biosphere. Find an example from around the world where each of these threats is having an impact. You don't need a different country for each one but make sure you know what a little bit of detail to explain what is happening.
3) The second slide has some of the threats in the middle. Print off the slide and then add in the outer ring the underlying causes of those threats e.g. population rise.

Link to ppt: https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B4cjglZYANJ9NTNlM2Y3MmItOGQ0MC00N2RhLTk2OTEtY2Q1MTIxNDZjY2Ey&hl=en&authkey=CPmZ3o4K


The image on the second slide does not seem to be working so it is this image:

Friday 4 February 2011

Year 13 cover work - for 13B

1) Using this link: http://www.starfish.ch/reef/hotspots.html add on the marine hotspots to the world map we sketched in the first lesson.
2) Using the information from this website and other research pick 2 marine hotspots - explain why they have been declared as hotspots, what are their key characteristics and why they are under threat.
3) We will be looking at coral reefs and the value of coral reefs in the next lesson - find an article about coral reefs and their value for both human and the physical environment, read it and be ready to summarise it at the start of Thursday's lesson.

Any probs, email me.

Biodiversity Links

Websites below are the useful links for the lesson and homework:
www.starfish.ch/reef/hotspots.html
http://www.biodiversityhotspots.org/Pages/default.aspx

Friday 7 January 2011

Possible Questions for Cold Environments

Follow the link below to possible questions for the cold environments exam. I will add more as I think of them!

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ofAMo61q0xIkFvT43osj7_DfsMlFK7NR1GByb8hcUfE/edit?hl=en&authkey=CL-oq-sD