Class Revision

First day of revision today in class. Limestone features - ensure you can label all the features and differentiate betweeen surface and underground landforms. The block diagram should be very familiar to you by now. Your mapwork skills are good but don't forget there is an O.S. map in the text book - use it when revising limestone.
A reminder about the BBC limestone web site - follow the link below for excellent interactive diagrams, questions and information. Don't miss out on using it as a very useful revision tool.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/education/int/geog/limestone/index.shtml
Tomorrow formation of specific features - the rerun or should I say the resurgence !

Psammosere fieldwork

Weren't we lucky with the weather today ? It was the best possible conditions to see the development of sand dune systems. I hope it has really helped you to understand the theory. We did not see many flowering plants but at least you have now seen marram grass for real. I hope it will help you to recall the adaptations discussed in class. As usual you were a delightful group to take out and we have collected lots of data to put into our spreadsheets tomorrow. I hope you enjoyed the fieldwork and it will help with your revision of the Biosphere topic. Here are some photos to remind you.

Standard Grade Hints

Well IV S a post especially for you in the last week before study leave starts.

Tomorrow we will speak about the format of the exam. Here is a reminder.
Standard Grade - General paper 1 hour 25 minutes
Credit paper 2 hours

We have done lots of mapwork and you can answer these type of question well- be confident. Remember all we have said about always including grid references especially if it specifically asks for map evidence. It is good practice to do so anyway.
Whilst you are at home revising remember to use your revision booklets, your own notes and add a little bit of variety by looking at revision web sites.

Standard Grade Bitesize produced by the BBC is useful

http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/education/bitesize/standard/geography/

Danny Mcneil at Scalloway High School has a great site with interactive quizzes. We used it in class a while ago but check it out again
http://www.scalloway.org.uk/

I have prepared the topics you wished to cover in class this week and you can still come into school next week if you have any queries or email me directly. I will reply as soon as I can.

Psammoseres -video and plant names

We have spoken today of the characteristics of psammoseres and of the specific features we may see when completing our fieldwork next week. The task for the next few days is to learn the plant names although it may not seem like Geography it is an essential part of a good answer. Don't forget the excellent posters and information sheets produced by the Macaulay Institute on psammoseres and of course also on soils. Remember the Biosphere unit of work also incorporates the Soil topic we looked at earlier in the year

http://www.macaulay.ac.uk/soilposters/index.html

The Higher Still video aims to show a typical sand dune transect whilst also demonstrating a variety of fieldwork methods. Can you recall the methods shown ? Which ones will we use ? Which of the methods seemed to be very time consuming ? How could the data collected be processed ?

Lastly tonight - our favourite quick fire questions - only 5 as it is Friday night.

1. Name 3 different types of sere ?
2. Name 2 sand dune systems in Scotland ?
3. What is an embryo dune and where would you find it ?
4. Where would you find a slack ?
5. Name one plant you could find on a fixed dune.

( O.K. 6 questions)

Have a good weekend !

Seres - link to angels ??

We have been talking with the Higher class today about the Biosphere section of work. We completed soils back in September but are now coming to complete the course by studying psammoseres (sand dune systems.) Some of the terminology was new and over the next few lessons we will be looking at the specific conditions under which these seres develop. This links in with the fieldwork we will complete next week.

The seres mentioned today included hydrosphere, lithosere, xerosere, psammosere and of course halosere ( hence the angel clue). Can you recall the meaning of all the terms ?

The link below will take you to a fantastic powerpoint shown at the Dalkeith Pupil Conference in March about psammoseres

http://highergeogblog.blogspot.com/2007/03/higher-pupil-conference.html

Welcome to Room G

Well finally I have taken the plunge and started a blog. The name I have chosen will be obvious to you all. I hope you will find it useful and that we can have fun using it to further our Geographical knowledge ( and my ICT skills !)

I hope you have enjoyed the Easter holidays and to IV, V & VI S that your revision has gone well.

As some of you know we headed to the Yorkshire Dales to have a closer look at the limestone features. I will include some of the (many) photos I took for you to see. The Higher class should be able to name some of the features shown in the photographs.

Could you add labels to the photographs ?

What is this feature ?

Gordale Scar

If you get the opportunity to visit the Yorkshire Dales you should do so as there is plenty to see and do there, especially if you like the "great outdoors."