Geography

During the Summer I would like you to build up a research file about the geographical impact of the Coronavirus pandemic. You would be expected to link different impacts of the virus to elements of the A level Geography course in your essay-writing and they will obviously be discussed during lessons. Therefore, you will need to be watching and reading the news daily and selecting articles from a variety of news sources to build up your file. I have listed some of the Eduqas A level Geography course units below and suggested some links between the impact of the virus and what you will be studying over the next two years.

Changing Places is a compulsory theme and focuses on places and their dynamic characteristics. This will involve consideration of both economic and social change, with a focus on students’ ‘home’ place, and how and why ‘remaking’ of places occurs

• How will urban areas be impacted by the economic impacts of the virus? Many retail outlets, restaurants etc. may be forced to close in the coming months. Research examples of these impacts in towns and cities around the country.
• Will this present new opportunity for smaller, independent businesses in the future? This is already being discussed in Salisbury – what will the Debenhams store in the Market Place be used for once it has been closed?
• How will rural areas of the UK be impacted? Could there a boost for the tourism industry if more people holiday in the UK rather than travel abroad? How could an extended lock-down impact upon rural communities this Summer?
• Global systems considers the key role played by the water and carbon cycles in supporting life on Earth.
• Find examples of the impact of the virus on global air pollution and climate change. This may be one of the few positives!
• Global Governance considers global change and challenges through a study of global migration and the governance of the Earth’s oceans, including contemporary issues of refugee movements and managing ocean pollution.
• Recent news reports have suggested that refugees are being prevented from entering European countries under lockdown and that the virus is spreading more rapidly through refugee camps than in other places. Do some research on this.

Development in an African Context – This option has been designed to make links between physical and human geography and to focus on people-environment interactions in Africa. Students will develop in-depth knowledge, critical understanding and an overview of the concepts and issues underpinning the geographical changes currently taking place on the continent.

• Although Africa has reported fewer than 20,000 coronavirus cases so far, the (WHO) has warned the continent could see as many as 10 million cases in three to six months – a number which would severely overwhelm health services. This will severely impact on the developmental progress that many African nations have made in the last decade.
• Choose two sub-Saharan African countries and monitor the social, economic and environmental impacts of the spread of the virus over the coming months – keep evidence in your research file.

The list above is by no means comprehensive and if you find something that is relevant then please include it in your file.
The link to the Eduqas A level Geography website can be found below: https://www.eduqas.co.uk/ed/qualifications/geography-as-a-level/#tab_overview
Feel free to get in touch with me if you have any questions about either the transition work or the course content in general: ajt@bws.wilts.sch.uk  (Mr A. Toner – Head of Geography)

Geography Reading List 
Some suggested titles - please don’t feel that you must purchase any of these books, but if you do then let me know what you thought of it. They are all either directly or indirectly linked to the A level course at BWS. The ‘very short introductions’ are usually very entertaining to read and can be found on Amazon (other booksellers are available) for around £5 each.

• Brown, L. (2017) The Volcano, Montserrat and Me: Twenty years with an active volcano
• de Blij, H. (2012) Why Geography Matters More Than Ever
• Dodds, K. (2019) Geopolitics: A very short introduction, 3rd Edition. Oxford, OUP.
• Dorling, D. (2015) Inequality and the 1% - Verso
• Jones, R. (2016) Violent Borders: Refugees and the Right to Move
• Koser, K. (2016) International Migration: A very short introduction. Oxford, OUP.
• Marshall, T. (2015) Prisoners of Geography, Elliot and Thompson Ltd
• Maslin, M. (2014) Climate Change: A very short introduction. Oxford, OUP.
• Matthews, J. and Herbert, D. (2008) Geography: A very short introduction. Oxford, OUP.
• Oppenheimer, C. (2011) Eruptions that Shook the World. Pearce, F. (2007)
• When the Rivers Run Dry: What happens When Our Water Runs Out? – Eden Project Book
• Redfern, M. (2003) The Earth: A very short introduction. Oxford, OUP.