Student Book
Lesson plan Unit 1 What is a geographer? pages 8–9
Lesson 1.4 How can you write like a geographer to
describe places?
About the lesson This lesson is the third in a sequence of lessons about how to be an
effective geographer, a key theme of this unit. This is an important lesson
which establishes routines of reading questions and writing answers that
will be invaluable and crucial to progress throughout the activities in
Progress in Geography, as well as establishing routines vital to success at
GCSE level. The main focus is how to write like a geographer, responding
to guidance on how to do this. Pupils are introduced to the significance of
command words. Definitions of these are provided at the beginning of the
glossary, the importance of being familiar with these words in questions is
established.
The lesson provides advice on how to write like a geographer, including
using geographical terms and incorporating evidence in the writing. A
question, photo and description of Scarborough are provided to model a
piece of geography writing. Pupils are required to annotate a copy of the
passage to identify each of the tips provided. Pupils also use the writing to
identify features on a photo of Scarborough. The final activity requires
pupils to write a description of their own place using what they have learnt
from the passage and the guidance.
This lesson makes an important contribution to thinking like a geographer
progression strand, introducing pupils to one of the big ideas or concepts
of geography – place. It also introduces an important element of the
working like a geographer strand communication (see vision statement
flap and introduction page 1).
Prior learning Lesson 1.1 What is a geographer?
Lesson 1.2 How do you work like a geographer?
Learning Student Book pages 8–9
objectives Lesson presentation 1.4
Activity worksheet 1.4a general: What does a good geographical
description look like?
Activity worksheet 1.4b support: Describing the geography of your
local place
Activity worksheet 1.4c stretch: Thinking deeply like a geographer
1.4 Homework: How can you write like a geographer to describe
places?
Key geographical Interdependent, region
terminology
Command words compare, explain, list, write, describe
Linked activity Student Book pages 8–9
sheets Lesson presentation 1.4
Activity worksheet 1.4a general: What does a good geographical description
Progress in Geography: Key Stage 3 Second Edition Boost © Hodder & Stoughton Limited 2024 1
Student Book
Lesson plan Unit 1 What is a geographer? pages 8–9
look like?
Activity worksheet 1.4b support: Describing the geography of your local place
Activity worksheet 1.4c stretch: Thinking deeply like a geographer
1.4 Homework: How can you write like a geographer to describe
places?
Teaching the lesson
Episode Teaching guide and supporting Answers to student activity Time
resources questions
1 Create a need to know: 5 mins
Pupils look back at their answers to
Lesson 1.1 Activity 4 using enquiry
questions to describe a place – the
Fjallsjokull glacier in Iceland. They
compare their answer to the advice
about writing like a geographer.
Discuss which aspects of the advice
they did not do.
2 Learning objective: Activity 1 20 mins
To begin to write like a a) Command words are the words
geographer. in questions which indicate how
you should answer the question.
Introduce and read through the
question and passage and the b) Label a copy of the pupils’
advice given in A. descriptions.
Discuss how far the example answer c) Evaluate the pupils’ descriptions
follows the advice. of Scarborough.
Pupils complete Activity 1.
3 Learning objective: Activity 2 15 mins
To know about a big idea in 1 South Bay 2 Scarborough Castle
geography – place. 3 Castle Headland 4 Lighthouse 5
Introduce the concept of place. Pier
Pupils write a definition of place and
use the description to identify Activity 3
features on a photo of Scarborough. Areas, at a variety of scales,
Pupils complete Activities 2–4. having unique physical and human
characteristics interconnected with
other places.
Activity 4
Pupils list places they investigated
in their primary school.
Plenary Learning objective: Activity 5 20 mins
To know about a big idea in Pupils describe the geography of
geography – place their local place using the guidance
Progress in Geography: Key Stage 3 Second Edition Boost © Hodder & Stoughton Limited 2024 2
Student Book
Lesson plan Unit 1 What is a geographer? pages 8–9
To begin to write like a provided in the lesson.
geographer.
Progress in Geography: Key Stage 3 Second Edition Boost © Hodder & Stoughton Limited 2024 3
