The main topics covered during Year 9 are listed in the table below. Click on the topic you are interested in to view links to our recommended web sites.

Year 9: Rocks & Minerals

We start by studying the 3 groups of rocks:
1. Igneous rocks - e.g. basalt, granite.
2. Sedimentary rocks - e.g. limestone, sandstone.
3. Metamorphic rocks - e.g. marble, slate.

For each of the above groups, we look at their formation, characteristics and uses. We pay special attention to rocks of the local area, especially limestone (in preparation for our forthcoming fieldtrip - see National Parks topic, below). We also look at the 'building blocks' of rocks - minerals, including diamonds and other gemstones (xlick here for a list of birthstones).

Budding geologists should click here for the essential guide to rocks.

Finally, we look at how rocks can be broken down by weathering and erosion - this includes work carried out in the local environment, where we witness the evidence of these processes in action.

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Year 9: National Parks

Students study the location, characteristics, aims and problems of National Parks in England and Wales. Special attention is given to the Peak District, as it is our nearest. The unit may end with a fieldtrip to Castleton - including a visit to a limestone Cavern (currently Treak Cliff Cavern).

Try these links for a general resource page to Britain's National Parks or for information on the Peak District specifically. You can also find information about all of Castleton's caverns (including Treak Cliff).

Click here for a map of the 11 National Parks in England and Wales, and here for information on 'Honeypots' and their associated problems - e.g. Castleton (click here for a more detailed guide to Castleton).

These links provide more information about how caves are formed and limestone features such as stalactites and stalagmites. There are also some underground photographs from Peak District caves - not suitable for those suffering from claustrophobia!

Click here for an interactive online multiple choice quiz on Limestone.

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Year 9: Leisure & Tourism

This relatively short topic links National Parks and Coasts. We look briefly at the nature and growth of the leisure industry at home and abroad - including, for example, package holidays to the Mediterranean (e.g. Torremolinos).

We also examine advertising in the tourism industry - good sources of Holiday brochures include Lunn Poly, Going Places and Co-op Travel, all of which have branches in Marple. Brochures are also used in a practical planning session.

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Year 9: Coasts

We look at coastal processes (erosion, transportation and deposition) and features (erosional: caves, arches, stacks, and depositional: beaches, spits) - with special reference to the Swanage area and the Yorkshire coast.

This is probably the best overall site for coastal environments: it includes information and diagrams on erosion and depositional processes (e.g. longshore drift) and features (e.g. beaches and spits). There is also a case study of the Holderness Coast - including Flamborough, Hornsea, Mappleton and, of course, Spurn Head. Another good site about the Spurn Head Spit can be found here.

As far as erosional coastal features are concerned (caves, arches, stacks, etc.), this site is a very detailed guide to the features around Swanage and along the Dorset coast. There is a similar guide to Lulworth Cove specifically. Also in Dorset, you can find the famous 'Old Harry' group of stacks.

A shareware programme covering aspects of coastal processes is available from www.softseek.com (along with several other downloadable geography games & quizes).

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Year 9: Economic indicators and 'Superpowers'

In this topic we look at ways in which economic development can be measured, and so define what is meant by Economically More and Less Developed Countries (EMDCs and ELDCs - sometimes called MEDCs and LEDCs...just to confuse the students!). We then look specifically at the 3 so-called 'Global Economic Superpowers': USA, Japan and the former Soviet Union, now referred to as The Commonwealth of Independant States (CIS) - the most significant member state being Russia.

For information on global development indicators (Gross Domestic Product, Literacy, Birth and Death rates, etc.) try the World Fact Book. This site (sponsored by the CIA) also has maps, country profiles and no end of geographical information on land use, industry, population, agriculture, natural hazards, environmental issues, etc. - all sorted in an alphabetical list of countries. For example, try these links for the USA, Japan and Russia (perhaps making a comparison with the United Kingdom).

The United Nations Development Programme has a site which also includes a statistics section, although to be honest it is a little less user-friendly and may take some 'wading through'. A better guide to internet statiscal sources and resources might be found here.

For Japan specifically, try these sites for general geographical information, maps (including Tokyo), nature and climate and economic development.

Try these sites for a map of the CIS, CIS statistics, details of the Russian economy or general geographical information for Russia.

For the USA, this link shows an interactive map of States & major cities (showing further maps, photographs, etc.). Other sites show photographs of natural scenery, or provide information on the USA's geography and economy.

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Year 9: Resources

NOTE: This topic is in the process of being rewritten for 2002-2003. In previous years we started by looking at the difference between renewable/infinite (e.g. water) and non-renewable/finite resources (e.g. fossil fuels).

Fossil fuels include coal, oil and natural gas. Advantages and disadvantages are illustrated through a simulated public enquiry into the expansion of coal mining in the Vale of Belvoir. Reinforcing our work earlier in the year on the economic 'Superpowers', we look at oil exploitation in Alaska, USA (via the Trans Alaskan Pipeline and its environmental impact) and problems associated with it - e.g. the 1989 Exxon Valdez disaster (and its lasting effects 10 years on).

Another finite resource is iron ore. Click here for information about the world's iron and steel industry - we look at the Great Lakes area of North America in particular.

For water resources, click here for a reminder of the basic water cycle, while this site includes a world map showing access to safe water. The Environment Agency Homepage is a good starting point for finding out about river resources and problems (pollution, etc) and we also look at reservoirs (e.g. Longdendale and Ladybower).

Click here to calculate your impact on the earth's resources.

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Year 9: Population & Migration

Click here for a list of keywords (and their definitions) for Population Distribution, Characteristics and Change.

This population site tells you, amongst other things, how the world's population is changing - by the SECOND. The official U.K. Census site is another good source of population information, while population.com has population data on over 200 countries.

This is a good starting point for details of World Population growth - including a case study on China's population growth.

Click here for information on migration (and try here for an interactive online multiple choice quiz on migration).

Click on this link for an excellent world population density map. Then try here for a more interactive look at world population density and distribution - by clicking on different areas on the map you can see more detailed maps for each region (e.g. Europe).

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Year 9: Globalisation

Put simply, globalisation is how all aspects of our daily life (work, recreation, etc.) are becoming linked to more and more places around the world, in an ever-expanding network. An alternative definition can be found here, and further detailed information here.

During the topic, we talk about Trans National Companies (TNCs) such as McDonalds, Coca Cola and Nike. We then go on to examine aspects of globalisation through sport - including the 2002 Football World Cup and Wimbledon - and specifically study the business expansion of Manchester United plc (with the opportunity to look at other Premiership clubs by comparison) as well as individual players' increasing global economic importance (e.g. David Beckham).

We look beyond the official 'public faces' of major sports TNCs and examine alternative opinions - the following 'Boycott Nike' and 'Nikewatch' websites provide excellent examples of this!

Finally we link sport with the global fashion industry (with particular reference to Leicester and the East Midlands) and find out, amongst other things, just where our 'designer labels' are manufactured.

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