1. GEOGRAPHICAL SKILLS AND INVESTIGATIONS
CHAPTER 4
GEOGRAPHICAL SKILLS AND INVESTIGATIONS

2. CHAPTER 4 GEOGRAPHICAL SKILLS AND INVESTIGATIONS
In this Chapter you will explore three key topics:
Topographical map reading skills
Geographical data and techniques
Geographical investigations

3. The phases in fieldwork
Tell students that geographical Investigation allows them to explore and understand certain issues about our environment. In order to fully understand the issue, they need to gather, analyse and present data in a systematic manner.

4. CHAPTER 4 GEOGRAPHICAL SKILLS AND INVESTIGATION
Gateway 3: Geographical investigations
a. Pre-fieldwork
b. During fieldwork
c. Post-fieldwork

5. Choose a topic Geographical? Manageable? Relevant? Feasible? Focused?
Find a topic and present to your class according to the guidelines stated in the Textbook. For example, you have to suggest why your chosen topic is geographical.
Geographical?
Manageable?
Relevant?
Feasible?
Focused?
Suggested activity:
Ask students to get into groups and present a topic that meets the requirements of the guidelines given in the Textbook.

6. Suggesting a hypothesis or guiding question
Expressed as a statement
Expressed as a question
Consist of a prediction
May consist of a problem
Explanation for something that needs to be tested or proven
Highlights what needs to be known about a topic
Can have more than two variables
“How long does a Secondary 4 student spend in the washroom?”
Does not need to have an independent or dependent variable
“The older the student, the longer the time they spend in the washroom.”
Suggested activity:
Ask students to brainstorm some hypotheses and guiding questions related to their everyday lives. Once the students are used to coming up with hypotheses/guiding questions, they can then craft hypotheses/guiding questions more related to geographical issues.
Ask students to write down the aims for the hypotheses/guiding questions they come up with.

7. CHAPTER 4 GEOGRAPHICAL SKILLS AND INVESTIGATION
Gateway 3: Geographical investigations
a. Pre-fieldwork
b. During fieldwork
c. Post-fieldwork

8. Collecting data
Recording observations
Taking measurements

9. Recording observations
Field sketch
Annotated photographs
Recording sheets
Maps

10. Field sketch Field sketches are drawings of physical features on-site.
You can annotate your field sketch to highlight and explain the physical features and processes present on-site.
Hold the sketching frame to the part of the picture you wish to sketch.
The sketching frame divides the sketch into nine parts. The division makes it easier to position objects within your sketch.
Sketch frame by frame from the background to the foreground.
Label the features relevant to your study.
Suggested activity:
Bring students to the school field or any outdoor environment in the school vicinity.
Ask students to apply the field sketch techniques to their immediate environment.

11. Annotated photographs
Photographs can also be used to record the features on the fieldwork site for future reference.
Annotations can be added to photographs to help highlight essential information.
Ask students to take a picture using their mobile devices. The photographs can be uploaded onto a tablet so that teacher can show annotations can be done.

12. Recording sheets and maps
Data collection is more organised when tables are included in recording sheets
Maps show the location of physical features and human activities.
Maps can also be annotated with the locations of recorded data. Further data analysis and presentation can then be carried out after fieldwork has been done.

13. Taking measurements Beach profile and beach gradient Sediment analysis
Wave characteristics and longshore drift
Impact of groynes on the movement of sediments
Cliff survey
Bi-polar survey

14. Beach profile and beach gradient
The beach profile is a cross-section showing the slope of the beach. It can be drawn by measuring the beach gradient and then plotting the values on a graph paper.
The beach gradient can be measured using a protractor clinometer.
Suggested activity:
Bring students to a slope on the school compound to let them try out how gradient can be measured.
Make connections to the previous section by asking students to state which tool is most appropriate to record observations. Recording sheet

15. Sediment analysis-sieves
Sediment analysis provides information on the proportion
of the types of sediments on a particular beach.
To analyse sediments, you need to:
Identify the sediment type;
Measure the diameter of the sediment
Determine the roundness of the sediment.
Sand samples should be obtained at regular intervals along the transect.
A set of sieves can be used to sort the sand particles by size in the school laboratory.

16. Sediment analysis-quadrat
Place the quadrat on the pebbled beach.
10 to 15 samples of pebbles are randomly picked from within the quadrat.
The long axes of the pebbles are measured using a vernier caliper or a ruler.
The angularity of the pebbles is determined by referring to the Power’s scale of roundness.

17. Wave characteristics and longshore drift
Wave height, length, frequency, steepness and period indicate the level of wave energy.
These wave characteristics allow you to gain a better understanding of erosion and deposition at a location.

18. Impact of groynes on the movement of sediments
Cliff survey
The effectiveness of groynes can be investigated by analysing the type and the amount of sediment deposited on the updrift side of the groyne.
Involves sketching the cliff profile, measuring cliff height and observing the relationship between the waves and the cliff.
Bi-polar survey
This survey is useful in evaluating human management strategies along the coast. Opposite adjectives, such as ‘ugly’ and ‘attractive’ should be chosen. A score is then assigned to each adjective.

19. Post-fieldwork Identifying data and trends
Analysing data
Identifying data and trends
Describing associations between data
Explaining anomalies
Presenting data
Putting data into maps, graphs, charts or diagram to enhance investigation
Provides context to your investigation
Forming a conclusion
Reflecting on the reliability of data
Evaluating data collection methods
Suggested activity:
Ask students to discuss and present a mini geographical investigation by suggesting how they would conduct it. For example, using the hypothesis about ‘Older students take a longer time in the washroom.’ or some other issues that are related and relevant to their everyday lives, students will propose what kind of data they need, how they would take measurements, how they would analyse their data and how they would present the data collected.