the largest division of geological time, lasting hundreds of millions to billions of years

a subdivision of an eon, lasting tens to hundreds of millions of years

a subdivision of an era, lasting millions of years

the smallest measurement of geological time, a subdivision of a period, lasting thousands to millions of years

Geological timescales

Geography

This unit teaches pupils about the physical processes that create and alter different types of rocks and soils over time. Pupils will also develop their understanding of how humans use different rocks and soils and why this can affect geographical patterns of wealth and population.

Rocks, weathering and soil: Why is geology important?

the solid mineral material forming part of the surface of Earth

a process is an ordered series of actions, events or changes that make something happen

pressure is a force pushing or pressing on a given area

the process of Earth’s surface, e.g. rock or soil, being worn away

The process of being worn down due to exposure to the atmosphere.

The rock cycle

rocks formed from layers of compressed sediment

rocks formed due to intense heat and pressure

the structure of Earth’s crust and how it was formed

how something is spread out over a geographical area

The geology of the UK

rocks formed through the build up of sediments such as sandstone, limestone and chalk

rocks formed through volcanic processes, such as basalt, obsidian and granite

rocks that have changed due to heat and pressure, such as slate, gneiss and marble

UK geology GIS video 1

GIS GEOLOGY KS3 VIDEO 1A

GIS: Visualising the geology of the UK

relating to the interaction of substances

the process of being worn down by long exposure to the atmosphere

Weathering and rocks

deep cracks on the surface of limestone pavements

a form of chemical weathering where rock is slowly dissolved by acidic water

Limestone landscapes

the loose upper layer of Earth’s surface where plants grow (formed of minerals, organic matter, air and water)

the process of Earth’s surface, e.g. rock or soil, being worn away and transported from its original site

the process by which Earth’s surface is worn down due to exposure to the atmosphere

The importance of soil

characteristics of soil, such as how large the soil particles are, or how large the pores (spaces) between the particles are

how porous soil structure is (i.e. the size and quantity of spaces between soil particles)

the movement of water from the surface to the lower soil layers

Fieldwork: Planning a soil enquiry and collecting data

data that can be split up into constituent parts

a graph with three axes used to display proportional data with three constituent parts

a symbol on a map or in a graph that shows a value of data by the size at which it has been drawn

Fieldwork: Presenting soil data

a piece of data that does not seem to fit the trend shown by all the other pieces of data

data that is able to answer or partially answer an enquiry question

data that could be replicated if the data collection were to be repeated

Fieldwork: Analysing, concluding and evaluating soil data

the downhill movement of material under the influence of gravity

the process of being worn down due to long exposure to the atmosphere

erosion is the process of Earth’s surface, e.g. rock or soil, being worn away and transported from its original site

Mass movement

mining is the process of digging into the ground to remove natural resources

the process of removing natural resources from near the surface

the way money in a particular area is made and spent

fossil fuels are natural substances that were formed over millions of years from the buried remains of ancient organisms; they include coal, oil and gas

the improvement in people's quality of life within a country or region

Geology and the economy

the process of removing natural resources from the ground

natural substances that were formed over millions of years from the buried remains of ancient organisms; they include coal, oil and gas

harmful substances released into the environment

when something is able to continue over a long time

Rocks, weathering and soil: Why is geology important?

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These lessons will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.