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Year 8

GIS: Analysing inequality at different scales

I can use Geographic Information Systems to analyse patterns of inequality at different scales.

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New
New
Year 8

GIS: Analysing inequality at different scales

I can use Geographic Information Systems to analyse patterns of inequality at different scales.

Download all resources
Share activities with pupils

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

Switch to our new teaching resources now - designed by teachers and leading subject experts, and tested in classrooms.

These resources were created for remote use during the pandemic and are not designed for classroom teaching.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Digital maps and GIS help us visualise inequality globally and within the UK.
  2. Digital maps help us analyse economic and social inequality.
  3. GIS can be used to analyse deprivation across a transect in a city.

Keywords

  • Inequality - the uneven distribution of resources, opportunities, and living conditions

  • GIS - a geographic information system (GIS) is a computer system that captures and displays geographic data to help understand spatial patterns

  • GDP per capita - the total monetary value of all the goods and services produced in a country over a year, divided by the population

  • Healthy life expectancy - the estimated average number of years lived free from disability or disease burden

  • Deprivation - a lack of basic needs and services that people need to live a safe and healthy life

Common misconception

Countries with the highest GDP per capita always have the highest healthy life expectancy.

This isn't always the case as other factors also play a big role, like access to healthcare, lifestyle, diet, pollution levels, and inequality.


To help you plan your year 8 geography lesson on: GIS: Analysing inequality at different scales, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

The 2nd learning cycle includes analysing deprivation across a transect across Sheffield. You may wish to replicate the instructions using a different place. Analysing deprivation within the local area is sensitive and it is important to consider what is appropriate for your setting.
Teacher tip

Equipment

Computers, laptop or tablets with access to the internet. This lesson uses Esri's Geography Visualiser, which is a free resource.

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Prior knowledge starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
What does “development” mean in geography?
Building new houses
Earning more money through trade
Correct answer: Improvement in quality of life and standard of living
Creating new countries
Q2.
Which of these is an example of an indicator of development?
Earthquake frequency
Correct answer: Birth rate
Cloud cover
Plate movement
Q3.
What is the Human Development Index (HDI)?
A ranking of natural disasters
A measure of a country's size
Correct answer: A combined measure of life expectancy, education and income
A type of graph
Q4.
What is meant by global inequality?
When all countries have the same resources
Unequal access to the internet
Differences in clothing styles
Correct answer: Differences in wealth and development between countries
Q5.
Countries with high levels of development usually have a literacy rate.
Correct Answer: high
Q6.
Which of these is often true of less developed countries?
High income and high life expectancy
Correct answer: High infant mortality and low literacy rate
Low birth rate and long life expectancy
Low death rate and high GDP per capita

Assessment exit quiz

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4 Questions

Q1.
What is the role of GIS in geography?
Drawing political maps
Forecasting weather
Correct answer: Mapping and analysing spatial data
Naming continents
Q2.
What does GDP per capita help us understand?
The population of a country
The number of cities in a country
Correct answer: The average income per person in a country
The amount of land a country has
Q3.
Which of the following is an example of deprivation?
Correct answer: Poor housing and lack of clean water
High-speed internet access
Attending private school
Owning two vehicles
Q4.
Which of the following is true?
High GDP per capita always means the highest healthy life expectancy
Countries with lower GDP per capita can never have good healthcare
Higher income always means better living conditions
Correct answer: GDP per capita and healthy life expectancy don’t always match perfectly

Additional material

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