New
New
Year 10
AQA

Using GIS to visualise global trends in urbanisation

I can use GIS to visualise global trends in urbanisation.

New
New
Year 10
AQA

Using GIS to visualise global trends in urbanisation

I can use GIS to visualise global trends in urbanisation.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. For the first time ever, humanity became ‘urban’ around 2007.
  2. GIS can help us to manage and visualise big data about world cities using filters and pop-ups.
  3. GIS helps us to manage and visualise big data about trends in urbanisation using choropleth maps and pop-ups.
  4. GIS choropleth maps use shapefiles which are ‘joined’ to attribute using place identifiers in the shapefiles.
  5. GIS pop-us can be configured to visualise trends in big data about urban population.

Keywords

  • Filter - the selection of some data in a GIS layer to visualise spatial patterns more clearly

  • Pop-up - in GIS, a read-only display of attribute information (e.g. text, images, charts) often linked to a location

  • Choropleth - a cartographical method used to visualise data for bounded areas (polygons) using shading or colours

  • Shapefile - in GIS, a vector data storage format used for location, shape and attributes of geographic features, e.g. borders of polygons showing the outline and area of a country

Common misconception

When using filters, selecting the incorrect 'condition'; when configuring pop-ups, using the incorrect formula of words to link with attribute titles.

Advise caution when selecting the 'condition' for a filter; take care when typing text and typing or selecting attribute titles.


To help you plan your year 10 geography lesson on: Using GIS to visualise global trends in urbanisation, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

No matter what your level of experience is with GIS, go through all the steps yourself first until you feel confident and fluent. Don't worry if you make a mistake, everybody does, even experienced practitioners!
Teacher tip

Equipment

The lesson will require students to have access to a suitable IT device e.g. laptop. Some tasks would be facilitated by the students using a mouse for more effective and faster control of the cursor.

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.
Match the keywords to their definitions:

Correct Answer:Urbanisation,The increase in the proportion of people living in towns and cities

The increase in the proportion of people living in towns and cities

Correct Answer:Megacity,A city with over 10 million people

A city with over 10 million people

Correct Answer:Rural-urban migration,Movement of people from the countryside to cities

Movement of people from the countryside to cities

Q2.
What is a common cause of urbanisation in many LICs and NEEs?

People moving to rural areas
More farmland being used
Correct answer: Rural-urban migration
Fewer jobs in cities

Q3.
Which of the following cities is a megacity?

Liverpool
Nairobi
Correct answer: Tokyo
Leeds

Q4.
In which world region is urbanisation currently happening most rapidly?

Correct answer: Sub-Saharan Africa
Western Europe
North America
Oceania

Q5.
What is the main difference between urbanisation in HICs and LICs?

Urbanisation is slower in LICs
HICs have more rural-urban migration
LICs are fully urbanised
Correct answer: HICs urbanised earlier, LICs are urbanising now

Q6.
What is a likely push factor in rural-urban migration?

More job opportunities in the city
Good schools in the city
Correct answer: Lack of healthcare in villages
Fast internet in towns

Assessment exit quiz

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4 Questions

Q1.
Match the keywords with their definitions:

Correct Answer:filter,Selecting some data to highlight spatial patterns

Selecting some data to highlight spatial patterns

Correct Answer:pop-up,Display of attribute information often linked to a location

Display of attribute information often linked to a location

Correct Answer:choropleth,A shading method to show data for different areas

A shading method to show data for different areas

Correct Answer:shapefile,A vector data format used for storing shapes/data

A vector data format used for storing shapes/data

Q2.
What is a shapefile used for in GIS?

Showing images
Correct answer: Storing map features and their location
Displaying videos
Adding labels to maps

Q3.
A map shows differences between areas using shades or colours.

Correct Answer: choropleth

Q4.
What is the issue with choosing the wrong condition when applying a filter?

Correct answer: It can hide or show the wrong data
It makes the map bigger
It deletes data
It turns the map upside down

Additional material

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