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Year 10
Edexcel B

Collecting physical geographical data

I can use sampling strategies to help me measure the shape and characteristics of a landscape.

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New
New
Year 10
Edexcel B

Collecting physical geographical data

I can use sampling strategies to help me measure the shape and characteristics of a landscape.

Download all resources
Share activities with pupils

Link copied to clipboard

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

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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. Geographers use different techniques to sample data during fieldwork.
  2. There are a variety of ways that we can measure the morphology (shape) of the land.
  3. There are a variety of ways that we can measure the characteristics of the land.

Keywords

  • Sampling - the process of selecting a sample of data to study from a much larger population of data

  • Sample - a selection of data from a much bigger data population

  • Sample size - the number of individual pieces of data that are studied in a geographical enquiry

  • Bias - an unfair favouritism for or against something

  • Transect - an imaginary line along which samples of data are collected

Common misconception

Systematic and stratified sampling are 'better' than a random sampling strategy.

There is no hierarchy of effectiveness in sampling strategies. The best strategy to use depends on the dynamics of the location, the size of the overall population of data, and what geographical conclusions one hopes to be able to make from the data.


To help you plan your year 10 geography lesson on: Collecting physical geographical data, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Different sampling strategies can be demonstrated by using colourful buttons. Students can try to create random, systematic and stratified samples of the buttons based on their colours and size.
Teacher tip

Equipment

Content guidance

  • Risk assessment required - outdoor learning

Supervision

Adult supervision required

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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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
What is secondary data?
Data that is collected first-hand in the field.
Correct answer: Data that has been collected by someone else, usually beforehand.
Data that is mostly made up of numbers.
Data that is mostly made up of text.
Q2.
Data which is an tells geographers how someone feels about a geographical issue.
Correct Answer: opinion
Q3.
Which of the following features appear in a well-designed scoring survey?
Correct answer: A numerical scale (such as 1 to 5).
An evaluation of how the survey was completed.
Correct answer: Negative and positive descriptors.
A detailed description of the place being surveyed.
Q4.
There are four common ways of recording questionnaire and survey data. These are opinions, scores, measurements and .
Correct Answer: counts, Counts
Q5.
Match the activity to the most likely location.
Correct Answer:A woodland,Measuring natural carbon storage in a tree.

Measuring natural carbon storage in a tree.

Correct Answer:A road junction,Measuring air pollution.

Measuring air pollution.

Correct Answer:A beach,Measuring wind direction and strength.

Measuring wind direction and strength.

Correct Answer:A patch of soil,Measuring infiltration.

Measuring infiltration.

Q6.
Which of the following statements are true?
Opinion data should be used with caution in a fieldwork enquiry.
Primary data is a lot more important than secondary data in a fieldwork enquiry.
Correct answer: All data collected during fieldwork should help answer the enquiry question.
Qualitative data gives contextual information about quantitative data answers.

Exit quiz

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4 Questions

Q1.
What is stratified sampling?
Choosing a sample with no pattern or technique in mind.
Correct answer: Choosing a sample that is representative of the whole population.
Choosing a sample according to a strict pattern.
Choosing a sample along an imaginary line in the landscape.
Q2.
Match the dimension measurement to the feature one might be studying.
Correct Answer:Length,The size of the beach from the sea to the cliff face.

The size of the beach from the sea to the cliff face.

Correct Answer:Gradient,How the steepness of the hill changes from bottom to top.

How the steepness of the hill changes from bottom to top.

Correct Answer:Depth,The distance between the river bed and the water’s surface.

The distance between the river bed and the water’s surface.

Correct Answer:Height ,The difference in the size of trees of different ages.

The difference in the size of trees of different ages.

Q3.
To measure vegetation cover, geographers place a on the ground and count the number of squares which include vegetation.
Correct Answer: quadrat, Grid quadrat, Gridded quadrat
Q4.
Which of the following statements is true?
Stratified sampling is the most accurate data as it is representative.
Random sampling creates the largest sets of data.
Correct answer: The best sampling strategy is the one that creates the best conclusions.
Sampling is a way of selecting the best and most unbiased data.