GCSE AQA Geography: Long-Answer Question

This lesson is designed for Year 10 GCSE Geography and focuses on developing students’ ability to answer long-answer (6–8 mark) exam questions effectively. It is ideal as a skills-based lesson between topics or as targeted exam preparation, particularly within the Rivers unit or wider Physical Geography.

The lesson begins with a retrieval-style starter activity, where students analyse a GCSE-style question to identify the number of marks, the command word, and the topic being assessed. This immediately sets an exam-focused tone and encourages students to think like examiners. Clear learning objectives are shared, outlining expectations around structure, command words, and quality of written responses.

Students are then introduced to what a long-answer question is and why structure is essential for accessing higher marks. Key GCSE command words are explicitly taught, with a clear explanation of what each one requires and how mark tariffs typically increase with higher-level commands. The lesson places strong emphasis on PEEL paragraphs, showing students how to organise extended responses clearly and logically.

A model answer is shared and broken down step-by-step, allowing students to see what a high-quality response looks like in practice. This is followed by a collaborative task where students work together to improve a weaker response, identifying missing elements such as explanation, terminology, and links back to the question. This supports peer discussion and builds confidence before independent work.

Students then complete an independent exam-style question focused on rivers and flooding, applying the skills taught during the lesson. Clear success criteria are provided, including paragraph structure, use of geographical terminology, and SPaG checks. The lesson concludes with a short plenary that encourages reflection on exam technique.

An optional homework task asks students to create flashcards or a mind map on how to answer long-answer GCSE Geography questions, reinforcing key skills and supporting revision.

This lesson is clear, structured, and highly exam-relevant. It supports students in improving written responses, understanding command words, and developing confidence with extended answers—making it a valuable resource for any GCSE Geography teacher.