OCR A Level Geography: Changing spaces; making places: What’s in a place?

An engaging, fully resourced OCR A Level Geography lesson for Changing Spaces; Making Places, introducing the enquiry question “What’s in a place?” and the key concept of place identity. Students explore the difference between space, location and place before investigating the demographic, socio-economic, cultural, political, built and natural characteristics that make places distinctive. Using Lympstone and Toxteth as contrasting place examples, students develop comparison and evidence-based reasoning before applying their knowledge independently to the fictional town of Northbridge. The lesson places a strong emphasis on AO2 application and geographical thinking, encouraging students to distinguish evidence from inference, question the limitations of data and avoid unsupported conclusions. It includes retrieval practice, scaffolded activities, challenge tasks, case-study application, an OCR-style 3-mark Exam Lab, model responses, self-assessment, exit retrieval and homework. An accompanying editable student workbook follows the lesson activities, making this a ready-to-teach resource suitable for introducing the OCR Changing Spaces; Making Places unit.