Guide

How to succeed in your Junior Cycle Geography CBA 1

By Marian Gill - 10 minute read

An experienced teacher in geography, Marian breaks down this CBA and gives her advice on how to succeed in your Junior Cycle Geography CBA 1.

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Introduction

There are two Classroom-Based Assessments (CBAs) in Junior Cycle Geography and they are assessed at common level. The new Junior Cycle Geography course allows students the opportunity to showcase their work from 2nd and 3rd years through these specific tasks which are given to students by your class teacher. After you complete both CBAs, you will be given two 'descriptors' (more about that later). These descriptors will be added to your Junior Cycle Profile of Achievement alongside the grade you get in your exam at the end of 3rd year.

For some students, you may have already completed CBAs in other subjects but for others, the idea of doing a CBA may seem scary but fear not! This guide will help you through your geography CBA step-by-step to ensure you get the highest descriptor possible.

Remember

The wording of the descriptors might seem a little confusing so be sure to ask your teacher to explain them to you if you are unsure. 'Exceptional' is the highest descriptor you can get so aim to be exceptional.

Descriptors

There are four levels of achievement (descriptors) for each CBA. Your teachers use the Features of Quality set out in 'the assessment guidelines' to assess your work as best fitting one of the following descriptors:

Exceptional

This describes a piece of work that reflects the Features of Quality for the CBA to a very high standard. While not necessarily perfect, the strengths of the work far outweigh its flaws, which are minor. Suggestions for improvement are easily addressable by the student.

Above expectations

This describes a piece of work that reflects all of the Features of Quality for the CBA very well. The student shows a clear understanding of how to complete each area of activity of the investigation and the work is praised for its rigour. Feedback from the teacher might point to the necessity to address some aspect of the work in need of further attention or polishing but on the whole, the work is of a high standard.

In line with expectations

This describes a piece of work that reflects most of the Features of Quality for the CBA well. It shows a good understanding of the task at hand and is free from significant errors. Feedback might point to areas needing further attention or correction but the work is generally competent and accurate.

Yet to meet expectations

This describes a piece of work that falls someway short of the demands of the CBA and its associated Features of Quality. The student has made a good attempt but the task has not been grasped clearly or is marred by significant lapses. Feedback will draw attention to fundamental errors that need to be addressed.

Top tip

Ask your teacher if they can show you some samples of previous CBAs or any online samples. Ask yourself, “What can I do to achieve this descriptor?”

Common questions

The following are some questions to consider before you start:

  • What is this CBA about?

    Geography is not just what you learn about in your textbook and in class; geography is everywhere, whether you notice it or not. It is on the news, in the newspapers, on social media, blogs and vlogs every day. That is what this CBA is about. ‘Geography in the news’ provides you with an opportunity to engage in a practical learning experience where you can see the relevance of the study of geography to the world around you. For this CBA, you have to research a real-life geographical event as reported on in the media and draw conclusions on the implications of this event to the people involved and the world in general.

  • When do I do this CBA?

    Your teacher will give you the guidelines on when your class will complete this CBA but it is usually over a three-week period during class time in the second term of 2nd year.

  • How do I do this CBA?

    You may complete it as an individual piece of work, in pairs or in small groups. There are four formats to choose from (outlined below).

  • How am I graded on the CBA?

    You will have to consider the three elements that you learn about in Junior Cycle Geography. These elements are what your teacher will be looking for in the Features of Quality for this CBA in order to give you the highest descriptor possible. See below for an outline of the elements.

CBA formats

Visual

This could be a display, photographic presentation or poster.

Written

This could be a media article, a report, a review, etc.

Digital

This could be a blog, webpage or slide presentation.

Audio

This could be a podcast, a voice-over or a recorded news report, etc.

This could be a display, photographic presentation or poster.

Top tip

Play to your strengths. If you are a tech whizz then perhaps a digital format may be the best option for you. If you are a budding artist then creating a visual may be the way to go.

Elements

Processes, patterns, systems and scale

  • How does your chosen topic relate to learning about a geographical process, pattern or system?
  • Was this event geographically significant on a local, national or global scale?

Geographical skills

  • Use the key geographical questions of who, what, where, when, why and how.
  • Consider the interactions and interconnections between people, places, environments and spatial patterns involved in this event.
  • Use a variety of sources in your research.

Sustainability

  • Think about any sustainability and environmental issues caused by your chosen event.

Carrying out your CBA 1

Follow this process to help you dive straight into your CBA 1. I have provided some ideas to get you thinking about your topic.

Choosing your topic

This is where you choose a significant geographical event in the news. A recent event may spring to mind straight away or maybe someone in your family has been impacted by a significant geographical event. Perhaps there was a particular chapter in your geography course that interested you and you want to research an event relating to that topic.

Some ideas

Exploring the physical world

  • Earthquakes

  • Volcanoes

  • Tsunamis

  • Avalanches

  • The impact of coastal erosion

  • Hurricanes

  • Bushfires

  • Flooding (coastal or river)

  • Climate change

Exploring how we interact with the physical world

  • How people were affected by a natural disaster or weather and how they reacted.

  • How people prepare for natural disasters or significant weather events.

  • How people have tried to prevent the impact of flooding.

  • How people have tried to prevent the impact of coastal erosion.

  • How people are trying to prevent the impact of climate change.

Exploring people, places and change

  • Migration (specific examples and their impact).

  • Urban or rural planning and its impact on the environment.

  • The impact of population growth in a specific area/country.

  • The impact of inequality in an LDC.

Top tip

Reflection is an important part of the CBA process so when you pick your topic make sure to reflect on the reasons as to why you chose it and why it is newsworthy.

Choosing your format

This is the way in which you will present your research (your teacher may advise you on a specific format in class). As mentioned earlier, you should choose a format that emphasises your strengths but make sure to work within your limits and the resources available to you. For example, you may wish to put together a top-of-the-range video presentation but do you have the equipment to do this?

Researching your topic

Researching may involve:

  • reading books or newspaper articles;
  • watching video clips/interviews/documentaries;
  • writing a letter to an organisation;
  • listening to radio programmes or podcasts;
  • looking up information online;
  • conducting your own research through an interview with someone involved in a significant event.

When researching, you must keep in mind the key geographical questions of who, what, where, when, how and why?

Some ideas 

  • Who was involved? Who was impacted by this event?

  • What happened? What caused this event? What was the effect of this event? What happened as a result of this event? What could have been done differently?

  • Where did this event happen? Where else was impacted by this event?

  • When did this event happen? When were the impacts of this event felt?

  • How did this event happen? How might an event like this be stopped in the future? How will this event impact people now/in the future? How did people respond to this event?

  • Why did this event happen? Why did people respond to this event the way they did? Why is this event significant?

Top tips
  • Keep the above list of questions in front of you as you research.
  • Have a page or part of a digital document for each question and write in the information as you get it.
  • Remember to keep note of your sources, i.e. where you are getting your information from.
  • Try to get your research from a variety of sources as it makes for more interesting reading for your teacher.

Completing your project

Once you have all your research completed and your format picked, it is time to put together your response. This may involve putting together a Powerpoint, a poster or a video (whatever you are comfortable with).

You will also need to practice presenting your response to the class. This can be very nerve-wracking for some people so here are some tips to help:

  • Write information in your own words

    Make sure you know your response to your chosen event well. Don’t just copy and paste information from the internet and read it out. You will be far more confident if you have written the information in your own words.

  • Get some feedback

    Present your information to a family member at home or a close friend. Ask them if they understand what you are talking about and ask for their constructive feedback.

  • Take your time

    Remember that everyone else will have to do their CBA too and may be nervous about it (even if they don’t show it).

Evaluation and reflection

Two very important skills for every student to learn are evaluating and reflecting on your work. This allows you to learn from what you have done and think about what you are happy with, what you may not be so happy with and what you might have done differently.

It is very important that you keep notes as you go along. Make sure to reflect on all stages of the CBA from choosing your topic/format to researching and presenting.

Sample questions

Your teacher will give you an evaluation and reflection document to fill out where you will be asked to consider some of the following questions (make sure to explain in detail):

Q. What did I enjoy most about completing this CBA? 

Some ideas: perhaps it was researching the event itself, watching videos about it or reading about it. Perhaps it was working as part of a team. Maybe it was your first time ever doing research and you enjoyed it or it was presenting in front of your class for the first time and it went really well.

Q. What were the difficulties I faced? 

Some ideas: perhaps you found that three weeks was a very short time and you were struggling to finish it at the end. Maybe you found it difficult to get different sources of information or you found it difficult to present in front of your class due to nerves.

Q. How could I overcome these difficulties in the future?

Some ideas: perhaps you need to do more work in class during CBA time so that you are not rushing at the end. Maybe you need to ask your teacher for more advice when picking a format or you need to slow down when presenting in front of the class.

Checklist

Below is a checklist to ensure you have considered all elements before you finish your project.

Geographical skills

  • Have I considered the key geographical questions of who, what, where, when, how and why?

  • Have I gathered data from a wide range of sources, including online sources?

  • Have I checked that the information I found is reliable?

  • Is the response presented in an organised and creative format?

  • Have I included a list of sources?

Patterns, processes, systems and scale

  • What are the main environmental, economic or social concerns with this event?

  • Did this event have any connection with other recent geographical events?

  • Did the event impact the human environment? What were the impacts for people living close to the event?

  • Did the event impact the physical environment? Is this impact long-term or short-term?

Sustainability

  • What are the consequences of the geographical event?

  • Did I describe how sustainability is a factor in this event?

Useful links

Best of luck! You've got this.

By Marian Gill

Marian is an experienced teacher of Geography.

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