Geography · Year 12

Active learning ideas

Identity and Sense of Place

Active learning works well for identity and sense of place because students must connect abstract economic and social processes to real experiences and emotions. Through role play, discussion, and analysis, they see how regeneration touches people’s lives in concrete ways rather than just studying policies or statistics.

• National Curriculum Attainment Targets
• A-Level: Geography - Changing Places
• A-Level: Geography - Human Geography and Identity

• 25–60 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 3 activities

Activity 01

• Role Play
• 60 min · Whole Class

Role Play: The Regeneration Public Inquiry

Students act as developers, local residents, and council members in a mock public inquiry for a new luxury flat development in a working-class area. They must argue their case based on economic and social data.

Explain how attachment to place contributes to individual and community identity.

Facilitation Tip

During the Regeneration Public Inquiry, assign roles clearly and provide each participant with a short brief that reflects real stakeholder interests to keep the debate grounded.

What to look for

Pose the question: 'Imagine your school is scheduled for demolition and rebuilding. From the perspective of a long-term student, a new student, and a teacher who has worked there for 20 years, describe what this place means to you and what you would lose if it changed.' Facilitate small group discussions, then a whole class share-out.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness

Activity 02

• Inquiry Circle
• 50 min · Small Groups

Inquiry Circle: Rebranding Success Audit

Groups research a specific UK rebranding project (e.g., 'Glasgow's Miles Better' or 'Hull City of Culture'). They must find evidence of both economic growth and social impact to determine if the project was a true success.

Analyze the factors that create a strong 'sense of place' for different groups.

Facilitation Tip

For the Rebranding Success Audit, give groups a simple scoring rubric and ask them to present both quantitative data (e.g., footfall counts) and qualitative feedback (e.g., resident quotes).

What to look for

Provide students with three short case study descriptions of places undergoing change (e.g., a rural village facing depopulation, a coastal town reliant on tourism, a former industrial area being redeveloped). Ask students to individually list two factors contributing to the 'sense of place' for existing residents and one factor that might attract new people to each place.

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Self-Awareness

Activity 03

• Think-Pair-Share
• 25 min · Pairs

Think-Pair-Share: Gentrification - Good or Bad?

Students are given a list of gentrification effects (e.g., rising house prices, new cafes, displacement). They must categorize them as positive or negative and then debate their findings with a partner.

Critique the idea of a universal sense of place, considering diverse cultural perspectives.

Facilitation Tip

When running the Think-Pair-Share on gentrification, set a timer for the individual and pair phases to prevent one student from dominating the discussion.

What to look for

Students create a short presentation (e.g., 5 slides) analyzing the 'sense of place' of a specific location they know well. After presentations, peers use a checklist to assess: Does the presentation clearly identify factors shaping place attachment? Are at least two different perspectives considered (e.g., young vs. old, local vs. visitor)? Is the conclusion about the place's identity well-supported?

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teachers should anchor lessons in lived experiences by starting with familiar places before introducing case studies like London 2012 or Liverpool Docks. Use guided comparisons between before-and-after data to show that physical change doesn’t always mean social improvement. Avoid letting students reduce regeneration to a simple success or failure story; emphasize the trade-offs and varied perspectives involved.

Successful learning looks like students distinguishing between gentrification and planned regeneration, justifying their views on change, and using evidence to assess whether redevelopment improves life for all residents. They should also articulate how place identity is shaped by both physical and human factors.

---

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During the Think-Pair-Share activity on gentrification, watch for students using the terms regeneration and gentrification interchangeably.

  Use the Venn Diagram students complete in the Rebranding Success Audit to pause and ask them to compare and contrast the two processes during the Think-Pair-Share.

• During the Rebranding Success Audit, watch for students assuming that new buildings equal success.

  Require groups to include at least one social data point (e.g., change in average rent or local employment) alongside physical changes in their audit presentations.

---

Methods used in this brief

• Role Play
• Inquiry Circle
• Think-Pair-Share