United Kingdom · National Curriculum Attainment Targets
Year 12 Geology.
This Year 12 Geology programme provides a comprehensive introduction to Earth's structure, materials, and the processes that shape our dynamic planet. Students will develop practical skills in rock and mineral identification, geological mapping, and the interpretation of the fossil record in alignment with A-Level specifications.
01Earth Structure and Global Tectonics
An exploration of the Earth's internal layers and the driving forces behind plate tectonics. Students will analyse seismic evidence and the geological features associated with different plate boundaries.
Analyse the composition and physical properties of the Earth's crust, mantle, and core. Students will evaluate the evidence from meteorites and seismic data that informs our understanding of the Earth's internal structure.
Investigate the mechanisms driving plate tectonics, including mantle convection, ridge push, and slab pull. Examine the geological features associated with divergent, convergent, and conservative plate boundaries.
Explore the generation and propagation of P, S, and surface waves during seismic events. Students will learn how seismograms are used to locate epicentres and determine earthquake magnitude.
02Mineralogy and Petrology
A detailed study of rock-forming minerals and the three major rock groups. Students will learn to classify igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks based on their textures and mineral assemblages.
Develop practical skills in identifying common rock-forming minerals using diagnostic physical properties. Students will investigate hardness, cleavage, lustre, and specific gravity.
Examine the formation of igneous rocks from magma and lava, focusing on cooling rates and crystal size. Classify igneous rocks based on their mineral composition and texture.
Trace the journey of sediments from weathering and erosion to transport, deposition, and lithification. Analyse sedimentary structures to interpret past depositional environments.
Investigate the changes in rocks subjected to high heat and pressure without melting. Differentiate between contact and regional metamorphism and their resulting rock types.
03Geological Time and Palaeontology
An investigation into the vastness of geological time and the evolution of life on Earth. Students will apply relative and absolute dating methods and examine the fossil record.
Apply Steno's laws, including superposition and cross-cutting relationships, to determine the relative ages of rock strata. Understand the significance of unconformities in the geological record.
Study the modes of fossil preservation and the morphological features of major fossil groups such as trilobites, ammonites, and graptolites. Evaluate how fossils provide evidence for evolutionary change and mass extinctions.
Examine absolute dating techniques, focusing on radiometric dating using isotopes like Potassium-Argon and Rubidium-Strontium. Calculate the ages of rocks using half-life principles.
04Geological Structures and Maps
A practical unit focused on understanding rock deformation and interpreting geological maps. Students will learn to visualise three-dimensional geological structures from two-dimensional data.
Analyse how rocks respond to tectonic stress through brittle and ductile deformation. Investigate the factors that influence rock behaviour, including temperature, pressure, and strain rate.
Classify different types of faults (normal, reverse, strike-slip) and folds (anticlines, synclines). Understand the tectonic regimes that produce these geological structures.
Develop the spatial skills required to read and interpret geological maps and cross-sections. Students will deduce geological histories and calculate true dip and strike from map data.