Assessment

Type: Sketch map, Decision Making, Report
Individual or group work: Individual
Levels of assessments: Five, six and seven
Number of lessons: Three
Number of homeworks: Two

The Risky World assessment is a decision making exercise culminating in students producing a formal, word-processed report suitable for Gloucester City Councils' Planning Department. The report is divided into two parts. First, identification of possible sites for residential development and second, a critical analysis of each site to determine its suitability. The report is to include a scaled sketch map of at least one square kilometre.

Gloucester has been chosen as the place of study due to the dramatic flooding in July 2007 and its regular risk of flooding. Reasons for regular flooding are complex and inter-related including Gloucester being located at the mouth of the River Severn (England's longest river) downstream of the confluence of the River Avon, and at the upper reaches of tidal influences combined with tremendous growth of the built environment.

The assessment is designed for students to complete individually. It is assumed that students have prior experience of how to produce sketch maps. Their written report will be a substantial piece of writing which is supported with appropriate writing frames.

Resources available for this assessment are:

• Risky World Teacher Guidance

• Risky World Levelling Grid

• Resource Sheet G - Flooding in Gloucester July 2007 

• Resource Sheet H - Map of Gloucester 

For level five

• Resource Sheet A5 - Assessment Activity

• Resource Sheet B5 - Using Sources

• Resource Sheet C5 - Plan for Gloucester Housing Report

• Resource Sheet D5 - Advantages and Disadvantages of Sites

• Resource Sheet E5 and E6 - Assessment of Flooding for Chosen Sites

For level six

• Resource Sheet A6 - Assessment Activity

• Resource Sheet B6 - Using Sources 

• Resource Sheet C6 and C7 - Plan for Gloucester Housing Report 

• Resource Sheet D6 - Advantages and Disadvantages of Sites

• Resource Sheet E5 and E6 - Assessment of Flooding for Chosen Sites  

• Resource Sheet F - Flooding in Gloucester July 2007 

For level seven

• Resource Sheet A7 - Assessment Activity 

• Resource Sheet C6 and C7 - Plan for Gloucester Housing Report

• Resource Sheet D7 - Advantages and Disadvantages of Sites 

• Resource Sheet E7 - Assessment of Flooding for Chosen Sites

Where students are writing on outline grids it is advised that these are enlarged to A3 when copying (Resource Sheets B, C, D and E).

Whilst this assessment does not include assessment for Citizenship, it could with further time be included as the flooding in Gloucestershire raised questions of service provision, responses to emergencies, and community spirit.