Lesson 1Geomorphological dangers: flooding in lowlands, unstable slopes, gully washing, and types of mass movementsThis part looks at geomorphological dangers like floods, landslides, gully erosion, and mass movements. Students will connect causes, land features, and human activities to mapping dangers, assessing risks, and planning ways to reduce them.
Zoning lowlands and mapping floodsFactors and signs of unstable slopesStarting gullies and headcut movementTypes of landslides and mass movementsRainfall limits and triggering eventsMapping dangers and planning mitigationLesson 2Analysis of relief and slopes: hill shading, slope angle, direction, and effects on erosion and landslidesThis part covers digital elevation models, hill shading, slope, and direction analysis to understand relief. Learners will connect land measurements to erosion, landslide risks, water flow development, and planning infrastructure in different land settings.
Sources and quality of elevation dataHillshade views and reading landformsClasses and mapping of slope anglesDirection patterns and microclimate effectsTopographic controls on erosion ratesSlope limits for landslide dangersLesson 3Shape of river basins and drainage patterns: branching, lattice, radial, and old systemsThis part studies the form, levels, and patterns of drainage basins like branching, lattice, and radial systems. Students will relate drainage shapes to rock types, structures, relief, and long-term changes in landscapes.
Boundaries of watersheds and stream levelsBranching, lattice, radial, and parallel patternsStructural and rock controls on drainageLongitudinal profiles and knickpointsBasin shape, relief, and water responseEvolution of drainage and river captureLesson 4Geological mapping and bedrock layers: rock types, layering, structural controls on land shapesThis part introduces mapping bedrock layers, focusing on rock types, layering, and structural features. Learners will understand how folds, faults, and rock strength affect land shapes, drainage, and distribution of resources or dangers.
Reading geological maps and keysRock type layers and strength differencesLayering sequences and key contactsFaults, folds, and fracture networksStructural control on ridges and valleysConnecting bedrock to resources and dangersLesson 5River processes: channel changes, sediment movement, deposition, river bending and sudden shiftsThis part covers river processes that shape channels, including flow types, sediment movement, and bar formation. Learners will study bending, braiding, sudden shifts, and building floodplains, connecting processes to channel patterns and management.
Flow types and channel water powerBedload, suspended load, and wash loadChannel patterns: straight, bending, braidedPoint bars, levees, and overbank depositsBending migration and cutoff formationSudden shifts, branching, and channel managementLesson 6Climate effects on water flow: rain patterns, seasonal changes, water loss, and drought measuresThis part explains how air movement, moisture sources, and ground conditions control rain, runoff, water loss, and drought. Learners will relate climate measures to water flow patterns and water availability in different areas.
Global air movement and moisture transportRain seasonal changes and intensity patternsPotential and actual water lossSoil moisture balance and runoff responseDrought measures and water droughtClimate changes and impact effectsLesson 7Practical data sources: national geological surveys, global DEMs (SRTM, ASTER), geological map stores, and climate data (CRU, CHIRPS)This part shows key open data for physical geography and geology, including DEMs, geological maps, and climate products. Learners will check resolution, accuracy, and details, and practice combining sources for regional landscape study.
Global and regional DEM productsNational geological survey map portalsOnline geological map storesGridded climate data and measuresData resolution, accuracy, and detailsCombining multi-source data in GISLesson 8Basics of remote sensing for physical features: using satellite images to spot landforms, river channels, and plant coverThis part introduces satellite sensors, resolutions, and colour bands used to map physical features. Students will learn to read images for landforms, drainage, plants, and ground moisture, and recognize common processing errors and limits.
Optical vs radar sensors and resolutionsColour signs of water, soil, and rockSpotting major landforms from imagesMapping river channels and floodplainsPlant indices and canopy conditionCommon image fixes and errorsLesson 9Surface deposits and soils: river sediments, slope debris, weathered bedrock, soil types and fertilityThis part studies surface deposits and soils, including river sediments, slope debris, and weathered bedrock. Students will relate parent materials, texture, and structure to soil types, fertility, drainage, and land use suitability across areas.
River, slope, and remaining materialsWeathering profiles and regolith formationSoil layers, texture, and structureMajor soil type systemsSoil fertility, nutrients, and limitsSoil erosion risk and conservation needs
