3.1.3.6 Case studies
Case study of a contrasting coastal landscape beyond the UK to illustrate and analyse how it presents risks and opportunities for human occupation and development and evaluate human responses of resilience, mitigation and adaptation.

This depends on the case-study chosen. For the Sundarbans case-study suggested below, there are clear links to storm hazards.

3.1.5 Hazards
3.1.5.5 Storm hazards
The nature of tropical storms and their underlying causes. Forms of storm hazard: high winds,
storm surges, coastal flooding, river flooding and landslides. Spatial distribution, magnitude,
frequency, regularity, predictability of hazard events.
Impacts: primary/secondary, environmental, social, economic, political. Short and long-term responses: risk management designed to reduce the impacts of the hazard through preparedness, mitigation, prevention and adaptation.

Learning outcomes
This lesson will help students to understand:

• The locational background to the case-study area.
• Coastal processes and the characteristics of the coastal landforms and landscape.
• The opportunities for human occupation and development.
• The challenges for human occupation and development.
• How humans can respond to the challenges, resilience, mitigation and adaptation.
• The future challenges and opportunities in the case-study area.

Suggested timing
2 hours

3.1.1.6 Case studies
Case study of a river catchment(s) at a local scale to illustrate and analyse the key themes above, engage with field data and consider the impact of precipitation upon drainage basin stores and transfers and implications for sustainable water supply and/or flooding.

Learning outcomes
These lessons will help students to:

• Illustrate how the hydrological system affects channel flow, by identifying the stores and transfers in the catchment.
• Analyse the relationships between inputs and outputs in a local river; be able to link the catchment characteristics to flows of water.
• To understand implications for flooding on a local river, and how this can be managed, and/or explain how water is abstracted, and how this can be managed sustainably.

Suggested timing
2 hours

3.1.3.6 Case studies
Case study(ies) of coastal environment(s) at a local scale to illustrate and analyse fundamental coastal processes, their landscape outcomes as set out in the specification and engage with field data and challenges represented in their sustainable management.

Learning outcomes
This lesson will help students to understand:

• The factors that affect the case-study area for example geology, land-use, fetch and prevailing winds.
• The coastal processes impacting the landscape.
• The characteristics of the landforms found within the coastal landscape.
• Opportunities and challenges in managing the case-study area.
• Traditional approaches used in the area and the impact on natural processes.
• Sustainable management strategies used in the area.
• Future challenges and opportunities for the case-study area.

Suggested timing
3 hours