Goegraphy Department

SW USA Trip, February 2013

The SW USA trip is open to all pupils in Forms III-V who will still be taking Geography when they actually travel (in Forms IV-VI).  The itinerary involves visits to case study areas used in the Intermediate and Higher course and provides an excellent background for pupils studying Advanced Higher Geography.  Participants will visit:

San Francisco – As well as tourist sites such as The Golden Gate Bridge and Lombard Street, we will visit areas affected by the 1989 earthquake and see how the city has prepared for any future quakes.

Sequoia National Park – The giant redwood trees provide a perfect backdrop to our study of the land use conflicts in this area of natural beauty.  We will examine the measures taken to reduce these problems.

Death Valley – Deserts and desertification are a ‘hot’ topic in Geography and by seeing the landscape first hand pupils will have a better understanding of the consequences of this environmental issue.

Colorado River and Hoover Dam – The most controlled river in the world is a contentious geographical issue, a case study in Higher Geography and a common topic for the Advanced Higher Geographical issue.

Grand Canyon – The physical processes involved in the formation of this natural wonder are the same as any other river, just on a much larger scale.  These will be examined in detail as well as the geological background of the area.

Las Vegas – Reliant on water from the Colorado River, this desert city will be the final destination on the trip and the pupils will see the overuse of water, a scarce resource in the dry SW USA.

Further details about this trip are available from Mr McConnell.