51ºÚÁÏ

A writing frame to help students structure their 6 and 9 mark extended writing questions, designed for use with the 9-1 GCSE Geography AQA Specification.

Features a breakdown sheet of how to structure an answer using the double cheeseburger method, as well as A3 sheets which can be printed and displayed within a classroom.

Tried and tested in my own school, students love this analogy and find it easy to follow and to remember. I’ve even printed little burger stickers to stick in their books to remind them!

General gist:

1. Start by deciding what your two paragraphs will be on. I’ve found that 9 times out of 10, the question itself will tell you what the two paragraphs should be. If in doubt, use social/economic/environmental. Looking through past mark schemes, AQA have said that 2 main paragraphs is optimal for these questions.

2. Introduction (bun): Not always needed, but will be for a 9 marker. If you’re using a case study, here is where you tell the examiner (because they won’t know what you’ve studied).

3. Point (lettuce): Keep it short, and to the point. It should be one sentence that sums up the whole paragraph. Imagine somebody saying to you get to the point! Nobody wants a burger thats all lettuce, and no examiner wants an answer thats all points.

4. Evidence (cheese): Sticks the whole thing together. Examples from your case studies or from any sources/figures which have been provided. It isn’t a cheeseburger without the cheese!

5. Explain (meat): Just like with a burger, this should be the biggest and best part of your answer. Use because… this means that… therefore… also… to ‘beef’ out your answer. Really explain why and what that means.

6. However (tomato): Not always applicable, but great when it can be used. Use however to counter the point you just made, do not introduce a whole new point.

7. Repeat! This is a double cheeseburger! Now you’ve done one paragraph, time to do the other.

8. Conclusion (bun): Again just like with the introduction, this isn’t always needed, but if the question required you to evaluate or come to some kind of decision, here is where you do it. Rephrase the question into a statement.

If you found this useful then please do check out my other stuff!