ANCIENT LANDS
TERM 4 5W/6C 2015
Australia has a history and a landscape even older than the traditional ancient civilizations we’re studying next term. There has been human habitation here for 60
000 years – and before that megafauna and even dinosaurs. The middle of Australia, now a desert, used to be a huge sea.
Australia has been formed by huge forces – global, national and local, and those forces continue to have an impact on our country and our lives. Your contract this
term will focus on learning about the changes to Australia that have occurred over a long period. CHOOSE nine questions, due over the 10-week term. THERE WILL
BE NO WORK DUE IN WEEK 10. As always – read the question, understand the question, answer the question – check you’re doing what the question asks! If you
have any problems, talk to me!
1.Australia has amazing landforms. Identify the natural landforms in your local
environment (the gorge created by Bomaderry Creek, for example, or the fossil
beds at Gerringong). Create a chart explaining those landforms – hills, rivers,
valleys, beaches. Include pictures of the landforms and information about how
they were created. Go to:
http://www.environorth.org.au/windows/all/all_prehistory.html for more.
3. There are amazing landforms all over Australia – from the world’s biggest
monolith (no, not Uluru!) to the Wave Rocks in Western Australia, the Apostles
off the coast of Victoria, the Olgas, the Kimberleys, the Great Sandy Desert,
Sydney Harbour. Create a map of Australia. Identify and provide information on
these landforms – at least two per state.
2. Research Australia’s dinosaurs. Go to
http://www.environment.gov.au/heritage/places/national/dinosaurstampede/lark-quarry/aus-dinos.html for more information and to help you
understand the environment which supported Australia’s unique dinosaurs. What
environmental changes led to the extinction of these animals? What were the
consequences? What does the history of our dinosaurs say for plants and animals
today? Create your own animation, OR a storyboard for an animation, to explain
your answers.
4. Create a timeline of Australia’s development – from its being part of Pangaea,
to becoming Gondwanaland, to modern Australia. What climate changes has
Australia experienced on this journey? What changes to landscape, habitat, flora
and fauna should you include? Make your timeline as detailed as possible. You
could animate your timeline if you wished. Go to :
http://science.nationalgeographic.com.au/science/prehistoric-world/prehistorictime-line/ for more information.
5. Research how land masses have changed over time in Australia in response to
the environment. Create detailed illustrations of how Australia may have looked
at different times over thousands of years. What would account for the
changes? What would be some of the reasons for the rise or fall of the sea
level? Make sure you provide good notes with your drawings.
6. Investigate a major geological and weather event, such as earthquakes,
volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, storms, severe tropical cyclones and tornadoes in
Australia, the Asia region or throughout the world. Choose ONE such event,
then create a detailed poster showing what happened, what caused it (eg
plate tectonics) and its consequences for people. Have a look at :
www.environment.gov.au/heritage/places/national/dinosaur-stampede/larkquarry/interactives/pangaea. and
www.exploratorium.edu/origins/antarctica/ideas/gondwana2.html
http://www.nerc.ac.uk/publications/other/documents/naturalhazards.pdf,
http://www.bom.gov.au/tsunami/info/, and
http://australianmuseum.net.au/BlogPost/Science/Earthquakes-andtsunamis
7. Collect a variety of rocks from your local area. Turn your display into a filmed
lecture, demonstrating how you have classified each type of rock. Classify the
rocks by various attributes. Identify the common characteristics of the rocks –
is there common weathering, and if so, why? What do the rocks in your area say
about the way it looked thousands of years ago?
9. Research the megafauna that existed in Australia in prehistoric times.
Identify species that were particular to Australia eg diprotodons, giant
mammals. Include information on their characteristics, adaptations, habitat,
why they became extinct and place in the food chain. Look critically at
8. Create a small guidebook to help people identify different rocks and rocks
formations. You worked with dichotomous keys earlier this year. Create a
dichotomous key including information on crystals, grain size, how the rocks were
formed, and where in Australia you are most likely to find these rocks.
10. Tectonic plate theory is one explanation of how our world works on a
geological basis. Research this theory, and present a demonstration of the three
types of tectonic plate movement, giving examples of where such movement
happens, and the consequences of such movement. Go to:
theaustralian.com.au/higher-education/climate-change-killed-off-megafauna- http://web1.australianmuseum.net.au/Plate-Tectonic-processes,
study/story-e6frgcjx-1226636215851 and
http://web1.australianmuseum.net.au/Shaping-the-Earth/ and
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/education/explorations/tours/intro/Intro5to12/t http://www.kidsgeo.com/geology-for-kids/0043-plate-tectonics.php as a start.
our1nav.php
11. Design and make accurate scale models of animals and their habitats that
existed in Australia’s prehistory. Include with your model information about the
materials you used, how you solved problems with shaping, joining and combining
materials. Your animals should be made to scale. Include any important
information like how we know about our prehistoric fauna, where remains were
found, and any special adaptations.
12. Aboriginal people have had a central impact on the development of Australia.
Go to:
www.media.pearson.com.au/schools/cw/au_sch_atkinson_sose1_3/dnd/SE1_m
igration.html to look at theories of how Aboriginal people came to Australia, then
look at
www.media.pearson.com.au/schools/cw/au_sch_atkinson_sose1_3/dnd/SE1_sc
ientific.html for further response. Research the ways in which Aboriginal life has
changed Australia and present your information.