Year 9 Geography Term 3 2013
Week by Week Unit Outline
Weekly Focus
Learning and Assessment
Homework
Read material in Humanities Alive on tectonic plates. Understand
that the Earth’s surface is broken into large plates and map the links
between earthquakes and plate boundaries. Describe Australia’s
location in regard to plate boundaries and compare it to Indonesia’s
location. Be able to explain how these locations have led to
differences in natural disasters in our neighbouring countries.
Complete brief
exercises on the
location of plate
boundaries.
To be able to understand how change in the natural environment can bring
about change in the human environment. Nearly three million people have
been killed by earthquakes in the last 100 years. They can often strike
without warning. Students will be able to describe the processes that are
responsible for the occurrence of earthquakes. An understanding of terms
such as, fault, focus & epicentre.
Revise material
on how
earthquakes
happen in
preparation for
assessment task.
Collection of material for assessment task – Design an information
brochure on how to survive an earthquake. Use Ipad to research how to
build a house that is earthquake-safe and what to do if you are involved in
an earthquake. Brochure should include a drawing of a house (foundations,
framing, roof, etc) which is designed for earthquake-prone areas.
Use Ipad to
research material
On earthquake
survival – Drop,
Cover, Hold on.
Week 5 – How
Volcanoes work.
Interpreting a
Diagram
Describing the process that drives volcanic eruptions and what actually
happens during an eruption. Why almost all active volcanoes occur near
plate boundaries where plates are moving towards or away from each
other. Discussion of how volcanoes have featured in the religious beliefs of
many ancient cultures, Even the word ”volcano” comes from the Latin word
Vulcan, the god of fire. Drawing a picture of a volcano that has erupted.
Weeks 6 & 7 –
Living with volcanoes
Classifying
information
Students will classify measures for living with volcanoes from material
researched on their Ipads. Specifically, measures such as predicting
eruptions, preparing for eruptions and lessening the effects of eruptions will
be covered. Students will use a table to classify the information. While we
have little hope of preventing eruptions, there have been some ambitious
attempts made to control the flow of lava from erupting volcanoes.
Continue working
on assesssment
task (information
brochure). Due for
submission at end
of week 5.
Complete class
work on the
different signs that
a volcanic
eruption is likely.
Week 1 – Welcome
back. Establish
expectations in Class
Learning Plan. Recap Headstart work.
Vocabulary building
& spelling.
Weeks 2 & 3 – How
earthquakes happen.
Cause & Effect: what
happens and why.
Week 4 –
Earthquake Survival.
Paraphrasing: putting
text in your own
words.
Weeks 8 & 9 –
Human Disasters.
Finding and using
evidence to support
evaluations
An analysis of how human activity can cause environmental disasters.
Students will use their Ipads to research environmental disasters which are
caused by human activity. For example, oil spills industrial pollutants,
waste management, litter in rivers & the sea, etc. Students will prepare a
summary of their findings based on questions such as, what affects do
these issues have on the environment? What are the different
classifications of environmental disasters caused by humans? Which
activities are most likely to cause environmental damage? What laws are
there to protect the environment from human activities?
Continue to
conduct research
on their Ipads on
environmental
management.
Week 10 & in to
Term 4 - Extreme
Weather Events
Resilience &
Recovery
Students will investigate which extreme weather events have the greatest
impact on natural and human environments. Events such as, cyclones,
tornadoes, thunderstorms, floods & bushfires will be covered. Specifically,
students will concentrate on where do these extreme weather events
occur? What environmental effect s do they have? How do these events
affect human environments? How do communities display resilience?