Inquiry Unit on PLACE
Year Level: 5/6
Duration: 10 weeks
PLACE UNIT TITLE: Dandenong Ranges - How it all begin?
Inquiry Question
Who and what has shaped the
Dandenong Ranges into the area it is
today?
BIG ideas
 Dandenong Ranges has a vast
array of geographical variety to be
explored
 Dandenong Ranges historical
heritage is a great base of learning
Teaching proposal
Through this unit it is envisaged that students will learn about:
 The local history, economics and geography of the Dandenong Ranges
 Discovering the local settlers, and basic history of the local area,
including the importance of the 1000 steps and it’s relation to the
Kokoda Trail
 Exploring mapping of the local area, train history, local produce and
tourism
 Identifying bush fire safety, the current prevention strategies, and
what else we can do to assist
This is important because:
 It is attempting to meet part of the 7 historical concepts being
evidence, continuity and change, cause and effect, perspectives,
empathy, significance and contestability.
 Knowledge gained here can be crossed with previous sustainability
unit, noting that ‘sustainability issues are all intimately connected and
their effects are greatest in more populous countries’.
 Geography and mapping education in level 5 focuses on ‘factors that
shape the human and environmental characteristics of places’
Learning intentions
Key skills
At the end of this unit, students will understand that:
1. Dandenong Ranges has a great historical significance
2. People have lived here long before us and have worked hard
to preserve the area
3. Tourism is a significant benefit to the community
4. Using maps and scales to further understand our local area
At the conclusion of this unit students will be able to:
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Identify local historical sites and their significance
Analyse the geography of the area, using 2D and 3D maps
Navigate a railway, justifying the features
Predict future train progressions
Record knowledge using ICT, posters, annotated drawings,
timelines, maps and presentations
Assessment Evidence

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Historical Timeline
ICT presentations
Mini inquiry projects (eg. Tourism brochure)
Mapping project, using prior knowledge from all fields of the unit
Australian Curriculum areas covered in this inquiry unit related to Humanities
Discipline
Knowledge & Understanding
code
Skills
code
History
The contribution of individuals and
groups, including Aboriginal and
(ACHHK116)
Identify points of view in the past
ACHHS123
and present
Torres Strait Islander people and
migrants, to the development of
Use historical terms and concepts
ACHHS118
Identify and locate a range of
(ACHHS120)
Australian society, for example in
areas such as the economy,
education, science, the arts, sport
ACHHK115)
relevant sources
Stories of groups of people who
migrated to Australia (including
Develop texts, particularly
from ONE Asian country) and the
narratives and descriptions, which
reasons they migrated, such as
incorporate source materials
World War II and Australian
Use a range of communication
migration programs since the war.
forms (oral, graphic, written) and
ACHHS124
ACHHS125
digital technologies
Geography
The impact of bushfires or floods
ACHGK030
Collect and record relevant
on environments and
geographical data and information,
communities, and how people
using ethical protocols, from
ACHGS034
primary and secondary sources, for
can respond
ACHGK028
The influence of the environment
on the human characteristics of a
place
example, people, maps, plans,
photographs, satellite images,
statistical sources and reports
Interpret geographical data and
ACHGS037)
other information, using digital and
spatial technologies as appropriate,
and identify spatial distributions,
patterns and trends, and infer
relationships to draw conclusions
Evaluate sources for their
ACHGS035
usefulness and represent data in
different forms, for example, maps,
plans, graphs, tables, sketches and
diagrams
ACHGS033
Develop geographical questions to
investigate and plan an inquiry
Represent the location and
features of places and different
types of geographical
information by constructing
ACHGS036
large-scale and small-scale maps
that conform to cartographic
conventions, including border,
source, scale, legend, title
and north point, using spatial
ACHGS039
technologies as appropriate
Reflect on their learning to
propose individual and collective
action in response to a
contemporary geographical
challenge and describe the
expected effects of their
proposal on different groups of
people
Present findings and ideas in a
range of communication forms,
for example, written, oral,
graphic, tabular, visual and
maps; using geographical
terminology and digital
technologies as appropriate
(ACHGS038)
Economics &
Business
Types of resources (natural,
(ACHEK002) Present findings in an
human, capital) and the ways
appropriate format using
societies use them in order to
economics and business terms,
satisfy the needs and wants of
and reflect on the possible
present and future generations
effects of decisions (
Influences on consumer choices
ACHES008
(ACHEK003)
and methods that can be used to
help make informed personal
consumer and financial choices
Civics &
Citizenship
Why people work in groups to
(ACHCK027) Reflect on personal roles and
achieve their aims, and how they
actions as a citizen in the school
can express their shared beliefs
and in the community
and values and exercise influence
ACHCS034
(ACHCS032)
Work in groups to identify issues
and develop possible solutions
and a plan for action using
decision making processes
CROSS CURRICULUM PRIORITIES
Indigenous
Organising ideas
code
Organising ideas
Aboriginal and Torres Strait
OI.2
Australia acknowledges the
code
OI.9
Islander communities maintain a
significant contributions of
special connection to and
Aboriginal and Torres Strait
responsibility for Country/Place
Islander people locally and
throughout all of Australia.
globally.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait
OI.5
Islander Peoples’ ways of life
are uniquely expressed through
ways of being, knowing, thinking
and doing.
Asia
Sustainability
The arts and literature of Asia
OI.4
The peoples and countries of
influence aesthetic and creative
Asia have contributed and
pursuits within Australia, the
continue to contribute to world
region and globally.
history and human endeavour.
All life forms, including human
OI.2
Sustainable patterns of living
life, are connected through
rely on the interdependence of
ecosystems on which they
healthy social, economic and
depend for their wellbeing and
ecological systems.
survival.
OI.3
OI.3
OI.6
OI.5
The sustainability of ecological,
World views are formed by
social and economic systems is
experiences at personal, local,
achieved through informed
national and global levels, and
individual and community action
are linked to individual and
that values local and global
community actions for
equity and fairness across
sustainability.
generations into the future.
GENERAL CAPABILITIES
Literacy
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
Composing texts
through speaking,
writing and creating
General literacy
knowledge
Personal and social
capability
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
Numeracy



(ICT) capability


Using spatial
Reasoning
Interpreting statistical
information
Measurement and
geometry
Locate, retrieve or
generate information
using search engines
and simple search
functions and classify
information in
meaningful ways
Assess the suitability
of data or information
Ethical understanding

Intercultural
understanding


Describe the influence that
people, situations and
events have on their
emotions
Identify preferred learning
styles and work habits
Devise strategies to
formulate plans to assist in
the completion of
challenging tasks and the
maintenance of personal
safety
Analyse the dynamic
cultural knowledge, beleifs
and practices of a range of
personal, social and
historical contexts.
Imagine and describe the
feelings and motivations of
people challenging
situations
using a range of
appropriate given
criteria
Critical and creative
thinking

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Identify and challenge
stereotypes and prejudices
in the representation of
group, national and
regional identities.
Pose questions to
clarify and interpret
information to probe
causes for
consequences
Analyse, condense
and combine relevant
information from
multiple sources
Combine ideas in a
variety of ways from a
range of sources to
create new
possibilities.
Stage 1: IMMERSION - establishing what we want to find out: Posing questions and planning inquiry
Learning
Intention:
(2. 3. Etc)
Activity & Resource
AC links
Research the Type of people that settled in the Dandenong Ranges. Where they were from, what they wore, etc.
Students must draw what the people would have worn; give them a back-story and things they would have brought with
them.
3 activities,
1. Using Appendix a, draw a line matching the images of Topography to side on images.
2. In pairs, create 3D Play Doh models of Topographic images, take images as a record of the model
3. In those same pairs, create your own Topographic Images, swap with and have them create the matching 3D Play
Doh Models.
(ACHHK116)
Gather information on fire prevention and safety during Bushfire season. Plan Advertising Video for Fire Safety. Use iPads
and iMovie to create 1-minute TV advert.
ACHGK028),
(ACHGS034),
(ACHGS035),
(ACHGS037)
(ACHGK030),
Explore the 1000 Steps Park. Observe the types of Foliage, terrain and try to imagine what the Aussie Diggers would have
Faced on the Kokoda Track
(ACHGS037),
(ACHHK097),
(ACHHK115)
Stage 2:ORGANISE, INVESTIGATE, FIND OUT- Collecting and analysing evidence
Learning
intention:
Activity & Resource
AC links
Research Local Produce in the Dandenong Ranges area and create a tourism Brochure that highlights all the
various Industries within the area and what to visit.
(ACHEK002),
Children will explore the resource below and create their own poster explaining the water cycle relevant to their area.
Include some Questions that they may want to research later
(ACHGS033),
ACHES004),
(ACHGS034),
(ACHGS035)
After researching Train History in Australia, have the Class create a timeline of Trains on ‘Time Toast’. Where, when and
why they were used, interesting facts and a slight focus on Puffing Billy as it is the local Train. In small groups Research will
be split into different time periods. Together the class will construct a timeline.
Stage 3: CELEBRATE/INNOVATE -What do we do with what we’ve found?
Concluding, reflecting on and responding to the inquiry
Learning
intention:
Activity & Resource
AC links
In Groups, Using the iPads and iMovie put the research gathered in previous lesson into a TV infomercial about preparing
for Bushfires and Safety During Bushfires
(ACHGS036),
Children are to draw on the excursion from previous lesson and from the perspective of Digger Write home to their
Families describing The Landscape, feelings and other experiences.
(ACHHS120),
(ACHGS039),
(ACHHS124),
(ACHHS125)
Using their knowledge gathered from previous lessons including infrastructure and topography, Map a new Train line that
best utilizes Tourist Attractions and local industries. Justification of route is also needed.
(ACHGS037),
(ACHGS034),
(ACHHK095)
References
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Australian Government, 2014, http://www.ww2australia.gov.au/asfaras/kokoda.html, Retrieved 7 May 2015
Australian Government, 2015, http://www.infrastructure.gov.au/rail/trains/history.aspx, Retrieved 10 May 2015
Country Fire Authority, 2014, http://www.cfa.vic.gov.au/plan-prepare/, Retrieved 7 May 2015-05-12
Gilbert, R and Hoepper, B 2014, Teaching Humanities nd Social Sciences, Cengage Learning Australia Pty Limited, South Melbourne
Gold Ridge, 2015, http://www.goldridge08.com/flash/watercycle2.swf,> Retrived 7 May 2015.
Jellstrom, K 2014, Contour Matching Exercise, Central Washington University, retrieved 10 May 2015,
http://www.cwu.edu/~jefferis/unitplans/orienteering/contourquiz.html
Monkey See, Sep 24,2013, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-UXrpAjyl0, Retrieved 10 May 2015.
Puffing Billy Railway LTD, 2013, http://www.puffingbilly.com.au/about-puffing-billy/ Retrieved 10 may 2015
Visit Victoria, 2015http://www.visitvictoria.com/Regions/Yarra-Valley-and-Dandenong-Ranges/Things-to-do/Food-and-wine/Local-produce/Farms-ofthe-Yarra-Valley, Retrieved 10 may 2015,
APPENDIX A
Topographic Maps
A
Match these 2D topographic maps, to their 3D maps, using the contour
lines as clues.
The closer the contour lines are, the steeper the incline will be.
3D map (circle):
1
2
B
3
3D map (circle):
1
2
C
3
3D map (circle):
1
2
3
Map Source: Jellstrom
2014
Transform these 2D
topographic maps, into 3D
clay
models.
Draw your own topographic map, and swap with another pair – making the 3D clay model.
APPENDIX B
Draw your train line!
Include:
-Train stations
-Labels
-Turn around points
Justification:
Why you chose these locations at train stations, consider tourism, local produce, public transport, shops, infrastructure,
rivers, hills, rainforest, flora, fauna and houses.
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