Teaching program—Chapter 5: Tectonic hazards
Unit 1
Big Idea
Key knowledge and skills
Resources
VELS standards (adapted)
What causes
tectonic hazards?
Geography
1 Introduction to layers of the
earth, continental drift and the
theory of plate tectonics
2 Links between plate tectonics
and the distribution of
earthquakes and volcanoes
3 Types of plate boundaries
Oxford Big Ideas
Geography Level 6
Pages 1222-129
Geography
 Explain the operation of the tectonic
system and its interaction with human
activities
 Evaluate the consequences of the
interaction of the plate tectonics and
human activities
 Use evidence based on their enquiries
and geographic language and concepts
 Accurately interpret information on
different types of maps and photographs
at a range of scales, and use map
evidence to support explanations, draw
inferences and predict associated
outcomes
Suggested answers to
all unit activities at
www.oxfordbigideas.com
Thinking processes
1 Use geographic language to
describe distribution patterns
2 Using a range of geographic
techniques such as estimating
area and sketching to
complete set tasks.
Thinking Processes
 Discriminate in the way they use a
variety of information in different forms
 Explain conscious changes that may
occur in their own and others’ thinking
and analyse alternative perspectives and
perceptions
Personal Learning
 Work independently to implement a
range of strategies, as appropriate, to
maximise their learning.
Learning sequence
LESSON 1 – INTRODUCTION TO TECTONIC HAZARDS
1
Start with a brainstorm. Without opening the textbook ask students what they think tectonic hazards are. List
everything on the board that they can think of to do with the topic. Then go through the brainstorm and
categorise all the ideas and cross off and explain why any are not on the topic. Your categories will depend
on your students but could include case study/examples, volcanoes, earthquakes, tsunami, inside the earth,
plates, impacts etc.
2
Then go on to make a list of questions students have about the topic and keep these on display each lesson
so that you can draw students attention when they are covered.
Oxford Big Ideas Humanities 3 ISBN 978 0 19 557063 2
© Oxford University Press Australia
3
Read pages 122 and 123 of the textbook. Students can either complete the questions or they can be
discussed as a class.
LESSON 2 – W HAT CAUSES TECTONIC HAZARDS?
1
Read the text under the heading ‘Layers of the Earth’ on page 124. This describes each of the layers within
the earth. Complete Activity 1 on page 128, this asks students to draw a diagram to show the major layers of
the earth.
2
Read ‘Continental Drift’ and look at Source 5.6. Complete activity 2 on page 128, which asks students to
describe the movement of the continents. Help students use geographic language to complete this. If
students find this difficult you could ask them to focus on the movement of Australia.
3
Read ‘Plate Tectonics’ and ‘Distribution of earthquakes and volcanoes’ look at Source 5.8. Complete activity
3 on page 128.
4
Read the zooming box on page 127. Ask students to investigate if there are any volcanoes in Australia. They
should discover that there has been in the past but there are no active volcanoes now. Students could draw
a map of the extinct volcanoes in Australia and write a short report explaining why volcanoes occurred in the
past. The following websites are useful:
http://www.ga.gov.au/hazards/volcano/gallery.jsp?id=GA10025
http://volcano.oregonstate.edu/vwdocs/volc_images/australia/volc_australia.html
http://museumvictoria.com.au/mineralogy/volcan.html
LESSON 3 - TYPES OF PLATE BOUNDARIES
1
Read ‘Types of plate boundaries’. Complete activity 4. This website has some good animations to help
students visualize what is happening at the plate boundaries. It also has several other animations which
could be used to show continental drift and other aspects of this topic.
http://www.wwnorton.com/college/geo/egeo/animations/ch2.htm
2
Complete a selection of the Big Ideas activities on page 129.
Oxford Big Ideas Humanities 3 ISBN 978 0 19 557063 2
© Oxford University Press Australia
Teaching program—Chapter 5: Tectonic hazards
Unit 2
Big Idea
Key knowledge and skills
Resources
VELS standards (adapted)
How do tectonic
hazards affect
people?
Geography
1 Earthquakes, volcanoes and
tsunamis and how they
happen.
2 Ways of measuring tectonic
events
3 Impacts of tectonic events on
humans and the environment.
Including long and short term
impacts
Oxford Big Ideas
Geography Level 6
Pages 130-143
Geography
 Explain the operation of the tectonic
system and its interaction with human
activities
 Evaluate the consequences of the
interaction of the tectonic system and
human activities
 Use evidence based o their enquiries and
geographic language and concepts
 Accurately interpret information on
different types of maps and photographs
at a range of scales, and use map
evidence to support explanations, draw
inferences and predict associated
outcomes
Thinking processes
1 Interpreting geographic data in
a variety of forms
2 Challenging previously held
notions about tectonic hazards
Thinking Processes
 Discriminate in the way they use a
variety of information in different forms
 Generate questions that explore different
perspectives on the issue of climate
change
 Explain conscious changes that may
occur in their own and others’ thinking
and analyse alternative perspectives and
perceptions
Learning sequence
LESSON 1 – EARTHQUAKES
1
Using knowledge from the previous unit and students prior knowledge list places around the world that
experience earthquake activity. Discuss the importance of learning about this topic – eg. Holidays to
earthquake zones, unexpected earthquakes in Australia like the Newcastle earthquake and developing
empathy with people affected by such disasters.
2
Read pages 130 to 135 and complete the activities on page 235.
LESSON 2 – TSUNAMIS
1
Start with a review of earthquakes, eg list on board what students remember or have a quick verbal quiz
getting students to write down their answers. Then ask students what the link is between earthquakes and
tsunamis.
2
Read page 236 and complete the activities.
3
This is a 5 minute video about the Indian ocean Tsunami, with a good explanation of how tsunamis happen.
http://www.bing.com/videos/watch/video/tsunami-demonstration/6nefvy4
Oxford Big Ideas Humanities 3 ISBN 978 0 19 557063 2
© Oxford University Press Australia
LESSON 3 – VOLCANOES
1
Read pages 137 to 141 and complete the activities on page 141.
2
Search youtube for volcanic eruptions there are several good little clips to show students what happens
when volcanoes erupt.
LESSON 4 – REVIEW OF HOW TECTONIC HAZARDS AFFECT PEOPLE
1
Complete activities 1 to 9 from the Big Ideas questions on page 143 as a review of what has been learned in
the previous lessons.
2
Choose activities from 10 to 17 for students to complete or have students make their own selection. Some of
these would form good assessment pieces.
Oxford Big Ideas Humanities 3 ISBN 978 0 19 557063 2
© Oxford University Press Australia
Teaching program—Chapter 5: Tectonic hazards
Unit 3
Big Idea
Key knowledge and skills
Resources
VELS standards (adapted)
How can we predict
and manage
tectonic hazards?
Geography
1 Ways of predicting tectonic
hazards
2 The effects of tectonic hazards
on communities.
3 The ways governments and
NGO’s respond to natural
disasters.
Oxford Big Ideas
Geography Level 6
Pages 144-151
Geography
 Explain the operation of the tectonic
system and its interaction with human
activities
 Evaluate the consequences of the
interaction of the tectonic system and
human activities
 Use evidence based on their enquiries
and geographic language and concepts
 Accurately interpret information on
different types of maps and photographs
at a range of scales, and use map
evidence to support explanations, draw
inferences and predict associated
outcomes
Thinking processes
1 Using a range of geographic
techniques to complete set
tasks.
Thinking processes
 Discriminate in the way they use a
variety of information in different forms
 Generate questions that explore different
perspectives on the issue of climate
change
 Explain conscious changes that may
occur in their own and others’ thinking
and analyse alternative perspectives and
perceptions
Learning sequence
LESSON 1 – PREDICTING TECTONIC HAZARDS
1
Start with a class discussion. Questions to explore could include the following: Can tectonic hazards be
predicted? Why is it important to try and predict tectonic hazards? Apart from prediction, what else could we
do to reduce the affects of tectonic hazards?
2
Read pages 144 to 146 and answer the questions about predicting tectonic hazards.
LESSON 2 – MANAGING THE IMPACTS OF NATURAL HAZARDS
1
This lesson is about what is done once one of these hazards occur. Students may already have some ideas
about what happens after disasters such as this through the media. Long and short term responses mean
that people affected by the disaster are supported beyond the immediate aftermath.
2
Read pages 146 to 149 and complete the activities.
3
Complete the Big Ideas activities on page 151.
Oxford Big Ideas Humanities 3 ISBN 978 0 19 557063 2
© Oxford University Press Australia
Teaching program—Chapter 5: Tectonic Hazards
Unit 4: Transferring Ideas
Big Idea
Key knowledge and skills
Resources
VELS standards (adapted)
How do people
respond to natural
hazards?
Geography
1 Introduction to the hazard of
bushfires.
3 Introduction to some of the
causes and some of the
effects of bushfires.
4 Introduction to some
responses and management
of bushfires.
Oxford Big Ideas
Geography Level 6
pages 152-153
Geography
 Evaluate the consequences of the
interaction of bushfires and human
activities
 Use evidence based on their enquiries
and geographic language and concepts
 Accurately interpret information on
maps and photographs at a range of
scales, and use map evidence to support
explanations, draw inferences and
predict associated outcomes
Thinking processes
1 Applying skills and knowledge
gained while examining
tectonic hazards to a new
natural hazard.
2 Selecting correct techniques
when completing set
geographic tasks such as
describing and explaining a
pattern on a map.
3 Understanding and applying
geographic language
Thinking
 Discriminate in the way they use a
variety of information in different forms
 Generate questions that explore different
perspectives on the issue of
desertification
 Explain conscious changes that may
occur in their own and others’ thinking
and analyse alternative perspectives and
perceptions
Learning sequence
LESSON 1 - BUSHFIRES
1
The information on these pages is intended to encourage students to apply their skills and knowledge to a
different natural hazard: bushfires. Before beginning, brainstorm what students already know about
bushfires. It might also be appropriate to discuss Black Saturday and the students’ feelings and memories
about the day. Bushfires are very much a part of life in Australia and it is important that students have an
understanding of it.
2
Complete the activities on these pages 152 and 153, suggested answers and an assessment rubric are
available on the website.
Oxford Big Ideas Humanities 3 ISBN 978 0 19 557063 2
© Oxford University Press Australia