Teaching program— Chapter 7: Australian environments
Unit 1
Big idea
Key knowledge and skills
Resources
VELS standards (adapted)
7.1 What different
environments
exist?
Geography:
1 Classifying environments to
geographic criteria such as
natural/human and factors such
as climate, primary use and
location
2 Examination of six key
Australian environments:
deserts, rainforests, reefs,
mountains, farms and cities
and the natural processes and
human activities responsible for
their existence, location and
change
Oxford Big Ideas
Humanities 1, pp. 198211
Humanities—Geography, Level 5
1 Demonstrate a knowledge and
understanding of the regions of
Australia
2 Explain, using examples, how the
interaction of natural processes and
human activities create variations
between and within Australia’s
regions
3 Collect geographic information from
a range of media and use it to
analyse regional variations
Suggested answers to
all unit activities at
www.oxfordbigideas.com
Suggested rubric for Big
Ideas activities at
www.oxfordbigideas.com
‘Australian islands and
territories’ worksheet at
www.oxfordbigideas.com
Thinking:
1 Evaluating evidence such as
satellite images, aerial and
ground-level photographs,
maps and written descriptions
to classify and describe
Australian environments
2 Using correct geographic
conventions and language
Thinking processes, Level 5
1 Ability to select relevant information
from a range of source materials
2 Evaluation of this material using
established criteria
3 Ability to use key geographic ideas
and skills such as pattern
description and map drawing
Learning sequence
LESSON 1— CLASSIFYING ENVIRONMENTS
1
Begin by asking students to bring photographs of Australian environments. Encourage a wide range of
sources: holiday snaps, magazine pictures, postcards etc. Try and get as many as possible.
2
Put the students into groups and give each group a pile of these images. Ask them to sort them into various
piles, that is to classify them. Allow each group to establish their own criteria for this classification. When
finished, ask each group to identify their criteria. They tend to sort them according to state or season.
3
Brainstorm other possible ways of classifying Australian environment, encourage creative responses: new or
old environment, small or large etc. Groups could try these out by attempting to sort their photographs with
these new criteria.
4
Read pages 198-199 on using geographic concepts to classify environments and complete the activities on
page 199 in class. Suggested answers where appropriate are available on the website.
5
Using the photographs students could then write postcards to the class. Glue their picture on one side of the
card and on the other write a description of the place using some of the classification criteria. The student
then comes to the front of the class and reads out their postcard while keeping the picture covered. Students
guess the location of the card which is then revealed.
6
The postcards and other images of Australian environments can then be used as the basis of a wall display
around a large map of Australia. Add to this display as the unit progresses with news articles on the ways in
which these environments are changing.
Oxford Big Ideas Humanities 1 ISBN 978 0 19 556314 6
© Oxford University Press Australia
Teaching program— Chapter 7: Australian environments
LESSON 2—AUSTRALIA’S KEY ENVIRONMENTS.
1
Brainstorm the question ‘what large environments exist in Australia?’ Put answers on the whiteboard.
Students could then consider which they consider to be the most and least important of these environments.
2
This unit then comprises a study of six of Australia’s key environments: deserts, rainforests, reefs,
mountains, cities and farms. For each of these environments read the text and graphics and complete the
relevant activities. Suggested answers where appropriate are available on the website.
3
When introducing each environment students could locate the environment on a key map in their notes.
They will need to use a well designed legend and keep in mind that some regions co-exist and overlap (e.g.
deserts and farming areas). At the end of the unit students should describe the pattern on their map and
account for this pattern. Encourage examples of spatial association (rainforests and mountains).
4
Download the worksheet ‘Australia’s islands and territories’ from the website www.oxfordbigideas.com and
distribute this for completion by the students.
5
Students could then select another Australian environment for research and presentation to the class. This
could be done as an AVD to consolidate the skills covered in the previous chapter (page 192). Some
possibilities include tourist areas, beaches, mines, ports, bushfire prone regions and regions invaded by
cane toads.
6
Complete the Big Ideas activities on page 211 for assessment purposes. See website for suggested rubric
and answers.
Oxford Big Ideas Humanities 1 ISBN 978 0 19 556314 6
© Oxford University Press Australia
Teaching program— Chapter 7: Australian environments
Unit 2
Big idea
Key knowledge and skills
Resources
VELS standards (adapted)
7.1 How do
environments
change?
Geography:
1 Australian environments are
constantly changing
2 Human activities and natural
processes responsible for
change in a range of Australian
environments
3 People respond in different
ways to the changes in
Australian environments
Oxford Big Ideas
Humanities 1, pp. 212221
Humanities—Geography, Level 5
1 Demonstrated knowledge and
understanding of the regions of
Australia
2 Explanation of the human activities
and natural processes that create
changes and variations within and
between the regions of Australia
3 Understanding of environmental
issues such as climate change,
mining and forest use
4 Collect information from a range of
geographic media including maps
and photographs
Thinking:
1 Interpreting and using
information from a wide range
of geographic media including
street directory maps, atlas
maps, geographic photographs
and satellite images
2 Using a range of strategies to
deal with complex ideas
Suggested answers to
all unit activities at
www.oxfordbigideas.com
Suggested rubric for Big
Ideas activities at
www.oxfordbigideas.com
Coastal erosion
worksheet at
www.oxfordbigideas.com
Thinking processes, Level 5
1 Locate and select relevant
information from a wide range of
sources
2 Use a range of geographic skills
and techniques such as
photographic comparison,
constructing diagrams and map
interpretation
Learning sequence
LESSON 1— NATURAL PROCESSES RESPONSIBLE FOR CHANGES
1
Examine source 7.27 on page 212. Brainstorm the natural processes that may be responsible for the
formation of this amazing landscape.
2
Complete the same activity for source 6.37 on page 177, source 6.60 on page 189, source 7.3 on page 196
and any others to generate a list of natural processes that bring about change.
3
Divide these processes into those that build up the Earth’s surface (such as volcanic eruptions, mountain
building and deposition) and those that wear it down (waves, glaciers, wind and rivers). Use these terms to
construct a flow diagram on the board. Trace the journey of a mythical gain of sand from mountain top to
ocean floor and back again.
4
Read pages 212-213 on natural processes that change environments and complete the activities on page
213 in class. Suggested answers where appropriate are available on the website.
5
Creative thinkers might like to help the local mayor in his quest to protect the Twelve Apostles
6
There is topographic map reading exercise on coastal erosion on the worksheet ‘coastal erosion’ from the
website www.oxfordbigideas.com. Download and distribute this for completion by the students.
Oxford Big Ideas Humanities 1 ISBN 978 0 19 556314 6
© Oxford University Press Australia
Teaching program— Chapter 7: Australian environments
LESSON 2— HUMAN ACTIVITIES RESPONSIBLE FOR CHANGES
1
This unit is designed to follow logically the activities from unit 7.1 which dealt with 6 Australian environments:
deserts, rainforests, reefs, mountains, cities and farms. 4 of these have been selected in this section.
Beginning on page 214 which examines an example of a change in desert areas (mining), examine the
environment first by reviewing pages 200-201 and then examine the human activity that changes this
environment. Complete the activities on page 214 in class. Suggested answers where appropriate are
available on the website.
2
For rainforests, review page 202 and then examine the situation in the Otway region. There is a topographic
map of this region at http://68.178.233.117/MPcomp/2004/maps/Topographic-Molyneux.jpg and this could be
used for map interpretation activities. There is a great deal of information about forestry in this region readily
accessible on the internet. Complete the activities on page 215 and activity 9 from page 220 in class.
Suggested answers where appropriate are available on the website.
3
Once again, review the natural processes that are responsible for this environment (page 203) before
investigating human activities. The diagram on pages 216 and 217 can be used as a starting point for further
investigation of one of these issues. You could also use Google Earth to examine alluvial plumes and fans
from the mouths of rivers in Queensland.
4
The section on changes in cities should work by itself without reviewing previous notes. A useful activity is to
compare an old street directory of your local area with a newer one. Students can complete an overlay map
of spatial time over time in your local area. This could be used as a springboard for a local area fieldwork
study. Use the guide on pages 188-193 to design the activities.
5
Complete the Big Ideas activities on page 220 for assessment purposes. See website for suggested rubric
and answers. Activity 10 can be time consuming but if time allows you should encourage students to put
together a short role play or video. While they do tend to get carried away with the ‘look’ of it all rather than
the content it does provide a valuable learning experience in group work and research into an environmental
issue.
Oxford Big Ideas Humanities 1 ISBN 978 0 19 556314 6
© Oxford University Press Australia
Teaching program— Chapter 7: Australian environments
Unit 3
Big idea
Key knowledge and skills
Resources
VELS standards (adapted)
7.3 How do we
protect special
places?
Geography:
1 National programmes to protect
unique environments such as
national and marine parks.
2 International recognition of
Australia’s unique
environments through World
Heritage listing
Oxford Big Ideas
Humanities 1, pp. 222227
Humanities—Geography, Level 5
1 Demonstrated knowledge and
understanding of the national
parks, marine parks and world
heritage regions of Australia
2 Understanding of environmental
issues such as environmental
protection
3 Collect information from a range of
geographic media including maps
and photographs
Thinking:
1 Interpreting and using
information from a wide range
of geographic media such as
data tables, geographic
photographs and satellite
images
2 Using a range of strategies to
deal with complex ideas such
as environmental protection
Suggested answers to all
unit activities at
www.oxfordbigideas.com
Suggested rubric for Big
Ideas activities at
www.oxfordbigideas.com
World Heritage
worksheet at
www.oxfordbigideas.com
Civic and citizenship
1 Understanding and
interpretation of a range of
viewpoints of a community
issue.
Thinking processes, Level 5
1 Locate and select relevant
information from a wide range of
sources
2 Use a range of geographic skills
and techniques such as
photographic comparison,
constructing diagrams and map
interpretation
Civic and Citizenship, Level 5
1
Explain different perspectives on
environmental protection and
formulate and justify a plan.
Learning sequence
LESSON 1— NATIONAL PARKS
1
The learning sequence for this unit is to firstly examine the unique regions of Australia (7.1), then to look at
how they are under pressure and changing (7.2) and now to identify and evaluate how they are being
protected (7.3). Begin by asking students if they have visited a national park. There are more than those
shown in source 7.40. Ask students why they think these specific places have been made into national
parks.
2
Read pages 222-223 and complete the activities on page 223 and activities 1-3 on page 226. Suggested
answers are available on the website.
3
There are 41 National Parks in Victoria. Each student could be assigned a Victorian national park or marine
park (see http://www.parkweb.vic.gov.au/1parks.cfm ) and present information to the class about this place
in the form of a postcard or short talk. Look for similarities and differences between the parks. This website
contains all the information they need and also contains a wonderful education section for students and
teachers.
4
On a large wall map of Victoria each student can locate and label ‘their park’. When all the parks are
displayed students can describe and account for the pattern.
5
Complete the ‘Connecting Ideas’ activity on page 227. The main aim is for students to begin to formulate a
plan for environmental protection. An alternative to the suggested activity is to select a special local area and
to put forward a proposal to have this area listed as a national park.
Oxford Big Ideas Humanities 1 ISBN 978 0 19 556314 6
© Oxford University Press Australia
Teaching program—Chapter 7: Australian environments
LESSON 2— WORLD HERITAGE
1
There is at least one photograph of most of Australia’s world heritage sites throughout the textbook. Use the
index to find these photographs. For each photograph consider what makes this environment one of the
most special in the world.
2
Read page 224, including the table. Brainstorm for places around the world that students believe may be
included on the World Heritage list. When the brainstorm has eased to light showers they could use the
world heritage website at http://whc.unesco.org/en/list to check out their answers.
3
What advantages would there be for these places over having national or marine park status? Consider this
idea, encourage both positive responses (technical help from the United Nations) and negative responses
(greater recognition may lead to more pressure to develop the area).
4
Read the section on the Royal Exhibition Building on page 226 and complete activity 8 on page 226. Visits to
the building are easily arranged through Museum Victoria who run guided tours when the building is
available. This includes information about Australia’s first parliament so covers a few civics and citizenship
progression points as well.
5
Download, print and distribute the worksheet on world heritage from the website.
6
Complete the remaining activities on page 226 and the Big Ideas activities on page 227 for assessment
purposes. See website for suggested rubric and answers.
Oxford Big Ideas Humanities 1 ISBN 978 0 19 556314 6
© Oxford University Press Australia
Teaching program— Chapter 7: Australian environments
Transferring Ideas: Ningaloo Reef
Big idea
Key knowledge and skills
Resources
VELS standards (adapted)
Ningaloo Reef –
why do
environments
change?
Geography:
1 Understanding of a specific
Australian environment and the
natural processes and human
activities that shape and
change this environment
2 Evaluation of proposals for a
resort development and World
Heritage listing
Oxford Big Ideas
Humanities 1, pp. 228229
Humanities—Geography, Level 5
1 Demonstrate knowledge and
understanding of the Ningaloo Reef
region
2 Explore attitudes to environmental
issues such as use and protection
3 Collect relevant geographic
information from a range of media
types
Thinking:
1 Applying a range of skills and
knowledge to a new
environment
2 Decision making
3 Collecting using and evaluating
relevant geographic information
Suggested answers to
all unit activities at
www.oxfordbigideas.com
Suggested rubric for Big
Ideas activities at
www.oxfordbigideas.com
Thinking processes, Level 5
1 Complete activities focusing on
problem solving and decision
making which involve an increasing
number of variables and solutions
2 Use a range of geographic skills
and techniques such as map
reading and pattern description
Learning sequence
LESSON 1— NINGALOO REEF
1
Complete the Transferring Ideas spread in class as an assessable item. Rubric and suggested answers are
available on the website. The intention of this spread is encourage students to transfer their learning about
Australia’s environments to a specific location, Ningaloo.
Oxford Big Ideas Humanities 1 ISBN 978 0 19 556314 6
© Oxford University Press Australia