Map and Globe Skills- Lesson Two
Physical Geography of Oceania
Ms. Emma Clifton
Identify grade level: 5th Grade at Magruder Elementary School- This lesson is to be
taught as a whole group. There are currently twenty one students in this class.
State Standards
WG.1 The student will use maps, globes, satellite images, photographs, or diagrams
to
a) obtain geographical information about the world’s countries, cities, and
environments;
b) apply the concepts of location, scale, map projection, or orientation;
c) develop and refine mental maps of world regions;
d) create and compare political, physical, and thematic maps;
e) analyze and explain how different cultures use maps and other visual images to
reflect their own interests and ambitions.
Resources
21x Blank Maps of the Oceanic
Tactile objects- red sand/ clay in
Region
Ziploc bag, saltwater in jar or cup,
21x Work sheets for symbols and
moss, and sea sponge.
features
Document camera, computer, and
PowerPoint presentation
screen.
World Map if available to teacher
Content & Instructional Strategies
Time: 15 mins
Anticipatory Set-: To introduce/ review the area of Oceania, focusing on Papua New
Guinea, New Zealand, and Australia. Have the student’s visithttp://education.nationalgeographic.com/education/encyclopedia/oceania-physicalgeography/?ar_a=1&ar_r=3 Discuss the physical geographical features located in
each country (See background information). Distribute the narrative map (attached),
and have the students color in Australia in green, Papua New Guinea in Red, and New
Zealand in blue. Bring up a world map on the computer and discuss which
hemisphere they think Oceania is in, this is to get the students to realize where the
Oceania region is located.
Purpose: The purpose of this lesson is to map various physical features of Oceania,
specifically Papua New Guinea, Australia, and New Zealand.
Objectives: -Given a map of Oceania, the students will map, locate, and create a key
for the following features: Southern Alps in New Zealand, The Cook Straight, Uluru
(Ayers Rock), Great Barrier Reef, Great Dividing Range, and Mount Hagen (PNG).
-The students will be able to describe the features that are listed above in the
objectives.
Time: 15 mins
Instructional Input: Using the computer, document camera, and projector, display a
photograph and background information of each geographical feature from each
country that is listed by using a PowerPoint presentation. In addition the photos of
each geographical feature pass around tactile representation of each object where
possible (red dirt, salt water, moss, sea sponge.) This encourages engagement and
visualization amongst the students. When displaying the pictures, tell the students
about each feature (see background information). The students should be able to
describe each of the features listed above in detail. Using this knowledge the students
will then produce a logical symbol for the key and map.
Time: 10 mins
Modeling: Tell the students that they will be continuing to work on the map that they
have already colored the three different countries. The teacher should also hand out
the symbol and features worksheet that is needed for this part of the lesson. Explain
that the class will now make symbols on the map for each of the features on the
Oceania map. To begin, the teacher will model where to place the tropic of Capricorn
that runs through the top half of Australia. The teacher will then model how to create
a symbol for the Great Barrier Reef. Explain to the students that the symbol should
represent the feature you are trying to display. For example a reef should represent
coral and flowing water. Then direct students to place the symbol and the description
into the table (attached). Then model how you would want the symbol to be displayed
on the map. Next develop a key at the bottom of the map for the ocean and other
symbols. Discuss how the equator separates the Northern and the Southern
Hemisphere, and ask the students to think which hemisphere the USA is in, and which
hemisphere Oceania could be located. Use the world map on the PowerPoint to help
explain.
Time: 10-15 mins
Guided Practice: Label the Oceanic region on the top of the map. Next have a child
explain what symbol they would use for the Great Dividing Range (mountains/
triangles), and from looking at the PowerPoint map of Australia get the children to
place the symbol on the map. Next have a child explain what they would use for
Uluru (Ayers Rock), and have them identify on their map from the PowerPoint where
they would place the symbol.
Time: 15 mins
Independent Practice: For the rest of the symbols have the students go through and
create their own for each of the different features. Encourage them to work
independently and be creative with their answers. The students should be placing their
symbols and information that they have gathered from the PowerPoint in the
worksheet attached, before transferring their answers to their map. Once the students
have finished creating their own symbols, the teacher should place their version on
the document camera. Next, allow the students to label the map with their own
symbols. Allow the students to refer to the teacher’s version as reference for
locations. Make sure the students include their symbols on the key. Discuss at the end
of the exercise why students chose their symbols, and why are symbols and keys
important when reading maps. Lastly, hand out a sheet with multiple choice question
on it, to check for understanding.
Closure: At the end of the less, collect all of the student’s worksheets. Call on
different students to name their favorite feature that they have learned about, and
discuss if their symbol accurately represents the feature. Then show the students a 2
minute video on the Great Barrier Reefhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3kPgbPPqvQ. This will allow the students to
visualize what a reef looks like.
Evaluation:
Formative: The teacher will observe participation during the lesson as well as
‘checking for understanding’ when the students are working on their maps and
worksheets.
Summative: The teacher will collect the maps and keys to check for understanding.
The teacher will also distribute the multiple choice question sheet, and have the
students return the sheet after the lesson is completed.
Background Information
Oceania or the Oceanic region is the planets smallest continent. It is
considered to be one of the most diverse and fascinating areas on the planet due to its
physical features. Collectively Oceania includes Australia, New Zealand, Papua New
Guinea, as well as the thousands of coral atolls and volcanic islands of the South
Pacific Ocean, including the Melanesia and Polynesia groups. The Oceanic region
also includes Micronesia, which is comprised of a widely scattered group of islands
that run along the northern and southern edges of the equator. In the Oceanic region
there is a vast contrast in physical geography including mountain ranges, reefs, straits,
and volcanos.
One of the most well-known physical geography features in the Oceanic
region is the Great Barrier Reef. The Great Barrier Reef is the biggest coral system in
the world with the reef containing an abundance of marine life with the reef
incorporating over 3000 individual reef systems and coral cays. The Great Barrier
Reef is located off the coast of Queensland, Australia. The Great Barrier Reef is
larger than the Great Wall of China and is the only living thing that can be seen from
Space, most likely why it is one of the seven wonders of the natural world.
Another natural phenomenon that is located in the Oceanic region is Uluru
(Ayers Rock). As well as being a massive physical presence in central Australia,
Uluru also has an immense spiritual quality for the Aboriginal People. Uluru is made
out of sandstone and clay and is red in color. Uluru is extremely eroded and decaying
and the preservation of this rock formation is vital to keep Uluru intact. As discussed
in the journal article The Geography of Oceania, Rosenburg states that mountain
ranges such as the Great Dividing Range and Uluru were formed through mainly.
The Great Dividing Range is located in Australia, and is the most substantial
mountain range within Australia. The Great Dividing Range is the 3rd longest
mountain range in the world, and is extensive in length. The Great Dividing Range
spans from Queensland through to Victoria and is 2175 miles in length. This
mountain range is made out of limestone, sandstone, and quartzite.
Papua New Guinea is situated at the northern part of the Oceanic region.
Mount Hagen volcano is situated in Papua New Guinea and is named after the city
that is closely situated only twenty five kilometers aways. Mount Hagen is the second
highest volcano in Papua New Guinea and is 3378m in elevation. Mount Hagen is an
extremely old strata volcano that has been severely eroded on the sides.
New Zealand also has varying physical features such as alps and straits. The
Cook Strait, which is named after James Cook who founded the strait in 1770, is a
tretcherous and dangerous stretch of water between the north and south Island of New
Zealand. The Cook strait is 22km at its most narrow point, suggesting the huge
vastness of this strait. The Southern Alps is also another major physical geographical
feature in New Zealand. The Southern Alps runs nearly the entire length of the South
Island in New Zealand, which is around 450km. The Southern Alps is responsible for
the highest point in New Zealand at 3,754 meters. It is extremely cold all year round,
with the climate usually reaching below zero for the majority of the year.
Resources:
"Australia, Oceania, and Antartica." Nederland. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Oct. 2014 from
http://www.nederland.k12.tx.us/view/7238.pdf
Cook Strait rail ferries. (n.d.). Rough crossings -. Retrieved October 11, 2014, from
http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/culture/cook-strait-rail-ferries/love-boats-orchuck-buckets
Great Dividing Range. (2014). In Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieved from
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/243204/Great-Dividing-Range
Southern Alps. (n.d.). Princeton University. Retrieved October 11, 2014, from
http://www.princeton.edu/~achaney/tmve/wiki100k/docs/Southern_Alps.html
Roseburg, M. (n.d.). The Geography of Oceania. About. Retrieved October 10, 2014,
from http://geography.about.com/od/specificplacesofinterest/a/oceania.htm
Uluru Facts - Uluru (Ayers Rock) Australia. (n.d.). Uluru Ayers Rock Australia Uluru
Facts Comments. Retrieved October 11, 2014, from http://uluruaustralia.com/about-uluru/uluru-facts/
Working together today for a healthier Reef tomorrow.... (n.d.). Facts about the Great
Barrier Reef. Retrieved October 11, 2014, from
http://www.gbrmpa.gov.au/about-the-reef/facts-about-the-great-barrier-reef
Name:
Date:
Oceanic Region
1. What hemisphere is the Oceanic region located in?
a. Northern
b. Southern
c. Eastern
d. Western
2. What two physical features are found in New Zealand?
a. Uluru and The Great Barrier Reef
b. The Great Dividing Range and Lake Eyre
c. Cook Strait and The Southern Alps
3. If I was standing next to a large sandstone rock, where would I be?
a. Uluru
b. Great Barrier Reef
c. The Southern Alps
Oceanic Map
Symbol and Key Worksheet- Oceania
Feature
The Cook Strait
The Southern Alps
The Great Barrier Reef
The Great Dividing Range
Uluru (Ayers Rock)
Mount Hagen
Symbol
Description