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Name of Project: Natural Disasters Duration: 6 weeks
Subject/Course: Geography Teacher(s): Nathan Mulhearn
Belinda Ciuffetelli
Grade Level: 5
Other subject areas to be included, if any: Science, History, English

Significant Content
(CCSS and/or others)
Geography
The impact of bushfires or floods on environments and communities, and how people can respond (ACHGK030)
Develop geographical questions to investigate and plan an inquiry (ACHGS033)
Collect and record relevant geographical data and information, using ethical protocols, from primary and secondary sources, for
example, people, maps, plans, photographs, satellite images, statistical sources and reports (ACHGS034)
Evaluate sources for their usefulness and represent data in different forms, for example, maps, plans, graphs, tables, sketches
and diagrams (ACHGS035)
Represent the location and features of places and different types of geographical information by constructing large-scale and
small-scale maps that conform to cartographic conventions, including border, source, scale, legend, title and north point, using
spatial technologies as appropriate (ACHGS036)
Interpret geographical data and other information, using digital and spatial technologies as appropriate, and identify spatial
distributions, patterns and trends, and infer relationships to draw conclusions (ACHGS037)
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)
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 (ACHGS039)
English
Create literary texts that experiment with structures, ideas and stylistic features of selected authors (ACELT1798)
Understand, interpret and experiment with sound devices and imagery, including simile, metaphor and personification, in
narratives, shape poetry, songs, anthems and odes (ACELT1611)
Present a point of view about particular literary texts using appropriate metalanguage, and reflecting on the viewpoints of others
(ACELT1609)
Plan, rehearse and deliver presentations for defined audiences and purposes incorporating accurate and sequenced content and
multimodal elements (ACELY1700)
Navigate and read texts for specific purposes applying appropriate text processing strategies, for example predicting and
confirming, monitoring meaning, skimming and scanning (ACELY1702)
Use comprehension strategies to analyse information, integrating and linking ideas from a variety of print and digital sources
(ACELY1703)
Plan, draft and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive print and multimodal texts, choosing text structures, language
features, images and sound appropriate to purpose and audience
Use a range of software including word processing programs with fluency to construct, edit and publish written text, and select,
edit and place visual, print and audio elements (ACELY1707)


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21st Century
Competencies
(to be taught and
assessed)
Collaboration x Creativity and Innovation x
Communication x Other:
Critical Thinking x
Project Summary
(include student role,
issue, problem or
challenge, action taken,
and purpose/beneficiary)
Students will research natural disasters that affect the South East Queensland Region. Floods, damage from
thunderstorms and heatwaves present the biggest risk across the region. Bushfires present a moderate to significant
risk in rural areas. The groups will develop a presentation on how to limit the damage caused by these disasters.
Students will make these presentations available to others from around the world including a meet up with a class
from Singapore to answer any questions.
Driving Question What Natural Disasters affect South East Queensland and how can we limit the destruction they cause?
Entry Event Edited C2C Slideshow Unit Introduction
Products Individual:
Write a review of the book Flood by J ackie French.
Rewrite a page of the book.
Specific content and competencies to be assessed:
English
They describe how events, characters and settings in texts are
depicted and explain their own responses to them. They develop
and explain a point of view about a text, selecting information,
ideas and images from a range of resources. Students create a
variety of sequenced texts for different purposes and audiences.
When writing, they demonstrate understanding of grammar,
select specific vocabulary and use accurate spelling and
punctuation, editing their work to provide structure and meaning.
Team:
Students create natural disaster preparedness
presentations about a natural disaster that could
occur in South-East Queensland. Students choose
from a variety of presentation formats: a webpage, a
PowerPoint slide show or a television advertisement.
They will present their presentations to students from
another part of the world.
Specific content and competencies to be assessed:
Geography
They identify alternative views on how to respond to a
geographical challenge and propose a response. They present
findings using geographical terminology in a range of
communication forms. They propose action in response to a
geographical challenge and identify the expected effects of their
proposed action.
P R O J E C T D E S I G N : O V E R V I E W
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Public Audience
(Experts, audiences, or
product users students
will engage with
during/at end of project)
Peers from around the world via the Internet including a class in Singapore.

Resources Needed On-site people, facilities: Library, books, staff
Equipment: J ackie French, The Flood.
Materials: Books, Internet, Computers, Video Camera, Camera, Booklets, DVD, Ipads
Community Resources: http://hardenup.org/, skype, meteorologist,

Reflection Methods
(Individual, Team,
and/or Whole Class)
J ournal/Learning Log Focus Group
Whole-Class Discussion x Fishbowl Discussion
Survey x Other:
Notes:
a
P R O J E C T D E S I G N : S T U D E N T L E A R N I N G G U I D E

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Project: Natural Disasters
Driving Question: What Natural Disasters affect South East Queensland and how can we limit the destruction they cause?

Final Product(s)
Presentations,
Performances,
Products and/or
Services
Learning Outcomes/Targets
content & 21st century competencies
needed by students to successfully
complete products
Checkpoints/Formative Assessments
to check for learning and ensure
students are on track
Instructional Strategies for All
Learners
provided by teacher, other staff, experts; includes
scaffolds, materials, lessons aligned to learning
outcomes and formative assessments
Group
I can use visual aids to enhance the content and message of my
presentation I can respond to audience questions accurately
and clearly.

1. Draft of presentations (peer/teacher feedback)
2. Fishbowl
3. Meetings with teacher to plan


Teacher model of a disaster preparedness
presentation.
Examination of exemplar visual aids; watch a
student presentation w/ visual aids on video
Review probing questions; model of preparedness
presentation.
I can evaluate multiple sources on my topic and integrate valid
sources into my presentation to speak knowledgeably about the
topic.
1. Summary of resources
2. Outline of presentation
3. Practice Presentation (peer/teacher
feedback)
Lesson on evaluating sources
Lesson where students summarise information on
different natural disasters.
Feedback on how valid the sources in the draft
appear.
Feedback on information in the draft presentation.
Individual
I can identify the events of Flood by J ackie French that apply to
my audience.


1. Summary of resources
2. Exit tickets following lessons
3. Google Quiz

Exploring a Model in Reading to Learn
Detailed Reading
Note Taking
J oint Rewrite

I can write a review to inform an audience of the key events of
the J ackie French book Flood.
1. Outline of Review
2. Drafts of Review (peer/teacher feedback)

Exploring a Model in Reading to Learn
Detailed Reading
Note Taking
J oint Rewrite
Writing in response to pictures and music


I can rewrite a passage of Flood by J ackie French that makes
sense and entertains an audience.
1. Practise of rewrites (peer/teacher feedback)

Exploring Flood in Reading to Learn
Detailed Reading
Note Taking
J oint Rewrite
Practise individual rewrite



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