Humanities and Social Sciences (Geography Strand) Wattle 1, Year 3 – Term 3 2018

Carmen Pinker
Unit Aim: Over the course of this unit students will complete a detailed, individual map of Australia identifying key physical and built features in each state as well as state
emblems and flags. This will be supported by research completed by the students on each state/territory and recorded on a fact sheet as well as other audio-visual and
textual information provided. The final assessment will be an iMovie trailer providing information to visitors to Australia as part of their Digital Technologies program.

Curriculum Descriptors Addressed:

HaSS – Geography
Knowledge and Understanding:
The location of Australian states, territories, capital cities and major regional centres of Western Australia and the location and identifying attributes of Australia's major natural features (e.g. rivers, deserts, rainforests, the Great Dividing
Range, the Great Barrier Reef) (ACHASSK066)
Language groups of Australia's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples divides their Country/Place and differs from the surveyed boundaries of Australian states and territories (ACHASSK066)
Skills – Questioning and Researching
Locate and collect information from a variety of sources (e.g. photographs, maps, books, interviews, internet) (WAHASS28)
Record selected information and/or data (e.g. use graphic organisers, develop note-taking strategies) (WAHASS29)
Recognise the ethical protocols that exist when gathering information and/or data (e.g. respecting others' work) (WAHASS30)
Skills – Analysing
Develop criteria for selecting relevant information (e.g. accuracy, reliability, usefulness) (WAHASS31)
Translate collected information and/or data into different formats (e.g. create a timeline, change data in to a table and/or graph) (WAHASS34)
Skills – Communicating and Reflecting
Present findings and conclusions in a range of communication forms (e.g. written, oral, visual, digital, tabular, graphic), appropriate to audience and purpose, using relevant terms (WAHASS37)
Develop texts, including narratives and biographies, that use researched facts, events and experiences (WAHASS38)

Timing Lesson Objective & Lesson Sequence Differentiation Curriculum

Assessment Tool
Week 3 Identify the following features and
information for the focus state
and display/record accurately on
A3 map:
State name and abbreviation,
capital city, major river, desert
and mountain/mountain range,
nearest water body, any special
features, state flag, flora and
fauna emblem
Assessment tools:
Formative: observations and
anecdotal notes, completed fact
sheets.
Descriptors
Focus Queensland Students can utilise the (ACHASSK066)
Topic Introduction: Explain that we are moving into a new HaSS topic looking at the geography of expertise of their learning (WAHASS28)
Australia. Discuss that we will be looking at a new state each week and adding important information team members for support. (WAHASS29)
to our maps of Australia. Demonstrate maps and fact sheets. (WAHASS31)
Sarah, Jeremy and Ryder (WAHASS38)
Show timeline of the establishment of Australian states and territories from PowerPoint. adjusted expectations of (WAHASS34)
information level.
Play flight movie.
Audio-visual information
We will now find out what the mystery state is this week. Can you guess from the mystery item? used to support visual
(Banana in a bag) learners.
Play clip https://youtu.be/xGCZgy6SLv4 “Queensland Australia” by australiantales. Point out the
release date of the video. What does this mean? (Looking for statistics might be outdated.) Booklet scaffold and word
wall to organise information
Students can then use laptops to research facts about Queensland and fill in their fact sheet. They also and provide support with
need to mark items on their A3 maps. Students can use Google maps or an atlas to assist with writing and vocabulary.
placement of land features.
Week 4 Focus New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory
Topic Introduction: Our state this week is home to a building that looks like sails, a bridge nicknamed
the coat hanger and a very famous beach. Who knows which state it is? We are also looking at a
territory that is home to our nation’s capital and the Federal Government. Which territory is it?

Play clip https://youtu.be/gs_D2R6WUpw “New South Wales Australia” by australiantales.

Play clip https://youtu.be/yadiQcMEZGw “Australian Capital Territory” by australiantales.

Discussion regarding choosing a reliable source of information. How do we know to trust information
on the internet? Authoritative source, triangulate research.

Week 5 Focus Victoria

Topic Introduction: This week we are looking at the state famous for the ‘Gold Rush’ and know now as
the home of ‘footy’.

Play clip https://youtu.be/x4IM24dJl9I “Victoria Australia” by australiantales.

Reminder about fact v opinion with information texts.

Week 6 Focus Tasmania

Topic Introduction: This week we are looking at the state formerly known as Van Diemen’s Land, a
devil and trees.

Play clip https://youtu.be/OJTXhho2ejA “Tasmania Australia” by australiantales.

Week 7 Focus South Australia

Topic Introduction: This week we are looking at a state that never received convicts and is home to the
‘City of Churches’.

Play clip https://youtu.be/GyMjyJvNkU0 “South Australia” by australiantales.

Week 8 Focus Northern Territory
Topic Introduction: This week focuses on the other territory in Australia. Which one is it?

Play clip https://youtu.be/9q8wleCjkak “Northern Territory Australia” by australiantales.

Week 9 Focus Western Australia
Topic Introduction: Last but not least which is the only state we have not covered yet?

Play clip: https://youtu.be/QJx8HM_sr_U “Western Australia” by australiantales.

Week Summative Assessment Viewing session of iMovie trailers (WAHASS37)

10 iMovie trailers (rubric) (WAHASS38)
Peer assessment (show out of 5) (WAHASS30)
Final submission of completed (WAHASS34)
booklets. (checklist)