Geography Curriculum P - 6

Transcription

1 Our lady Help of Christians School I have come so you may have life to the full. John 10:10 OUR LADY HELP OF CHRISTIANS PRIMARY SCHOOL Geography Curriculum P - 6

2 Learning with Faith and Vision Page 2

3 Learning with Faith and Vision Contents 1. Community Profile Learning Area Rationale.5 3. Broad Subject Aims 7 4. Cross Curriculum Priorities General Capabilities Sequence and Scope Learning and Teaching Resources Assessment and Reporting Evaluation Planning Templates OLHOC Planning Requirements Checklist OLHOC Planning Page 3

4 Learning with Faith and Vision 1. COMMUNITY PROFILE Mission Statement Our Lady Help of Christians provides a Catholic Education based on the Gospel Values where the teachings of Christ are reflected. I have come so that you may live life to the Full. John 10: 10b Our Lady Help of Christians was founded by the Sister of Mercy in 1964 and still has a very strong emphasis on the Mercy traditions of care and compassion. Our Lady Help of Christians is a coeducational school from prep to year 7 with a population of approximately 605 and growing. Our Lady Help of Christians has a very caring and welcoming atmosphere. The school actively seeks to encourage students to behave in a positive way and promotes a positive approach to behaviour management based on the Gospel Values. Our Lady Help of Christians is located in the regional suburb of Earlville and is 7 km from the CBD. OLHOC is in close proximity to Earlville Shopping Centre and the Indigenous Community of Mooroobool. The school has a very diverse and varied student population with approximately 11% of students coming from 17 different cultures. The majority of students come from a middle class background with a small percentage (approximately 1%) of students from a socio-economically disadvantage background. OLHOC also has a small population of Indigenous students. The school has developed a close partnership with the Indigenous community of Mooroobool. As with many schools in today s society OLHOC has a majority of families with both parents working, however, parents in the community are very supportive of initiatives of the school. The school is represented in many community events such as - ANZAC Day march, Cairns Junior Eisteddfod, Rotary Speaking, local sporting events and working with the Mestrez St. Community. In 2013 the staff decided to commit to developing a School Geography Plan. In establishing the Geography Plan at OLHOC the input of all the staff was considered and valued. The decision making process evolved over a period of 2 years through in - servicing of individual teachers, all staff and the whole school community. Development of Key Learning Areas has been ongoing with the Geography Plan commencing in 2014 and will be reviewed in Professional Learning for teaching Australian Curriculum - Geography. At Our Lady Help of Christians School, we believe that staff need to be provided with opportunities to engage in quality professional development in order to be able to provide exemplary instructions in Geography. As Geography is a new Learning Area staff will need professional developments sessions, ongoing support and time to immerse themselves in the Australian Curriculum Geography. Staff will need time to study the content structure, concepts for developing geographical understanding as well as studying the Australian Curriculum-Geography across the year levels. Each year the school leadership team will commit to providing these Page 4

5 Learning with Faith and Vision opportunities for staff in varied aspects of the teaching of Geography. In year level meetings, staff planning days and staff meetings teachers will be supported in this learning area. Recommendation: It is recommended that as teachers at OLHOC in 2014 are not familiar with teaching the Australian Curriculum-Geography they use the Geography unit plans that have been written by teachers for teachers and are on the Curriculum Place Geography. 2. LEARNING AREA RATIONALE Geography is a structured way of exploring, analysing and understanding the characteristics of the places that make up our world, using the concepts of place, space, environment, interconnection, sustainability, scale and change. It addresses scales from the personal to the global and time periods from a few years to thousands. Geography integrates knowledge from the natural sciences, social sciences and humanities to build a holistic understanding of the world. Students learn to question why the world is the way it is, reflect on their relationships with and responsibilities for that world, and actively participate in and propose actions that shape a socially just and sustainable future. The concept of place develops students curiosity and wonder about the diversity of the world s places, peoples, cultures and environments. Students examine why places have particular environmental and human characteristics, explore the similarities and differences between them, investigate their meanings and significance to people and examine how they are managed and changed. Students use the concept of space to investigate the effects of location and distance on the characteristics of places, the significance of spatial distributions, and the organisation and management of space at different scales. Through the concept of environment students learn about the role of the environment in supporting the physical and emotional aspects of human life, the important interrelationships between people and environments, and the range of views about these interrelationships. Students use the concept of interconnection to understand how the causal relationships between places, people and environments produce constant changes to their characteristics. Through the concept of sustainability students explore how the environmental functions that support their life and well-being can be sustained. The concept of scale helps them explore problems and look for explanations at different levels (for example, local or regional). The concept of change helps them to explain the present and forecast possible futures. Geography uses an inquiry approach to assist students to make meaning of their world. It teaches them to respond to questions in a geographically distinctive way, plan an inquiry, collect, evaluate analyse and interpret information and suggest responses to what they have learned. They conduct fieldwork, map and interpret data and spatial distributions, and use spatial technologies. Students develop a wide range of general skills and capabilities, including information and communication Page 5

6 Learning with Faith and Vision technology skills, an appreciation of different perspectives, an understanding of ethical research principles, a capacity for teamwork and an ability to think critically and creatively. These skills can be applied in everyday life and at work. The Australian Curriculum: Geography aims to ensure that students develop: a sense of wonder, curiosity and respect about places, people, cultures and environments throughout the world a deep geographical knowledge of their own locality, Australia, the Asia region and the world the ability to think geographically, using geographical concepts the capacity to be competent, critical and creative users of geographical inquiry methods and skills as informed, responsible and active citizens who can contribute to the development of an environmentally and economically sustainable, and socially just world. To achieve these aims staff at OLHOC believe that: Geography is discovering, creating, investigating, researching, and predicting, Geography is exploring the real world. Geography takes place in the classroom, playground, camp and across others Learning Areas. At OLHOC we believe Geography encompasses the whole school, whole class, groups, individual students and parents and the community. OLHOC provides a Catholic Education based on the Gospel Values where the teachings of Christ are reflected. The central values to our Geography Plan are respect, justice, forgiveness, empathy and community. These Gospel values allow for openness to new ideas, intellectual honesty, critical and sceptical evaluation of data and ways of working that are ethical, fair and respectful of others. Recommendation: It is recommended that as teachers at OLHOC in 2014 are not familiar with teaching the Australian Curriculum-Geography they use the Geography unit plans that have been written by teachers for teachers and are on the Curriculum Place Geography. The Diocesan Learning framework is reflected in how we teach Geography in the following ways; Community Contributor learn from, reflect and acknowledge the contribution of past and present, and active participation in the community beyond school. Leader and Collaborator promote team work and cooperative learning, and accept individual and collective responsibility. Effective Communicator develop the knowledge, skills and dispositions to interpret and use language confidently for learning and communicating in and out of school and for participating effectively in society. Students develop literacy capability as they learn how to build geographical knowledge and to explore, analyse, question, discuss, evaluate and communicate geographical information, data, concepts and ideas. Page 6

7 Learning with Faith and Vision Ref: Australian Curriculum: Geography / General Capabilities / Literacy (2013) Quality Producer become informed, responsible, ethical, active and resourceful citizens, who make informed decisions and positive choices through the acquisition of geographical knowledge, and the development and use of inquiry skills. Designer and Creator Plan and design geographical inquiries that develop an environmentally and economically sustainable, and socially just world. Active Investigator make sense of their world by providing stimulating and just environments that enable all learners to engage in quality learning experiences such as field work. At Our Lady Help of Christians we are committed to following the Catholic Education- Diocese of Cairns Learning Framework. At the heart of this framework: Vision to excite and empower learners to enjoy, shape and enrich our changing world inspired by the Gospel of Jesus Christ People of hope, joy, courage and wisdom Communicators who are effective and creative Learning with Vision and Faith we are led to be: Learners who are inquiring and reflective, seeking truth Participants and producers who are independent and interdependent Citizens of the world who are responsible, ethical and resourceful People enriched by a spiritual appreciation of self, God, neighbour and life. Ref: Diocese of Cairns Learning Framework (2007) 3. BROAD SUBJECT AIMS: The P-10 Australian Curriculum: Geography aims to ensure that students develop: a sense of wonder, curiosity and respect about places, people, cultures and environments throughout the world a deep geographical knowledge of their own locality, Australia, the Asia region and the world the ability to think geographically, using geographical concepts Page 7

8 Learning with Faith and Vision the capacity to be competent, critical and creative users of geographical inquiry methods and skills as informed, responsible and active citizens who can contribute to the development of an environmentally and economically sustainable, and socially just world YEARS P 2 (TYPICALLY FROM 5 TO 8 YEARS OF AGE) Curriculum focus: Exploring local and more distant places Young students are curious about their personal world and are interested in exploring it. In Foundation to Year 2, the curriculum explores the geography of their lives and their own places. Students think about aspects of place, space and environment. Learning about their own place, and building a connection with it, also contributes to their sense of identity and belonging, and an understanding that places should be cared for. While the local place should be the initial focus for learning, young students are also aware of and interested in more distant places and the curriculum provides opportunities to build on this curiosity. Students are introduced to the concept of interconnections when learning how they are connected to places throughout the world. Students spatial thinking starts by learning about direction and distance and how familiar things can be arranged in space for different purposes. They become aware of the distances between places and how distance constrains their activities. They begin to develop a mental map of the world and of where they are located in relation to other places. Students are introduced to the concept of the environment through the exploration of the environment of their own and other places and by recognising how places vary in terms of their natural features. They become aware of why the environment needs to be cared for and are prompted to consider how they can contribute to this, laying foundations for active citizenship. Specific geographical skills introduced throughout the early years include observing and describing the features of places, drawing a map, using directional language, understanding distance and interviewing relatives. OLHOC - Geography Source Documents P-2 Australian Geography Series: Foundations, Year1, Year2 ReadyEd Publications aligned with the Australian Curriculum Geography. Australian Curriculum Geography Australian Curriculum Geography Scope and Sequence Geography of the World - Adam, Simons Geography MacMillan echarts Digital Library Global Issues Series MacMillan library Map Smart Kit MacMillan Library Curriculum Place Geography Page 8

9 Learning with Faith and Vision Digital resources as referred to in the resources section of this plan. Age Appropriate Expectations within Geography P-2 In Foundation to Year 2, the curriculum explores the geography of their lives and their own places. Students think about aspects of place, space and environment. Learning about their own place, and building a connection with it, also contributes to their sense of identity and belonging, and an understanding that places should be cared for. While the local place should be the initial focus for learning, young students are also aware of and interested in more distant places and the curriculum provides opportunities to build on this curiosity. Students are introduced to the concept of interconnections when learning how they are connected to places throughout the world. Specific geographical skills introduced throughout the early years include observing and describing the features of places, drawing a map, using directional language, understanding distance and interviewing relatives. FOUNDATION YEAR ACHIEVEMENT STANDARD By the end Foundation Year, students describe the features of familiar places and recognise why some places are special to people. They recognise that places can be represented on maps and a globe and why places are important to people. YEAR ONE ACHIEVEMENT STANDARD By the end of Year 1, students identify and describe the natural, managed and constructed features of places at a local scale and recognise that people describe the features of places differently. They identify where features of places are located and recognise that spaces can be arranged for different purposes. Students identify changes in features and describe how to care for places. YEAR TWO ACHIEVEMENT STANDARD By the end of Year 2, students identify the features that define places and recognise that places can be described at different scales. They describe how people in different places are connected to each other and identify factors that influence these connections. Students recognise that the world can be divided into major geographical divisions. They explain why places are important to people. Refer to the following for the full description of the achievement standard. Australian Curriculum Geography Australian Curriculum Geographical knowledge and understanding Scope and Sequence Foundations to year 10 Page 9

10 Learning with Faith and Vision YEARS 3 4 (TYPICALLY FROM 8 TO 9 YEARS OF AGE) Curriculum focus: Investigating places and environments In Years 3 4 students ask more complex geographical questions and contribute to planning their geographical inquiries and learning. They can provide reasons for what they think and justify their conclusions. The curriculum focus shifts from exploration to more purposeful investigation. In these years, students learn to describe and compare the environmental and human characteristics of places in different locations at the local, regional and national scale. They reflect on how people feel about places and learn how the environment supports their life and the life of other living things. They examine different views on how to protect environments and how to use resources and manage waste sustainably. Sustainability is also examined through a study of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples custodial responsibility for their Country/Place. The development of a student s mental map of the world is extended through a study of the location and characteristics of places in the southern hemisphere, including Australia and its near neighbours. In their investigations, students collaborate to collect and record information, identify patterns and trends and draw conclusions, and communicate their findings using appropriate geographical vocabulary. Specific new geographical skills in Years 3 4 include the use of aerial photographs and satellite images, the construction of simple graphs and the interpretation of maps. OLHOC - Geography Source Documents Year 3-4 Australian Geography Series: Foundations, Year1, Year2 ReadyEd Publications aligned with the Australian Curriculum Geography. Australian Curriculum Geography Australian Curriculum Geography Scope and Sequence Geography of the World - Adam, Simons Geography MacMillan echarts Digital Library Global Issues Series MacMillan library Map Smart Kit MacMillan Library Curriculum Place Geography Digital resources as referred to in the resources section of this plan. Age Appropriate Expectations within Geography Years 3-4 In Years 3 4 students ask more complex geographical questions and contribute to planning their geographical inquiries and learning. They can provide reasons for what they think and justify their conclusions. Page 10

11 Learning with Faith and Vision In their investigations, students collaborate to collect and record information, identify patterns and trends and draw conclusions, and communicate their findings using appropriate geographical vocabulary. Specific new geographical skills in Years 3 4 include the use of aerial photographs and satellite images, the construction of simple graphs and the interpretation of maps. YEAR THREE ACHIEVEMENT STANDARD By the end of Year 3, students describe the characteristics of different places at the local scale and identify and describe similarities and differences between the characteristics of these places. They identify interconnections between people and places. They describe the location of selected countries and the distribution of features of places. Students recognise that people have different perceptions of places and how this influences views on the protection of places. YEAR FOUR ACHIEVEMENT STANDARD By the end of Year 4, students describe and compare the characteristics of places in different locations at the national scale. They identify and describe the interconnections between people and the environment. They describe the location of selected countries in relative terms and identify simple patterns in the distribution of features of places. Students recognise the importance of the environment and identify different views on how to respond to a geographical challenge. Refer to the following for the full description of the achievement standard. Australian Curriculum Geography Australian Curriculum Geographical knowledge and understanding Scope and Sequence Foundations to year 10 YEARS 5-6 (TYPICALLY FROM 10 TO 11 YEARS OF AGE) Curriculum focus: Explaining places and investigating the world In Years 5 6, students become more critical, analytical and evaluative in their thinking. They are increasingly aware of the wider community and are learning to take on individual and group responsibilities. In these years, students are introduced to the factors that shape the diverse characteristics of different places and how people, places and environments are interconnected. They examine how human action influences the environmental characteristics of places and how these characteristics influence the human characteristics of places. They also examine how human decisions and actions influence the way spaces within places are organised and managed. The scale of study in Year 6 shifts to the global with a study of the world s cultural, economic, demographic and social diversity. Students also study Australia s connections with other places, the effects of these interconnections and the factors that affect people s knowledge and opinions of other places. The development of a student s mental map of the world is extended through a study of the location of countries in continents of the northern hemisphere and countries of the Asia region. Page 11

12 Learning with Faith and Vision Specific new geographical skills in Years 5 6 include interpreting spatial distributions, comparing places, making and interpreting graphs, constructing large- and small-scale maps, and using spatial technologies and information and communication technologies. OLHOC - Geography Source Documents Years 5-6 Australian Geography Series: Foundations, Year1, Year2 ReadyEd Publications aligned with the Australian Curriculum Geography. Australian Curriculum Geography Australian Curriculum Geography Scope and Sequence Geography of the World - Adam, Simons Geography MacMillan echarts Digital Library Global Issues Series MacMillan library Map Smart Kit MacMillan Library Curriculum Place Geography Digital resources as referred to in the resources section of this plan. Age Appropriate Expectations within Geography Years 5-6 In Years 5 6, students become more critical, analytical and evaluative in their thinking. They are increasingly aware of the wider community and are learning to take on individual and group responsibilities. The scale of study in Year 6 shifts to the global with a study of the world s cultural, economic, demographic and social diversity. Specific new geographical skills in Years 5 6 include interpreting spatial distributions, comparing places, making and interpreting graphs, constructing large- and small-scale maps, and using spatial technologies and information and communication technologies. YEAR FIVE ACHIEVEMENT STANDARD By the end of Year 5, students explain the characteristics of places in different locations at the national scale. They describe the interconnections between people, places and environments and identify the effect of these interconnections on the characteristics of places and environments. They describe the location of selected countries in relative terms and identify spatial distributions and simple patterns in the features of places and environments. They identify alternative views on how to respond to a geographical challenge and propose a response. YEAR SIX ACHIEVEMENT STANDARD By the end of Year 6, students explain the characteristics of diverse places in different locations at different scales from local to global. They describe the interconnections between people and places, identify factors that influence these interconnections and describe how they change places and affect people. They describe the location of selected countries in absolute and relative terms and identify and compare spatial distributions and patterns among phenomena. They identify and describe alternative views on how to respond to a geographical challenge and propose a response. Page 12

13 Learning with Faith and Vision Refer to the following for the full description of the achievement standard. Australian Curriculum Geography Australian Curriculum Geographical knowledge and understanding Scope and Sequence Foundations to year CROSS CURRICULUM PRIORITIES CATHOLIC ETHOS Our Lady Help of Christians School provides a Catholic Education based on the Gospel Values where the teachings of Christ are reflected. All Learning Areas have a religious dimension which connects curriculum experiences to a living Christian faith. The central values to our Geography Plan are respect, justice, forgiveness, empathy and community. These Gospel values allow for openness to new ideas, intellectual honesty, critical and sceptical evaluation of data and ways of working that are ethical, fair and respectful of others. In Geography the Catholic ethos: -encourages student to value the contributions of others -develops an awareness that all persons are unique -enables students to develop a strong sense of personal worth. The overarching purpose of Catholic schools of the past, as well as the future, is to bring the Good News of Jesus to all who hear it. In the midst of a world of educational, social and economic change, the focus on the holistic growth of the individual remains the surest ways Catholic schools can prepare students for the uncertainties of the future. Defining Features, Diocese of Cairns The curriculum provides opportunities for young people to connect their curriculum experiences to a living Christian faith. Through the teaching of Geography students will experience opportunities to: promote ecologically sustainable development improve the capacity of people to address environmental issues effectively participate in decision-making live out one s ecological vocation Through direct contact with the environment and practice in ecological decision-making, learners develop through involvement in liturgy, prayer, social justice, scripture and study: Page 13

14 Learning with Faith and Vision a moral and spiritual response as stewards of the gift of creation acknowledgment of cultural and spiritual connection to the environment an aesthetic appreciation of environments, both built and natural an understanding of the operation of natural systems and the impact of human activity on these systems recognition of the balance between protection and use of our environmental and natural resources skills for environmental investigation, including participation, critical analysis and evaluation an informed sense of responsibility for the environment, particularly the local catchment a commitment to participate in environmental management and improvement a preference for a personal lifestyle compatible with ecological sustainability. Adapted from: On Holy Ground/Queensland ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER HISTORIES AND CULTURES Our Lady Help of Christians School actively engages in inclusive geographical practices which reflect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives, knowledge s, histories, cultures and spirituality. Our Lady Help of Christians has developed and nurtured a close relationship with the Indigenous community situated behind the school. The Australian Curriculum: Geography emphasises the relationships people have with place and their interconnection with the environments in which they live. It also enables students to learn that there are different ways of thinking about and interacting with the environment. It integrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples' use of the land, governed by a holistic, spiritually-based connection to Country and Place, with the continuing influence of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples on Australian places, and in environmental management and regional economies. In including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledge and practices, and engaging with communities and local and regional environments, students develop a wide range of critical and creative thinking skills. Students explore ways of experiencing landscapes by conducting fieldwork with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and reading, listening to, or performing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples explanations of the origins of particular landforms Through the teaching of Geography students will experience opportunities to: value and respect: traditional knowledge and practices culture and natural heritage Page 14

15 Learning with Faith and Vision spiritual connection to the land critically examine and/or challenge: social constructs equity prejudice and racism ASIA AND AUSTRALIA S ENGAGEMENT WITH ASIA Across the Australian curriculum, this priority will ensure that students learn about and recognise the diversity within and between the countries of the Asia region. They will develop knowledge and understanding of Asian societies, cultures, beliefs and environments, and the connections between the peoples of Asia, Australia, and the rest of the world. Asia literacy provides students with the skills to communicate and engage with the peoples of Asia so they can effectively live, work and learn in the region. The Australian Curriculum: Geography also enables students to study Asia as an important region of the world. Students can explore groups of countries, individual countries, or specific regions and locations within countries. In doing so, they develop knowledge and skills that help foster intercultural understanding as they come to appreciate the diversity that exists between and within the countries of Asia, and how this diversity influences the way people perceive and interact with places and environments. Through the teaching of Geography students will experience opportunities to: investigate the interrelationships between diverse places, environments and peoples in the Asia region. learn about the ways in which Australia and Asia are interconnected, both environmentally and socially, and how transnational collaboration supports the notion of shared and sustainable futures within the Asia region. SUSTAINABILITY Across the Australian Curriculum, sustainability will allow all young Australians to develop the knowledge, skills, values and world views necessary for them to act in ways that contribute to more sustainable patterns of living. It will enable individuals and communities to reflect on ways of interpreting and engaging with the world. The Sustainability priority is futures-oriented, focusing on protecting environments and creating a more ecologically and socially just world through Page 15

16 Learning with Faith and Vision informed action. Actions that support more sustainable patterns of living require consideration of environmental, social, cultural and economic systems and their interdependence. Through the teaching of Geography students will experience opportunities to: develop and apply geographical understanding. develop inquiry skills through examination of a range of contemporary issues related to sustainability. develop a holistic understanding of human dependence on the environment. integrate their study of biophysical processes with investigations of the attitudinal, demographic, social, economic and political influences on human use and management of the environment. explore how worldviews influence these relationships and interactions with the environment. examine the effects of human activities on environments, including how human usage of resources affects ecosystems, and how challenges to sustainability, and strategies to address these, vary from place to place. evaluate strategies to determine their effects on environments, economies and societies and how they contribute to actions that support more sustainable patterns of living. SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING At Our Lady Help of Christians school all Learning Areas have a Social and Emotional Learning perspective which incorporates the following keys of Confidence, Organisation, Getting Along, Emotional Resilience and Persistence. Catholic Schools will encourage individuals, people and communities towards Christian wholeness by implementing evidence-based Social and Emotional Learning to nurture wellbeing, invigorate learning and develop cultures of connectedness. Social and emotional competencies are integral to academic and work success and are the basis of resilience, relational quality and social capital. The curriculum provides opportunities to develop: Self-Awareness Social Awareness Responsible Decision Making Self-Management Relationship Management Through the teaching of Geography students will experience opportunities to: nurture and celebrate God s presence in people, community and creation bring together faith, culture and life to make meaning of the world Page 16

17 Learning with Faith and Vision form the basis for personal and social transformation holistically promote the growth and development of the human person as an individual, in relation with others and within community. Ref: Social and Emotional Learning Policy (2010) INCLUSIVE EDUCATION Catholic schools are committed to the development of a high-quality curriculum that promotes excellence and equity in education for all Australian students. It is by the quality of interactions and relationships that all students learn to understand and appreciate difference, to value diversity and learn to respond with dignity and respect to all through mutually enriching interactions. The curriculum provides equitable access for and/or positive interactions with students from different backgrounds and with diverse needs and abilities. Through the teaching of Geography students will experience opportunities to: access and participate in the Geography curriculum build on students interests, strengths, goals and learning needs, and address the cognitive, affective, physical, social, religious, cultural and aesthetic needs of all students. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION STUDENT DIVERSITY The objectives of the Australian Curriculum: Geography are the same for all students. These objectives are based on a set of propositions outlined in The Shape of the Australian Curriculum that include: each student can learn and the needs of every student are important each student is entitled to knowledge, understanding and skills that provide a foundation for successful and lifelong learning and participation in the Australian community high expectations should be set for each student as teachers account for the current level of learning of individual students and the different rates at which students develop the needs and interests of students will vary, and schools and teachers will plan from the curriculum in ways that respond to those needs and interests. The Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians (MCEETYA, 2008) emphasises the importance of the knowledge, understanding and skills associated with learning areas, general capabilities and cross-curriculum priorities as the basis for the curriculum. Page 17

18 Learning with Faith and Vision Every student is entitled to rigorous, relevant and engaging learning experiences across all areas of the curriculum. The design of the Australian Curriculum enables teachers to personalise learning and build on students prior learning, experiences and goals. Teachers can make adjustments by drawing from the Australian Curriculum: Geography content at different levels along the Foundation to Year 10 sequence, the general capabilities learning continua and the cross-curriculum priorities. For some students, these adjustments will reflect individual learning goals developed in consultation with the student and parents as part of a collaborative planning process. Teachers assess students progress through the Australian Curriculum in relation to achievement standards. For some students, their progress will be assessed in relation to their individual learning goals. Approaches to assessment and reporting may differ across the states and territories. STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES The Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and the Disability Standards for Education 2005 require education and training service providers to support the rights of students with disability to access the curriculum on the same basis as students without disability. Students with disability are entitled to rigorous, relevant and engaging learning opportunities drawn from the Australian Curriculum and set in age-appropriate learning contexts on the same basis as students without disability. Curriculum authorities, schools and teachers have an obligation to consider reasonable adjustments needed to enable all students to access, participate and succeed in their learning. Before any adjustments are made the school must consult with the student and parent. Teachers at Our Lady Help of Christians School are to refer to the OLHOC Agreed Practice for Planning. Ref: Australian Curriculum: Geography / Student Diversity (2013) 5. GENERAL CAPABILITIES Seven general capabilities in the Australian Curriculum identify the knowledge, skills, behaviours and dispositions that will assist students to live and work successfully in the twenty-first century : Literacy Numeracy Information and communication technology (ICT) capability Critical and creative thinking Personal and social capability Ethical understanding Intercultural understanding. Throughout their schooling, students develop and use these capabilities in their learning across the curriculum, in co-curricular programs and in their lives outside school. Page 18

19 Learning with Faith and Vision General capabilities and learning areas have a reciprocal relationship. Learning areas provide opportunities for students to develop and use general capabilities. Similarly, wherever general capabilities are made explicit in learning areas, they can enrich and deepen learning and help students see its interconnectedness. In the F-10 Australian Curriculum: Geography each of the seven general capabilities is embedded in the content descriptions or elaborations. There are further opportunities to develop the general capabilities through appropriate teaching activities. LITERACY Literacy involves students in listening to, reading, viewing, speaking, writing and creating oral, print, visual and digital texts, and using and modifying language for different purposes in a range of contexts. Students develop literacy capability as they learn how to build geographical knowledge and understanding and how to explore, discuss, analyse and communicate geographical information, concepts and ideas. They use a wide range of informational and literary texts, for example, interviews, reports, stories, photographs and maps, to help them understand the places that make up our world, learning to evaluate these texts and recognising how language and images can be used to make and manipulate meaning. Students develop oral and written skills as they use language to ask distinctively geographical questions. They plan a geographical inquiry, collect and evaluate information, communicate their findings, reflect on the conduct of their inquiry and respond to what they have learned. Students progressively learn to use geography s scientific and expressive modes of writing and the vocabulary of the discipline. They learn to comprehend and compose graphical and visual texts through working with maps, diagrams, photographs and remotely sensed and satellite images. NUMERACY Numeracy involves students in recognising and understanding the role of mathematics in the world and having the dispositions and capacities to use mathematical knowledge and skills purposefully. Students develop numeracy capability as they investigate concepts fundamental to geography, for example, the effects of location and distance, spatial distributions and the organisation and management of space within places. They apply numeracy skills in geographical analysis by counting and measuring, constructing and interpreting tables and graphs, calculating and interpreting statistics and using statistical analysis to test relationships between variables. In constructing and interpreting maps, students work with numerical concepts of grids, scale, distance, area and projections. Page 19

20 Learning with Faith and Vision INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY The capability involves students in learning to make the most of the technologies available to them, adapting to new ways of doing things as technologies evolve and limiting the risks to themselves and others in a digital environment. Students develop ICT capability when they locate, select, evaluate, communicate and share geographical information using digital technologies and learn to use spatial technologies. They enhance their ICT capability by exploring the effects of technologies on places, on the location of economic activities and on people s lives. They understand the geographical changes produced by the increasing use of technology. CRITICAL AND CREATIVE THINKING Critical and creative thinking are integral to activities that require students to think broadly and deeply using skills, behaviours and dispositions, such as, reason, logic, resourcefulness, imagination and innovation, in all learning areas at school and in their lives beyond school. Students develop critical and creative thinking as they investigate geographical information, concepts and ideas through inquiry-based learning. They develop and practise critical and creative thinking by using strategies that help them think logically when evaluating and using evidence, testing explanations, analysing arguments and making decisions, and when thinking deeply about questions that do not have straightforward answers. Students learn the value and process of developing creative questions and the importance of speculation. Students are encouraged to be curious and imaginative in investigations and fieldwork. The geography curriculum also stimulates students to think creatively about the ways that the places and spaces they use might be better designed, and about possible, probable and preferable futures. PERSONAL AND SOCIAL COMPETENCE Students develop personal and social capability as they engage in geographical inquiry, and learn how geographical knowledge informs their personal identity, sense of belonging and capacity to empathise with others, as well as offering opportunities to consider ways of contributing to their communities. Inquiry-based learning assists students to develop their capacity for selfmanagement. It gives them a role in directing their own learning and in planning and carrying out investigations, and provides them with opportunities to express and reflect on their opinions, beliefs, values and questions appropriately. This enables them to become independent learners who can apply geographical understanding and skills to decisions they will have to make in the future. Through working collaboratively in the classroom and in the field, students develop their interpersonal and social skills, and learn to appreciate the different insights and perspectives of other group members. Page 20

21 Learning with Faith and Vision ETHICAL UNDERSTANDING Students develop ethical understanding as they investigate current geographical issues and evaluate their findings against the criteria of environmental protection, economic prosperity and social advancement. These criteria raise ethical questions about human rights and citizenship; for example, who bears the costs and who gains the benefits, and about group and personal responsibilities. By exploring such questions, students develop informed values and attitudes and become aware of their own roles and responsibilities as citizens. When undertaking fieldwork, students learn about ethical procedures for investigating and working with people and places, including working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. When thinking about the environment, students consider their responsibilities to protect other forms of life that share the environment. INTERCULTURAL UNDERSTANDING Students develop intercultural understanding as they learn about the diversity of the world s places, peoples, cultures and environments. As they investigate the interconnection between people and places and the meaning and significance that places hold, they come to appreciate how various cultural identities, including their own, are shaped. Through opportunities to study the lives, cultures, values and beliefs of people in different places, students learn to appreciate and interpret different perspectives and to challenge stereotypical or prejudiced representations of social and cultural groups where they exist. Through their study of people in diverse places, including those countries from which migrants to Australia have come, students come to recognise their similarities with other people, to better understand their differences, and to demonstrate respect for cultural diversity and the human rights of all people in local, national, regional and global settings. Ref: Australian Curriculum: Geography / Organisation / General Capabilities (2013) Teachers at Our Lady Help of Christians School are to refer to the OLHOC Agreed Practice for Planning. Page 21

22 6. SEQUENCE AND SCOPE PREP YEAR ONE YEAR TWO YEAR THREE YEAR FOUR YEAR FIVE YEAR SIX K&U ACHGK001 ACHGK002 ACHGK003 ACHGK004 K&U ACHGK005 ACHGK006 ACHGK007 ACHGK008 K&U ACHGK009 ACHGK010 ACHGK011 ACHGK012 ACHGK013 K&U ACHGK014 ACHGK015 ACHGK016 ACHGK017 ACHGK018 ACHGK019 K&U ACHGK020 ACHGK021 ACHGK022 ACHGK023 ACHGK024 ACHGK025 K&U ACHGK026 ACHGK027 ACHGK028 ACHGK029 ACHGK030 K&U ACHGK031 ACHGK032 ACHGK033 ACHGK034 ACHGK035 ACHGK036 Skills ACHGS001 ACHGS002 ACHGS003 ACHGS004 ACHGS005 ACHGS006 Skills ACHGS007 ACHGS008 ACHGS009 ACHGS010 ACHGS011 ACHGS012 Skills ACHGS013 ACHGS014 ACHGS015 ACHGS016 ACHGS017 ACHGS018 Skills ACHGS019 ACHGS020 ACHGS021 ACHGS022 ACHGS023 ACHGS024 ACHGS025 Skills ACHGS026 ACHGS027 ACHGS028 ACHGS029 ACHGS030 ACHGS031 ACHGS032 Skills ACHGS033 ACHGS034 ACHGS035 ACHGS036 ACHGS037 ACHGS038 ACHGS039 Skills ACHGS040 ACHGS041 ACHGS042 ACHGS043 ACHGS044 ACHGS045 ACHGS046 Page 22

23 AUSTRALIAN CURRICULUM: GEOGRAPHY UNIT CHECKLIST PREP YEAR ONE YEAR TWO YEAR THREE YEAR FOUR YEAR FIVE YEAR SIX What are places like? ACHGK001 ACHGS001 ACHGS002 ACHGS003 ACHGS004 ACHGS005 Changing Seasons Changing Spaces ACHGK005 ACHGK006 ACHGK007 ACHGK008 ACHGS007 ACHGS008 ACHGS009 ACHGS010 ACHGS011 ACHGS012 Where are we? ACHGK009 ACHGK010 ACHGK011 ACHGS015 ACHGS016 ACHGS017 Australian Places ACHGK014 ACHGK015 ACHGK018 ACHGK019 ACHGS019 ACHGS020 ACHGS021 ACHGS022 ACHGS023 ACHGS024 Refuse Redeemers ACHGK023 ACHGK024 ACHGK025 ACHGS026 ACHGS027 ACHGS028 ACHGS029 ACHGS030 ACHGS031 ACHGS032 Impact of Natural Disasters ACHGK030 ACHGS033 ACHGS034 ACHGS035 ACHGS036 ACHGS037 ACHGS038 ACHGS039 A Helping Hand ACHGK034 ACHGK035 ACHGS040 ACHGS041 ACHGS042 ACHGS043 ACHGS044 ACHGS045 ACHGS046 Australia s Page 23

24 Why are places special to people? Features of Places ACHGK005 Our Places- Where shall we go? Neighbours ACHGK016 ACHGK017 Sustainability ACHGK020 ACHGK021 Environments ACHGK026 ACHGK027 I am, You are, We are ACHGK031 ACHGK002 ACHGK007 ACHGK011 ACHGK019 ACHGK022 ACHGK028 ACHGK032 ACHGK003 ACHGS007 ACHGK012 ACHGS020 ACHGS028 ACHGK029 ACHGK033 ACHGK004 ACHGS008 ACHGK013 ACHGS021 ACHGS029 ACHGS034 ACHGK036 ACHGS001 ACHGS009 ACHGS013 ACHGS022 ACHGS030 ACHGS035 ACHGS040 ACHGS002 ACHGS010 ACHGS014 ACHGS023 ACHGS031 ACHGS036 ACHGS041 ACHGS006 ACHGS011 ACHGS018 ACHGS024 ACHGS037 ACHGS042 ACHGS012 ACHGS038 ACHGS044 ACHGS039 ACHGS045 Page 24

25 Year 7 Should I stay or should I go? ACHGK043 ACHGK044 ACHGK045 ACHGK046 ACHGK047 ACHGS047 ACHGS048 ACHGS049 ACHGS050 ACHGS051 ACHGS052 ACHGS053 ACHGS054 Water Changes Everything. Do we value water? ACHGK037 ACHGK038 ACHGK039 ACHGK040 ACHGK041 ACHGK042 ACHGS047 ACHGS048 ACHGS049 ACHGS051 ACHGS052 ACHGS053 ACHGS054 Page 25

26 AUSTRALIAN CURRICULUM GEOGRAPHY SCOPE AND SEQUENCE PREP YEAR ONE YEAR TWO YEAR THREE YEAR FOUR YEAR FIVE YEAR SIX Year level focus People live in places Places have distinctive features People are connected to many places Places are both similar and different The Earth s environment sustains all life Factors that shape the human and environmental characteristics of places A diverse and connected world Key inquiry questions What are places like? What makes a place special? How can we look after the places we live in? What are the different features of places? How can we care for places? How can spaces within a place be rearranged to suit different purpose What is a place? How are people connected to their place and other places? What factors affect my connection to places How and why are places similar and different? What would it be like to live in a neighbouring country? How do people s feelings about places influence their views about the protection of places? How does the environment support the lives of people and other living things? How do different views about the environment influence a approaches to sustainability? How can people use places and environments more sustainably? How do people and environments influence one another? How do people influence the human characteristics of places and the management of spaces within them? How can the impact of bushfires or floods on people and places be reduced How do places, people and cultures differ across the world? What are Australia s global connections between people and places? How do people s connections to places affect their perception of them? Key Concepts Foundation to Year 2 there is a particular emphasis on the use of the concepts of place, space and environment in studies at a personal and local scale. The concept of interconnection is introduced in Year 2 to develop students understanding of how people are connected to places in Australia and across The F2 concepts continue to be a focus of study in Years 3 6 but the scale of the places studied moves from the local to national, world regional and global scales. The concepts of sustainability and change are also introduced in these years. PREP YEAR ONE YEAR TWO YEAR THREE YEAR FOUR YEAR FIVE YEAR SIX Page 26