Geography Work program sample Sample work program Reproduced with the permission of the Varsity College August 2007 A work program is the school s plan of how the course will be delivered and assessed, based on the school s interpretation of the syllabus. The school s work program must meet syllabus requirements, and indicate that there will be sufficient scope and depth of student learning to reflect the general objectives and meet the exit criteria and standards. This sample demonstrates one approach, and should be used as a guide only to help teachers plan and develop school work programs.
Varsity College Geography Work Program 2007
Table of Contents 1. Rationale 2. Course Overview 3. Sample Unit a. Rationale b. Geographical Contexts c. Key Questions d. Key Ideas e. Learning Experiences f. Assessment Instrument 4. Assessment Plan a. Techniques to be Used b. Associated Criteria c. Conditions of Implementation d. Verification Folio e. Exit Folio f. Awarding Levels of Achievement at Monitoring, Verification & Exit g. Sample Student Profile
1. RATIONALE Geography is the study of the natural and human character of places and the interaction between these phenomena. Geography is offered at Varsity College as a valuable medium for the education of its students. Its contributions lie in the content, cognitive processes, skills and values that geography can promote to help students better explore, understand and evaluate the social and environmental dimensions of the world. Students are encouraged to master thinking, research and communication skills through experiences in Geography. Varsity College is a P-12 school located on the northern and southern sides of a man-made lake, Lake Orr, on the Gold Coast. The College opened in 2001 and continues to build resources. Students undertake a trans-disciplinary curriculum prior to commencing study in the Senior School in Year 10. Students must study at least one Social Science subject for a semester in Year 10 though many study more than one. Social Science is a valued component of the senior curriculum. Unit and topic outlines are given to geography students at Varsity College to foster interest and pre-reading, giving all students the opportunity to have some knowledge before the educational process begins. The different experiences of students from diverse backgrounds can be used in the classroom to show how value systems change within a community. Use of local areas, through field trips, to illustrate concepts also helps students better understand the relationships between the environment and themselves. Geographical inquiry follows the key questions: What and where are the issues or patterns being studied? How and why do these issues and patterns develop? What are the impacts of these issues and patterns? What is being done or could be done to sustainably manage these impacts? Course organisation at Varsity College is designed to provide a sequential and comprehensive course of study that balances geographical location in Australia and elsewhere in the world with varying scales of study from small scale, local studies to large scale regional and global studies. This program should be read in conjunction with the 2007 Geography Syllabus.
2. COURSE OVERVIEW The following overview represents the intended structure for the course though the sequence of themes may vary over time. The units identified by the * are elective units and may be substituted for a focus unit in a semester. The elective units are examples and another elective unit which clearly links with the theme for the semester, may be substituted for the one nominated in the table below. Semester Theme Unit Time Location/Scale 1 Managing the Natural Environment 2 Social Environments 3 Resources and the Environment 4 People and Development Responding to Natural Hazards Eg. Earthquakes & Cyclones Catchment Management Eg. Aral Sea, Currumbin Creek * Management of the Gold Coast Beaches, Burleigh Case Study Sustaining Communities Eg. Mega Cities, Gold Coast Connecting People And Places Eg. Gold Coast Transport, S.E. Qld * Inter State Migration In Australia Impact On Queensland Living With Climate Change Eg. Europe, Australia Sustaining Biodiversity Eg. Rainforests, Foja Mountains * Managing Nature Based Recreation on Fraser Island Feeding the World s People Eg. Indonesia, Asia Exploring The Geography of Disease Eg. Malaria, Dengue Fever Examining The Geography of Debt Global Eg. Africa 9 weeks Regional Qld Global 9 weeks Local Regional Asia 9 weeks Regional SEQ Local 9 weeks Local Global 9 weeks Local Regional SEQ 9 weeks National Regional Qld 9 weeks Regional Europe National 9 weeks Global Regional Pacific 9 weeks Local Regional Fraser Island 9 weeks Regional Asia Global 9 weeks Global Regional Asia 9 weeks Global Regional Africa
3. SAMPLE UNIT OF WORK ELECTIVE UNIT Theme Managing the natural environment Unit Management of Gold Coast Beaches Rationale The unit encourages students to consider the sustainability of the beach system on the Gold Coast. While students are aware of the highly visible seasonal beach erosion that occurs on the Gold Coast, they do not consider that the dunes are part of a larger system that is extremely dynamic. This unit explores the nature of beach erosion as a natural process operating within a system that has been significantly modified. The geographical investigation of beach management draws on concepts from geomorphology, economics, sociology and engineering. A geographical approach to the issues requires a focus on the future management of the beach system against the framework of current land use practices, historical responses to periods of severe erosion, future development and the role of government/s.
Theme: Managing the Natural Environment Unit: Management of the Gold Coast Beaches Key Questions Time Key Ideas Learning Experiences Geographic Skills What is a beach system? What is the pattern of coastal landform occurrence in the Gold Coast area? 3 hrs A beach is a complex natural system that includes the surf zone, the beach area and the dune zone Beaches are part of a larger coastal and catchment system i.e. Gold Coast sand is derived from the catchments of northern NSW Coastlines are continually being eroded by waves: Waves are formed by the drag of winds over the ocean s surface. Observe historical photographs and film that show the Gold Coast beaches as a natural system. Select and record relevant information from: expository teaching, print sources, audiovisual and computer technologies, maps and photographic records to describe and define coastal landforms and their elements. Gather and record information from field trips to identify coastal landforms patterns. Sketching from photographs Field sketching Using topographic maps Extracting information from aerial photos and satellite images Using Google Earth images What natural processes operate within and upon this system? 6 hrs A beach system is dynamic in that it exists in a constant state of change i.e. accretion or erosion depending on the wave action and sand budget Waves erode by: hydraulic action, abrasion and corrosion. Longshore current acts like of river of sand moving deposits north in response to the predominant SE wings on the Gold Coast Illustrate data in diagrammatic, graphic, photographic and cartographic formats gathered from primary and secondary sources to identify processes and patterns relating to coastal landforms. Gather information in the field such as wave height, length and frequency. Research information on natural beach systems Constructing cross sections and transects Construct a flow map Dune vegetation acts to stabilise and protect the dune system Foredunes provide a reservoir of sand for beach movement over time
How have the social, political, historical and economic contexts in which the Gold Coast beach system exits modified the natural processes? 9 hrs Urban growth and associated development within the zone of natural beach movement has led to changes to natural sand movement Significant change to the Gold Coast system occurred with the construction of the Tweed Training walls to protect the fishing boats Severe storms and cyclones have major impacts on the beach system. Use data (maps, photographs) to analyse relationships between the physical and human relationships. Interview people in the community for oral histories or periods of major natural events such as flooding and beach erosion. Build a picture of the natural dynamics and resilience of the system. Graph data on population, tourism and economic development in the region. Conduct interviews Graphing and correlating data What impact have these modifications had on the Gold Coast beach system? 6 hrs As beach erosion occurred, strategies such as the construction of groynes and sand replenishment programs were implemented. Dune protection and revegetation schemes were introduced. Large scale foreshore revetment walls have been constructed to stabilise the dunes and protect development. Sand by-passing at two locations has been constructed to restore the longshore drift and protect beach resources. Observe changes in coastal landforms in the local area and the impact of these changes on human activity. Produce a timeline of major activities impacting on the beach system from 1962 with the Training wall construction. Construct a consequences wheel to examine the economic, social and political impacts from the degradation of the beach resource. Making field observations Constructing diagrams Field sketching What is being done or could be done to sustainably manage dynamic beach systems? 3 hrs The strategies implemented to protect the beaches have been a response to the economic value of the resource. The scale of sand bypassing and sand replenishment is one of the largest in the world. Interview local government staff to consider future plans for the Gold Coast beaches Class debate on the strategies used to preserve the beach system and the alternatives the opportunity costs of these.. Developing a decision making matrix The long-term impact of sea level changes with climate change has yet to be addressed.
4. ASSESSMENT 4.1 Assessment Plan The proposed Assessment Plan is presented as a flexible model to allow teachers and students some choice in assessment techniques and procedures. In each semester, a maximum of 4 pieces of assessment will be applied and each unit in the semester will be assessed with a short response test and one of the other assessment techniques identified in the table below. Techniques Criteria to be Assessed Conditions 1 Short Response Test 1 Test conditions 40-45 minutes 2 Data Response Test 2 and/or 3 Test conditions 60-70 minutes 3 Report 2, 3, 4 800-1000 words based on primary data and including ICT s 4 Practical Exercise 2, 4 or 3, 4 or 2, 3, 4 5 Stimulus Response Essay 2, 4 or 3, 4 or 2, 3, 4 Test conditions 80-100 minutes Unseen question under test conditions 60-90 minutes 4.2 Verification Folio The Verification Folio will contain the following as a m inimum. Minimum number of performances for October verification Criterion Semester 1 Semester 2 Semester 3 Semester 4 1 2 3 4 performances required for verification
It will contain the following techniques: A short response test for each of the units studied in Year 12 - (3 by September) A practical exercise done under test conditions A stimulus response essay on an unseen question under test conditions A report based on primary data A minimum of five and maximum of seven pieces of assessment will comprise the folio for verification. 4.3 Exit Folio The Exit Folio will contain the following as a minimum. Minimum number of performances for exit Criteria Semester 1 Semester 2 Semester 3 Semester 4 1 2 3 4 The Exit Folio will contain the same composition of assessment techniques as the Verification Folio with the addition of An additional short response test Some of the other assessment techniques from the Verification Folio may be updated for some students 4.4 Awarding Exit Levels of Achievement Student results on the assessment techniques are recorded on the student profile provided in this program. When standards have been determined in each of the four criteria of Knowledge, Analytical processes, Decision-making processes, and Research and communication, the following table is used to determine the exit level of achievement, where A represents the highest standard and E the lowest. Level of Achievement VHA HA SA LA VLA Minimum Combination of Standards Standard A in any three exit criteria and no less than a B in the remaining criterion Standard B in any three exit criteria and no less than a C in the remaining criterion Standard C in any three exit criteria and no less than a D in the remaining criterion Standard D in any three exit criteria Standard E in two or more criteria
VARSITY COLLEGE SENIOR GEOGRAPHY - STUDENT PROFILE NAME: Entry Year: Exit Year: ASSESSMENT CRITERIA SEMESTER ONE SEMESTER TWO M SEMESTER THREE SEMESTER FOUR Theme: Managing Natural Theme: Social Environments O Theme: Resources & the Theme : People & Environment N Environment Development Instrument No. Instrument No. I Instrument No. Instrument No. T Progres s Progres s O R Progres s V E R I F I C A E X I T 1 Knowledge I N G T I O N 2 Analytical Processes 3 Decision-making Processes 4 Research and Communication
Repeat Student YES/NO Date joined course SEMESTER LEVEL OF ACHIEVEMENT SEMESTER LEVEL OF ACHIEVEMENT SEMESTER LEVEL OF ACHIEVEMENT SA Date left course A B C D E A B C D E LA A B C D E Previous School (Please Circle) (Please Circle) VLA (Please Circle) UNITS CREDITED 1 2 3 4 Assessment Instrument No. 1 Short-response tests. 2 Data response test Comment: Comment: VHA HA Comment: Requirements for exit levels of achievement: VHA - 3 As and nothing less than a B HA - 3 Bs and nothing less than a C SA - 3 Cs and nothing less than a D LA - 3 criteria at D standard VLA - Does not meet requirements for LA VHA HA SA LA VLA VHA HA SA LA VLA 3 Reports 4 Practical Exercise Not included for exit. S.A.I. 5 Stimulus Response Essay Teacher: Teacher: Teacher: