Humanities and social sciences / Year 5 / Knowledge and Understanding / Geography

Curriculum content descriptions

The environmental and human influences on the location and characteristics of a place and the management of spaces within them (ACHASSK113)

Elaborations
  • comparing how people have responded to climatic conditions in similar and different places and explaining why most Australians live close to the coast compared to inland Australia
  • investigating the influence of landforms (for example, river valleys such as the Murray-Darling, Yellow (Huang He), Yangtze, Amazon, Mekong or Ganges), on the development of settlements that are involved in food and fibre production
  • examining the effects of landforms (for example, valleys, hills, natural harbours and rivers) on the location and characteristics of their place and other places they know
  • exploring the extent of change in the local environment over time and the impact of change on ecosystems
  • exploring how a unique environment is used and managed (for example, settlement and human use of Antarctica and the practices and laws that aim to manage human impact)
  • examining how the use of the space within their local place is organised through zoning
  • investigating a current local planning issue (for example, redevelopment of a site, protection of a unique species), exploring why people have different views on the issue, and developing a class response to it
General capabilities
  • Critical and creative thinking Critical and creative thinking
ScOT terms

Communities,  Landforms,  Climate,  Human settlements,  Environmental influences,  Urban planning

Online

CFA Bushfires - a geography resource for Australian students

This is an illustrated PDF with comprehensive information about the causes and behaviours of bushfire as well as the impact fires have on natural and human environments. Taking a geographic perspective, the text is supported with photographs, maps, aerial photography, diagrams, and tables. Each chapter includes activities ...

Online

Digital Stories of the Land

This is website that presents a collection of digital stories about the connection people have with their surroundings, in particular the land. The resource has three sections: Introductory information; Story Objects; and Story Education Resources. There are 11 Story Objects, all videos that present personal stories of ...

Interactive

Thermal comfort – sustainability action process (Years 3–6)

This thermal comfort learning resource will guide students through an extended school based investigation. Students will develop and implement a chosen sustainability action and then evaluate and reflect on their success and their learning.

Interactive

Sustainable transport – sustainability action process (Years 3–6)

This sustainable transport learning resource will guide students through an extended school based investigation. Students will develop and implement a chosen sustainability action and then evaluate and reflect on their success and their learning.

Interactive

Biodiversity – sustainability action process (Years 3–6)

This biodiversity learning resource guides students through an extended school based investigation. Students develop and implement a chosen sustainability action and then evaluate and reflect on their success and their learning.

Interactive

Kitchen gardens – sustainability action process (Years 3–6)

This resource guides students through an extended school-based or local investigation focussed on kitchen gardens using the five-step sustainability action process. The resource supports the investigation of a real-world issue or problem. Students develop and implement a chosen sustainability action and then evaluate and ...

Online

European settlement

This lesson sequence explores European settlement in the Murray-Darling Basin and the establishment of western farming and irrigation. It includes a teacher PowerPoint presentation, separate teacher notes and a student worksheet. This lesson sequence is one in a series exploring aspects of the Murray-Darling Basin and is ...

Online

Drought and flood in the Murray-Darling Basin

This lesson sequence focuses on the cycle of drought and flood in the Murray-Darling Basin. It looks at perspectives on and future predictions of flood and drought and includes a research-based case study of the impact of flood and drought on a settlement or region in the Murray-Darling Basin. The lesson sequence includes ...

Interactive

Waste and materials – sustainability action process (Years 3–6)

This resource guides students through an extended school-based or local investigation focussed on waste and materials using the five-step sustainability action process. The resource supports the investigation of a real-world issue or problem. Students develop and implement a chosen sustainability action and then evaluate ...

Online

Local seasons: exploring First Nations weather knowledge

First Nations peoples across Australia have a detailed understanding of their environment, passing it down from generation to generation. They observe their environment closely, and use this knowledge to understand the changes in plants, animals and climate. Changes in the environment indicates what to eat, when to eat ...

Interactive

Standing on Country

The purpose of this resources is for students in Stages 2 and/or Stage 3 to create meaningful Acknowledgements of Country collaborating with your local Aboriginal community; local Aboriginal Language group and/or Aboriginal Education Consultative Group (AECG). The Standing on Country resource includes lessons with comprehensive ...

Interactive

Discovering democracy: people power

Interact with a slideshow of images and text to explore the struggles for equal rights in Australia. Look in particular at the Eureka Stockade, 1891 Shearers' strike and the Freedom Ride. Complete a related task.

Online

Seeing the Land from an Indigenous Canoe

This is website about the significant contribution Aboriginal people made in colonial times by guiding European explorers and colonists, stock and goods across the Victorian river systems. The resource includes introductory information and 31 Story Objects in the format of videos, audio, images and text. Each object also ...

Interactive

Gold rush: level 2

Dig for gold on the Ballarat goldfields in 1865. Try your luck at alluvial or shaft mining. Buy a miner's permit, tools and enough supplies to last a month. Discover how hard life was on the goldfields. Explore a map showing the countries migrants left to join the gold rush in Australia. Find out which towns developed due ...

Interactive

Rainforest: read a brochure

Read a six-page brochure about the climate of a temperate rainforest in Victoria. Look at maps of Australia showing patterns of temperature and rainfall. Find out what clothing to bring and how to get to the rainforest from the airport. As you go, look up the meaning of tricky words.

Online

Archives ACT: find of the month

This topic-based collection of primary source material provides a rich and varied source of official documents, guides and background information on the civic history of Canberra and the Australian Capital Territory. Produced monthly, this eclectic collection covers topics including the history of monuments, architecture, ...

Interactive

The Orb

The Orb is a collection of multimedia learning resources about Tasmanian Aboriginal histories and cultures. It explores the interconnections between people, Country, culture, identity, and the living community. The multimedia resources have between three and five sections in which Tasmanian Aboriginal people share their ...

Interactive

What house is that?

This is an interactive streetscape of nine houses, each from a different era and of different styles. They represent the nine main housing styles in Victoria. Information about each of the houses includes: features and style; the Architect; designers; historical observations; house owners; and general social history of ...

Online

Significant Individuals - Frank Hurley

In this learning activity, students explore the work of James Francis 'Frank' Hurley and his photographic documentation of historical events. These include the Antarctic expeditions of Mawson and Shackleton, World War I and World War II. Students use primary source material and their own research to prepare an interview ...

Interactive

CFA: bushfire interactive

This is an interactive resource containing a game, interactive simulations, detailed information and links to other useful information on bushfire readiness, including a downloadable fire plan. It consists of three sections - Fire risk, How a fire behaves and Fire safety - covering topics such as fire danger rating, radiant ...