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

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Biodiversity and farming for a healthy planet

This is a digital resource containing information and resources, such as printable games, that relate to biodiversity and farming, and how food and materials can be produced while protecting the Earth's natural resources. It includes an extensive glossary of important terms, and external links to teacher and student resources ...

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Investigate: cane toads

This unit of work is designed to help students understand cane toads and their threat to the Australian environment and agricultural production. Why some animals are to be protected and others need to be eradicated. The resource includes a teacher guide, student learning journal and a PowerPoint presentation.

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Biosecurity surveillance at school

This activity outlines the process to undertake a biosecurity surveillance of a school environment. The teacher guide, slides and student sheets identify some invasive pests that represent a threat to NSW agriculture including cane toads, fire ants and exotic bees. The activity could be adapted for other locations.

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Places we protect

This is a rich, multilayered resource about 35 protected Bush Heritage reserves throughout Australia. The resource includes a map of Australia that displays the locations of the 35 reserves. Each location is linked to important information and images including: quick facts; visiting information; the animals, plants and ...

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Recycle: How do visual and theatre arts convey issues about the environment?

In this lesson students will explore the concepts behind the “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” slogan. They will examine the process of recycling and perform a commercial with a backdrop made of recycled materials.

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 ...

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

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

CFA: am I at risk?

This is an online resource that describes four different areas of habitation and provides a list of points for each area describing what to expect in the event of a bushfire, to assist people to understand their level of risk. The four areas of habitation are: close to or among grass or paddocks, close to or among forest ...

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CFA: fire safety on the farm

This is an online resource about farm fire safety containing two sections - Key advice for farmers and Essential steps before fire season - in point form, as well as a link to a downloadable PDF containing agricultural fire management guidelines. There is also a link to a resource on hay and fire safety. This resource is ...

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CFA publications

This is an online resource with links to downloadable publications including brochures, guides, plans and fact sheets on fire safety and related topics. There are also links to reports and policies, documents in languages other than English, Brigade magazine and audio versions of summer fire-safety information. This resource ...

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Ngan'gi seasons calendar

This is a seasonal calendar developed by the Ngan’gi people of the Northern Territory in collaboboration with CSIRO. The resource contains an introduction, a richly illustrated calendar and related links. The introduction includes information about the people’s wish to document traditional knowledge of their Daly River ...

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Wild backyards: digital stories transcript

This is a transcript of a series of three short digital stories produced by the Queensland Museum, entitled 'Wild backyards', in which experts explain how they attract wildlife to their backyards located in Brisbane, Roma and Innisfail. The transcript includes accompanying photographs taken from the digital stories and ...

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Aboriginal science tools: the morah stone

This is an article about morah stones, incised grinding stones from the tropical rainforests of northern Queensland, and how they were used by the local Aboriginal peoples to process toxic starchy seeds and kernels. Written by Kudjala/Kalkadoon Elder from Queensland Letitia Murgha and intended mainly for teachers, it describes ...

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Life on the land

This is a resource about life on the land in Australia in the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. It includes details about land grants allocation, the establishment of Australia's first farms, the condition of the land, the processes used to farm the land, and case studies about the early farming families in Australia. The ...

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Looking after the land

This is a resource about the environmental, climatic, natural disaster and pest challenges faced during settlement in Australia. It includes details about land management techniques; extreme and unique weather conditions, including floods and droughts; bushfires; animal and plant pests; and water management. Text, images, ...

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Self-guided trips

This is a rich, multilayered resource about self-guided trips at eight Bush Heritage reserves across Australia. The resource provides information, images and maps about eight self-guided day trips or camping trips including: detailed information about the reserve; advice about the self-guided trip; when to visit; type of ...

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Australian Agricultural Company

This is a resource about the Australian Agriculture Company, Australia's oldest company, from its establishment in 1824 to the 20th century. It includes details about the initial purpose of the company, the key figures and families involved, the important decisions and the development of Australia's agriculture industry. ...

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Rural communities: community events

This is a website about rural life in Australia in the 19th and 20th centuries; there is a particular focus on community activities that brought people together to socialise and as a boost for morale. It includes information about community events, social and recreational activities and key organisations and societies for ...

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Indigenous Science: shell middens and fish traps

This is an article about Aboriginal shell middens along the Queensland coast and the information they provide about Aboriginal food collection practices. Written by Kudjala/Kalkadoon Elder from Queensland Letitia Murgha and intended mainly for teachers, it describes how shell middens were created over thousands of years ...