Activity 3.1: adding information
Introduction
In this activity students are provided with a range of data sources to develop skills in researching information. They explore websites and texts and build up familiarity with using such sources for data. Students then use these sources to provide information about a specific place.
Duration
60–90 minutes
Resources
- Websites:
- Atlases
- Information gathered by students in Activity 2.2.
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Activity stepsShow details
- As a whole class discuss what other information may help to provide a more comprehensive understanding and knowledge of a place.
- Refer to these issues from The tale of Johnny Town-mouse:
- the weather and climate
- how the land was utilised
- the number of people living nearby.
- Also draw on the photo images and questions from Activity 2.2.
- What other resources apart from photographs could assist us in providing information? Record suggestions and provide students with access to resources listed.
- Ask students to return to their original groups (from Activity 2.1) and provide each group with the photo they used previously in Activity 2.2.
- Using the listed resources ask each group to find out information for the photo location regarding climate, population, and names of local natural and built features.
- You could develop a worksheet to help students organise this information. Headings could include:
- Name of place
- Location
- Climate
- Rainfall: Yearly average, Highest month, Lowest month
- Temperature: Average, Highest month, Lowest month
- Hours of sunshine
- Population
- Number of people
- Population density
- Landmarks
- Human, Natural
- Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander connections
- Draw groups back together to discuss findings. Begin by facilitating discussion around the new information. Then draw on all information now available to discuss concepts such as the influence of latitude on climate; built areas and population density; natural features; and use of land. Add new vocabulary to the list.