Geography : It’s Where You Have Been Living This whole Time JACINTA PETERSEN LINDA CRANLEY UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME AUSTRALIA

Australian Curriculum Humanities and Social Sciences StrandCurrent StatusImplementation Date HistoryCompleteCurrently Implemented GeographyCompleteCurrently Implemented Civics and Citizenship Awaiting final endorsement. Noted in November 2013 and agreed that curriculum could be made available for state and territory use. Awaiting final endorsement Economics and Business (Year 5 and above) Endorsed in July 2013, subject to further consultation with Western Australia. Consultation is now completed. Awaiting final endorsement

Figure 1.1 Elements of the Australian Curriculum (Gilbert 2014) Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australian Shape of the Australian Curriculum Cross curriculum Priorities Learning Areas in Humanities History Geography Civics and citizenship Economics and Business General Capabilities in the Australian Curriculum

Defining Geography Geography is a structured way of exploring, analysing and understanding the characteristics of the places that make up our world, using 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 of years. (ACARA, 2012)

Two Major Strands Geographical Skills The skills needed to learn the content Geographical Knowledge and Understanding Content to be taught The most critical aspect to remember is they should be taught together (Gilbert 2014)

Summary of the units in the Geography Curriculum (Gilbert 2014) YearUnit F People Live in places Focus on students exploring places they live. 1 Places have distinct features Focus on different types of natural, managed and constructed places and their characteristics 2 People are connected to many places Focus on places as defined by different people at different scales that have interconnections 3 Places are both similar and different Focus on similarities and differences of places within and outside Australia, with deliberate investigation of physical and human phenomena 4 The Earth’s environment sustains life Focus on sustainability, custodial responsibility and natural features 5 Factors that shape the human and environmental characteristics of a places Focus on how human and environmental processes explain characteristics of places 6 A diverse and connected world Focus on global scale, environmental, cultural and demographic diversity, inequality and connections between countries

Suggested times to teach Geography The Australian Curriculum : Geography does not mandate a time allocation for the teaching of geography- this is left to jurisdicitions to decide- though some indicative guides have been suggested as follows (ACARA, 2011, pp.24-26) F hours per year hours per year

Children’s Literature  Children’s Literature is an excellent way of achieving the curriculum focus in each year level  It is an effective way to communicate the knowledge and understandings in a context that children will relate to and remember  It is a motivating way of engaging with each topic  Children’s literature allows for easy integration into the Religious Education, English and Science learning areas

Task Using the children’s literature that has been placed on your desk, Brainstorm one idea for using the text in each year level to achieve the main curriculum focus.

Field work in Geography BENEFITS 1. Provides the opportunity for children to be outside 2. Allows children to explore their surroundings 3. Makes connections between care for the environment and care for themselves 4. Children learn about hazards in the environment and how to avoid them 5. Students can engage with real issues that are relevant to their lives using an inquiry approach 6. Allows children to engage all the senses

Virtual Fieldtrips     

PhaseFocus ENGAGEEngage students and elicit prior knowledge Diagnostic assessment EXPLOREProvide hands-on experience of the phenomenon Formative assessment EXPLAINDevelop explanations for experiences and representations of developing conceptual understanding Formative assessment ELABORATEExtend understandings to a new context or make connections to additional concepts through a student-planned investigation Summative assessment of Geographical Inquiry and Skills focus EVALUATEStudents re-represent understandings and reflect on their learning journey and teachers collect evidence about achievement of outcomes Summative assessment of Geographical Knowledge and Understanding focus Inquiry- One Approach- The 5E’s

Planning using the Australian Curriculum Type=0&s=G&e=ScopeAndSequence TASK Using the Geography Planning Guide begin to plan for your year level

Web Resources  Australian Curriculum urriculum/F-10 One World Centre Quality Teaching Framework (QFT) DET Resources The Civics & Citizenship Education website Australian Curriculum - History Australian Curriculum Geography Quality Teaching Framework (QFT) DET Resources The Civics & Citizenship Education website WA Department of Education Australian Curriculum Western Australia Western Australian Curriculum Asia Education Foundation a_literacy/asia_literacy_alliance.html a_literacy/asia_literacy_alliance.html Geckos: Catholic Education Office Western Australia