Activity Introduction
Quick summary: Students will investigate the impacts of natural disasters on individuals and communities by exploring a case study. Students will then create a news story about the cause and impact of the natural hazards that occurred in Lismore (NSW), Lockyer Valley (Qld), Kalbarri (WA), Mallacoota (Vic) or Cobargo (NSW).
Subjects: Geography.
Year Level: 7 & 8.
Topics: Climate change and Sustainability.
Teaching Time: 90 minutes.
21st-century skills:
Australian Curriculum Mapping
Content descriptions:
Year 7 Geography:
- Causes, impacts and responses to an atmospheric or hydrological hazard (ACHGK042).
Year 8 Geography:
- Present findings, arguments and ideas in a range of communication forms selected to suit a particular audience and purpose; using geographical terminology and digital technologies as appropriate (ACHGS061).
Syllabus outcomes: GE4-2, GE4-8.
General capabilities: Literacy, Critical and Creative Thinking, Personal and Social Capability.
Cross-curriculum priority: Sustainability.
Relevant parts of Year 7 Geography achievement standards:
Water in the world’ develops students’ understanding of the concept of environment, including the ideas that the environment is the product of a variety of processes, that it supports and enriches human and other life, that people value the environment in different ways and that the environment has its specific hazards.
Relevant parts of Year 8 Geography achievement standards:
By the end of Year 8, students explain geographical processes that influence the characteristics of places and explain how places are perceived and valued differently. They explain interconnections within environments and between people and places and explain how they change places and environments. They compare alternative strategies to a geographical challenge, taking into account environmental, economic and social factors.
Level of teacher scaffolding: Medium – facilitate small group work and class discussion.
Resources required:
- A device capable of creating audiovisual recordings, such as an iPad or camera
- A device capable of presenting a video to the class
- Student Worksheets – one copy per student.
Cool Australia’s curriculum team continually reviews and refines our resources to be in line with changes to the Australian Curriculum.
