Unit 3 Overview
Unit Description
In Unit 3, students develop an understanding of changes to the biophysical environment over time, with a particular focus on land cover transformation and climate change. Through a case study and fieldwork, students investigate the geographical processes, natural and anthropogenic, that have resulted in change to Earth’s land cover and climate change and the resulting impacts and challenges posed at global, regional and local scales. Students propose action for sustainable management of land cover change for a fieldwork location.
Fieldwork plays a central role in Topic 2 of this unit. Through experiential learning, students apply a range of geographic skills to collect, manipulate and explain the meaning of data. Through this field study, students understand that managing land cover change at the local level is required for resilient and sustainable futures.
The learning for this unit consists of two separate and interrelated topics. Each is of equal importance in providing students with the required knowledge and skills.
Fieldwork plays a central role in Topic 2 of this unit. Through experiential learning, students apply a range of geographic skills to collect, manipulate and explain the meaning of data. Through this field study, students understand that managing land cover change at the local level is required for resilient and sustainable futures.
The learning for this unit consists of two separate and interrelated topics. Each is of equal importance in providing students with the required knowledge and skills.
Unit Requirements
Students must complete a minimum of five hours of fieldwork in this unit for Topic 2: Responding to local land cover transformations. The time allocated for fieldwork forms part of the 17 hours recommended for teaching and learning in Topic 2.
Unit Objectives
Unit objectives are drawn from the syllabus objectives and are contextualised for the subject matter and requirements of the unit. Each unit objective must be assessed at least once.
Students will:
Students will:
- explain geographical processes by describing the features, elements and interactions between biophysical and anthropogenic processes that shape the identity of places and result in land cover change of Earth’s surface and a changing climate
- comprehend geographic patterns by recognising spatial patterns of land cover change and indications of climate change at global, regional and local scales of study and identifying relationships and implications for people and places
- analyse geographic data by selecting and interpreting climate and land cover data and information to infer how patterns, trends and relationships represent a geographical challenge for a specific place in Australia, and in relation to climate change for a selected land cover type
- apply geographic understanding by extrapolating from their analysis to generalise about the impacts of land cover and climate change on biophysical and anthropogenic environments
- synthesise information from their analysis to propose justified action/s in response to the sustainable management of land cover change for the fieldwork location
- communicate geographical understanding of land cover change and climate change at a variety of scales, and ways of managing the impacts for sustainable outcomes, by selecting and using cartographic, graphic, written and mathematical skills in short and extended responses, including a fieldwork report.
Geography 2019 v1.1 General Senior Syllabus p30-31