Geography and Citizenship - Hand in Hand

Welcome again to our Y3 Blog as we discuss our Geography and Citizenship learning.

In this learning sequence we are taking a deeper look at the natural features of our great country Australia. We will be investigating some of the amazing natural elements of our continent utilising a range of sources such as books, photographs, videos and programs such as Google Earth to locate images and information about these natural elements. This links in with some of the inquiry questions located in the Humanities and Social Sciences curriculum, continuing our learning within this area.

We will then be narrowing our scope to the marvellous natural features of Tasmania, and comparing how some of our natural elements are similar or different to others in Australia - for example our Tarkine Rainforest and the Daintree Rainforest in Northern Queensland or our Tamar River and the Murray River in Victoria/New South Wales.

As we investigate the similarities and differences, students will demonstrate their learning in creating a profile detailing the characteristics of a local natural feature. This will include it's location on a map, a description and images of the natural feature. This enquiry-based learning opportunity also develops General Capabilities of Literacy and Critical and Creative Thinking as they select and analyse information sources and compose Geography-specific texts themselves.

We will also continue our Citizenship learning as we enquire into ways we can be active in conserving and maintaining some of our local natural elements.

We will be undertaking a class vote to choose between some of the local natural areas investigated by students and once decided, we will be participating in a Schools Clean Up (in conjunction with Clean Up Australia) excursion to our chosen location to clean up the area of litter and rubbish.

In this way, our students are not only contributing actively in a local community project but they are linking their learning about their local natural environment to a real-world location. This is an example of active learning, where students learning through active participation, not simply hearing or seeing someone else's perspective. Teaching and learning in this way encourages deeper connections between content and children's own lives which fosters a developed and rich understanding.

Following our excursion, student's will be compiling photographs of the day along with their own reflections for display in our classroom. These photographs and reflections will highlight student's understandings of how their efforts contributed to the protection of our local natural area whilst also linking to the cross curriculum priority of Sustainability.

Throughout this diverse learning sequence, students are developing knowledge and skills across a range of Australian Curriculum areas including:

This learning sequence is designed to create a sense of wonder and appreciation for the natural elements of our great country as well as our local area. If you are able, I encourage you to join us in exploring and investigating our local natural elements. It could be as simple as a walk through the Gorge or perhaps cruise on the Tamar but these experiences all contribute to your child's learning through authentic experiences that consolidate understanding. Furthermore, if you would like to join us on our Schools Clean Up excursion we would love your help.

Thank you for partnering with our class in this way!

Word count: 543

References

Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority (2016). Australian Curriculum: Foundation to year 10  curriculum:HASS, Year 3 (Version 8.3). Retrieved from http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/download/f10 

CQNews. (2016, June 30). Students clean up for environment. Retrieved from https://www.cqnews.com.au/news/students-clean-up-for-environment/3054589/

Ignatius Park College. (2019, March 4). Clean Up Australia Day. Retrieved from https://www.ipc.qld.edu.au/clean-up-australia-day/

Into The Wild Films (2016, August 6). Natural Wonders of Australia [Video File] Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWan2YcodSM

Marsh, C., Clarke, M., & Pittaway, S. (2014). Marsh’s becoming a teacher (6th ed.). Frenchs Forest, NSW: Pearson.

Morrison, C. D. (2014). From 'Sage on the Stage' to 'Guide on the Side': A Good Start. I Morrison, C. D. (2014). From 'Sage on the Stage' to 'Guide on the Side': A Good Start. International Journal For The Scholarship Of Teaching & Learning, 8(1), 1.

Tea Collection. (2019). Destination: Australia, Inspirational Photos & Stories. Retrieved from https://i.pinimg.com/originals/17/fe/bb/17febb3c44047a1cb290f53a8c123cc0.jpg

Vladimira, H. (2014). Projecting and Methods of Active Learning in Primary and Pre-Primary Education. Procedia, social and behavioral sciences, 112, 806-812.

doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2014.01.1234