Apst 3

102098 Contemporary Teacher Leadership | Autumn 2021
Assessment 2 | Lyndal Howison | 15895338
Unit Report
Incorporating revisions to integrate Understanding by Design
principles and increased the presence of two General Capabilities:
Critical and Creative Thinking, and Ethical Understanding
Unit: Water in Your World

Subject/Stage: Stage 4 Geography
Sir Joseph Banks High School, Revesby
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Contents
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ........................................................................................................................ 2
UNIT CONTEXT .................................................................................................................................... 2
SCHOOL BACKGROUND....................................................................................................................... 3
SUMMARY OF UNIT CHANGES IN THIS REPORT ................................................................................. 3
COMPARATIVE TABLE ......................................................................................................................... 4
RECOMMENDATIONS REPORT................................................................................................................ 5
SCOPE AND SEQUENCE ....................................................................................................................... 5
UNDERSTANDING BY DESIGN PROCESS .............................................................................................. 5
UbD Process Flowchart ....................................................................................................................... 6
CRITICAL THINKING ............................................................................................................................. 7
ETHICAL UNDERSTANDING ................................................................................................................. 8
OTHER FEATURES OF THE UNIT .......................................................................................................... 9
EVALUATION ....................................................................................................................................... 9
RECONSTRUCTED UNIT ......................................................................................................................... 10
SCOPE AND SEQUENCE ..................................................................................................................... 10
CONCEPT MAP .................................................................................................................................. 14
ASSESSMENT NOTIFICATION............................................................................................................. 15
RECONSTRUCTED UNIT OUTLINE ...................................................................................................... 20
REFERENCES ...................................................................................................................................... 27
APPENDIX 1– ORIGINAL SCOPE AND SEQUENCE .............................................................................. 30
NO ASSESSMENT NOTIFICATION DOCUMENT AVAILABLE ............................................................... 34
NO UNIT OUTLINE AVAILABLE .......................................................................................................... 34
APPENDIX 2 – ORIGINAL PROGRAM ................................................................................................. 35
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(Word count: 641 including intext citations)
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This report describes and explains a set of recommendations that are designed to build on
the existing strengths of the Stage 4 Geography unit, Water in the World, by instilling the
principles of Understanding by Design (UbD) and increasing the focus on two General
Capabilities (GCs): Critical and Creative Thinking (CCT) and Ethical Understanding (EU). The
UbD integration followed the framework’s standard process; commencing with ‘big ideas’ and
desired student understandings, reviewing Assessment activities to ensure alignment and
meaningful evidence of learning, and concluding with the composition of a stimulating
Teaching and Learning (T&L) activity plan. This unit presented numerous challenging
opportunities to extend the presence of CCT and EU, arising from humanity’s dependence on
water, a precious, unevenly distributed, vulnerable resource that is undergoing complex
alterations as a result of climate change.
UNIT CONTEXT
This unit was originally delivered at Sir Joseph Banks High School (SJBHS) in Revesby, in the
south western suburbs of Sydney, when students were returning to onsite education after
the COVID learning from home phase, assisted by new, school-issued laptops. The process of
programming was somewhat time-pressured, to ensure delivery of all lessons in Microsoft
Teams, a first for the faculty. I undertook the construction of the lesson materials in MS Teams
and wrote the programming document during my PPCE placement, and then delivered the
lessons in my PP1 unit, to four different year 7 classes. My teaching of the lessons took place
until the lessons indicated as ‘week 4’ in the unit plan. No concept map or unit outline
documents were supplied by the school, and these, along with the assessment notification,
were created for this report.
The unit makes ample use of a range of ICT tools, such as online videos and spreadsheet
application Google Sheets, which students use to create charts of authentic Geographical
data. There were successes in the original delivery of this unit; the novel ICT stimuli received
positive feedback from students and staff, however I identified a evident need to increase the
proportion of student-centred learning activities and decrease the volume of different T&L
activities.
Image sourced from publicly

available SJBHS website, image
filter applied.
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SCHOOL BACKGROUND
The school has an ICSEA rating of 951, and 55% of the student cohort are estimated to be in
the bottom quartile of socio-educational advantage. The school has 717 students, of which
70% are boys and 83% are from a Language Background Other than English. NAPLAN results
indicate that Year 9 students at SJBHS are scoring ‘Well Below’ students of a similar
background in Reading, and ‘Below’ those students in Grammar and Numeracy (ACARA,
2020).
As a highly culturally diverse school community, with a predominance of male students and
students from low SES backgrounds, teaching and learning must provide frequent and
accessible opportunities for students to achieve learning success, and equip them with readily
identifiable relevance for their learning. With that in mind, the first proposal for this unit
relates to its name: “Water in Your World” could be considered for this school, to increase
student awareness of the personal relevance and ‘Connectedness’ of the unit (NSW DET,
2003), as well as foregrounding the ethical issues of personal and collective responsibility.
SUMMARY OF UNIT CHANGES IN THIS REPORT

1. More focus on threshold concepts (big ideas), resulting in less ‘Coverage’, achieved by
the removal of some stimuli
2. More use of Personal Narratives, achieved through literacy and IBL tasks that ask
students to consider alternate human perspectives – or their own point of view
3. Introduction of self-reflection and self-assessment in lessons and the Summative

(group IBL) Assessment
4. Introduction and provision of teacher scaffolds for Higher Level Questioning, in form
of class discussion prompts and optional question scripts
5. Introduction of Heuristic Scaffolding, including research prompts and sources for

Summative (group IBL) Assessment, as well as scaffolded research tasks during lessons
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COMPARATIVE TABLE
Area of Strengths of the area of Concerns of the area of Suggested Changes to counteract concerns Research
consideration consideration consideration support for the
changes
suggested
Student tackle problematic Lack of opportunities for critical Incorporate the “Pose Questions” CCT element ACARA, n.d.
Critical and knowledge (QTF) such as water thinking in questioning and class through Higher Level Questioning, achieved via Stanley, 2020
Creative scarcity and climate change discussions; insufficient question the provision of teachers’ class discussion NSW DET, 2003
Thinking effects on natural disasters. prompts for teachers prompts and question scripts. Rooney, 2013
Group summative assessment is Lack of opportunities for student Incorporate “Reflect on Processes” CCT element Ab Kadir, 2018
(CCT) challenging IBL activity with self-reflection to encourage through self-assessment and self-reflection ACARA, n.d.
opportunities for differentiation, higher-order thinking and activities incorporated into the summative (group Carless & Boud,
and collaborative learning metacognition IBL) assessment task, and other lessons. 2018
Stanley, 2020
Sustainability issues clearly Scant attention to personal Incorporate the “Consider Point of View” EU ACARA, n.d.
Ethical identified and explored accounts or first person narratives element through first person narratives that Avraamidou &
Understandings (other than one Aboriginal humanise issues. Elicit more understanding of Osborne, 2009
perspective). Few opportunities to how the actions of individuals affect climate Gehlbach et al.,
(EU) 2008
consider scarcity, sustainability, change and recovery from natural disasters with
Huntley, 2020
from human perspectives thinking routines.
Authentic Aboriginal perspectives Ethical issues are present in the Incorporate the “Consider Consequences” ACARA, n.d.
incorporated using first person unit but not explicitly identified or element by posing ethical alternatives and Ab Kadir, 2018
narrative addressed. Students have few including problematic knowledge into class Stevenson, 2007
opportunities to evaluate the discussions and IBL assessment through higher NSW DET, 2003
ethical decisions made by others. level questioning described above.
Syllabus Key Inquiry Questions IBL activity are dependent on Incorporate more heuristic scaffolds to allow Holton & Clarke,
Understanding (KIQ) are in alignment with lesson students’ research skills to high students to focus their cognition on building their 2006
by Design plans; and included as learning degree. Few process scaffolds or understanding of big ideas, rather than process Saye & Brush, 2007
outcome heuristic scaffolds offered. challenges including independent research skills McTighe & Wiggins,
2012
(UbD) or news interview formats.
Major assessment task in good Unit seeks to cover too much Reduce the range of stimulus material to create McTighe & Wiggins,
alignment with KIQs and content, identified as a problem additional learning time for transfer and 2012
Geography threshold concepts of excessive ‘coverage’ that understanding, and improve the alignment Wiggins, 2009
and skills reduces time available for transfer between big ideas and IBL assessment.
tasks and understanding.
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(Word count: 1959 including diagrams and intext citations)
RECOMMENDATIONS REPORT
This report provides rationale and research evidence for the proposed unit revisions outlined above.
SCOPE AND SEQUENCE

The unit’s original scope and sequence featured a singular focus on a particular learning
activity for each unit, for example, ‘Landscapes and Landforms (Essay Writing)’ and ‘Water in
the World (Comprehension)’. This approach has clear merit in terms of clarity for teachers,
and reflects a deep understanding of the needs of the student cohort. However, this approach
may not be fully compatible with UbD, which asks teachers to move beyond a role of
“purveyor of content knowledge, skill or activity” and become “coaches of understanding”
(McTighe & Wiggins, 2012, p. 1). Thus, UbD principles are more evident in the revised Scope
and Sequence, initially only for Water in Your World, a unit which now aims for student
‘Understanding’.
It is also proposed to re-order the units in the Scope and Sequence, to situate Water in Your
World in second place. This may deliver a better balance between the physical and social
aspects of Geography, alternating these two underlying disciplines instead of “back-ending”
both the physical geography units to the end of the year. Although our syllabus avoids the
language of ‘physical’ and ‘social’ geography, the paradigm is evident, as is the value of
balance: “Geography emphasises the role, function and importance of the environment in
supporting human life from local to global scales. It also emphasises the important
interrelationships between people and environments and the different understandings of
these relationships” (NESA, 2015, p. 9, emphasis added).
UNDERSTANDING BY DESIGN PROCESS

The proposed revisions embody UbD principles, in part through a greater focus on a targeted
selection of Geography threshold concepts, which are intended to represent the ‘Big Ideas’
of this unit. These have more visibly incorporated into the unit thanks to the UbD process,
and this report suggests that they meet McTighe and Wiggins’s test of being “intellectually
engaging, designed to spark interest, inquiry, higher order thinking, discussion, debate… (and)
raise new questions, spark further inquiry” (2015, p. 16).
This focus on four Big Ideas (Space/Spatial Distribution, Interconnection, Environment and
Sustainability) seeks to adjust this unit’s previous tendency toward “coverage” (McTighe &
Wiggins, 2015); the well-intentioned inclusion of numerous topics and activities that end up
only being covered only superficially. This new focus is achieved via the removal of some
stimuli, with remaining activities given more “space” for transfer. For example, the unit now
features one example of NASA “space weather” stimuli instead of three, with greater depth
in student interpretation.
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The UbD revisions also seek to enhance the unit’s Evidence of Learning, which already enabled
students to “apply their learning to a new and authentic situation” (McTighe & Wiggins, 2012,
p. 5). The existing summative (group IBL) assessment has undergone relatively small, though
significant, revisions, including the creation of an Assessment Task notification, which was not
previously available to students. This document allows for the provision of the GRASPS model
and new scaffolding, as recommended in UbD (McTighe & Wiggins, 2012), which will help
students better understand the context and meaning of the task, and draw connections
between these activities and the big ideas.
The summative (group IBL) assessment now includes student self-reflection and self-
assessment activities, which should also support understanding and transfer (McTighe &
Wiggins, 2012) as well as initiating CCT activities including “reflecting on thinking and
processes” (ACARA, n.d.). Students are asked to give themselves a rating on their progress
through various dimensions of the project, and identify what they did well, what they could
improve, and then attempt a metacognitive self-assessment. These activities are intended to
facilitate their development of “feedback literacy”, a higher order thinking skill (Carless &
Boud, 2018) that supports lifelong learning (Stanley, 2020).
UbD Process Flowchart

Source: McTighe & Wiggins, 2012
Geography Threshold Concepts Evidence of Learning: Teaching and Learning Activities

expressed as Aligned Assessment, Ethical
 Real-world stimulus materials
UbD BIG IDEAS Understanding and Critical and
Creative Thinking  Range of ICT resources and
Space – distribution of water is
applications
varied in different places Summative Assessment: An Inquiry-
Environment - water plays a key Based Learning activity  Student agency
role in hydrological and consisting of a group project
 Contemporary multimedia
atmospheric processes, and as that asks students to resources
a component of ecosystems demonstrate transfer of
understanding, EU and CCT  Inquiry Based Learning
Interconnection – humanity is
reliant on water as a Resource Formative Assessment: regular  Range of social learning
tasks to apply ‘big ideas’ to real activities and formats
and the water cycle links
Human Places with Resources world scenarios, to facilitate  Class Discussions
transfer and understanding
Sustainability - water is a finite
Resource, scarce in some
places, and climate change is
altering environmental
processes and thus water
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CRITICAL THINKING
The revisions designed to expand the role of CCT should also complement the revisions
prompted by the UbD process, given the presence of problematic knowledge and real-world
scenarios (Wiggins, 2009).
“Questioning is one of the most powerful pedagogical tools of the teacher” (Rooney, 2013, p.
17) and it is proposed that this unit enhance its critical thinking dimensions through “higher
level questioning” (Stanley, 2020). New teacher resources in the form of discussion prompts
and questioning scripts will be prepared to accompany lesson plans. This teacher scaffolding
is recommended to deliver an effective balance of question types, to support effective
classroom discussion and to maximise critical thinking (Stanley, 2020).
A sample scripted question progression for this unit may include:
1. A Comprehension question to begin, such as: “What can we observe about the link
between water distribution and latitude?”, which would work towards:
2. A Synthesis question, to progress discussion and prompt CCT, such as: “In what ways
would the spatial distribution of water affect liveability in different places?”
This revision should also facilitate EU, by helping class discussions to become collaborative
learning opportunities where students “feed off each other’s knowledge… learn together
through and become better collaborators by listening to and respecting others’ ideas”
(Stanley, 2020, p. 21).
The provision of heuristic or process scaffolding in IBL activities, particularly the summative
(group IBL) assessment, will support students to access appropriate geographical information,
making space in their cognitive capacity for interpretation and application. Holton and Clarke
note that this type of process scaffolding can “provide a basis for the student’s further
exploration of a topic or a problem” (2006, p.130, emphasis added), facilitating transfer of
understanding.
Heuristic scaffolding is a process support that can support “inquiry competence… (where)
students are guided in the practice so that they discover its power and worth” (Saye and
Brush, 2007, p. 216). It is complementary to both CCT and UbD because process scaffolds
enable students to apply their “skills and knowledge… to finding the result for her(him)self”
(Holton & Clarke, 2006, p. 134). They are also are consistent with UbD’s recommendation of
use of “minitasks – less complex or varied versions of the culminating performance tasks”
(McTighe & Wiggins, 2015, p. 49). Minitasks have been proposed for several lessons prior to
the summative IBL activity, and will serve as formative assessment as well as increasing
students’ opportunities to achieve success in the summative IBL activity.
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Teachers are invited to consider that their own thinking about Critical Thinking is a key
influence on the way that it is integrated into classrooms (Ab Kadir, 2018). It has been argued
that we need “expansive conceptualizations” of this GC, to encourage our students to become
independent learners (Ab Kadir, 2018, p. 541). However, it is acknowledge that this can
change the teacher’s role, from respected source of knowledge to ‘learning facilitator’.
Australian research suggests that many teachers don’t venture beyond “marginal”
implementation of critical thinking (Ab Kadir, 2018, p. 544), so these revisions seek to support
CCT without adding to teacher burden or preparation time.
ETHICAL UNDERSTANDING
The revisions add depth to this unit’s treatment of Ethical Understanding, a disposition
already closely connected to the ‘Big Ideas’ of Environment and Interconnections. Indeed,
ACARA contends that Geography students develop ethical understanding “as they investigate
current geographical issues and evaluate their findings against the criteria of environmental
protection, economic prosperity and social advancement… ethical questions (arise from
inquiry into) group and personal responsibilities” (n.d., emphasis added), which suggests that
the very study of Geography initiates ethical thinking.
This report acknowledges that governments’ policy responses to climate change are
contested, and constitute problematic knowledge according to the Quality Teaching
Framework (DET, 2003). The policy contestation is distinct from the phenomenon of climate
change itself, which is supported by a robust scientific consensus. In communicating this topic,
Huntley has argued that “we all live compromised lives… yet we still have a responsibility to
emphasise collective responsibility as much as individual responsibility” (2020, p. 71). Aside
from personal views; the critical thinking and ethical implications of this unit are clearly
evident and it is hoped that the revisions give more space and legitimacy to student responses
to these issues.
One revision that seeks to increase the presence of EU in this unit is the inclusion of activities
that interpret and create personal narratives, considering the perspectives of those affected
by water scarcity or natural disasters. Research suggests that the dominant pedagogies of
social studies tend to minimise students’ opportunities to develop “their own narratives and
explanations” (Gehlbach et al., 2008, p. 895), leading to fewer opportunities for storytelling,
a pedagogy which is “likely to be richer, more compelling, and more memorable than…
abstracted points” (Schank & Berman, cited in Avraamidou & Osborne, 2009, p. 1687).
Personal narratives are now present in several unit activities, including interpretation of a
picture book, which students use to reflect on “first person narrative and evocative
illustrations” (NSW Department of Education, 2017, p. 32).
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The second EU revision is a more explicit presence of ethical issues, partly in the form of
“consequences”, as outlined in ACARA’s EU continuum (n.d.). For example, the revised
version of the summative (group IBL) assessment now asks students to develop responses to
the ethical question “Could this disaster have been avoided?” These questions are
recommended on the basis that they will build teachers awareness of “students’ points of
view… (allowing them to) challenge students, making school experiences both contextual and
meaningful” (Lunenberg, 2011, p.5).
It is acknowledged that teaching about climate and sustainability is “complex and demanding
work - intellectually and emotionally” (Stevenson, 2007, p. 273). These revisions seek to
support the role of teachers while giving students additional awareness of their own and
others points of view. As teachers we need to rely on geographical evidence while also
grappling with students’ worldviews, acknowledging that “moral… inquiry is stimulated by
problematic experiences” (Bleazby, 2020, p. 90).
OTHER FEATURES OF THE UNIT

The unit contains differentiation and diverse ‘product, process and content’ standards and
activities, achieved through a diverse range of lesson formats, learning scaffolds, stimuli
formats and formative assessment tasks, which are intended to meet the needs of different
learners. However, additional scaffolding for CALD students is a future consideration for this
school context. The original form of the unit made rich and frequent use of ICT, both in terms
of stimulus and as a student tool, and much of this is retained. Collaborative learning using
ICT (Google Jamboard) is one example, which also supports CCT. It should be noted that, as
intended, this unit makes generous use of ICT, it also creates something of a dependency on
internet access and laptop availability, which is a key consideration in the school’s low-SES
context.
EVALUATION
Finally, it is recommended that these revisions be evaluated in a suitable timeframe,
according to agreed criteria. Lead teachers should seek and report back to the teaching group
on teacher feedback, student feedback, and student learning outcomes, with a view to
enhancing future delivery of Water in your World at Sir Joseph Banks High School.
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RECONSTRUCTED UNIT
SCOPE AND SEQUENCE
Geography Stage4 – Scope and Sequence

Topic/s Water in Your World:
Enhancing Liveability: Case Study
Understanding
Outcomes to be Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7 Week 8 Week 9 Week 10
documented
under the weeks GE4-1 GE4-1 GE4-1 GE4-1 GE4-1 GE4-1 GE4-1 GE4-1 GE4-1 GE4-1
the outcome is GE4-3 GE4-3 GE4-3 GE4-3 GE4-3 GE4-3 GE4-7 GE4-2 GE4-2 GE4-2
covered GE4-4 GE4-4 GE4-4 GE4-4 GE4-4 GE4-4 GE4-8 GE4-7 GE4-3 GE4-3
GE4-7 GE4-7 GE4-7 GE4-7 GE4-7 GE4-7 GE4-8 GE4-5 GE4-5
GE4-8 GE4-8 GE4-8 GE4-8 GE4-8 GE4-8 GE4-7 GE4-7
GE4-8 GE4-8
Assessment Formative assessment: TEEAL and Case Study (Enhancing Liveability); Comprehension and PBL (Water in the World)
Term 1
Outcomes See above
Literacy Focus TEEAL
Numeracy Graphs and statistics: data tables, pie graphs, column graphs, compound column graphs, line graphs, climate graphs,
focus population profiles, multiple tables and graphs presented on a geographical theme, statistics to find patterns and trends
ICT VR: photographs, aerial photographs, illustrations, flow charts, annotated diagrams, multimedia, field sketches, cartoons,
web tools
ST: virtual maps, satellite images, GPS, geographic information systems (GIS)
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General
Capabilities Critical/creative thinking ethical intercultural personal/social
Cross
Curricular ATSI Asia Sustainability civics/citizenship difference/diversity work/enterprise
Topic/s
Water in Your World: Understanding Interconnections: Case Study
documented
under the GE4-1 GE4-1 GE4-1 GE4-1 GE4-1 GE4-1 GE4-1 GE4-1 GE4-1 GE4-1
weeks the GE4-2 GE4-2 GE4-2 GE4-2 GE4-2 GE4-2 GE4-2 GE4-2 GE4-2 GE4-2
outcome is GE4-3 GE4-3 GE4-3 GE4-3 GE4-3 GE4-3 GE4-3 GE4-3 GE4-3 GE4-3
GE4-7 GE4-7 GE4-7 GE4-7 GE4-7 GE4-7 GE4-7 GE4-7 GE4-7 GE4-7
Assessment Formative assessment: Comprehension and PBL (Water in the World); TEEAL and Case Study (Interconnections)
Term
2 Outcomes See above
Literacy Focus TEEAL and UCB
Numeracy focus Mapping: sketch maps, relief maps, political maps, topographic maps, flowline maps, choropleth maps, isoline maps, precis
maps, cartograms, synoptic charts.
ICT Research
General
Cross Curricular
ATSI Asia Sustainability civics/citizenship difference/diversity work/enterprise
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Topic/s Interconnections: Case
Landscapes and Landforms: Essay Writing
Study
documented
GE4-7 GE4-7 GE4-7 GE4-5 GE4-5 GE4-5 GE4-5
GE4-8 GE4-8 GE4-8 GE4-7 GE4-7 GE4-7 GE4-7
GE4-8 GE4-8 GE4-8 GE4-8
Assessment Formative assessment: TEEAL and Case Study (Interconnections), Essay and PBL Project (Landscapes and Landforms)
Term 3
Outcomes See above
Literacy Focus Essay and TEEAL
Numeracy Field Work: observing, measuring, collecting and recording data, developing and conducting surveys and interviews,
focus weather instruments, vegetation identification charts, compasses, GPS, GIS
ICT Research
General
Cross
12
Topic/s
documented
Assessment Formative assessment: Essay and PBL Project (Landscapes and Landforms)
Term 4
Outcomes See above
ICT Research
General
Cross
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CONCEPT MAP
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ASSESSMENT NOTIFICATION
Group Multimedia Project:

Natural Disasters and Community Responses
Australia has one of the most variable rainfall climates in the world (NSW Government). Climate change
means that our droughts last longer, and also that our floods and intense storms are likely to be more
frequent and intense (Gergis, 2021).
In the next four lessons of our Water in the World unit, our class will work in groups to produce a video
news report that helps us understand how Australian communities have responded to real atmospheric or
hydrological natural disasters.
Your group will choose an Australian flood, drought or intense storm and explain and analyse the impact
on the local community and their response to this event.
Syllabus Students investigate ONE contemporary atmospheric hazard or hydrologic hazard including causes,
Content Topic impacts and responses, for example: (ACHGK042)
- examination of responses by individuals, groups and government to the impact of the

disaster
- prediction of the impact of climate change on the occurrence, frequency and extent of this
type of hazard M ST
Weighting 25% of grade
Due Date Beginning of Week 10
Syllabus - describes processes and influences that form and transform places and environments GE4-2
Outcomes - explains how interactions and connections between people, places and environments result in
change GE4-3
- discusses management of places and environments for their sustainability GE4-5
- communicates geographical information using a variety of strategies GE4-8
Key Information for Students
 You will work in groups to create a video news report about a real event that took place in
Australia in the last 30 years.
 Your contribution will be to research and write a script from the perspective of a person in a
community that was affected by a natural disaster related to water (atmospheric or
hydrological)
 You will appear on camera “as” your community member, reading your script. Your teacher is
here to help, and a script template has been provided.
 We will work on this project together in class. You will collaborate with your classmates and
your teacher will be available to help you develop your video news report
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Understanding Your Assessment: the GRASPS Model Self-Assessment 
 I have read +
understood
Goal Your group will research and produce a video news report that helps us understand
 We need more
how Australian communities have responded to a real flood, drought or intense help with this
storm. Your group will build their understanding of the impact of uneven distribution
of water resources on people, places and environments by explaining the event,
analysing its impact on the local community and evaluating the community response.
Role Students will have different roles in their video but all students will conduct research
and help with video production. Video personas include: journalist, business owner,
local resident, climate scientist, local politician. Each group will investigate a
different natural disaster.
Audience Nightly news viewers
Situation Your video should investigate, analyse and evaluate the main causes, impacts or
responses to the natural disaster of your choice.
Investigate these topics:
a. Where and when did this disaster take place?
b. What was the human impact? (Deaths? Injuries? Homes lost?)
c. What was the economic impact? (Estimated repair costs? Businesses
failed?)
d. What was the response by local volunteers, local businesses, local
politicians?
Evaluate the response of this community:
a. Could this disaster have been avoided?
b. How could the disaster be managed differently in the future?
c. What role did climate change play in this disaster?
Create an interview for each group member:
a. local business owner who can talk about the impact on local businesses
b. local resident or volunteer, who can talk about the impact on community
c. climate scientist, who can talk about the influence of climate change
d. local politician who can talk about the impact on infrastructure (roads,
bridges, buildings), management strategies for future
Product Your group will create a news report-style video about 3 minutes in length (2:30 -
3:30 mins). It should include:
- Descriptions of the situation including its causes, impacts and responses
- At least two Geographical Tools: maps, diagrams or photos. You must
include one LABELLED map of the area affected, and can also use photos,
weather charts, or charts of the cost to the community.
You must record your sources in a Bibliography document
Standards Your video should be a clear, accurate and interesting report to your fellow students
about a natural disaster, including its causes, impacts and the responses of your
community. Check the teacher’s rubric for more information.
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Support for your Research Process – Start Here!
Step 1: RESEARCH - Where to get your information for this project

Remember to pick a drought, flood or severe storm that took place in the last 30 years - after 1990.
a. Australian Disaster Resilience Knowledge Hub: https://knowledge.aidr.org.au/disasters/

b. ABC Education: Big Weather and how to survive it:
https://education.abc.net.au/home#!/topic/3710253/big-weather-and-how-to-survive-it
c. Australian Geographic – Australia’s most destructive cyclones:
https://www.australiangeographic.com.au/topics/science-environment/2016/02/australias-most-
destructive-cyclones-a-timeline/
d. GeoScience Australia: Natural Hazards in Australia: Identifying Risk Analysis Requirements (get your
teacher’s help with this resource):
https://ecat.ga.gov.au/geonetwork/srv/eng/catalog.search#/metadata/65444
Step 2: INVESTIGATE - Factual questions to answer through research

a. Where and when did this disaster take place?
Don’t forget your map and other Geographical evidence – photos, charts, weather maps
b. What was the human impact?
This may include the number of deaths or injuries or homes lost. It may also be personal stories from
people affected by the disaster.
c. What was the economic impact?
Find out the cost of repairs or restorations, the number of businesses affected. Was there a local
industry (e.g. bananas or other agriculture, tourism) that was damaged by this event?
d. What was the response by local volunteers, local businesses, local politicians?
Did the government allocate special funding for this disaster? How many people volunteered to help
others? What stories can you find about people helping each other?
Step 3: EVALUATE AND UNDERSTAND – challenging questions to answer through reading news reports,
group discussion, teacher discussion, and your own thinking
a. Could this disaster have been avoided?
News reports will help with this. Reporters, politicians, local residents or scientists often make these
comments in news reports.
b. How could the disaster be managed differently in the future?
Hint: what changed after the disaster? Were there any differences to the design or location of buildings?
Early warning reports?
c. What role did climate change play in this disaster?
You may not be able to find an answer for this question which is specific to your disaster but you should be
able to access general information about your type of disaster. For example, “Is climate change changing
Australian droughts?” would be a useful internet search.
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Teacher Marking Rubric – Group Project
Assessment Task Limited Basic Sound High Outstanding
Element and Marks
0-5 6-10 11-15 16-20 21-25
Students produce a Students have Students have Students have Students have Students have
news report-style attempted attempted all recorded a produced a produced a
video about 3 some elements elements of the complete video complete video sophisticated video
minutes in length of the video video news news report. news report news report that
news report. report. that demonstrates
(25% of mark) demonstrates creativity,
creativity and coherence and
coherence. critical thinking.
News report uses Students have Students have Students have Students have Students have
multiple credible attempted to attempted to made made made
sources of make use of make use of appropriate use appropriate and comprehensive
information geographical several sources of several effective use of and very effective
information of geographical sources of multiple use of multiple
(25% of mark)
information geographical sources of sources of
information geographical geographical
information information to a
very high standard
News report Students have Students have Students have Students have Students have
includes evidence of made limited made attempts achieved critical achieved critical achieved critical
critical and creative attempts to to achieve and creative and creative and creative
thinking, and ethical achieve critical critical and thinking, and thinking, and thinking, and
understanding and creative creative ethical ethical ethical
thinking, and thinking, and understanding understanding understanding to
(25% of mark) to a sound to a high
ethical ethical an outstanding
standard standard
understanding understanding standard
All members of the Few students Some students All students Students have Students have
group contribute to worked have worked have worked successfully worked
the production of together to together to together to worked constructively and
the news report record a video record a video record a video together as a collaboratively as a
news report news report news report team team
(25% of mark)
Teacher Comments
More Of Less Of Same Amount
18
Self-Assessment
1. MARK - Give yourself a score for each part of this project, then add them up them up for a mark out of
100.
Self-Assessment Limited Basic Sound High Outstanding
0-5 6-10 11-15 16-20 21-25
I completed all the task

requirements
I worked well with other

people in my group
I put in effort to learn new

skills to complete this task
I used my creativity to
complete this task
I took the time to

understand the community
we researched, and how
they might have felt about
the natural disaster
My self-assessment score: /100
2. REFLECT - Write your comments in a Self-Assessment 3-2-1

3 things I did well:
2 things I can improve next time:
1 thing I learned about my learning:
Learning about your learning might include: how you solved problems, or how you worked with your group
members, or what you most enjoyed contributing to your groups’ project.
SELF ASSESSMENT - stop and think! You will be discussing your self-assessment with your teacher or another
teacher from your school, so give yourself a fair assessment, and use this as opportunity to learn more about how to
approach your next school assessment task. But don’t be afraid to give yourself high marks or encouraging
comments 
19
RECONSTRUCTED UNIT OUTLINE
Revisions Code: UbD in PURPLE TEXT | Ethical Understanding in LIGHT BLUE | Critical and Creative Thinking in GREEN
REVISED UNIT OUTLINE

Subject: Geography Stage: 4 (year 7) Number of Weeks: 4/5
Unit title: Water in YOUR World
Big Ideas (Syllabus Key Concepts) The importance of this learning
Why does the spatial distribution of water resources vary globally and Students examine water as a resource and the factors influencing water flows
within countries? (Space/Spatial Distribution) and availability of water resources in different places. They investigate the nature
How do natural and human processes influence the distribution and of water scarcity and assess ways of overcoming it. Students discuss variations in
availability of water as a resource? (Interconnection) people’s perceptions about the value of water and the need for sustainable
What effect does the uneven distribution of water resources have on water management. Students also investigate processes that continue to shape
people, places and environments? (Environment) the environment including an atmospheric or hydrologic hazard.
What approaches can be used to sustainably manage water resources and
reduce water scarcity? (Sustainability)
Unit context within Scope and Sequence Targeted Syllabus Outcomes
In Stages 4, SJBHS alternates a full year of Geography (year 7) and History - describes processes and influences that form and transform places and environments GE4-2
(year 8). Accordingly, all four Stage 4 Geography units are taught in a single - explains how interactions and connections between people, places and environments result in
change GE4-3
year; one per term. In the revised S&S, this unit begins in Term 1, and is
- acquires and processes geographical information by selecting and using geographical tools for
preceded by Place and Liveability, and followed by Interconnections. inquiry GE4-7
Literacy Targets Numeracy Targets ICT Targets CCP/GC Assessment
Students recognise, classify Students identify and Students interact with a Students demonstrate Ethical Students achieve success
and apply Geography interpret appropriate range of ICT resources to Understanding and Critical through a range of literacy
metalanguage in a range of numerical evidence to extract evidence and provide and Creative Thinking in and numeracy formative
formats. Students provide support Geographical evidence of learning of formative and summative assessment exercises,
evidence of learning in arguments or provide Geographical concepts assessments. The CCPs of culminating in a multi-week
verbal, written and evidence of learning of Aboriginal and Torres Strait IBL groupwork project to
multimedia formats. Geographical concepts. Islander histories and create a multimedia product.
cultures and Sustainability
are also evident in their
evidence.
20
Week 1
Period 1 Period 2 Period 3
Key Outcome(s) Describes processes and influences that form and Explains how interactions and connections Acquires and processes geographical information
transform places and environments GE4-2 between people, places and environments result by selecting and using geographical tools for
in change GE4-3 inquiry GE4-7
Key Students understand the form and function Students explore the needs of different Students understand the spatial
Understandings of different water resources, and their water resource users. (INTERCONNECTIONS) differentiation of global water and the
characteristics. (ENVIRONMENT) implications of unequal access. (SPACE)
Learning 1. I am water. Video 1. Where is Water? Video 1. Water from SPACE! Maps from
Experiences https://youtu.be/fwV9OYeGN88 https://youtu.be/b1f-G6v3voA NASA
Video interpretation & guided class Use Jigsaw method to create class summary https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/global-
discussion: What would happen if there was of key facts in video. Students encouraged maps/MYDAL2_M_SKY_WV Guided inquiry.
no more water? Or too much? Describe to contribute one statistic to a shared Students navigate to one map, explore its
these scenarios from the perspective of a revision resource on Google Jamboard. interactive features. Collect and interpret
school student. How would you have 2. Key facts about Households data from website, answer “understanding”
handled those situations? Students interpret provided information questions such as ‘What can we learn about
2. Diagnostic Test about household water consumption and the spatial distribution of water from this
Teacher performs diagnostic assessment to brainstorm ways to reduce it (e.g. map?’.
establish students existing knowledge base households use 100,000L freshwater per 2. Map of What-Now?
and identify misconceptions. person pa) using online worksheet. 2a. Fun visual activity with world map where
3. Water Classifications and 3. Researching and Writing about land and sea have been reversed
Environments: Water (https://kottke.org/19/05/an-inverted-
Students use online worksheets and maps IBL activity - Students work independently world-map). Class discusses spatial
identify water classifications and identify or in groups to conduct supported research distribution then writes a postcard from an
countries where water dominates key using research stems and suggested imagined country, describing its water and
landscapes: island nations, glaciers in NZ, research sources, choosing a persona to how it conserves it to ensure sustainability.
giant lakes in USA. Students choose one focus on: agricultural or domestic water 2b. Students analyse a global water scarcity
location and use a Y chart to sketch what it user. Students write a paragraph in first map and working in groups, complete a
looks like, feels like and sounds like, in that person to explain “their” impact on water Connect-Extend-Challenge thinking routine
place. sustainability and design one potential about spatial distribution of freshwater.
4. You are water: Personal reflection improvement to their water use. 3. Exit Activity: Revision Task
Students recount memories or experiences Student worksheet locating areas of water
to articulate personal relevance of water shortages, and short “letter to a future you”,
and its classifications. with 3 ideas on how to conserve water and
ensure equal access for all humans.
21
Evidence of Students: Students: Students:
Learning - participate in class discussion - Independently conduct research - Record vocab and revision in digital
- complete Water Classifications - Complete writing task including first or paper workbook
worksheet person perspective - Complete NASA space map activity
- complete personal reflection
Resources - Slides/MS Teams Content - Slides/MS Teams Content - Slides/MS Teams Content
- Video - Nature Is Speaking – Water, - Video – Where is Water? The Water - NASA interactive “Earth
Conservation International (CI) Rooms #2, UNESCO WWAP Observatory” website
- Water Classifications Worksheet - Student laptops - Student laptops
Week 2
Key Outcomes Locates and describes the diverse features and Acquires and processes geographical information Locates and describes the diverse features and
characteristics of a range of places and by selecting and using geographical tools for characteristics of a range of places and
environments GE4-1 inquiry GE4-7 environments GE4-1
Key Students understand their own proximity to Students understand the purpose of the Students appreciate the importance of
Understandings and reliance on the Murray Darling Basin, MDB Plan and how to use data to create a water and rivers to Aboriginal and Torres
and the challenges locals face. visual geographical analysis. Strait Islander people.
(ENVIRONMENT) (SUSTAINABILITY) (INTERCONNECTIONS)
Learning 1. Video – Murray Darling Basin (MDB) 1. Video - Problems with the Murray 1. Discussion, Story-Telling
Experiences https://youtu.be/Zijgj7qHLDE Darling Basin Plan Ask students to share their understanding
Supported class discussion with question https://youtu.be/0_0fMttEuy8 of Dreaming (The Dreamtime encompasses
prompts including “What are the possible Students record 3 positive and 3 negative the past, present, and future… a holistic
solutions to water shortages in the MBD?” points made in the video. Teacher to initiate philosophy grounded in the very earth itself,
2. What does it mean? class discussion using prompts, e.g. “If you it is an integrated way of life.)
Students to work in pairs to create a Cause- had access to unlimited resources, how 2. Chalk Talk – Spiritual Value of
Effect Map thinking routine, for water would you deal with the problems in the Water
shortages in the MDB. The map should MDB?". Discussion should consider ethical Create a class Chalk Talk about the spiritual
consider farming, population growth and implications of student responses including value of water. All students to share a
Aboriginal custodianship of the MDB. individual liberty, environmental thought or feeling about the spiritual
3. Mapping the Murray-Darling protections. meaning of water to them or indigenous
Students explore online map and source info 2. Geography Skills peoples, before end of lesson
e.g. How many square kilometres is the Students can work independently or in 3. Video - The bunyip from Wutiyeti
MDB? groups to create a chart using Google Sheets https://education.abc.net.au/home#!/media/338
2848/stories-of-the-bunyip-from-wutiyeti
22
4. Groupwork research: MDB towns of world’s largest river basins. Extension Students complete worksheet to classify
Students return to online map and work in activity: additional chart. In groups, students video concepts according to unit threshold
pairs to select a regional MBD town. Find 3 explore how water influences human concepts including space, environment,
key facts (population, main industry, society in one of the locations featured. interconnections, sustainability.
number of schools) and write a letter from 3. Insta MDB 4. Student Reflection
the Mayor to students at our school, Make an Instagram post from the On the video, Uncle Ron reflects on his
explaining why we should visit their town. perspective of a resident of the MDB, to childhood and his plans for his community.
illustrate issues of sustainability in the Students compose a short reflection on the
region. Volunteers share with class, teacher MDB using the “I used to think…. Now I
to display in IWB. Students explain their think” routine - might include Uncle Ron,
post. water theft, fish kills.
Learning - participate in class discussion - participate in class discussion - participate in class discussion
- complete class activities: ethical - complete chart activity and - complete video threshold concept
understanding, geography skills, IBL groupwork exercise
- use social media template to explore - provide evidence of ethical
key concept and ethical understanding in Reflection
understanding
Resources - Student laptops - Student laptops - Student laptops
- Murray Darling Basin video - Slides - Slides
- MBD online map - Interactive whiteboard - Interactive whiteboard
- (ABC) BTN Video - ABC Education video
Week 3
Key Outcomes Describes processes & influences that form & Describes processes & influences that form & Describes processes & influences that form &
transform places and environments GE4-2 transform places and environments GE4-2 transform places and environments GE4-2
Acquires & processes geographical information Acquires & processes geographical information Acquires & processes geographical information
by selecting & using geographical tools for by selecting & using geographical tools for by selecting & using geographical tools for
inquiry GE4-7 inquiry GE4-7 inquiry GE4-7
Key Students understand the differences Students describe the spatial distribution of Students understand the link between
Understandings between hazards and disasters, including natural hazards and understand their climate change and natural disasters, and
geographical classifications. effects on communities. (SPACE/SPATIAL the human impact of water scarcity.
(INTERCONNECTIONS) DISTRIBUTION) (ENVIRONMENT)
23
Learning 1. Video – the Science of Natural 1. Video - Spatial Distribution: Where 1. Video - How Does Climate Change
Experiences Disasters do we find natural disasters? Affect Natural Disasters?
https://youtu.be/oRiLLd2hX0E https://youtu.be/DrwYtGf40hA https://youtu.be/1jzQF_IElGk
Student worksheet to classify video Short DI session then students work Students work in pairs to create a mind
concepts according to unit threshold individually to map the location and key map of the ways that climate change is
concepts (space, environment, features of places described in video as affecting natural disasters as described in
interconnections, sustainability). affected by natural disasters. Think-pair- the video. Teacher uses Google Jamboard to
2. Direct Instruction share activity response to video: What is the develop collaborative resource of students’
Hazards vs. Disasters, Types of Hazards role of water in these events? concept maps.
(Geological/Hydrological/Atmospheric) 2. ICT Resource: UN Database/Map 2. Picture Book - Rain Dance1
3. IBL and Ethical Understanding https://www.gdacs.org/ Class reads and interprets ‘Rain Dance’ by by
Students can work independently or in Students work in pairs to interpret online Cathy Applegate and Dee Huxley (video
groups to choose one hazard from the Red database by picking one natural disaster. reading available). Class reflects on first
Cross Red Crescent website that took place Identify its location: region, latitude and person narrative.
in a location that is connected to someone longitude, distance from Australia. Write a 3. IBL – Drought in Australia
they know (in their personal network or in short news report OR create an infographic Students work in pairs to: define drought
class) and interpret the online stimulus to that describes the social and economic using Bureau of Meteorology website
classify the hazard in Geographical terms. costs of the disaster and impact on local (http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/drought/knowledge
They write a letter from an imagined communities. News report or infographic -centre/understanding.shtml), locate a media
person affected by this hazard, to the class, should note: population density, human article about a recent Australian drought
describing what they can see, hear, feel. impact and response. and conduct a Compass Points thinking
4. Class Debate 3. Presentation routine about living through drought
Students divided into two groups to argue Pairs present their news report or (Excited, Worried, Need to know, current
for or against the statement: We can’t infographic to the class. Stance)
control natural disasters so we should not 4. Student Reflection 4. Reflection
try. Teacher provides scaffolds for Students imagine their own response to the Students to work individually to write an
preparatory research including examples of studied natural disaster. How could they imagining of their own reaction to a
communities preparing well – and poorly – prepare, what would they expect from the drought breaking.
for disasters. government, their community?
Learning - Complete worksheet for video - Complete video interpretation map - Contribute to class mind map about
interpretation - Create news report or infographic climate change
using ICT resource - Complete Drought inquiry
1 Lesson amended from “Human Society and Its Environment: Guide to using picture books in Geography K–10”, NSW Department of Education, January 2017
24
- Create letter from real-world data - Present the product of their inquiry - Record written reflection with
about natural disaster to the class personal response
- Participate in class debate
- American Museum of Natural - GDACS online database (UN/EU) - Our Changing Climate video
History video - Interactive whiteboard to display - Interactive whiteboard
- Red Cross Red Crescent website student presentations
Week 4
Key Outcomes Describes processes & influences that form & transform places and environments GE4-2
Acquires & processes geographical information by selecting & using geographical tools for inquiry GE4-7
Key Students understand how Australian communities have responded to a real flood, drought or intense storm, including the nature of the
Understandings event and its impact on the community, and the success of the community response.
(SPACE/SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION, ENVIRONMENT, SUSTAINABILITY, INTERCONNECTION)
Summative Students work on major group assessment task, producing a 3-5 minute video news report following a supported, multi-lesson investigation
Assessment of a real natural disaster (flood, drought or storm) and synthesis of their findings.
Learning 1. Introducing IBL group assessment 1. Continuing IBL group assessment 1. Continuing IBL group assessment
Experiences using GRASPS model In this lesson students should undertake In this lesson students should draft and
GOAL: Your group will research and produce their research using the research question rehearse their scripts using the findings
a video news report that helps us stems provided in the Assessment from the shared resource on Google
understand how Australian communities Notification (under Situation). Teacher to Jamboard compiled as a class. Teacher to
have responded to a real flood, drought or circulate, supporting groups as needed, circulate, supporting groups as needed,
intense storm. Your group will explain the monitoring individual contributions and monitoring individual contributions and
event, analyse the impact on the local encouraging CCT and EU. encouraging CCT and EU.
community and evaluate their response. 2. Media Interviews – What not to do! 2. Direct Instruction: Groupwork
Students will research and write a script https://youtu.be/xYIi4by8-y8 Students are reminded that in completing
from the perspective of a person in a Reverse inspiration for your media interview this project they are collaborating and
community that was affected by a natural scripts – what not to do! Class discussion on creating together. Their research will help
disaster related to water (atmospheric or how interviewees were feeling and what build the whole class' understanding of
hydrological). Video personas include: interviewers could have done differently natural disasters and how they affect
journalist, business owner, local resident, people. Students are to work independently
climate scientist, local politician. to write anonymous constructive feedback
25
Students are reminded that the class will 3. Direct Instruction on Assessment: about each member of their group,
work on this project together during Student and Teacher Assessment according to template that includes: one
lessons. Students will collaborate with Rubrics thing they’re doing really well and one
classmates and their teacher to develop this Teacher to introduce students to marking thing they might do more of. Feedback to
product rubric and teach students about constructive be reviewed by teacher before being shared
2. Video – Disaster News! peer feedback. with students on aggregated basis.
https://youtu.be/LsuNz7A9Bbc 4. Student Reflection 3. Student Reflection
Video compilation of bushfire news reports. Students to work independently to assess Students to work independently to assess
Class compiles shared resource via Google their group’s progress. Groups then come their group’s progress. Groups then come
Jamboard of interviews to support script together to create a Bubble map thinking together to create a checklist of coaching
development. routine that links their research findings to tips to encourage each other before they
3. Assessment Groupwork the big ideas (threshold concepts) of this film their video interview. Class shares
In this lesson students will form into groups unit. findings.
and choose their flood, storm or drought.
4. Student Reflection
Students use the Self-Assessment section in
the GRASPS portion of their Assessment
Notification to reflect on their feelings about
the different components of the assessment.

Learning - Contribute to the post-video - Contribute to the post-video - Contribute constructive feedback to
discussion to compile a shared discussion about how interviews can members of their group
resource about TV interviews go wrong - Complete a written reflection
- Complete a written reflection - Complete a written reflection - Contribute to their group’s progress
- Contribute to their group’s progress
- Assessment Notification Document - Assessment Notification Document - Assessment Notification Document
- Google Jamboard
26
REFERENCES
Ab Kadir, M.A. (2018) An inquiry into critical thinking in the Australian curriculum: examining its
conceptual understandings and their implications on developing critical thinking as a
“general capability” on teachers’ practice and knowledge. Asia Pacific Journal of
Education, 38(4), 533-549, DOI: 10.1080/02188791.2018.1535424
Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority, n.d. Critical and Creative Thinking
Learning Continuum. Online.
https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/media/1072/general-capabilities-creative-
and-critical-thinking-learning-continuum.pdf
Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority, n.d. Ethical Understanding

Learning Continuum. Online.
https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/media/1073/general-capabilities-ethical-
understanding-learning-continuum.pdf
Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority, 2020. MySchool website: Sir
Joseph Banks High School, Revesby. https://www.myschool.edu.au/school/41569
Avraamidou, L. & Osborne, J. (2009) The Role of Narrative in Communicating Science,

International Journal of Science Education, 31(12), 1683-1707, DOI:
10.1080/09500690802380695
Bleazby, J. 2020. Fostering moral understanding, moral inquiry & moral habits through
philosophy in schools: a Deweyian analysis of Australia’s Ethical Understanding
curriculum. Journal of Curriculum Studies, 52(1), 84-100, DOI:
10.1080/00220272.2019.1650116
Carless, D. & Boud, D. (2018). The development of student feedback literacy: enabling uptake of
feedback. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 43(8), 1315-1325.
27
Gehlbach, H., Brown, S., Ioannou, A., Boyer, M., Hudson, N., Niv-Solomon, A., ... & Janik, L.
(2008). Increasing interest in social studies: Social perspective taking and self-efficacy in
stimulating simulations. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 33(4), 894-914.
Huntley, R. (2020). How to Talk about Climate Change in a Way That Makes a Difference.
Murdoch Books. Sydney, Australia.
Lunenburg, F. C. (2011). Critical thinking and constructivism techniques for improving student
achievement. National Forum of Teacher Education Journal, 21(3), 1-9.
McTighe, J., & Wiggins, G. (2015). Solving 25 problems in unit design: How do I refine my units
to enhance student learning? (ASCD ARIAS). ProQuest Ebook
Central https://ebookcentral.proquest.com
McTighe, J & Wiggins, G. (2012). Understanding by Design Framework. ASCD. Alexandria, VA.
USA.
NSW Department of Education, Learning and Teaching Directorate - Secondary Education.

(2017). Human Society and Its Environment: Guide to using picture books in Geography
K–10. January 2017. Online. https://www.gtav.asn.au/documents/item/842
NSW Education Standards Authority. (2015/2019). Geography K-10 Syllabus. Sydney, Australia.
Online. https://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/k-10/learning-
areas/hsie/geography-k-10
Professional Support and Curriculum Directorate (2003). Quality teaching in NSW public
schools: A classroom practice guide. Ryde, NSW. NSW Department of Education and
Training.
Rooney, P. (2013). Rooney, P. (2013). Literacy in the Social Sciences and Humanities. In R.
Gregson (Ed.). Literacy in the KLAs. London: CG Publishing..
Saye, J. & Brush, T. (2007). Using Technology-Enhanced Learning Environments to Support

Problem-Based Historical Inquiry in Secondary School Classrooms. Theory and Research
in Social Education, 35. DOI: 10.1080/00933104.2007.10473333.
28
Stanley, T. (2020). Promoting Rigor Through Higher Level Questioning: Practical Strategies for
Developing Students’ Critical Thinking. Prufrock Press Inc. Waco, Texas, USA.
Stevenson, R. (2007) Schooling and environmental/sustainability education: from discourses of

policy and practice to discourses of professional learning. Environmental Education
Research, 13(2), 265-285, DOI: 10.1080/13504620701295650
Wiggins, G. (2009). Understanding by Design. TALK Summer Institute. Copyright Authentic

Education. July 2009. Accessed from:
https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/03e8/20730a873e7f44dbb1f64e4f047b9b321460.pdf
29
APPENDIX 1– ORIGINAL SCOPE AND SEQUENCE
Stage4 - Terms
Topic/s Interconnections: Case
Enhancing Liveability: Case Study
Study
Outcomes to Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7 Week 8 Week 9 Week 10
be
documented
under the
weeks the
outcome is
covered
Assessment Formative assessment: TEEAL and Case Study (Enhancing Liveability & Interconnections)
Term
1 Outcomes See above
Literacy Focus TEEAL
Numeracy Graphs and statistics: data tables, pie graphs, column graphs, compound column graphs, line graphs, climate graphs,
focus population profiles, multiple tables and graphs presented on a geographical theme, statistics to find patterns and trends
30
ICT VR: photographs, aerial photographs, illustrations, flow charts, annotated diagrams, multimedia, field sketches, cartoons,
web tools
ST: virtual maps, satellite images, GPS, geographic information systems (GIS)
General
Capabilities
Critical/creative thinking ethical intercultural personal/social
Cross
Topic/s Interconnections:
Water in the World: Comprehension
Case Study
be
documented
under the
weeks the
outcome is
GE4-7 GE4-7 GE4-7 GE4-8 GE4-5 GE4-5 GE4-5 GE4-5 GE4-5
covered
GE4-8 GE4-8 GE4-8 GE4-7 GE4-7 GE4-7 GE4-7 GE4-7
GE4-8 GE4-8 GE4-8 GE4-8 GE4-8
Assessment Formative assessment: Comprehension (Water in the World)

Term
2
Outcomes See above
Literacy Focus TEEAL and UCB
Numeracy focus Mapping: sketch maps, relief maps, political maps, topographic maps, flowline maps, choropleth maps, isoline maps, precis
maps, cartograms, synoptic charts.
31
ICT Research
General
Cross Curricular
ATSI Asia Sustainability civics/citizenship difference/diversity work/enterprise
Topic/s Water in the World:

Comprehension
be
documented
under the
weeks the
outcome is
GE4-5 GE4-5 GE4-5 GE4-5 GE4-5 GE4-5 GE4-5
covered
GE4-7 GE4-7 GE4-7 GE4-7 GE4-7 GE4-7 GE4-7
GE4-8 GE4-8 GE4-8 GE4-8 GE4-8 GE4-8 GE4-8
Term
3
Outcomes See above
32
ICT Research
General
Capabilities
Cross
Topic/s
be
documented
under the
weeks the
outcome is
covered
Term
4
Outcomes See above
ICT Research
33
General
Capabilities
Cross
NO ASSESSMENT NOTIFICATION DOCUMENT AVAILABLE

Originally, the information about the Summative assessment was provided to students via individual Microsoft Teams lesson ‘pages’, containing
information similar to the Unit Outline above. The exceptions are the UbD, CCT and EU revisions indicated above via the colour code, which are alterations
to the original lesson worksheets.
NO UNIT OUTLINE AVAILABLE
34
TEACHING PROGRAM
APPENDIX 2 – ORIGINAL PROGRAM
NSW SYLLABUS FOR THE AUSTRALIAN CURRICULUM Geography
Unit Title: Water in the World Year 7 Stage 4 Unit Length 10 weeks
Teacher Start date Term 3 End date Term 3
Focus Question: What is the role of water in today and tomorrow’s world?
Why does the spatial distribution of water resources vary globally and within countries?
How do natural and human processes influence the distribution and availability of water as a resource?
Inquiry Questions:
What effect does the uneven distribution of water resources have on people, places and environments?
What approaches can be used to sustainably manage water resources and reduce water scarcity?
Skills/Key Competencies:
Principal Focus/Statement of focus:

Students examine water as a resource and the factors influencing water flows and availability of water resources in different places. They
investigate the nature of water scarcity and assess ways of overcoming it. Students discuss variations in people’s perceptions about the value of
water and the need for sustainable water management. Students also investigate processes that continue to shape the environment including an
atmospheric or hydrologic hazard.
NSW Australian Curriculum Syllabus Outcomes:

A student: A student will:
describes processes and influences that form and transform places and investigate the characteristics and spatial distribution of global water
environments GE4-2 resources
explains how interactions and connections between people, places investigate the economic, cultural, spiritual and aesthetic values of
and environments result in change GE4-3 water for people, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples
acquires and processes geographical information by selecting and investigate ONE contemporary atmospheric hazard or hydrologic
using geographical tools for inquiry GE4-7 hazard including causes, impacts and responses
35
Syllabus-Embedded LEARNING ACROSS THE CURRICULUM
Other learning across the
Cross-curriculum priorities General capabilities
curriculum areas
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Critical and creative Civics and
Literacy
Islander histories and cultures thinking citizenship
Asia and Australia’s Ethical Difference and

Numeracy
engagement with Asia understanding diversity
Personal and social Work and

Sustainability ICT capability
capability enterprise
Intercultural
understanding
QUALITY TEACHING ELEMENTS

Embed these into the program through the QTE column as well as through T&L strategies
Intellectual Quality Quality Learning Environment Significance

Deep knowledge DK Explicit quality criteria EQC Background knowledge BGK
Deep understanding DU Engagement ENG Cultural knowledge CK
Problematic knowledge PK High expectations HE Knowledge integration KI
Higher-order thinking HOT Social support SS Inclusivity INC
Metalanguage ML Students’ self-regulation SSR Connectedness CON
Substantive communication SC Student direction SD Narrative NAR
xxxvi
TEACHING RESOURCES
Resource List – textbooks, websites, videos, presentations, etc.
Highlight and embed these resources throughout the teaching and learning strategies
It is useful if resources are hyperlinked in the Teaching Program to the actual document. To do this, highlight
the name of the document and press Control + K. Then navigate to the document.
Lesson 1: video - Nature Is Speaking – Penélope Cruz is Water | Conservation International (CI)
Lesson 2: video - Where is Water? - The Water Rooms #2
Lesson 3: NASA satellite weather resources - https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/global-maps/TRMM_3B43M
Lesson 4: Murray Darling Basin video - https://youtu.be/Zijgj7qHLDE and MDB map online (not interactive)
https://www.mdba.gov.au/sites/default/files/pubs/1269-Murray-Darling-Basin-Map-Poster-A1_0.pdf
Lesson 5: Murray Darling video from BTN - https://youtu.be/0_0fMttEuy8
Lesson 6: ABC video on indigenous story - https://education.abc.net.au/home#!/media/3382848/stories-of-the-bunyip-from-wutiyeti
Lesson 7: Two videos - https://youtu.be/oRiLLd2hX0E and https://youtu.be/KBjy6sPSATo plus Red Cross website https://www.ifrc.org/en/what-we-
do/disaster-management/about-disasters/definition-of-hazard/
Lesson 8: Video - https://youtu.be/DrwYtGf40hA plus website UN disaster interactive map: https://www.gdacs.org/ and Australian disaster
interactive map https://knowledge.aidr.org.au/disasters/
Lesson 9: video (modelling disaster news interviews) - https://youtu.be/LsuNz7A9Bbc
Lesson 10: video media interview bloopers - https://youtu.be/xYIi4by8-y8
While the template provides a guide for lesson structure, it is important that your KLA requirements are met.
Therefore, provided here are the basic elements for a teaching program. Please delete what is not required in
your program.
xxxvii
Learn About Teaching and learning strategies (Learn to) QTE Registration
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investigate the Suggestion for period allocation: 3 per fortnight
characteristics and
spatial distribution of Please note in relation to this program:
global water resources,
for example: 1. DIFFERENTIATION - All lessons on TEAMS have a STANDARD and an
ALTERNATE version (except 9-13 Inquiry Based Learning Project). The
1. classification of Alternate version provides additional scaffolding and in some cases,
water resources more teacher-led instruction. These are designed for classes with
different learning capacities or disruptive student behaviours. Some
2. identification of lessons also have an Extension activity for advanced learners, which
different forms of appears in the Standard (not Alternate) version.
water used as 2. EALD and Supported – Most lessons have an amended TEAMS page (in
resources a separate section under “Supported Class Water in the World”) which
provides extra literacy or EALD support.
3. examination of 3. References to NESA VERBS should be accompanied by a definition, an
spatial application, and perhaps reference to the NESA definition, which is
distribution supplied to students in Teams in the Resources section. Students can
patterns of highlight these verbs on their Teams page when they use them.
water resources 4. Vocabulary: metalanguage and Geography-specific terminology is
highlighted in green with a light globe symbol. Teacher should look for
opportunities to discuss vocabulary and encourage students to read it
out.
Lesson 1: classification of water resources

M
Outcomes SC
Describes processes and influences that form and transform places and E
environments GE4-2 SS
Learning Intentions Success Criteria
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To learn about the classification of Students can identify different water
water resources, and their context. resources, and describe their
characteristics.
 Teacher to ask student to read out Learning Intentions, Success Criteria

and Exit Ticket
 Adjusted class: for EAL/D and low-literacy students, ensure that
metalanguage is explained clearly and explicitly. New terms should be
identified and highlighted in the context of the lesson. Word walls are a
good strategy to use, adding to the list as the word is introduced.
 Teacher to read Recap section
 Activity 1: Teacher to introduce topic by reading Introduction to the
class. Teacher to bring own knowledge
 Activity 2: Show class the video once and then a second time so they
can answer questions. Differentiation: depending on the class, teacher
may stop the video in order to answer the questions.
Video interpretation answers:
a. True or False? The total amount of water on Earth doesn't change. TRUE.
The Earth has a finite amount of water. Our atmosphere is a closed
system and doesn’t exchange water with space.
b. What human trend is placing pressure on water availability? (Hint: think
population) With a finite amount of water, the rising human population,
and increasing wealth and increasing consumption of meat and
processed foods, is putting immense pressure on water.
 Activity 3: Select 10 student volunteers to participate in kinetic activity
to demonstrate key proportional statistics about water. Each individual
student represents 10%. For example, illustration One (Our Earth) you will
need 7 students to stand on one side of the room, 3 on the other. The
class should guess which group is water and which group is land.
Repeat for illustrations Two, Three and Four.
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Key statistics for this exercise: One – Land 70.9%/Water 29.1%. Two – Water
60%/ Other body elements 40%. Three – Saltwater (oceans) 97%/Freshwater
3%. Four – Icecaps and glaciers 69%/Groundwater 30%/Surface water 1%.
 Summarise what this activity represented sample answer: Students
represented the share of the total water on Earth, which is in different
forms or places. There is a limited amount of water on Earth, and there
is very little freshwater available for human use.
 Alternate Version: Activity 3: Students to view pie charts of various
water classifications and ‘guess’ the label (from the title of each chart),
perhaps with show of hands. Teacher to advise correct label (see
above in Key Statistics) and students to add these to their Teams pages.
Key ideas: some of these results are surprising, there is very little liquid
freshwater available on earth.
 Supported class: Activity 3: Use the answers provided in this program for
activity 3. Students can copy them from the board. Take into account
that some students are slow at typing; pen and paper may be a useful
substitute.
 Activity 4: Teacher lead a class discussion where students nominate
which water classification is matched to the description. Encourage
debate between students where appropriate.
 Alternate Version: Activity 4: Teacher to run this activity the same as the
standard class, but more focus on visual examples than text definitions.
 Supported class: Activity 4: adjusted to account for the cognitive load
placed on EAL/D students. They will match the water classifications with
definitions and images provided.
 Activity 5: Student-led discussion to elicit connectedness, where
students can articulate personal relevance of water and its DK
classifications. SSR
 Activity 6: Complete the lesson by asking students to choose yes or no SD
according to whether they have achieved the Success Criteria. NAR
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Lesson 2: Identification of different water resource uses
Outcomes
Explains how interactions and connections between people, places and
environments result in change GE4-3
To learn about the different uses of Students conduct research to

water as a resource. describe and classify different water
resource uses, and synthesise their
research into a written statement
that explains the benefits of one
form of water use.

and Exit Ticket
class. Teacher to bring own knowledge
 Activity 2: Show class the video (stop at 5:33), which reinforces
concepts from the previous lesson and introduces industrial,
environmental and household uses of water.
Following the video, teacher to spend 5 minutes considering the concepts in a
short, guided ‘call and response’ which could be based on the following. Box
brackets [ ] are used for suggested responses: In this video we learned that
domestic [or household] use [or consumption] of freshwater accounts for
[11%], industry (or manufacturing and energy) accounts for [19%], and
agriculture accounts for [70%]. Agriculture takes place on [farms], and
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includes all [food production] like [meat, dairy and crops]. We learned that
the current use of water by agriculture and industry is not sustainable, which
means [too much water is being consumed and is harming the environment].
People in developed countries use [300 litres] of water per day and most of it
[97%] is not visible to them because it is part of food production. One example
was the water needed to produce the food for [Daisy… dairy cows]. We also
learned that people in different countries consume different amounts of
water. People in [developed] countries are consuming much more water than
those in [developing] countries. Three billion people [in developing countries]
lack access to [safe] drinking water.
 Alternate Version: Activity 2: no change, see above.
 Supported Class: Activity 2: Class to complete questions on Teams
page. Teacher to encourage class discussion. Answers = domestic Users
11% | industrial Users 19% | agricultural Users 70% // Washing the dishes
30L per day | Taking a shower 80L | Flushing the toilet 65L | Laundry
100L per day // DAISY the cow: Growing Daisy's food 8500kg | Daisy's
drinking water 24,000 L | Servicing the farmhouse etc 7,000L // close
passage see Teams.
 Activity 3: Short teacher-led session to draw attention to factual
content on Teams page. Encourage discussion and opinion. Emphasise
local and personal relevance: “This is your pool, this is your water use.”
(Average Australian over one year).
 Alternate Version: Activity 3: no change, see above.
 Supported Class: Activity 3: class discussion, water footprint.
 Activity 4: This is an Inquiry-based learning activity where students
conduct independent research. They should select one persona and
spend approximately 15 minutes conducting their own research on that
type of water use (either agricultural or domestic water use). The
students have been provided with a research framework with guiding
questions on their Teams page. They should include 2-3 examples of
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Australian statistics. The paragraph should be written according to the
TEEAL model, no sentence stems are provided. DK
 Alternate Version: Activity 4: as above except sentence stems are ML
provided for the TEEAL paragraph. SSR
 Supported Class: Activity 4: no equivalent activity. BGK
 Activity 5: Students are advised the teacher will assess their contribution
and written record of Activity 4
 Alternate Version: Activity 5: Students are advised the teacher will
assess their contribution and written record of Activity 4
Lesson 3: Spatial distribution of water resources
Outcomes
Acquires and processes geographical information by selecting and using
geographical tools for inquiry GE4-7
Teams pages links: Standard version | Alternate version | Supported class
Identify the global distribution of Students can locate areas of water

water resources and describe the resource and shortage on a global
implications of inequalities of access map, explain the implications of
to water with reference to climate unequal access to water, including
change. changing access as a result of
climate change.

and Exit Ticket
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class. Teacher to bring own knowledge.
CHECK comprehension of ‘Spatial’ and define if necessary.
 Activity 2: Teacher should introduce this exercise by explaining map
legends and measures (Total Rainfall in mm or Water Vapour in cm –
there are explanations on the relevant webpages). As per the
instructions on the Teams page, teacher should direct students to
identify unfamiliar or unclear words or concepts by bolding them, and
acknowledge the relative complexity of this terminology.
Students to work individually, navigating to the interactive maps on their
laptops (use Chrome not Internet Explorer). Teacher may wish to display the
maps onscreen in class. Teacher should circulate around the classroom
assisting students as needed.
Once students have completed their inquiry, the teacher should lead an all-
class collaboration on terminology, invite volunteers to provide their answers,
and encourage students to check the accuracy of their work.
Differentiation (extension activity): two of the maps and their accompanying
questions are compulsory. A third map is provided for those students who finish
early.
If time permits, the teacher may initiate a class discussion on:
- the source of this data (NASA satellites, likely to be credible);
- the value of time series data (the way that the various forms
of water change between seasons in a year, and across
many years, perhaps showing us the effects of climate
change. In contrast, our textbook has a static image with an
annual average) and
- the global perspective (giving us visibility of global weather
patterns and climatic regions, e.g. illustrating what happens
at the Equator vs. the Poles)
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 ALTERNATE VERSION: Activity 2: similar to standard version but class
navigates to map and completes questions collectively. Aim to deliver
class discussion as per standard version guidelines above.
 Supported Class: Activity 2: Class to collectively complete questions on
Teams page. NASA website paragraph has been provided as cloze
passage.
 Activity 3: Map of what-now? This is a fun change of pace after some
heavy content. Map depicts the continents of the world as normal but
with land and sea reversed. Australia is the same shape but becomes a
small ocean. Where would you want to live (and why?). If possible,
elicit: different biomes (desert, forest, polar icecap etc).
Class Discussion (if time permits): recap that Earth surface is 30% land and 70%
water. What can this map help us remember about water availability? Recall
to INTERCONNECTIONS unit – how would human life be different if this was
what the earth looked like? (More immigration because easier to travel by
land? Different country shapes because countries are often defined by sea
borders? More wars, less wars?
 ALTERNATE VERSION: Activity 3: no change as above.
 Supported Class: Activity 3: no change, as above
 Activity 4: Complete the lesson by asking students to choose yes or no
according to whether they have achieved the Success Criteria.
 ALTERNATE VERSION: Activity 4: no change as above.
investigate the
economic, cultural, Lesson 4: Description of the ways water is used by people
spiritual and aesthetic PK
values of water for Teams pages links: Standard version | Alternate version | Supported class ML
people, including SS
Aboriginal and Torres Learning Intentions Success Criteria INC
Strait Islander Peoples
and/or peoples of the Examine the most important Students can: locate the Murray
Australian river system, the Murray Darling River and its tributaries;
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Asia region, for Darling, and its place, purpose and explain its function to our
example: pressures. environment, agricultural industries
and culture; and identify changes as
4. description of a result of climate change.
the ways water
is used by
people e.g.  Teacher to ask student to read out Learning Intentions, Success Criteria
agricultural, and Exit Ticket
commercial,  Teacher to read Recap section
industrial and  Activity 1: Teacher to introduce topic by reading Introduction to the
recreational uses class. Teacher to bring own knowledge and emphasise relevance of
5. discussion of region: it may be useful to draw a pie chart on the whiteboard to
variations in illustrate 39% (proportion of Aust’s agriculture).
people’s  Activity 2: Show class the 3:00 minute video. Following the video,
perceptions teacher to spend 5 – 10 minutes exploring key concepts including river
about the value overuse, spiritual value of water and sustainability. This may be done in
of water eg a guided ‘call and response’ which could be based on the following: In
economic versus this video we heard some interesting ideas: The narrator says “Worth
aesthetic fighting over, but seldom fighting for”. What does that mean to you?
6. comparison of The narrator also says “My rivers are drained. Choked by sand. Parched
the importance by salt. Confined in concrete. Overused, overwhelmed, overworked.”
of water to ONE What is being suggested about the health of the Murray Darling? Later
Aboriginal and the narrator says “If you take just as much as you need, and take me –
Torres Strait not ever – for granted…” This type of usage describes a concept we
Islander have been exploring in previous units, who can name it?
community [Sustainability].
and/or ONE Asian To reinforce relevance, students to answer “Write: Having seen this
community video, what do you think the Murray Darling Basin means for you? Write
2 bullet points.”
 ALTERNATE VERSION: Activity 2: no change, as above
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 SUPPORTED CLASS: Activity 2: class completes table of definitions of
subject-specific terminology from video.
 Activity 3: Students to work independently on their laptops to explore
the online map and factsheet, and record the answers to the 5
questions in their Teams page. All answers are available on the linked
Factsheet. Teacher should circulate the room during this activity to
assist students as necessary. Answers: a. More than 1m sq km
(COMPARATIVE SIZE: France + Spain together, OR Ethiopia| b. 77,000
kms of river (COMPARATIVE DISTANCE: distance to North Pole is 13k kms
– 3 times there AND back | c. 9,200 irrigated agriculture businesses
(COMPARATIVE NUMBER: 15,000 residents in suburb of Revesby) | d.
more than 40 Aboriginal nations (CONSULTATION processes, stories)| e.
native fish 46 (DIFFERENT ecosystems)
 ALTERNATE VERSION: Activity 3: class to explore answers together.
Encourage discussion. Provide explanation of concepts such as
irrigated business, Aboriginal nations..
 SUPPORTED CLASS: Activity 3: class to explore answers together.
Encourage discussion. Provide explanation of concepts such as
irrigated business, Aboriginal nation..
 Activity 4: Students to work in pairs for this online research activity,
designed to encourage personal connection to MDB communities. All PK
students to record their responses to the questions in their Teams page. ML
Once all students have attempted the task in pairs, teacher to lead a HE
class discussion. For example, “In the video we learned that the Murray KI
Darling system is ‘overworked’. WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE IN “YOUR
TOWN”? How is irrigation affecting your town? What do you think can
be done differently in “your town” so the river is not ‘overworked’?”
“From the map we can see that town names with Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander origins are somewhat common in the Murray Darling
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Basin. Do you think that naming towns with indigenous language is a
good way to achieve inclusivity? Why, or why not?”
Extension activity: additional research questions provided on Teams page.
 ALTERNATE VERSION: Activity 4: Students to work in pairs for this online
research activity, designed to highlight spatial variation. Once all
students have attempted the task in pairs, teacher to lead a class
discussion.
 SUPPORTED CLASS: Activity 4: Class to complete these research
questions together. Class discussion as above, if time permits.
 Activity 5: Complete the lesson by asking students to complete the self-
reflection task on their achievement of the Success Criteria.
 SUPPORTED CLASS: Activity 5: no change, as above
Lesson 5: Water resources in Australia: risks and pressures
Learn about the Murray Darling Basin Students can: identify the purpose of
Plan and create a chart in Excel of the Murray Darling Basin Plan and
different features of global rivers. use data from a credible source to
geographical analysis.

and Exit Ticket
 Activity 2: Show class the 4:00 minute video. Following the video,
students should spend approx. 5 minutes recording responses, both
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positive and negative. Examples are included on the Teams page.
Students can be invited to share their response. Intent is to
acknowledge our emotional responses to sustainability issues.
 SUPPORTED CLASS: Activity 2: no change, as above
 Activity 3: Teacher to lead the class in construction of a chart in Excel.
Students need to copy and paste the data from Teams into a new
Excel file. Teacher needs to select (highlight) the first two columns,
navigate to <Insert>, then <column chart>. Your chart should look like
this:
River Basin Area (km2)

8,000,000
6,000,000 PK
4,000,000 SD
2,000,000 CK
0
Students should write one sentence to compare the size of the Murray-Darling
basin with one other river basin of your choice. Is it smaller, larger? Sample
sentence: The Murray-Darling Basin is much smaller than the Amazon, the
biggest river basin in the world.
Extension activity provided on Teams page. Students who complete the task
on a guided basis, and would like to make an independent attempt, are
invited to do so with one of the other data points.
 ALTERNATE VERSION: Activity 3: Students to review data and conduct
online research to locate answers: 1. The largest river basin in the world
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is the Amazon | 2. The countries in the Amazon Basin include: Bolivia,
Brazil, Columbia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Suriname and Venezuela. | 3.
How does the Murray-Darling system compare? River Basin area - Rank:
5, World length ranking: 15.
 SUPPORTED CLASS: Activity 3: Students to review data and locate
answers: 1. The largest river basin in the world is the Amazon | 2. Murray
Darling | 3. Mississippi
 Activity 4: Give the Murray Darling an Instagram Selfie. This is a light,
creative activity to close the lesson, offering a change of pace after
Excel charts.
 Activity 5: Complete the lesson by advising students that the teacher
will be assessing the quality and completion of Activities 2, 3 and 4.
Lesson 6: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ perceptions of water
Learn about the importance of the Students can appreciate the

water and rivers to Aboriginal and importance of water and rivers to
Torres Strait Islander people. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
people.

and Exit Ticket
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Class Discussion: Revisit Sustainability concept. Discuss and expand on
definition of DREAMING. Explore Aboriginal notions of caring for country - elicit
custodianship not ownership. What role does water play in your culture? Does
water have religious or spiritual significance to you?
 Activity 2: Class views ABC Education video about Aboriginal
custodianship of the Wimmera River. Inquiry questions: Definitions from
local language: Wutiyeti – camping place on the river | Barengi Djul –
Aboriginal name for Wimmera River // Bunyip - a large mythical
creature from Australian Aboriginal mythology, said to lurk in swamps,
billabongs, creeks, riverbeds, and waterholes // What is a weir? A low
dam to control water flow in a river. They are built to help farms to use
water from rivers for agriculture and to stop overflows in times of flood.
 ALTERNATE VERSION: Activity 2: little change, see above. More teacher
support for answers
 SUPPORTED CLASS: Activity 2: little change, see above. Different
questions: Inquiry questions: Definitions from local language: Wutiyeti –
camping place on the river | Barengi Djul – Aboriginal name for
Wimmera River // Bunyip - a large mythical creature from Australian
Aboriginal mythology, said to lurk in swamps, billabongs, creeks,
riverbeds, and waterholes // As a child, Uncle Ron did not swim at
Wutiyeti because his elders told him of the bunyip
 Activity 3: Time to Create – Before we begin: who would you talk to
about these projects before you start? Who should tell these stories?
Elicit: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples should always be the
tellers of their stories. In this case we are reflecting on a story that comes
from Wotjobaluk people. Link on Teams page to news article where
Uncle Ron talks about his ambition for tourism in the area.
Students can choose their format for this design and write exercise: Facebook,
Instagram or TikTok. They should write 1-2 sentences about what tourist visitors
could do and see during a visit to Barengi Djul and illustrate their post.
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 ALTERNATE VERSION: Activity 3: little change, see above. Students to
create an Instagram post.
 SUPPORTED CLASS: Activity 3: little change, see above. Students to
create an Instagram post. Sentence stem provided for Instagram text.
 Activity 4: Have you achieved the success criteria? Students have
learnt about the importance of the water and rivers to Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander people, completed the video questions and
created a communication item (news article or web page). YES/NO
 ALTERNATE VERSION: Activity 4: no change, as above.
 SUPPORTED CLASS: Activity 4: no change, as above.
investigate ONE
contemporary Lesson Seven: Introduction to Natural Hazards
atmospheric hazard or DK
hydrologic hazard Learning Intentions Success Criteria ML
including causes, SD
impacts and Students will define and describe Students can define, describe and
responses, for natural hazards, and synthesise their distinguish between various natural
example: findings to create a news report in hazards and disasters. Students can
- explanation of the video format. recount geographical definitions of
spatial distribution, natural disasters and have
cause and impact of produced a digital visual
the disaster representation of a natural hazard.
- examination of
responses by
individuals, groups and  Teacher to ask student to read out Learning Intentions, Success Criteria
government to the and Exit Ticket
impact of the disaster  Teacher to read Recap section
- prediction of the  Activity 1: Teacher to introduce topic by reading Introduction to the
impact of climate class. Teacher to bring own knowledge. Introduce key concepts,
highlighting specialist vocabulary.
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change on the  Activity 2: Teacher to play two videos. BEFORE commencing videos,
occurrence, frequency advise students that they will be called on to share their thoughts and
and extent of this type responses to the videos. They should take notes or be prepared to
of hazard make observations following the videos. Students should write down
- discussion of important points made in the videos or by their peers. After videos and
management class response, teacher provides some direct instruction to differentiate
strategies to reduce between natural hazards and natural disasters, and different types of
the future impact of natural hazards.
similar hazard events Video One – stop at 1:20. Really quick primer into issues. This video is a promo
for an exhibition in the USA, but it has great imagery and a good summary of
the issues. The main takeaway – we can’t avoid natural hazards, they happen
where we live. We have to learn to live with them, and manage the risks.
Video Two – More on climate change and its interaction with natural disasters.
This one is quite hard-hitting, be aware of any emotional response to the
content.
 ALTERNATE VERSION: Activity 2: Structured video interpretation provided
on Teams papge. Different types of natural disaster:
Earthquake/Volcano/Hurricane/Tornado/ Any others? // As climate
warms we expect more severe storms and more severe droughts //
Can we completely avoid the natural hazards that exist on earth? No.
VIDEO TWO: Climate change refers to changes in the weather over a
long period of time. // Rising temperatures mean that the periods of
drought are more common and last longer // If there is less moisture in
the air because of increased temperatures, things can catch fire more
easily. // A warmer atmosphere holds more water // Warmer air and
ocean temperature results in hurricanes
 SUPPORTED CLASS: Activity 2: same as ALTERNATE class above
 Activity 3: Students to conduct self-directed Investigation from Red
Cross/Red Crescent website and answer questions listed in Teams
DK
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page. Students to share their findings and other students to take notes SC
as per their interest. EQC
 ALTERNATE VERSION: Activity 3: Class to vote on choice of one hazard INC
and jointly undertake research online. Students selected to find answers
from web page onscreen.
 SUPPORTED CLASS: Activity 3: Class to vote on choice of one hazard
and teacher to lead research online. Students selected to find answers
from web page onscreen.
 Activity 4: Class Discussion - What are some key differences between
natural hazards? (Speed of onset, ability to predict, classifications:
hydrological, geological or atmospheric, human impact, density of
population – volcano vs. storm surge), What can the speed or
frequency of a natural disaster tell us in relation to preparation? (ability
to predict, escape harm, preserve life) Why should we measure the
social, economic and ecological impact of natural disasters? (for
financial reasons, to calculate insurance costs but also to help us
understand hidden effects, like on wildlife – e.g. 3 billion animals died in
the Australian bushfires of 2019/20 including 143 million mammals and
2.46 billion reptiles).
 Activity 5: Students to create an emoji of one natural hazard, drawn as
a digital image in the software like Paint. Example provided in Teams
page.
 Activity 6: Students conduct Self-Assessment of this lesson with rubric
provided.
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Lesson Eight: Natural Hazards: spatial distribution and perspectives
Students can describe the spatial distribution of Students participate

natural hazards and use ICT resources to locate in discussion on
and describe natural disasters in their local video, complete
area. Students will define the effects of processes Australian mapping
and influences on natural disasters, with a focus on task and Think-Pair-
technology, globalisation and climate change. Share on trends.

and Exit Ticket
class. Teacher to bring own knowledge. Introduce key concepts,
initiate specialist vocabulary.
 Activity 2: Video and interpretation. Discussion prompts: Did anyone
pick up on how many volcanoes are erupting around the world at any DK
given time? (10-20) Surprising? What other natural hazards are common HOT
around the Ring of Fire? (Earthquakes and Tsunamis). What are the SD
lithosphere processes causing these hazards? (Movement of tectonic SS
plates, Pacific Plate moving more quickly than other plates). Can
scientists accurately predict when a volcano is going to erupt or an
earthquake take place? (No, they monitor and estimate. Volcanoes
have some indicators but they’re not definite. Earthquakes don’t have
any warning signs). What was the likelihood of an earthquake along the
San Andreas Fault in the next 30 years (72% Would you buy a house
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there?!) Japan’s Earthquake and Tsunami in 2011 killed 15,000 people
but it could have been more. (The entire population of the suburb of
REVESBY is about 15,000). But the death toll in Japan in 2011 could have
been worse. What helped? (Special buildings. Early warning system,
national alert to stop high speed trains – technology!). Which countries
have an early warning system for earthquakes? (Not many – Japan
and Mexico)
 Activity 3: PART A: Teacher to navigate to UN/EU global disasters online
database. Initial discussion: What patterns can we see in the location of
certain types of disasters? What can we learn about the human or
economic cost of disasters? Elicit: implication of population density,
value of infrastructure in developed vs. developing countries.
Students to vote on which disaster to explore together.
Teacher to click through to Situation Overview on disaster.
Question to class: who needs this information and how might it help? Elicit:
governments, emergency aid charities (we explored Red Cross Red Crescent
in last lesson), tourists, businesses that do exporting and importing.
PART B: Teacher to direct students to navigate on their laptops to Australian
map.
Students to undertake self-led investigation of disasters near SJBHS. Students
complete questions on man-made and natural disasters. Teacher to seek
volunteers to share their findings.
 ALTERNATE VERSION: Activity 3: Part A is the same. Part B, teacher leads
investigation, class undertake inquiry together onscreen.
 Activity 4: Think-Pair-Share on change in natural disasters initiated by
technology and climate change. Elicit: high-tech early warning
systems, human communication (Japan had nation-wide text message DK
service in 2011), Facebook has check-in, climate change is increasing HOT
frequency and intensity of storms and droughts. SD
56
Wk Date
 ALTERNATE VERSION: Activity 4: no change, as above. SS
 Activity 5: Students to self-assess on their achievement of lesson Success
Criteria.
Lesson Nine: Introduction to Inquiry Project on Natural Hazards: Video News

report
Students will work in groups over 5 Students work in groups to produce a 3-

lessons to investigate a real 5 minute news report in video format
natural hazard following a supported, multi-
and synthesise their findings to lesson investigation of a real natural
create a news report in video hazard and synthesis of their findings.
format.
No alternate version of this lesson. Teach may provide more hands-on

assistance including: forming the groups to ensure functional groupings or
mixed abilities, nominating a particular disaster, providing sentence stems for
questions to use in ‘interviews’.

and Exit Ticket
 Activity 1: Teacher to introduce 5 lesson project by explaining activity.
Encourage discussion. Students might be called on to explain each DK
stage of project to the class after teacher description. Negotiation likely HOT
required for group formation.
57
Wk Date
 Activity 2: Disaster News! Teacher to play video, which models news SD
reporting on natural disasters. Students to note and follow SS
questioning/scripting/production style.
 Activity 3: Inquiry project groups to form and select their disaster. Three
source websites provided in Teams page. Students reminded that
disaster must have taken place in the last 50 years, in Australia and to
choose a 'big' disaster so there is a good volume of resources available
for their research.
 Activity 4: Students need to source factual information as well as media
news reports of their disaster, including: Where and when did this
disaster take place? What was the human impact? (Deaths? Injuries?
Homes lost?) What was the economic impact? (Estimated repair costs?
Businesses failed?) What was the response by local volunteers, local
businesses, local politicians? Could this disaster have been avoided?
How could the disaster be managed differently in the future?
 Activity 5: Students to self-assess – have they joined an inquiry group,
allocated all team roles, chosen a disaster and begun their research?
Lesson Ten: Continuing Inquiry Project on Natural Hazards: Video News report

format.
58
Wk Date

and Exit Ticket
 Activity 1: Teacher to continue 5 lesson project by recapping activity.
 Activity 2: This lesson, students should conduct their research IN GROUPS
and begin writing their script.
 Activity 3: Research process continues. Student direction provided in
Teams page
Extension activity: If class has requisite skills, research may include with VISIBLE
THINKING process where students take a more creative approach and make
a MIND MAP of the things they need to find out. There are 5 factual research
points nominated (see Teams) plus media coverage and any other interesting
points.
 Activity 4: Begin your script. Tips include: Think about the answers you
heard in the news report in our last lesson. What questions did the
journalist ask? What opinions would your person (role) share in a media
interview? Think about their perspectives and goals: the politician likely
wants to get re-elected, the local business owner wants to rebuild, the
climate scientist may be seeking policy change by government.
 Activity 5: Something fun – video of news interviews gone wrong. WHAT
NOT TO DO!
 Activity 6: Students to self-assess – have they completed their research
and begun their script?
59
Wk Date
Lesson Eleven: Continuing Inquiry Project on Natural Hazards: Video News
report

format.
DK
HOT
No alternate version of this lesson. Teach may provide more hands-on SD
assistance including: forming the groups to ensure functional groupings or SS

and Exit Ticket
 Activity 2: This lesson, students should finalise their script and begin
filming.
 Activity 3: Scripting process tips: Rehearse by saying it out loud to your
group members. Collaborate – give your peers positive, constructive
feedback. Begin filming and think about setting. Do you have time to
make a "news" backdrop? Make sure you address all the points in
question 4. - five facts to include.
60
Wk Date
 Activity 4: Assessment of Assessments. Teacher to instruct students
about the two modes of assessment: peer and teacher. There is a
different rubric for each, see below and on Teams page.
Student Peer Assessment Rubric
This is the rubric that you and your peers will use to assess each DK
other. Each group will assess ONE OTHER group. You will have your HOT
assessment group allocated during the viewing lesson. SD
SS
Limited Basic Sound High Outstanding
I can see I can see I can see that I can see I can see
that these that these students have that students that students
students students worked together have worked have worked
have tried to have as a team, and well together really well
produce a completed a their video is as a team, together as
video about video about good. It makes and their a team, and
a disaster. a disaster. sense. video is very their video is
good. It is excellent. It is
interesting interesting, it
and makes makes sense,
sense. and it shows
that they
were thinking
creatively.
Teacher Assessment Rubric
This is the rubric that your teacher will use to assess your group's video
61
Wk Date
Your teacher will mark: your collaboration with your team, the
accuracy and completeness of the facts in your news report, and the
creativity and critical thinking evident.
A complete video news report will include: accurate information on

where and when this disaster took place; a description of the human
impact (deaths, injuries, homes lost); a description of the economic
impact (estimated repair costs, number of businesses affected)
a description of the response by local volunteers, local businesses, local
politicians; an assessment of whether this disaster have been avoided;
an evaluation of how this disaster be managed differently in the
future.
Limited Basic Sound High Outstanding
Student has Student has Students Students have Students have

attempted attempted have successfully worked
some all elements worked worked together constructively
elements of of the together, as a team, and and
the video video news recorded a produced a collaboratively as
news report. complete complete video a team, and
report. video news news report that produced a
report. demonstrates sophisticated
creativity and video news report
coherence. that demonstrates
creativity,
coherence and
critical thinking.
62
Wk Date
 Activity 5: Students to self-assess – have they finalised
and rehearsed their script, and planned their video.
Lesson Twelve: Continuing Inquiry Project on Natural Hazards: Video News

report

format.


and Exit Ticket
 Activity 2: This lesson, students should film their news report and
complete the editing.
 Activity 3: Filming process tips: Think about your backdrop. Do several
edits if you need to. Otherwise, keep it quick. Adjust your script if it
sounds awkward when you say it out loud. Collaborate – give your
peers positive, constructive feedback.
63
Wk Date
 Activity 4: Recap Assessments. Teacher to remind students about their
mode of assessment – peer and teacher – with a different rubric for
each.
 Activity 5: Students to self-assess – Students have filmed and finalised
their video.
Lesson Twelve: Continuing Inquiry Project on Natural Hazards: Video News

report

format.

Teacher needs to print copies of the Student Peer Assessment rubric (see
above Lesson Eleven) – one for each student.
and Exit Ticket
64
Wk Date
 Activity 1: Teacher to conclude 5 lesson project by welcoming students
to Welcome to Video News day and reminding them that they have
collaborated, communicated, investigated and created to help build
a shared understanding of natural disasters and how they affect
communities, politics and the economy. This is an exciting day!
 Activity 2: Students should observe their classes’ films and assess one
other group. Teacher to allocate groups for marking – each group
marks one other group (A marks B, B marks C etc etc.)
Teacher should distribute printed copies of the peer assessment rubric.
 Activity 3: Prizes – class votes for Most creative, Most informative,
Funniest video, Best blooper, Best setting or prop, Most surprising
 Activity 4: Written Recap. Think about what you've seen and learned
about natural disasters. Choose two words to describe Australia's
natural environment: Record one thing that surprised you about natural
disasters in this country: If you were in charge of the news, what would
you tell people about natural disasters?
 Activity 5: Students to REFLECT – What did you learn about video
production? What did you learn about working in a group to do
research and make a video?
 Activity 6: Record your assessment of your peer group in your Teams
page
Assessment Summary
Lesson Success Criteria Achieved Self-Assessment with rubric Teacher Assessment with
Y/N rubric
1. Water in the World Intro
2. Water as a resource
65
3. Where is water? Spatial
distribution
4. Water as resource in Australia
5. Water resources in Australia:
risks and challenges
6. Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander peoples' perspectives
7. Introduction to Natural
Hazards
8. Natural Hazards: spatial
distribution and perspectives
9. Hazards Inquiry 1: Video News
Report
report
report
report
13. Hazards Presentations: Major summative
Welcome to Video News day! assessment
66
PROGRAM EVALUATION
Consider your program annotations, class progress, program amendments, resource changes
etc.
Teacher Class Start date Finish Date
Class teacher signature ________________________________________ Date

____/_____
/_____
67

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102098 Contemporary Teacher Leadership | Autumn 2021

Assessment 2 | Lyndal Howison | 15895338

Unit: Water in Your World

Image sourced from publicly

SUMMARY OF UNIT CHANGES IN THIS REPORT

3. Introduction of self-reflection and self-assessment in lessons and the Summative

5. Introduction of Heuristic Scaffolding, including research prompts and sources for

SCOPE AND SEQUENCE

UNDERSTANDING BY DESIGN PROCESS

UbD Process Flowchart

Geography Threshold Concepts Evidence of Learning: Teaching and Learning Activities

A sample scripted question progression for this unit may include:

OTHER FEATURES OF THE UNIT

Geography Stage4 – Scope and Sequence

Literacy Focus TEEAL

Literacy Focus TEEAL and UCB

Literacy Focus Essay and TEEAL

Literacy Focus Essay and TEEAL

Group Multimedia Project:

- examination of responses by individuals, groups and government to the impact of the

Weighting 25% of grade

Due Date Beginning of Week 10

Key Information for Students

Step 1: RESEARCH - Where to get your information for this project

a. Australian Disaster Resilience Knowledge Hub: https://knowledge.aidr.org.au/disasters/

Step 2: INVESTIGATE - Factual questions to answer through research

More Of Less Of Same Amount

Self-Assessment Limited Basic Sound High Outstanding

0-5 6-10 11-15 16-20 21-25

I completed all the task

I worked well with other

I put in effort to learn new

I took the time to

My self-assessment score: /100

2. REFLECT - Write your comments in a Self-Assessment 3-2-1

2 things I can improve next time:

1 thing I learned about my learning:

REVISED UNIT OUTLINE

Evidence of Students: Students: Students:

Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority, n.d. Ethical Understanding

Avraamidou, L. & Osborne, J. (2009) The Role of Narrative in Communicating Science,

NSW Department of Education, Learning and Teaching Directorate - Secondary Education.

Saye, J. & Brush, T. (2007). Using Technology-Enhanced Learning Environments to Support

Stevenson, R. (2007) Schooling and environmental/sustainability education: from discourses of

Wiggins, G. (2009). Understanding by Design. TALK Summer Institute. Copyright Authentic

Literacy Focus TEEAL

Assessment Formative assessment: Comprehension (Water in the World)

Literacy Focus TEEAL and UCB

Topic/s Water in the World:

Literacy Focus Essay and TEEAL

Literacy Focus Essay and TEEAL

NO ASSESSMENT NOTIFICATION DOCUMENT AVAILABLE

NO UNIT OUTLINE AVAILABLE

APPENDIX 2 – ORIGINAL PROGRAM

NSW SYLLABUS FOR THE AUSTRALIAN CURRICULUM Geography

Teacher Start date Term 3 End date Term 3

Principal Focus/Statement of focus:

NSW Australian Curriculum Syllabus Outcomes:

Asia and Australia’s Ethical Difference and

Personal and social Work and

QUALITY TEACHING ELEMENTS

Intellectual Quality Quality Learning Environment Significance

Lesson 1: classification of water resources