Earth's environment
Geography
Students investigate how natural environments support living things through immersive, hands-on experiences in the Royal National Park. They explore the characteristics of local habitats and native animals, develop sensory awareness of their surroundings, and consider the significance of natural environments to people and other living things. Through activities such as measuring weather conditions, observing habitats, and creating maps from natural materials, students build their geographical inquiry skills and deepen their understanding of how environments function and can be cared for sustainably..
Excursion site
| 10:00 | Introduction and Acknowledgement of Country (crunch and sip and toilets if needed) |
| 10:20 | Observe preserved animals and consider their habitats and adaptations |
| 10:40 | Engage with the environment through sensory awareness activities, such as treasure hunts, sound mapping and mirror walks |
| 11:30 | Recess and toilet |
| 11:50 | Bushwalk the one-way walk down the Honeymoon Track to Reids Flat, Audley observing habitats and evidence of animals along the way |
| 1:00 | Lunch and toilets |
| 1:30 | Measure weather conditions |
| 1:30 | Participate in hands-on activities to observe the animals of the study site (activities dependant on site) e.g., invertebrate searches, dipnetting, or birdwatching |
| 2:00 | Conclusion and depart |
* There may be variations to timetable based on specific location, group size and weather
Tier 2:
environment, observe, investigate, measure, compare, represent, describe, identify, interact, sustain
Tier 3:
habitat, ecosystem, invertebrate, vertebrate, natural vegetation, biodiversity, abiotic, orientation, food chain, adaptation
Geography K-6 Syllabus (2015)
Outcomes
- Students examine features and characteristics of places and environments GE2-1
- Students describe the ways people, places and environments interact GE2-2
- Students acquire and communicate geographical information using geographical tools for inquiry GE2-4
Content
Geography - The Earth's Environment
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investigate the importance of natural vegetation and natural resources to the environment, animals and people, for example: (ACHGK021, ACHGK022, ACHGK024)
- identification of types of natural vegetation eg forests, grasslands, deserts
- explanation of the importance of natural vegetation to animals and the functioning of the environment eg provision of habitats, production of oxygen
- discussion of the importance of natural vegetation and natural resources to people eg provision of food, medicine, fuel, timbers, fibres, metals
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investigate sustainable practices that protect environments, including those of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, for example: (ACHGK023, ACHGK024, ACHGK025)
- examination of how environments can be used sustainably eg sustainable agricultural, commercial, recreational practices
- discussion of ways waste can be managed sustainably
- examination of how the practices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples support the sustainable use of environments eg use of resources
"It was an excellent experience to be in nature and learn about habitats. It was also amazing to measure the temp, wind and lux whilst by the river and compare it when we were back at the top of the Honeymoon track."