Idea for Assignment Two

I am finally back on track with this course and am beginning to formulate ideas for Assignment Two, which is a 3 – 5 week unit plan and assessment task to match (plus an assessment criteria, supporting essay and a bunch of blog posts and learning paths … the list goes on! 😉 ). I have decided to create a unit plan for a Year 10 Geography class who will be undertaking a unit on the geography of human wellbeing. This idea has been derived from the Australian Curriculum, in particular, Unit Two: Geographies of Human Wellbeing for Year 10. Throughout this unit students will learn about the various indicators of human wellbeing, how human wellbeing varies spatially, and the reasons for and consequences of this variation. Students will use this knowledge to analyse and draw conclusions from data and geographical information, construct specialised graphs and maps to represent information, and communicate findings and explanations in appropriate formats.

I am yet to decide on which course objectives and learning outcomes I will focus on, but the content descriptors from which I can choose from are as follows:

Constructing Knowledge (Geographical Knowledge and Understanding):  

• The different ways of measuring and mapping human wellbeing anddevelopment, and how these can be applied to measure differences between places (ACHGK076)

• The reasons for spatial variations between countries in selected indicators of human wellbeing (ACHGK077)

• The issues affecting the development of places and their impact onhuman wellbeing, drawing on a study from a developing country orregion in Africa, South America or the Pacific Islands (ACHGK078)

• The reasons for and consequences of spatial variations in human wellbeing on a regional scale within India or another country of the Asiaregion (ACHGK079)

• The reasons for and consequences of spatial variations in human wellbeing in Australia at the local scale (ACHGK080)

• The role of international and national government and non-government organisations’ initiatives in improving human wellbeing in Australia and other countries (ACHGK081)

Transforming Knowledge (Geographical Inquiry and Skills):

• Collect, select, record and organise relevant data and geographical information, using ethical protocols, from a range of appropriate primary and secondary sources (ACHGS073)

• Evaluate sources for their reliability, bias and usefulness and represent multi-variable data in a range of appropriate forms, for example, scatter plots, tables, field sketches and annotated diagrams with and without the use of digital and spatial technologies (ACHGS074)

• Represent the spatial distribution of geographical phenomena by constructing special purpose maps that conform to cartographic conventions, using spatial technologies as appropriate (ACHGS075)

• Evaluate multi-variable data and other geographical information using qualitative and quantitative methods and digital and spatial technologies as appropriate to make generalisations and inferences, propose explanations for patterns, trends, relationships and anomalies, and predict outcomes (ACHGS076)

• Apply geographical concepts to synthesise information from various sources and draw conclusions based on the analysis of data and information, taking into account alternative points of view (ACHGS077

• Present findings, arguments and explanations in a range of appropriate communication forms selected for their effectiveness and to suit audience and purpose, using relevant geographical terminology and digital technologies as appropriate (ACHGS079)

Although I have a long way to go, I am really excited to be creating this unit plan as I have recently realised I am yet to make a unit plan or assessment task for geography. I have also noticed I have few geography resources in my repertoire to draw upon and modify for this unit, so I guess it’s time to throw myself in the deep and start from scratch!