Stage 5 Focus Areas

The Stage 5 Australian Geography section of the Mandatory course comprises four focus areas:

5A3 Issues in Australian Environments

Time allocation - 20% of course time

Principal focus

To understand a range of geographical issues in Australian environments and investigate how these issues are being managed.

Stage 5 outcomes

In this focus area a student will work towards the following Stage 5 outcomes:

5.1	identifies, gathers and evaluates geographical information
5.2	analyses, organises and synthesises geographical information
5.3	selects and uses appropriate written, oral and graphic forms to communicate geographical information
5.4	demonstrates a sense of place about Australian environments
5.5	explains the geographical processes that form and transform Australian environments
5.6	analyses the impact of different perspectives on geographical issues at local, national and global scales
5.8	accounts for differences within and between Australian communities
	applies geographical knowledge, understanding and skills to demonstrate active and informed citizenship.

Content

In working towards Stage 5 outcomes, students will learn about:

Review the need to protect and manage environments (see focus area 4G3)

The nature of contemporary geographical issues

• spatial dimension: where things are and why they are there

• ecological dimension: how humans interact with environments

An overview of the spatial and ecological dimensions of a range of contemporary geographical issues affecting Australian environments

GROUP A

Issues relating to physical elements of environments

GROUP B

Issues relating to human elements of environments

At least TWO studies of contemporary geographical issues affecting Australian environments.

One issue must be selected from Group A and one from Group B.

• In each study, investigate:

– the geographical processes relevant to the issue

– the perceptions of different groups about the issue

– the decision-making processes involved in addressing the issue

– the consequences of these processes

Fieldwork task:

• Select ONE issue from Group A or Group B and investigate its spatial and ecological dimensions.

In this investigation students are to:

– develop a research action plan

– gather and process relevant data

– evaluate alternative solutions regarding the management of the issue

– communicate research findings

– propose individual/group actions to address the issue

– demonstrate active citizenship.