Table 8: Sample unit of work for Focus unit 5: Living with climate change Environmental changes and responses in — Thinking skills, time linked to common and Key questions for the curriculum scale sample unit elements Learning experiences Geographical skills 1. What evidence is 3–4 Comprehend Investigate the physical systems of the Retrieving information from that climate and collect a variety of sources Identify the physical components of the European region change is occurring including internet, atlas Structure and Regional Investigate the changes in the atmospheric system (temperature, precipitation) in ? sequence Interpreting tables and () and its interaction with physical systems in graphs Examine the role ocean currents play in distributing energy from atmospheric Manipulation of data to systems reveal patterns and Discuss and debate the possibility of the changes being linked to long-term trends climate change or to natural fluctuations in physical cycles 2. What activities and 3–4 Analyse, assess Design a flowchart that illustrates energy processes associated with climate Construction of flowcharts factors are hours and conclude change Interpreting data contributing to the Research information on energy usage, types and carbon dioxide emissions for Creating choropleth maps process of climate the EU and selected countries Construction of graphs change? Compare energy patterns with data on climate change Local Compare these patterns with low economically developed countries and medium economically developed countries 3. What are the 3–4 Analyse, assess Construct a consequences wheel of the effects of climate change on food and Developing and applying environmental, hours and conclude water resources, human health, human settlements and ecosystems, and skills in GIS social, economic biodiversity Construction of a and political Research impacts identified in including changes in glaciers, snow consequences wheel consequences of biodiversity, river discharge/flooding, crop yield and human health Interpreting graphs and climate change? Compare and contrast consequences in richer western Europe to those in tables poorer Europe Researching on the internet 4. What strategies 3–4 Create and Investigate alternative energy sources and energy conservation in Interviewing and gathering could be adopted present information from the Compare to Australian situation individually, locally, community Analyse, assess Consider the support from Europe for the Kyoto Protocol versus opposition from nationally and and conclude Developing a willingness to and Local globally to combat participate in actions Evaluate the strategy of global, act local” “think the problem of that ensure a Identify areas where Australians can make individual or community changes to climate change? sustainable future reduce greenhouse gas emissions Developing the ability to Evaluate these strategies in terms of cost, lifestyle change and likelihood of clarify personal values success of widespread adoption in relation to environmental and
Table 8: Sample unit of work for Focus unit 5: Living with climate change — Environmental changes and responses in Key questions for the sample unit time and scale Thinking skills, linked to common curriculum elements Learning experiences Geographical skills 1. What evidence is that climate change is occurring in ? 3–4 Regional () Comprehend and collect Structure and sequence Investigate the physical systems of the Identify the physical components of the European region Investigate the changes in the atmospheric system (temperature, precipitation) and its interaction with physical systems in Examine the role ocean currents play in distributing energy from atmospheric systems Discuss and debate the possibility of the changes being linked to long-term climate change or to natural fluctuations in physical cycles Retrieving information from a variety of sources including internet, atlas Interpreting tables and graphs Manipulation of data to reveal patterns and trends 2. What activities and factors are contributing to the process of climate change? 3–4 hours Local Analyse, assess and conclude Design a flowchart that illustrates energy processes associated with climate change Research information on energy usage, types and carbon dioxide emissions for the EU and selected countries Compare energy patterns with data on climate change Compare these patterns with low economically developed countries and medium economically developed countries Construction of flowcharts Interpreting data Creating choropleth maps Construction of graphs 3. What are the environmental, social, economic and political consequences of climate change? 3–4 hours Analyse, assess and conclude Construct a consequences wheel of the effects of climate change on food and water resources, human health, human settlements and ecosystems, and biodiversity Research impacts identified in including changes in glaciers, snow biodiversity, river discharge/flooding, crop yield and human health Compare and contrast consequences in richer western Europe to those in poorer Europe Developing and applying skills in GIS Construction of a consequences wheel Interpreting graphs and tables Researching on the internet 4. What strategies could be adopted individually, locally, nationally and globally to combat the problem of climate change? 3–4 Local Create and present Analyse, assess and conclude Investigate alternative energy sources and energy conservation in Compare to Australian situation Consider the support from Europe for the Kyoto Protocol versus opposition from and Evaluate the strategy of “think global, act local” Identify areas where Australians can make individual or community changes to reduce greenhouse gas emissions Evaluate these strategies in terms of cost, lifestyle change and likelihood of success of widespread adoption Interviewing and gathering information from the community Developing a willingness to participate in actions that ensure a sustainable future Developing the ability to clarify personal values in relation to environmental and