Inquiry:
In Term 2 students in Year 5 will be involved
in a geography unit of work which will develop their literacy skills to
investigate human influences on the Murray River. Literacy is integrated
throughout the Australian Curriculum as one of the seven General Capabilities, (Australian Curriculum, Assessment and
Reporting Authority (ACARA), and has been recognised as an
essential skill for students to develop to ensure success in all learning
areas, (MCEETYA,2008). In this unit, students will use two literacy processes of
reading various texts and composing texts through writing, (Glibert and Hoepper).
The fictional story Storm Boy, written by Colin Thiele will be read to students and
inquiry questions will be posed to enable students to connect to the
geographical content embedded in the story. Whilst reading the
first two chapters of the book, students will be asked to focus on the setting
of the story. They will use their senses to build an image of the location and will
write down words that describe the Coorong and the Murray River. To unlock geographical
thinking and information, they will then investigate maps of the Coorong and
Murray River in South Australia, to note significant naturally formed characteristics
and include man made influences such as locks and weirs. Using research skills of mapping to locate and compile
geographic information is one inquiry process which encourages students to
think geographically, (Gilbert and Hoepper, 2017).
Students will then engage in an activity using ‘think,
pair, share,’ (Fellowes & Oakley, 2014) to answer the inquiry question, ‘how
have people including Aboriginal People, engaged with the
Murray River?’ They will look at the positive influences of portrayed by the characters,
Fingerbone an Aboriginal person and Storm Boy and highlight negative influences
that are described. This story analysis introduces students to the topic of how
people have an influence on the environmental characteristics of the Murray
River.
Students literacy skills of interpreting and questioning
will be used to identify influences and impacts of people in changing the
Murray River’s environment, through watching ‘River Kids Special’ (Behind The
News (BTN), 2018). They will document using a mind map the different man-made
influences of the river. As a parent you could engage in conversations with
your child about the various influence and impacts people have had on the
Murray River. You could also discuss whether these influences should change.
The final unit activity students will embark on is
consolidating their thinking and further exploring the impacts of people on the
Murray River. Students will use one of the examples explained in the video to
answer the inquiry questions, as shown below. By using this geographical
inquiry, students will be developing their literacy skills of identifying and
analyzing, describing and explaining, reflecting and expressing an opinion,
(Gilbert & Hoepper, 2017).
They will then demonstrate their understanding and
learning by composing a written report that informs the reader of an influence
people have had on the Murray River. This will be a summative assessment to demonstrate
their learning.
References
Australian Curriculum, Assessment and
Reporting Authority (ACARA) Australian
Curriculum: General Capabilities, Literacy. Retrieved from: https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/f-10-curriculum/general-capabilities/literacy/
Australian Curriculum, Assessment and
Reporting Authority. (2017). Australian
curriculum: HASS (Version8.2) Retrieved from: https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/f-10-curriculum/humanities-and-social-sciences/hass/
Behind The News (BTN). (2018). River
Kids, A BTN Special. ABC. Retrieved from: http://www.abc.net.au/btn/campaigns/river-kids-special/10559652
Fellowes, J. & Oakley, G. (2014). Language, Literacy and Early Childhood
Education (2nd ed.). South Melbourne, Victoria. Oxford
University Press.
Gilbert, R. & Hoepper,. B. (2017). Teaching Humanities and Social Sciences:
History, Geography, Economics and Citizenship in the Australian Curriculum (6th
ed.). South Melbourne, Victoria. Cengage Learning.
Ministerial Council on Education,
Employment, Training & Youth Affairs (MCCEETYA). (2008). Melbourne declaration on educational goals
for young Australians. Retrieved from: http://www.curriculum.edu.au/verve/_resources/National_Declaration_on_the_Educational_Goals_for_Young_Australians.pdf
Thiele, C.
(2002). Storm Boy, 40th
Anniversary Edition. Australia. New Holland Publisher
