As Geographers we are blessed for choice with case studies. However, there are many things to consider when selecting a case study for the new Geography syllabus 11-12.
Sometimes the case study we want to do does not support the development of skills or have student friendly supporting resources such as video clips and illustrations. Each case study in Powerful Geography 1 was chosen to support a content focus area, to develop skills, integrate concepts and take students to parts of the world they have not studied before. The information is fresh and contemporary. The approach in Powerful Geography 1 has been to cover the key content for each Content Focus Area through the lens of case studies. This approach formed part of the NESA Teaching Advice for Earth’s Natural Systems. “Students could investigate natural cycles and circulations across a variety of global environments and contexts. Alternatively, they may learn about the concept of natural cycles and flows through the study of a particular place such as a mountain environment, or through a natural phenomenon/event such as a cyclone.’ NESA Teaching Advice Geography 11-12: https://curriculum.nsw.edu.au/learning-areas/hsie/geography-11-12-2022/content Earth’s Natural Systems are examined through the lens of one natural system with a place based focus. The Cryosphere (Patagonia) and Forest Systems (Canada’s boreal forests and Congo rainforest). There are suggested opportunities for creative fieldwork onsite (school grounds) and at offsite locations such as visiting a local forest or developing skills in using fieldwork equipment to investigate a place formed by glaciation, experiencing winter snowfall or appropriate for studying any frozen location in the world. People, Patterns and Processes is approached through place based studies of Japan and Uganda for population, Nigeria, Dubai and SE Asia for natural resources, Venice for Human Resilience in Diverse Environments and Ukraine for Political Power and Contested spaces. Although each of these is an overseas study there are suggested fieldwork activities and assessments such as a local lagoon study with a hypothetical scenario linked to Venice and a community survey for Ukraine. Human – Environment Interactions has place based studies for each option. Climate Change is examined through the environmental and socio – economic impacts on small island nations (coral atolls) such as Kiribati and Tuvalu. Note: This is an exciting opportunity to take students to the Great Barrier Reef for fieldwork if not doing this as an ecosystems case study. Regional studies of the Arctic and Lake Eyre Basin and a hazard study of the North Coast Floods are heavily skills based, providing opportunities to build knowledge and understanding while developing skills needed for the HSC examination. Hazard assessments for flood prone areas is a potential fieldwork activity. The studies of Pacific Ocean atoll nations, the Arctic, Lake Eyre Basin, Nigeria and Madagascar are exemplars on how to integrate indigenous study into the Year 11 course. Each study contains a wealth of supporting media resources that will be posted on this blog. So, where do you want to go? A Patagonian glacier, a Canadian forest, a Pacific island, the Venetian lagoon … or … ?
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