Course: Geography
Overview:
Geography is the study of places, people and environments, and their interrelationships, and integrates knowledge from the natural sciences, social sciences and humanities. It develops students’ sense of curiosity about the places, environments and cultures that make up our world, enabling them to be more attuned to its diversity and complexity. Geography promotes understanding of the role of natural systems and human activity in shaping the world and how they may vary from place to place.
The Year 11 course is structured to provide students with opportunities to develop and apply their understanding of the geographical concepts of place, space, environment, interconnection, scale, sustainability and change. Students investigate natural systems; people, patterns and processes; and human–environment interactions. They develop an understanding of the nature and value of geographical inquiry through planning and conducting a geographical investigation. Students will complete a mandatory Geographical Investigation.
The Year 12 course is structured to provide students with opportunities to develop and apply their understanding of the geographical concepts of place, space, environment, interconnection, scale, sustainability and change. Students investigate global sustainability, rural and urban places, and ecosystems and global biodiversity.
The study of Geography enables students to seek credible information and evidence, consider and evaluate differing views, and express their own ideas and arguments and it encourages students to reflect on their relationship with and responsibility for the world.
Topics:
Preliminary Course
Geographical inquiry skills and tools - the geographical inquiry skills and tools content is to be integrated throughout the course. The focus areas and studies provide the contexts for developing and applying inquiry skills and tools.
Fieldwork - twelve (12) hours of fieldwork are mandatory for the Year 11 course.
Topic 1: Earth’s natural systems
Students investigate the diverse landscapes of the Earth’s surface and its distinctive physical features including examining the cycles, circulations, interconnections and spatial patterns that combine to form the Earth’s integrated system.
Topic 2: People, patterns and processes
Students investigate evidence of human diversity across the Earth’s surface. They examine the spatial patterns and extent of the human footprint, and the human transformations shaping those patterns.
Topic 3: Human–environment interactions
Students investigate the global nature of land cover change, from temporal and spatial perspectives, as they examine the long-term development of natural systems compared to the short time frame of human activity.
Topic 4: Geographical Investigation
Students plan and conduct ONE Geographical Investigation to develop their understanding of the nature of geographical inquiry through practical research and applying geographical concepts, skills and tools.
HSC Course
Geographical inquiry skills and tools - the geographical inquiry skills and tools content is to be integrated throughout the course. The focus areas and studies provide the contexts for developing and applying inquiry skills and tools.
Fieldwork - twelve (12) hours of fieldwork are mandatory for the Year 12 course. Fieldwork may be integrated within an individual focus area or across focus areas as appropriate.
Topic 1: Global sustainability
Students investigate sustainability in the contemporary world, including principles of, and actions for, sustainability.
Topic 2: Rural and urban places
Students investigate the spatial characteristics of diverse types of settlements, and the process of urbanisation and urban growth influencing rural and urban places at a global scale.
Topic 3: Ecosystems and global biodiversity
Students investigate the functioning of ecosystems, their value, the roles of natural and human stresses, and trends in global biodiversity.
Possible Internal Assessment Types:
| Preliminary | HSC |
Structured Extended Response Geographic Investigation Research Task Formal Examination |
Extended Response Fieldwork Report Structured Extended Response Trial Examination |
HSC Examination Format:
The examination will consist of a written paper worth 100 marks.
The time allowed is 3 hours plus 10 minutes reading time.
Section I (15 marks)
● 15 objective-response questions
● Questions will require students to refer to the stimulus booklet and to apply geographical skills and tools.
Section II (45 marks)
● There will be 4–6 short-answer questions ranging up to 8 marks.
● Questions may require students to refer to the stimulus booklet and to apply geographical skills and tools.
Section III (20 marks)
● There will be one structured extended-response question on EITHER Rural and urban places OR Ecosystems and global biodiversity.
Section IV (20 marks)
● There will be one unstructured extended-response question on EITHER Rural and urban places OR Ecosystems and global biodiversity (whichever focus area is not examined in Section III).
Other helpful information:
Australian Geography Teachers Association - GoWithGeo resource showing possible future pathways in Geography https://www.gowithgeo.com.au/gowithgeo/