Elective Geography: Year 9
TOPIC A: Introduction to Elective Geography: A short overview of each topic area and skills required for effective learning in each topic.
Focus Area E1 Physical Geography (25–40 indicative hours)
Focus: The geographical processes that form and transform the physical world
Focus Area E2 Oceanography (25–40 indicative hours)
Focus: The features and importance of the world’s oceans and issues associated with them.
Focus Area E3 Geography of Primary Production (25–40 indicative hours)
Focus: The patterns, functions and issues associated with primary production.
Focus Area E4 Development Geography (25–40 indicative hours)
Focus: The spatial patterns and causes of global inequality and the need for appropriate development strategies to improve quality of life.
Focus Area E5 Australia’s Neighbours (25–40 indicative hours)
Focus: The environments of Australia’s neighbours and specific geographical issues within the Asia–Pacific Region.
Focus Area E6 Political Geography (25–40 indicative hours)
Focus: The nature and distribution of political tensions and conflicts, and strategies towards effective resolutions.
Focus Area E7 Interactions and Patterns along a Continental Transect (25–40 indicative hours)
Focus: The factors responsible for causing variation in spatial patterns across a continent from one specific location to another.
Focus Area E8 School-developed Option (25–40 indicative hours)
This elective provides students with the opportunity to develop their geographical knowledge and understanding of a particular location and/or area of inquiry that caters for their interests, needs and resources. Students will use geographical inquiry methodologies and investigate the spatial, ecological and civics and citizenship aspects of a selected study.
Focus: Ways in which the spatial and ecological dimensions interact and the role of informed and active citizenship in the interaction.
For the course to operate fully, students would need to cover at least 3 of these options in year 9 (to obtain 100 hours of study) and an additional 2 options in year 10 (another 100 hours of study. It is possible to cover more than the minimum number of options, so students could cover 4 options (1 per term) in Year 9 and the remaining 3 (2 longer, more detailed options and 1 shorter, more superficial option) in year 10. The indicative hours guidelines refers to the depth of study possible in that unit. 25 indicative hourse is approx. 1 term of study of 4 sessions pre timetable cycle (4xlessons over 2 weeks)
These options and this course would allow students to be well prepared for senior (stage 6) Geography, and also allow them to be well grounded for other courses across the Senior (Stage 6) Curriculum such as Society and Culture, Earth and Environmental Science and Senior Science (geology part)
At this time, it is undecided which order the topics may be covered in, nor the detail of individual topics. This decision would be made with class input.
Focus Area E1 Physical Geography (25–40 indicative hours)
Focus: The geographical processes that form and transform the physical world
Focus Area E2 Oceanography (25–40 indicative hours)
Focus: The features and importance of the world’s oceans and issues associated with them.
Focus Area E3 Geography of Primary Production (25–40 indicative hours)
Focus: The patterns, functions and issues associated with primary production.
Focus Area E4 Development Geography (25–40 indicative hours)
Focus: The spatial patterns and causes of global inequality and the need for appropriate development strategies to improve quality of life.
Focus Area E5 Australia’s Neighbours (25–40 indicative hours)
Focus: The environments of Australia’s neighbours and specific geographical issues within the Asia–Pacific Region.
Focus Area E6 Political Geography (25–40 indicative hours)
Focus: The nature and distribution of political tensions and conflicts, and strategies towards effective resolutions.
Focus Area E7 Interactions and Patterns along a Continental Transect (25–40 indicative hours)
Focus: The factors responsible for causing variation in spatial patterns across a continent from one specific location to another.
Focus Area E8 School-developed Option (25–40 indicative hours)
This elective provides students with the opportunity to develop their geographical knowledge and understanding of a particular location and/or area of inquiry that caters for their interests, needs and resources. Students will use geographical inquiry methodologies and investigate the spatial, ecological and civics and citizenship aspects of a selected study.
Focus: Ways in which the spatial and ecological dimensions interact and the role of informed and active citizenship in the interaction.
For the course to operate fully, students would need to cover at least 3 of these options in year 9 (to obtain 100 hours of study) and an additional 2 options in year 10 (another 100 hours of study. It is possible to cover more than the minimum number of options, so students could cover 4 options (1 per term) in Year 9 and the remaining 3 (2 longer, more detailed options and 1 shorter, more superficial option) in year 10. The indicative hours guidelines refers to the depth of study possible in that unit. 25 indicative hourse is approx. 1 term of study of 4 sessions pre timetable cycle (4xlessons over 2 weeks)
These options and this course would allow students to be well prepared for senior (stage 6) Geography, and also allow them to be well grounded for other courses across the Senior (Stage 6) Curriculum such as Society and Culture, Earth and Environmental Science and Senior Science (geology part)
At this time, it is undecided which order the topics may be covered in, nor the detail of individual topics. This decision would be made with class input.