Geography Level 5 (Years 7 and 8)
Learning focus
As students work towards the achievement of Level 5 standards in Geography, they use a variety of geographic tools and skills, together with an inquiry-based approach, to investigate the characteristics of the regions of Australia and those surrounding it: Asia, the Pacific and Antarctica. They explore how and why, over time, human and physical interactions produce changes to the characteristics of regions, for example, settlement patterns and agricultural and urban land use.
Students extend their knowledge and understanding of physical phenomena, including natural hazards, and of the physical processes that produce them. They identify patterns of distribution and occurrence of major physical features and their interrelationship with human activities such as farming, fishing, manufacturing and settlement. Students become aware of contrasts within the regions of Australia and those surrounding it from their investigation of a number of smaller regions such as South-East Asia, the South Pacific nations and Papua New Guinea. They develop an appreciation of differences in the culture, living conditions and outlooks of people, including the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, in these areas.
Students investigate environmental issues such as forest use and global warming. They begin to design policies, and evaluate existing policies, for managing the impact of these issues and ensuring the sustainability of resources.
Students apply their knowledge and understanding of scale, grid references, legend and direction to use large-scale maps (such as topographic maps), as sources of spatial information, as well as other spatial representations (such as those found in atlases and geographic information systems). Students research and analyse photographs, maps, satellite images and text from electronic media and add these to their presentations.
Observing basic mapping conventions, students learn to draw overlay theme maps. They recognise that parts of the Earth’s surface can be represented in various ways, at different scales, and from different perspectives on a range of maps, photographs and satellite images. They are provided with opportunities to collect and process data and present a summary of results using a range of techniques such as sketch maps, graphs and electronic media (such as geographic information systems and spreadsheets).
Students undertake fieldwork to investigate the characteristics of a selected local region and the physical processes and human activities that form and transform it. Students are encouraged to participate in activities to contribute to the sustainable management of local places.
National Statements of Learning
This Learning focus statement incorporates aspects of the National Statements of Learning for Civics and Citizenship, Year 7.
Standards
Geographic knowledge and understanding
At Level 5, students demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the characteristics of the regions of Australia and those surrounding it: Asia, the Pacific and Antarctica. They explain, using examples, how the interaction of physical processes and human activities create variations within the regions. They use evidence and appropriate geographical language to explain contrasts within smaller regions surrounding Australia. Students describe differences in culture, living conditions and outlook, including attitudes to environmental issues, in these regions. They demonstrate understanding of environmental issues based on inquiry and propose ways of ensuring the sustainability of resources.
Geospatial skills
At Level 5, students collect geographical information from electronic and print media, including satellite images and atlas maps and analyse, evaluate and present it using a range of forms. They construct overlay theme maps using map conventions of scale, legend, title, and north point. They identify and gather geographical information from fieldwork and organise, process and communicate it using a range of written, oral, visual and graphic forms.
Downloads
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The Humanities − Geography booklet (
PDF - 126KB) - The Humanities − Geography standards table (Doc - 36KB)
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Victorian Essential Learning Standards Level 5 ( PDF - 755KB)
