The Humanities – Geography Assessment Map – Sample at 4.5
For Level 3, please see The Humanities Assessment map.
Rivers of noise
Context
Students were asked to demonstrate understanding of the characteristics of a selected local region and the physical processes and human activities that form and transform it by undertaking fieldwork. This example reports findings on noise pollution along a section of a major arterial transport route. The presentation was to be in the format of a newspaper article and was expected to include different representations of collected data.
The fieldwork activity took a number of sessions to complete. Students could work in groups to design their fieldwork activities, undertake the fieldwork activities and to write the report in a newspaper article format. The total time taken to complete the task involved approximately five hours – one pre-fieldwork session, 1-2 hours in the field and time to create the newspaper report.
Teaching and learning activities associated with this assessment task included:
- collection and collation of information gathered from fieldwork observations,
- interpretation of information at a range of scales from maps and photographs,
- utilisation of map evidence to support explanations, draw inferences and predict associated outcomes,
- presentation of findings using geographic conventions,
- articulation and defence of their own opinions, and contest, where appropriate the opinions of others,
- development of a range of resources in relation to social, environmental and economic issues in a personal context,
- development of an action plan which demonstrates their knowledge of an issue and suggest strategies to raise community awareness of it, and
- utilisation of a range of ICT tools and data types to visualise thinking strategies when solving problems.
The element of the Geographic knowledge and understanding Level 5 standard addressed by the task is:
(Students) demonstrate understanding of environmental issues based on inquiry and propose ways of ensuring the sustainability of resources.
Stimulus
Students worked in groups to complete the newspaper report that was to include:
- geographic location of the section of the arterial transport route being studied using text, photographs, sketches or maps,
- sources of noise pollution generated along the chosen section of the arterial route using text, photographs and sketches,
- possible short and long term effects on people and environments,
- findings of the investigation to be presented as text supported by the use of photographs and graphics such as tables and sketches, and
- possible solutions to the problem.
Sample
The following work sample, and the related The Humanities – Geography 4.5 progression point examples, illustrate the kind of response that students produce as they progress towards the Level 5.
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Geographic knowledge and understanding – 4.5
- Identifies that there are currently no policies in place and encourages action to take place.
- Identifies the issue and the impacts on the people of the noise from the major arterial transport route.
- Provides an analysis of the environmental issue supported by a variety of viewpoints from the community, but provides no proposals to ensure the sustainability of the community.
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