Sarah Langley

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Inquiry Unit Planner

Grade: 5
Term: 2
Duration: 16-18 hours (8 weeks)
Domains: Geography, Economics and History

TOPIC: Drought: The effect drought has on our environment and on society
Rationale:

This unit of work explores the idea that drought has significant implications on society.
Australias natural climatic processes that lead to drought are explored (El Nino) (Victorian
Curriculum and Assessment Authority, n.d.), as well as the implications that drought instigates
in both Australia and abroad (Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority, n.d.). These
implications have been examined under three categories: social, economic and physical
implications. Students begin think about ways in which they can address the issue, with water
preservation being explored as a strategy through the cross-curriculum priority of
Sustainability, (Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority, n.d.).
Throughout the unit students become aware of the indirect demands humans place on water in
the form of food and clothing and consider the possible consequences when agricultural
businesses cannot meet the demands of consumers because of rainfall deficiencies. Here
students begin to develop an appreciation for the need to be an informed consumer. In
addition to this, History is also briefly addressed by students researching Australias
Millennium Drought and past records of rainfall (Victorian Curriculum and Assessment
Authority, n.d.).
Activities within the unit facilitate the learning of key skills, with students collecting, recording
and analysing local rainfall data (Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority, n.d.),
identifying drought severity according to a map (Victorian Curriculum and Assessment
Authority, n.d.), and using a range of ICT strategies to research content and to complete
activities (Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority, n.d). ICT has being incorporated
heavily in instruction as well as researching and presenting throughout the unit in order to
foster individual learning and motivation (Reynolds, 2014).
The unit has been planned using an inquiry approach, with it being intended that students will
be equipped with the necessary knowledge and skills to take action to address the implications
of drought (Gordon, 2000). Collaboration has featured in many of the activities to stimulate
motivation to learn (Paris, 1997). Reflective practice fostered by students using learning
journals and creating a graffiti wall instigates a greater depth of understanding of drought
(Gordon, 2000) and allows for students to consider and respond to their own learning
(Reynolds, 2014). The unit also encourages students to think creatively by recognising links
between the various implications of drought, with this being linked to good inquiry pedagogy
(Reynolds, 2014) and is an important process whereby students formulate their own meanings
about the content (Erickson, 2006). Formal assessment tasks have been designed around
this creative thinking to ensure that students have made connections between the physical and
social implications of drought, as well as ways in which it can be promoted and managed.

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Inclusion is promoted through activities that are tiered by process, with the ultimate goal being
making learning of the outcomes accessible to all students (Heacox, 2001). Student choice is
also included throughout the unit for these purposes (Government of Alberta Education, 2010).
The assessment tasks mentioned previously are formative and summative, as well as
differentiated, in nature. One formative assessment, in addition to a diagnostic test, includes
opportunities for both illustrating and annotating in order to inform differentiated instruction and
to be flexible to students needs to promote success. (Government of Alberta Education,
2010).Student choice has been incorporated into a formative and summative assessment for
the same purpose (Government of Alberta Education, 2010).
Knowledge and Understandings WHAT THEY WILL KNOW:
GEOGRAPHY

Students will understand how El Nino and rainfall deficiencies contribute to the occurrence
of drought in an Australian setting.
Students will understand how Australian people have and can respond to drought by
devising and implementing management strategies both within Australia and internationally.

ECONOMICS

Students will understand that the human needs and wants of water are unlimited, however
our water supply is limited, with this contributing to economic issues.
Students will understand that we are consumers and as consumers we need to have
knowledge about drought affecting the price of food.
Students will understand the importance of work (particularly agricultural jobs) in providing
an income and contributing to the greater economy.

HISTORY

Students will understand that drought has a significant impact on Australias economic,
social and political climate currently and in the past (The Millennium Drought).

CROSS CURRICULAR PRIORITIES:

Sustainability: Students will understand the need to use water sustainably in both a local, national
and global setting (as well as strategies for doing so) to help address the issue of drought, as well
as to conserve the agricultural sector for future practice.
Australia and Australias engagement with Asia (brief reference): Students will understand
that water scarcity also exists on a global scale.
Key Concepts:

Skills:

During this unit, students will understand that

the occurrence of El Nino (and as a
consequence of this rainfall deficiency) is a
contributing factor to drought. Students will
understand that such a natural disaster is
informed by the collection and interpretation of

GEOGRAPHY
Students will research rainfall patterns to
identify areas of Australia that have experienced
drought.
Students will identify drought-stricken areas on
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data and that this information can be

represented on maps, as a diagram and on a
graph.
Students will understand that water is a scarce
resource, and that the needs (human survival)
and wants of society place great demand on
this resource.
Students will understand how to best manage
water scarcity (in the context of drought), and
will be aware of the indirect contribution water
makes to Australias economy.
Students will also understand that there is
continuity between previous Australian droughts
and the current situation.

a map using a key.

Students will collect, record and analyse rainfall
measurements using a rain gauge and a bar
graph.
Students will use reflection to assess the
content presented throughout the unit to create
an Action Plan that promotes sustainable water
practices to empower the local and school
community to manage Australias drought.
HISTORY
Students will use terminology such as rural and
urban
Students will use ICT to locate information
about Australias Millennium drought, as well as
to investigate sustainable water conservation
practices.
Students will use ICT to establish an Action Plan
that includes images, text and audio-visuals
exploring how drought is causes and the
various physical, social and economic
implications of it.

Standards:

Assessments:

GEOGRAPHY:

The following ongoing assessments are

differentiated in nature (Government of Alberta
Education. (2010):

Students will be able to identify and describe

how climatic patterns (El Nino) contribute
largely to the occurrence of drought and will be
able to ascertain rainfall patterns by collecting
primary data.
Students will be able to describe possible
management plans to minimise the
consequences of drought on a local level, and
will use these strategies to inform their own
Action Plans.
Students will understand that drought is not
exclusive to Australia; rather that it is a global
climate issue that needs a united effort to
address.

-Learning Journals
-Self-Assessment
-Observation
-Pre-testing
-Student-Teacher Conference

The following 3 assessments are the major

assessment forms of the unit:
-Criterion based summative assessment (Rubric
x 1)
-Criterion based formative assessment (x 2)

ECONOMICS
Students will be aware of water scarcity and
how societys high demand for and use if water
has to be reduced if drought is to be managed

-Structured checklist table for formative

assessment (accompanied by rubric as a guide
for notes)
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in a sustainable way.
Students will understand the importance of
agriculture in providing economic stability, and
therefore will understand the need to be an
informed consumer.
Students will be conscious when making
consumer decisions whilst shopping for fruit and
vegetables and clothes.

HISTORY
Students will understand that drought is not a
recent phenomenon; rather it is a consequence
of climatic patterns.
Students will create an Action Plan using ICT
that encompasses knowledge of what drought is
and the physical, social and economic
implications of it.

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Tuning In
45 mins

Planned Learning Experiences

Resources

Pedagogical
Focus/Learning
Indicator

Assessment

Cardboard for display

Students will understand

what a natural disaster is
and will provide examples.

Students will complete independent KWL charts.

Record a reflective sentence in learning journals,
These will be reflected upon in subsequent lessons.
(15 mins)

KWL chart template

(see Appendix 1)

Ask students to consider what they think drought is.

Before verbally articulating their answers, students will
independently draw their ideas and include
annotations (Pre-test). A class graffiti wall will be
created, with each student writing down key words
they think relates to drought on sticky notes on
sticking them on the wall. Class discussion of the
common concepts on the wall to develop a common
understanding of drought.
(20 mins)
Refer to Appendix 1 for tiered activities, task
sheets and additional resources.

Large
pinboard/cardboard
Coloured textas
Sticky notes
A4 paper

Students will identify

things they know about
drought, and will use this
information to pose
questions about what they
want to know.
Students will reflect on
their understanding on
what drought is.

Observation of student
participation in task:
Did the
students
display signs of
being
engaged?
Did they
participate
effectively to
the
conversation?
Anecdotal notes on
reflection piece
How confident are
students feeling
about the topic?

Discuss with the students the difference between

weather and climate, using examples of current
weather reports and their own prior knowledge.
Students will research definitions and classify words
and statements on a two-columned table as either
climate or weather and read the weather section of
newspapers to find examples of each. These will be
added to the graffiti wall.
(30 mins)

Two-columned table
template (see
Appendix 2)
Laptops/iPads
Graffiti wall

Students explore the concept of natural disasters by

developing a whole class concept map, breaking
down the concept by looking at the two words in
isolation then together. Examples of natural disasters
that they know of will be added to the map.
(10 mins)

Finding
Out
4.5 5 hrs
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Students will understand

the difference between
weather and climate.

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Pre-test (gathering
information to inform
differentiated instruction):
What do they know?
Anecdotal notes on:
Familiarity of
what drought is
expressed
through words
Image
reflecting their
ideas
Anecdotal notes on the
understanding reflected in
each task:
Students are
able to define
climate and
weather
Students are
able to identify

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APPENDIX 1- TUNING IN
Detailed activity:
Resources:
Pinboard/cardboard for graffiti wall
A4 paper
Attached Worksheets
Ask the students to consider what drought is. These activities will be recorded on A4 paper.
Enabling:
Students will illustrate their ideas and will include annotations with these illustrations. Encourage the
students to look beyond the images and look at expressing their ideas through colour selection as
well.
Middle
Students will create a word bank of words (at least 12) they believe to be associated with drought
using Microsoft Word, for example hardship, and accompany this with images they believe to be
associated with it.
Extensions
Students will consider what factors they think causes drought, and will incorporate these words into
an illustration of what they think drought looks like

Following this a class graffiti wall will be created, with each students work being pinned to the
board. Conduct a whole-class discussion of the common concepts on the wall to develop a common
understanding of what drought is.

See the following pages for task sheets for these activities.

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Task Sheet (Enabling)

What is Drought?
Think about what drought is.
1. Draw a picture of your thoughts. What colours do you think you might use?
What objects might you draw?

2. Write some notes about things in your picture

Why did you draw them?
Why did you use those colours?

Task Sheet: Middle

Using the table below, write down some words that you think are related to the word drought.
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Once you have written at least 12 words, print them (choose Class5 printer). Illustrate your
words on the back of the sheet.

Drought Word Bank

Task Sheet: Extending

What is drought & what does it look like?

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Think carefully about what you think drought is. What do you think it looks like?
Using your ideas about what it looks like, create an illustration that uses your own words to form
some images.

APPENDIX 2: FINDING OUT

Detailed activity:
Resources:
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Class dictionaries
Attached Worksheets
Laptops/iPads

Kids Crossing. (n.d.). Whats the difference between climate and weather? Retrieved
from https://eo.ucar.edu/kids/green/what1.htm
NASA. (2013). What are Climate and Climate Change?. Retreived
from:https://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/5-8/features/what-is-climate-change58.html#.VV-5V4cVdFI

Official Dorothea MacKellar website. My Country. Retrieved from

http://www.dorotheamackellar.com.au/archive/mycountry.htm
Students will investigate the difference between weather and climate and will provide examples of
each. The following questions will be used as a focus:

What is weather?
What is climate?
What are some examples of each?

Enabling
Students will use a class dictionary and the website found at
https://eo.ucar.edu/kids/green/what1.htm as well as additional websites to find definitions for climate
and weather. Using this information, students will use their own words to define climate and weather.
Students will then read the weather section of newspapers to find examples of each and will cut and
paste them in a two-columned table. These will be added to the class graffiti wall.
Middle
Students will use an online dictionary and https://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/58/features/what-is-climate-change-58.html#.VV-5V4cVdFI, as well as additional websites, to find
definitions for climate and weather. Using this information, in pairs students will create a large Venn
Diagram that clearly presents the differences between the two, whilst also showing how they are
related to each other (similarities). Students will provide examples of each. These Venn diagrams
will be added to the graffiti wall.
Extending
Students will use an online dictionary and https://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/58/features/what-is-climate-change-58.html#.VV-5V4cVdFI to find definitions for climate and weather,
and will record these in their learning journals. In pairs allocated by the teacher students will then
read the excerpt from Dorothy McKellars My Country and will annotate particular words, thinking
carefully about whether they allude to weather or climate and reasons for their decision of doing so.
As an extension students will write one or two sentences about Australias climate in their
Geography books, and will accompany it with an illustration.
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See the following pages for task sheets for these activities.

Task Sheet (Enabling)

Climate vs Weather
Use the class dictionaries and the following website to find definitions for both weather and climate:
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https://eo.ucar.edu/kids/green/what1.htm
**You can look at other websites to help you.

IN YOUR OWN WORDS write definitions for climate and weather in the table.
Once you have done this look through the newspapers and cut and paste examples of each.
Climate

Weather

Climate is

Weather is

Examples:

Examples:

Task Sheet (Middle)

Weather vs Climate
Use the class dictionaries and the following website to find definitions for both weather and climate:
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https://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/5-8/features/what-is-climate-change-58.html#.VV-5V4cVdFI

**You can look at other websites to help you improve your understanding of what weather and climate is.

1. Using this information complete the Venn Diagram on the next page.
Remember to record:

A definition of weather and climate in the two big circles

Examples of each, including ones you think of yourself
What is similar between weather and climate in the middle section

2. Pretend that you are a weather reporter explaining the difference between weather and climate to
Grade 1 students. Write a mini script in your Geography book on what you would say and include
illustrations.

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Sixth Grade Tales. (n.d.) Venn Diagram. Retrieved from http://sixthgradetales.weebly.com/the-daily/venndiagrams

Task Sheet (Extending)
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Use the class dictionaries and the following website to find definitions for both weather and climate:
https://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/5-8/features/what-is-climate-change-58.html#.VV-5V4cVdFI

**You can look at other websites to help you improve your understanding of what weather and climate is.

With your partner read the following text.

Highlight in YELLOW words that you think represent Australias climate.

Highlight in BLUE words that you think represent Australias weather.

You must provide a reason for why you have highlighted words yellow or blue.

I love a sunburnt country,

A land of sweeping plains,
Of ragged mountain ranges,
Of droughts and flooding rains.
I love her far horizons,
I love her jewel-sea,
Her beauty and her terror The wide brown land for me!

A stark white ring-barked forest

All tragic to the moon,
The sapphire-misted mountains,
The hot gold hush of noon.
Green tangle of the brushes,
Where lithe lianas coil,
And orchids deck the tree-tops
And ferns the warm dark soil.

Core of my heart, my country!

Her pitiless blue sky,
When sick at heart, around us,
We see the cattle die But then the grey clouds gather,
And we can bless again
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The drumming of an army,

The steady, soaking rain.

After you have done this, record a sentence or two about Australias climate and illustrate in your
Geography books.

FINDING OUT additional Resources

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El Nino & La Nina

ABC Behind the News. (2015). El Nino. Retrieved from
http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s4235184.htm

Interactive timeline
ABC. (2014). Interactive: 100 years of drought in Australia. Retrieved from
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-02-26/100-years-of-drought/5282030

Rainfall tracker
Australian Government Bureau of Meterology. (2015). Rainfall deficiencies. Retrieved from
http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/drought/#tabs=Rainfall-tracker

Interactive Drought timeline

ABC Rural. (2015). Timeline: droughts and Australian drought policy 1895-2014. Retrieved from
http://www.abc.net.au/news/rural/specials/drought-timeline/#2

Drought video
ABC Behind the News. (2014). Drought Help. Retrieved from
http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s3953562.htm

Considering different perspectives

World Vision. (n.d.). Hanging Out with Ariyanto in Indonesia. Retrieved from
http://www.worldvision.com.au/Libraries/School_Resources/Hanging_out_with_Ariyanto_in_Indonesia.pd
f

UNICEF. (n.d.). The Long Walk. Retrieved from http://www.unicef.org.au/downloads/Education/Photostories/The-Long-Walk---Elezete-s-Story_.aspx

African drought
ABC Behind the News. (2011). Africa Aid.
http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s3279434.htm

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APPENDIX 3: SORTING OUT

Resources:

A4 paper
Attached worksheets

Detailed activity:
Students will use information gained throughout the unit to determine whether drought and the
implications of it falls into a physical, social or economic category.
Key terms explored will also include categories and classify.
Enabling
Students will examine work they have done throughout the unit (graffiti walls, Learning journals etc)
and will brainstorm consequences of drought in a table. Students will then create 3 spider webs (it
is assumed students will be familiar with these) to sort the implications under either social,
economic and physical, after making sure they are clear with what each category means during
class discussion. From here, students will pair-share their webs and add anything they have missed.
Middle
Using knowledge they have gained from previous activities through the unit, students will think
carefully about the information and will be split into groups of 5.
Each group will be allocated a category (Economic, social, physical).
Give each student an A4 piece of paper each. Students will silently write one thing they have learnt
about their category down, passing the paper around the circle and adding to other students pieces
of paper. Students will not be permitted to copy ideas, rather encourage them to make connections
between ideas and elaborate.
Once one rotation has been completed, students will read new ideas added to their paper and a
brief group discussion will take place, writing a conclusive statement for each category.
Students will then repeat for the other categories.
Extending
Students will be given written scenarios. Individually, students have to decide whether or not each
scenario falls under a social, economic or geographical/physical implication. Under each scenario
students will write a statement identifying which implication/s each scenario falls under. Following
this the students will create their own scenarios:
Students will create a scenario for at least 1 categories
Students will then create a scenario incorporating all 3 categories.
Students will then swap their scenarios with a partner who will then identify what consequences fall
under which category.

See the following pages for task sheets for these activities.

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Task Sheet (Enabling)

Sorting out our information

Think about the consequences of drought you have learnt about this term. Record these in the table,
making sure you include at least 10 things.
The Consequences of Drought

Think about ways we can classify these consequences:

Social consequences: What impact has drought had on society (human daily lives, communities
etc)
Physical consequences: What impact has drought had on our environment? (What has
happened to it? What does it look like? What about the animals and plants? etc)
Economic consequences (what impact has drought had on the price of things and the
government? etc)

Construct a Spider Web for each of these categories.

Challenge yourself to see if you can think of any other consequences while you are doing this.
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Task Sheet (Middle)

Written Whispers
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Instructions: Read these carefully!

You will have 7 minutes on each table. Make sure you use good teamwork to manage your time
well.
When the bell rings please move to the next table.

1. In your groups of 5 you are to think carefully about all of the information you have learnt about
drought this term.
2. Look at the category you have on your table. Think about how drought has had negative effects on it:

Social consequences: What impact has drought had on society (human daily lives, communities
etc)
Physical consequences: What impact has drought had on our environment? (what has
happened to it? What does it look like? What about the animals and plants? etc)
Economic consequences (what impact has drought had on the price of things and the
government? etc)

3. You will each take a piece of paper. SILENTLY you write one consequence for your category. When
everybody has finished writing, pass the piece of paper to the person who is sitting on your left.

4. Keep rotating the paper around and add new ideas to it. DO NOT copy someone elses idea, you must
think of one that isnt already written down.

5. When you have the piece of paper you started with back talk to your group about anything interesting
written down.

6. Together, write a sentence about the impact that drought has on your category.

Task Sheet (Extending)

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Can you identify the Consequences?

1. Carefully read the following scenarios.
Think about what different consequences you can identify:

Social consequences: What impact has drought had on society (human daily lives, communities
etc)
Physical consequences: What impact has drought had on our environment? (What has
happened to it? What does it look like? What about the animals and plants? etc)
Economic consequences (what impact has drought had on the price of things and the
government? etc)

2. Highlight each category in different colours and write why you think it is that category. Think carefully
about indirect consequences (they may be hidden in the text).

1. Edwina the Emu felt so hot. She looked at Edward and then at the dry, cracked ground. The sun was
shining bright and she was very thirsty, but there was no water to be found. She looked at her little
chicks who were very hungry. Unfortunately, Edwina and Edward could not find any food as the plants
has all dried up and Edward wasnt getting any work at the local farm.

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2. Farmer Joe sat down with his wife Sally to budget for the shopping for the week.
He has just lost another 10 sheep because there was no food left for them to eat. Sally said that they
couldnt afford the chocolate muesli bars for the children to take to school anymore because it wasnt a
necessity. Joe knew that the children wouldnt be happy!
If it doesnt rain soon, Joe said, We will have to sell the farm.

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3. Now write two of your own scenarios. Create one that includes either a social, physical or economic
consequence.
Then create one that includes 2 or more of the categories. Think carefully about this!
Swap your scenarios with a partner when you are finished and identify the categories in theirs.

1. One category

2. Two or more categories

FORMAL UNIT ASSESSMENT

Goes Beyond
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Task Accomplished

Working towards
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Maps includes multiple (2 or

more) examples of each of the
following

Farm
Local Shop
School
River

Map includes 2 examples of each

of the following:

Farm
Local Shop
School
River

Map includes 1 example each of

the following:

Farm
Local Shop
School
River

Map
of th

Students provide 3-4 annotations

for each landmark that are
reflective of a variety (9 or more)
of examples of social, economical
and physical consequences of
drought.

Students provide 2 annotations

for each landmark that are
reflective of examples (5-9) of
social, economical and physical
consequences of drought.

Students provide 1 annotation for

each landmark that is reflective of
2-4 examples of social, economic
and physical consequences of
drought.

Stud
anno
exam
phys
drou

Annotations are highly insightful,

reflecting links the different
consequences have with each
other.

Annotations are insightful and

soundly reflect the content
represented throughout the unit.

Annotations are relevant to the

consequences.

Anno
expli
drou

ACCOMPANYING ASSESSMENT TASK SHEET

1. Below, you are to design a map of a country town. On your map you should include things that we
have discussed throughout the unit:

Farms

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Local shops
Rivers

You should also think about how drought might affect a school community (think back to the Drought
Cycle).

Try to include more than one of these things as landmarks on your map. For example, you might want to
include two farms that grow different crops.

2. On your map, write notes about each of your landmarks. Think about how drought affects each one.
Remember to include the CONSEQUENCES we have talked about:

Economic consequences
Social consequences
Physical consequences

APPENDIX 4: GOING FURTHER

Resources:

Interactive Whiteboard
Attached worksheets

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ABC Behind the News. (2012). Cotton Cows. Retrieved from

http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s3445987.htm
Cotton Australia. (n.d.). Cotton Education Kit. Retrieved from
http://cottonaustralia.com.au/uploads/resources/Cotton_Australia_Education_Kit__Secondary.pdf
Splash ABC. (2003). How might water shortages in the basin affect you?. Retrieved from
http://splash.abc.net.au/home#!/media/860145/how-might-water-shortages-in-the-basin-affect-you-,
ABC News. (2008). ABC News- Fine Cotton by Sarah Clarke. Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRwCRGopwHE
Detailed activity:
The activity will begin with a whole class Moment of Madness Minute, where students will record all
of the fruit and vegetables they can remember consuming in the past week and those that they have
brought to school on the day.
The whole class will then view the Murray Darling Basin Video.
Enabling
Students will individually compare their lists of fruit and vegetables to the ones presented in the
video, checking off items identified.
From this, students will be given a price list and a budget of $20 They are to select at least 5 fruit
and vegetables and 1 grain to create a day meal planner (Breakfast, lunch and dinner). They will
match the prices on the price list to the items in their planner. Students will then consider how water
shortages can affect a good yield, and will hypothesise about water running so low in the Murray
Darling Basin that there is a shortage of supply in food which has caused an increase in price
(meeting the demands). They will design a second daily meal planner with inflated prices (for the
purposes of this task, each item will increase by $2) using the same budget of $25.
Middle
Students will consider the large amount of food produced in the Murray Darling Basin (40%) and will
consult their lists of vegetables and fruits, selecting one. Using supplied supermarket catalogues
students will locate their item and record the advertised price.
From here they will create a new inflated price notice sign for the product to accompany it on the
shelf in the supermarket. The sign will include why the price is inflated and where it comes from.
Students will be encouraged to look beyond the inflated price and to convince the person reading
the sign that they should still buy the product (buying Australian grown to support the economy).
Extending
In pairs on laptops/computers, students will re-watch the video and will use ICT to research further
into cotton production using websites such as https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRwCRGopwHE,
http://cottonaustralia.com.au/uploads/resources/Cotton_Australia_Education_Kit_-_Secondary.pdf,
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http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s3445987.htm
From here they will create a profile sign on cotton to be featured in a clothing store. The profile will
include how it is made; its relevance to the Murray Darling Basin and the popularity of it in everyday
life (clothes). Students will emphasise the importance of conserving water in the Murray Darling
Basin and the implementation of sustainable irrigation practices to inform consumers of the story
behind their clothes.

See the following pages for task sheets for these activities.

Task Sheet (Enabling)

Lets Budget

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You have a budget of $20 to spend on food for a day. You need to buy cereal for breakfast and fruit and
vegetables so you can have some for lunch and dinner.

Here are the prices of some things you might like to buy. These prices are for ONE item only.

PRODUCT

COST

Cornflakes

$5

Orange

$2

Apple

$1

Rock melon

$5

Mandarin

$2

Kiwi Fruit

20 c

Pineapple

$4

Grapefruit

$1

Pear

$2

Grapes

$2 per bunch

Lettuce

$2

Pumpkin

$2

Carrot

50 c

Tomatoes

$2

Cabbage

$1

Multigrain bread

$3

Beef/chicken/pork

$6

1. Create a breakfast, lunch and dinner menu based on these fruit and vegetables for 1 day. Be careful
not to go over $20, and remember you probably wont eat something big like a whole pumpkin for lunch,

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so you might have it for lunch and dinner. You probably will eat 1 tomato at lunch, so you might need to
buy 2 if you want tomato for dinner as well.

You must have at least 5 fruit and 3 vegetables, plus 1 meat product.

BREAKFAST
Product

Price

LUNCH
Product

Price

DINNER
Product

Price

2. Because of a water shortage in the Murray Darling Basin, every product now cost $2 more. How will
you change your food plan so that you still only spend $20?

Task Sheet (Middle)

Inflation of Fruit and Vegetables

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Think about how 40% of our food comes from the Murray Darling Basin.

Choose one of the fruits or vegetables on your list and find it in one of the supermarket catalogues.

1. How much is it advertised for?

Because of a shortage of water in the Murray Darling Basin, prices have been inflated (if you do not
know what this means use the class dictionaries to find out).

2. Think carefully about how much you think your product might inflate by.

3. Create a sign to be put next to the product that tells customers why the price has been inflated. This
sign may be creative as you like, however you MUST include on it:

Why the price has been inflated: what is going on in the Murray Darling Basin?
The new price
Why the customer should still buy the product (why it is important to buy Australian grown fruit
and vegetables).

Task Sheet (Extending)

Where do your clothes come from?

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1. In pairs, watch the video again using the laptops.

Click here for the video: http://splash.abc.net.au/home#!/media/860145/how-might-water-shortages-in-the-basinaffect-you-

Now explore some of the websites below, as well as looking up some websites of your own:
http://www.newlanark.org/learningzone/clitp-pickingcotton.php, https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=QRwCRGopwHE
http://cottonaustralia.com.au/uploads/resources/Cotton_Australia_Education_Kit_-_Secondary.pdf

http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s3445987.htm

2. Write some notes about cotton. How is it produced? What is it used for? How much water does it use?

3. Imagine you are in charge of creating a sign for a clothing shop that has information about cotton.
Your sign should include

What cotton is
How it is produced
What it is used for
Where much of it is grown
Why water is an important resource.

Be as creative as you like with your sign. You may choose to complete it on the computer or on a blank
piece of paper.
Include illustrations.
GOING FURTHER: ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Interactive House & Garden

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South Australia Water. (n.d.). Interactive house + garden. Retrieved from

http://www.sawater.com.au/interactivehouse/

APPENDIX 5: Making Connections

Resources:

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iPads/filming device
laptops
Attached worksheets

Detailed Activity:
During these activities, students will draw conclusions about the significance of drought for different
representatives of the community.
Enabling
Students will be given the role of a farmer, a local shopkeeper or an international aid worker and will
compose an interview between the selected representative and the interviewee. In particular, the
interview questions will centre on the impact drought has had on these people. Worksheets and
notes taken during the unit will be used. At least 8 questions will be devised. Students will swap their
questions with a partner and will interview each other. As an extension, use iPads to film the person
being interviewed.
Middle
Students will each be allocated the role of a farmer, a local shopkeeper, or an international aid
worker on a slip of paper. These will be kept secret until the activity has concluded. Pair the
students up according to different roles. Using knowledge they have attained throughout the unit,
students will devise a set of Who Am I Questions based on their allocated role. These questions will
allude to the impact drought has had on these people. At least 8 questions will be devised and
students will be encourage to carefully consider the questions they ask.
Once questions have devised students will swap with their partner and solve the Who I Am I.
Extending
Students are to devise a set of True or False Questions on the template provided based on the
implications of drought for farmers, shopkeepers, the government and international communities.
Students will devise a set of at least 10 questions and will be sure to have recorded the answers on
the card. Students will then use the board game template to add instructions onto their cards; for
example move forward 2 spaces. In pairs students will collate their cards together and play the
game. The first person to reach the finish line will win.

See the next 3 pages for task sheets for these activities.

Task Sheet (Enabling)

ACCESSED VIA WORD DOCUMENT FOR STUDENTS TO COMPLETE

Write an Interview
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1. Look at what role you have been given (shopkeeper, farmer, international aid worker)
2. Pretend that you will be interviewing this person. Think of at least 8 questions that you will
ask this person about their experience with drought and type these in the box below
Make sure that you know the answers to these questions: write the answers below your
questions. If you need to do some extra research you may.

Questions:

3. Print out the sheet to the Class5 computer and swap your questions with a partner and
interview each other.

Task Sheet (Middle)

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Who Am I?

Your task is to create some Who Am I Questions for either a farmer, a shopkeeper or an International
Aid worker.

Once you have your slip of paper, dont let your partner see it.

1. On the squares on the text page, create AT LEAST 8 Who Am I questions.

Think about your questions carefully: you want to make the person you are asking the questions think
hard.
Your questions should get trickier as you go along. Think about how you will sequence them.

2. Cut out these squares and play Who Am I with your partner.

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Task Sheet (Extending)

True or False?
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1. Think carefully about the consequences of drought and how they affect different people:

Farmers
Shopkeepers
Government
Other countries

2. Using the cards below, create 10 True of False questions about drought and the consequences of it.
Make sure that you include some trickier questions that your partner will have to think hard about.

3. Record the correct answer on the same side as you have written your questions on.

4. Think about a board game you have played before. Usually on the cards there will be some sort of
instruction if you get an answer correct eg Move forward two spaces.

The aim of your game is to get as many answers correct so you cross the finish line first.
Make sure all of your cards have instructions on them.

5. Cut your cards out and use them and your partners cards to play the game.

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FORMAL UNIT ASSESSMENT

Checklist

Notes- To what extent have students incorporated these

Things? (Use rubric as a guide for these notes)

Patterns of Australias rainfall as identified

by the Australian Bureau of
Meteorology

Reference to Australias climate

Explicit reference to El Nino

Social consequences of drought

Economic consequences of
drought
Physical consequences of drought

Links made between the consequences

Excellent Incorporation

Good Incorporation

Sound incorporation

Little

Students have included data

acquired from the BOM and the
class rain gauge throughout the
unit, forming conclusions
between the link between rainfall
deficiencies, El Nino (reference to
climate) and drought.

Students have included data

acquired from the BOM
throughout the unit, making the
connection between rainfall
deficiencies and drought.

Students have alluded to rainfall

deficiencies and have provided
some statistics in relation to
drought.

Stud
defic
drou

El Nino is not explicitly linked with

this, however it is still referred to.

Students make good reference to

Australias climate, however they
do not mention El Nino.

Students identify 12+ example of

Students make reference to 9-11

Students make reference to 5-8

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El Ni

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social, economic and physical

consequences of drought,
explicitly linking them to one
another.

consequences of social,
economic and physical
consequences together, making
some links.

consequences of social,
economic OR physical
consequences. No links have
been made.

ACCOMPANYING ASSESSMENT TASK SHEET

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Its Reporting Time

Your task is to create a report on Australias current state of drought.
You can present your report as a News Report, a Panel or a Television
Show.
Your report MUST include things about

What drought it
Australias climate
Weather patterns
Consequences of drought: social, economic and physical.

APPENDIX 6: TAKING ACTION

Resources:

Laptops
Paper
Colouring devices

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Detailed activity:
Building on the information ascertained throughout the unit, students will create a digital Action Plan
encompassing how the school community can make a difference to saving water. Strategies may
include:

Installation of a water tank (focus on proposal)

Dual flush toilets
Being aware of our needs and wants
Donating to charity
The canteen buying Australian produce to support our farmers.

The Action Plan will also include a definition of drought and why it is important we manage it:

Water scarcity
Reference to the Murray Darling Basin
Reference to agricultural issues
Reference to the impact drought has on communities
Reference to the importance of being a informed consumer

The digital Action Plan will be constructed on computers using Word and Powerpoint.
Encourage students to be creative and innovative.
It will incorporate scanned images of student images created throughout a Tuning In activity, as well
as new images created specifically for the Plan.

See next page for the task sheet for this activity.

TASK SHEET

TAKING ACTION
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You will be creating an Action Plan for our school that addresses drought. You will be using PowerPoint
on the computers to do this.

The following checklist is for you to follow. Make sure each point has been ticked off.

Provide a brief introduction of drought:

What is drought?
How is drought caused? (El Nino, rainfall deficiency)
What are the consequences of drought for the environment?
What are the consequences of drought (social, economic and physical)
What is happening with the Murray Darling Basic

What actions can we take?

Think of strategies you have heard of (look at your work and the graffiti wall if you need to).
What do you think are the best strategies for us to do?
Why is it important for us to donate money to charities supporting drought relief?

Our school does not have a rainwater tank installed.

Your job now is to write a convincing argument to persuade the school to install one.

HAVE YOU
-included your scanned images of drought?
-designed some more images to support your writing?
-made your PowerPoint look the best it can be?

FORMAL UNIT ASSESSMENT

Goes Beyond

Task Accomplished

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Working Towards

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Students make
explicit reference to
the need to conserve
water, with highly
insightful connections
being made across
the social, economic
and physical
implications of
drought.

Students make good

reference to the need
to conserve water,
with reference being
made some of the
links between social,
economic and
physical implications
of drought.

Students make some

reference to the need
to conserve water,
with reference being
made to social,
economic and
physical implications
of drought.

Students make little

reference to the need
to conserve water.

Students present a
highly informed
insight into water as a
global precious
resource, with
reference being made
to international
situations and their
own personal
reflections.

Students present
insights into global
water as a precious
resource, with
reference being made
to international
situations.

Students
demonstrate an
understanding of
water as a precious
resource, providing
local examples.

Students make
reference to water
being a precious
resource, however do
not provide any
examples.

Students present 4 or
more ways in which
the school can take
action to conserve
water, covering a
variety of domains
(bathroom, garden,
canteen etc), these
explicitly linked to the
unit content.

Students present 3
ways in which the
school can take
action to conserve
water, these being
reflective of the
course content.

Students present 2
ways in which the
school can take
action to conserve
water.

Students present 1
way in which the
school can take
action to conserve
water.

Students use ICT

safely and
appropriately,
demonstrating a
sophisticated
understanding of a
variety of learnt
PowerPoint
techniques in their
Action Plan.

Students use ICT

safely and
appropriately,
incorporating some
learnt PowerPoint
techniques in their
Action Plan.

Students use ICT

safely and
appropriately, using
PowerPoint
efficiently.

Students use ICT

safely and
appropriately.

Reference to one of
the categories of
consequences of
drought.

Students do not
reflect learnt
PowerPoint skills.

NB It is expected that in previous years of schooling and during the beginning of the year students would
have acquired skills in developing PowerPoint.

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ACCOMPANYING ASSESSMENT TASK SHEET: See Activity task sheet.

APPENDIX 7: Rationale References

Erickson, H.L. (2006). Concept-based Curriculum and Instruction for the Thinking Classroom.
Retrieved from http://www.sagepub.com/upm-data/11469_Erickson_Ch_1.pdf

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Government of Alberta Education. (2010). Making a Difference: Meeting Diverse Learning

Needs with Differentiated Instruction. Retrieved from
https://education.alberta.ca/teachers/resources/cross/making-a-difference.aspx

Gordon, K. (2000). Inquiry Approaches in Primary Studies of Society and Environment Key
Learning Area. Retrieved from http://leo.acu.edu.au/mod/page/view.php?id=923214
Heacox, D. (2001). Differentiating Instruction in the Regular Classroom: How to Reach and
teach All Learners, Grades 3-12. Retrieved from
http://www.pps.k12.or.us/files/tag/What_Do_Students_Need-Ch_6_Diane_Heacoxfoundation_secondary.pdf
Paris, S.G. (1997). Situated Motivational and Informal Learning. The Journal of Museum
Education, 22(2/3), 22-27. Retrieved from
http://www.jstor.org.ezproxy1.acu.edu.au/stable/40479100?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents

Reynolds, R. (2014). Teaching Humanities and Social Sciences in the Primary School (3rd
ed.). South Melbourne: Oxford University Press.
Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority. (n.d). Cross-curriculum priorities. Retrieved
from http://ausvels.vcaa.vic.edu.au/CrossCurriculumPriorities
Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority. (n.d). The Humanities: Economics. Retrieved
from http://ausvels.vcaa.vic.edu.au/The-Humanities-Economics/Overview/Introduction
Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority. (n.d). The Humanities: Geography. Retrieved
from http://ausvels.vcaa.vic.edu.au/The-Humanities-Geography/Overview/Introduction
Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority. (n.d). The Humanities: History. Retrieved
from http://ausvels.vcaa.vic.edu.au/The-Humanities-History/Overview/Rationale-and-Aims

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