BELRIDGE SECONDARY COLLEGE
GEOGRAPHY
Natural & Ecological Hazards
Global Networks & Interconnections
NAME:
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
BELRIDGE SECONDARY COLLEGE
YEAR 11 GEOGRAPHY 2015
The study of geography draws on students’ curiosity about the diversity of the world’s places and their
peoples, cultures and environments.
Geography addresses questions about the interaction of natural and human environments within various
natural and social systems. It examines the factors that impact upon decisions about sustainability, the conflicting
values between individuals and groups over sustainability and the degree of commitment towards sustainable
development.
The Geography ATAR course promotes students’ communication abilities by building their skills of spatial
and visual representation and interpretation through the use of cartographic, diagrammatic, graphical, photographic
and multimodal forms. In addition, students communicate their conclusions by written and oral means.
The Year 11 syllabus is divided into two units, each of one semester duration, which are typically delivered
as a pair. It is an excellent preparation for Units 3 & 4 in Year 12.
UNIT 1: The focus of this unit is Natural & Ecological Hazards. Natural and ecological hazards represent potential
sources of harm to human life, health, income and property, and may affect elements of the biophysical, managed
and constructed elements of environments. This unit focuses on understanding how these hazards and their
associated risks are perceived and managed at local, regional and global levels.
UNIT 2: The focus of this unit is Global Networks & Interconnections. This unit focuses on the process of
international integration (globalisation) and is based on the reality that we live in an increasingly interconnected
world. It provides students with an understanding of the economic and cultural transformations taking place in the
world today, the spatial outcomes of these processes, and their political and social consequences.
The unit explains how advances in transport and communication technology have lessened the friction of distance
and have impacted at a range of local, national and global scales.
ASSESSMENT:
The four types of assessment in the table below are consistent with the teaching and learning strategies considered
to be the most supportive of student achievement of the outcomes in the Geography course. The table provides
details of the assessment type, examples of different ways that these assessment types can be applied and the
weighting range for each assessment type
Weighting
Types of Assessment
Approximate
Number of
Assessments per
semester
20%
Geographical inquiry: Plan & conduct an investigation.
Examples: assignment, report, oral/multimedia presentation.
1
Fieldwork/practical skills: Collect primary data
Examples: excursion, map interpretation, data analysis.
1
20%
30%
Short and extended responses: Responding to stimulus
questions.
Examples: tests, essays, multiple-choice questions.
30%
Examination
2/3
1
Examination details
There are separate examinations for Stage 2 pairs of units and Stage 3 pairs of units.
In their final year, students who are studying at least one Stage 2 pair of units (e.g. 2A/2B) or one Stage 3 pair of
units (e.g. 3A/3B) will sit an external examination in this course, unless they are exempt.
Each examination will assess the specific content, knowledge and skills described in the syllabus for the pair of units
studied.
Submission of Assessments: Students are expected to adhere to the school’s assessment policy.
2015 AGEO:
WEEK
1
2 –6
Feb
2
9 – 13
Feb
3/4
16 – 27
Feb
NATURAL & ECOLOGICAL HAZARDS
SEMESTER ONE
CONTENT
Introduction to Geography:
- Expectations
- Study habits etc
Overview of natural and ecological hazards
o the nature of natural and ecological hazards
o the concept of hazard geography
o classification of natural hazards (atmospheric, hydrological and
geomorphic)
o examples of natural hazards, including storms, cyclones, hurricanes,
typhoons, tornadoes, frosts, droughts, bushfires, flooding,
earthquakes, volcanoes and landslides
o ecological hazards, including environmental diseases/pandemics
(toxin‐based respiratory ailments, infectious diseases,
animal‐transmitted diseases and water‐borne diseases) and plant
and animal invasions
o the concepts of risk and hazard management as applied to natural
and ecological hazards
o the spatial and temporal distribution, magnitude, duration,
frequency, probability and scale of spatial impact of natural and
ecological hazards at a global scale
o the role of spatial technologies in the study of natural and ecological
hazards
Mapping skills (use of maps and atlases)
o identify and interpret a variety of topographic and thematic maps
o understand the significance of map projections
o interpret and apply data from different types of statistical maps
o interpret marginal information represented on maps
o establish position on a map using alphanumeric grid coordinates,
eastings and northings, four figure area references, six figure grid
references, and latitude and longitude expressed in degrees and
minutes
o establish direction on a map using general compass directions
o interpret and express scale in written, linear and ratio formats, and
convert scale from one format to another
o apply the map scale to basic calculations to determine time, speed,
distance and area
o interpret relief on a map using contours and height information
(spot heights), to describe the steepness and shape of a slope
(concave, convex and uniform), and calculate the average gradient
o identify different relief features (landforms, including hills, valleys,
plains, spurs, ridges, escarpments, saddles, cliffs), types of natural
vegetation cover and hydrological features (land subject to
inundation, perennial and intermittent water bodies).
Student Text
PLANET EARTH
Atkinson et al
PLANET EARTH
Atkinson et al
Chapt 1
HAZARDS
NETWORKS
& INTERCONNECTIONS
5
2 –6
March
o the nature and causes of the hazard
o the spatial and temporal distribution of the hazard and how an
understanding of biophysical and human processes can be used to
explain the patterns that are identified (tectonic plates)
Assessment
dates are
estimates only.
Changes may
occur in
consultation
with students.
Jones & Snell
Chapt 1
PLANET EARTH
Atkinson et al
Chapt 2
HAZARDS
NETWORKS
& INTERCONNECTIONS
Jones & Snell
Chapt 2
FIELDWORK/
PRACTICAL SKILLS:
Topographic Mapping
5%
PLANET EARTH
GEOMORPHIC Hazard: Earthquakes
ASSESS’TS
Atkinson et al
Chapt 3
HAZARDS
NETWORKS
& INTERCONNECTIONS
Jones & Snell
Chapt 4
6
9 – 13
Mar
7
16 – 20
Mar
o the magnitude, duration, frequency, probability and scale of spatial
impact of the hazard
o the nature of the risks to be managed, such as: loss of property/life
effects on infrastructure, jobs and the economy
o the impact on physical and mental health
o practices designed to reduce the impacts of the hazard, in the short
and long term, through prevention, mitigation and preparedness
o the physical and human factors that explain why some places and
people are more vulnerable to the hazard than others
PLANET EARTH
o the means by which the activities of people can intensify the impacts
of the hazard, such as:
o land clearance and its impact on the intensity and frequency
of flooding
o removal of coastal dune barrier systems
o building of settlements on low lying coastlines threatened by
tsunamis
o using construction techniques unable to withstand seismic
activity
o the environmental, economic and social impacts of the hazard in a
developed country such as Australia
o compared with those in at least one less developed country or
region
o the stakeholders affected by the hazard and their values and
viewpoints on recovery and adaptation to
o future hazards in terms of modifying:
HAZARDS
NETWORKS
& INTERCONNECTIONS
Atkinson et al
Chapt 3
HAZARDS
NETWORKS
& INTERCONNECTIONS
SHORT & EXTENDED
RESPONSES:
Tectonics
7.5%
Jones & Snell
Chapt 4
Jones & Snell
Chapt 4
human vulnerability (susceptibility to future loss)
loss burden (cost of loss mitigation and adaptation)
o the sustainability of risk management policies, procedures and
practices.
8/9
Case Study: Kobe (Japan)
23 Mar 2 April
1
20 – 24
April
ECOLOGICAL Hazard: Tropical Diseases
2
27 April –
1 May
3
4 –8
May
GEOGRAPHICAL
INQUIRY:
Research –
Comparison of
Earthquake Impacts
Due: Week 3 Term 2
10%
Research: Comparison of the impact of earthquakes in LDC’s & MDC’s
(Will be given to students prior to thr holidays so they may begin
research)
o the nature and causes of the hazard
o the spatial and temporal distribution of the hazard and how an
understanding of biophysical and human processes can be used to
explain the patterns that are identified
o the magnitude, duration, frequency, probability and scale of spatial
impact of the hazard
o the nature of the risks to be managed, such as: loss of property/life
effects on infrastructure, jobs and the economy
o the impact on physical and mental health
o the physical and human factors that explain why some places and
people are more vulnerable to the hazard than others
o the means by which the activities of people can intensify the impacts
HAZARDS
NETWORKS
& INTERCONNECTIONS
Jones & Snell
Chapt 5
HAZARDS
NETWORKS
& INTERCONNECTIONS
Jones & Snell
Chapt 5
HAZARDS
SHORT & EXTENDED
4
11 – 15
May
of the hazard, such as:
o land clearance and its impact on the intensity and frequency
of flooding
o removal of coastal dune barrier systems
o building of settlements on low lying coastlines threatened by
tsunamis
o using construction techniques unable to withstand seismic
activity
o practices designed to reduce the impacts of the hazard, in the short
and long term, through prevention, mitigation and preparedness
NETWORKS
& INTERCONNECTIONS
RESPONSES:
Tropical Diseases
7.5%
Jones & Snell
Chapt 5
5
18 – 22
May
6/7
25 May –
5 June
REVISION
EXAMINATION
EXAMS
12%
2015 - AGEO: GLOBAL NETWORKS & INTERCONNECTIONS
WK
SEMESTER TWO
COURSE CONTENT
8
8 - 12
June
9
15 – 19
June
10
22 – 26
June
11
29 June
– 3 July
Text
PLANET
EARTH
2 Ed
Atkinson et al
Assessment
dates are
estimates only.
Changes may
occur in
consultation with
students.
Mapping skills (use of maps and atlases)
o interpret, construct and annotate cross sections to show natural and
cultural features on the landscape
o construct simple annotated sketch maps using map conventions
(border, title, legend, north point and approximate scale)
o identify and interpret natural features and cultural features on a map
o describe the site and situation of places
o identify, describe and interpret spatial patterns (including land use,
settlement and transport), and spatial relationships between natural
and cultural features on maps
o interpret and describe changing patterns and relationships that have
taken place over time
Overview of Global networks & Interconnections
o the application of the concept of sustainability when considering
the outcomes of increased globalisation
o the process of international integration, especially as it relates to
the transformations taking place in the spatial distribution of the
production and consumption of commodities, goods and services
o the diffusion and adaptation of ideas, meanings and values that
continuously transform and renew cultures.
o advances in transport and telecommunications technologies as a
facilitator of international integration, including their role in the
expansion of world trade
o the emergence of global financial markets
o the dissemination of ideas and elements of culture
ASSESS’TS
nd
FIELDWORK / PRACTICAL
SKILLS: Topographic
Mapping
10%
HAZARDS
NETWORKS
& INTERCONNECTIONS
Jones & Snell
Chapt 7
HAZARDS
NETWORKS
& INTERCONNECTIONS
Jones & Snell
Chapt 8
HOLIDAYS
1
20 – 24
July
Guided Research : Multinational Corporation
FIELDWORK/
PRACTICAL SKILLS: Statistical Analysis
5%
2
27 – 31
July
o the economic and cultural importance of world cities in the
integrated global economy
o their emergence as centres of cultural innovation, transmission and
integration of new ideas about the plurality of life throughout the
world
o the concept of global shifts with the re‐emergence of Asia,
particularly China and India, as global economic and cultural powers
o the relative economic decline, but sustained cultural authority, of
the United States of America and Europe
HAZARDS
NETWORKS
& INTERCONNECTIONS
Jones & Snell
Chapt 9
Depth study one: IRON ORE
3
3 –7
Aug
4
10 – 14
Aug
5
17 – 21
Aug
6
24 – 28
Aug
7/8
o the nature of the commodity, good or service
o the process of diffusion of the commodity, good or service and its
spatial outcomes
o the changes occurring in the spatial distribution of the production
and consumption of the commodity, good or service in Australia
and overseas
o the geographical factors responsible for these changes
o the role played by technological advances in transport and/or
telecommunications in facilitating these changes in the spatial
distribution
o the role played by governments and enterprises in the
internationalisation of the production and consumption of the
commodity, good or service, such as the reduction or elimination of
the barriers to movement between countries
o the ways people and places embrace, adapt to, or resist the forces
of international economic integration, and the spatial, economic,
social and geopolitical consequences of these responses
Geographical Inquiry : Mining in an LDC
31 Aug –
11 Sept
Depth study two: MUSIC
9
14 – 18
Sept
10
21 – 25
Sept
SHORT & EXTENDED
RESPONSES:
Iron ore Mining 7.5%
o implications of the changes in the nature and spatial distribution of
the production and distribution of the commodity and the
biophysical environment at a variety of scales, including the local
o likely future changes in the nature and spatial distribution of the
production and consumption of the commodity, good or service
o the impact of these changes on less developed countries (LDC) in
terms of sustainability
o the process of diffusion of the element of culture and its spatial
outcomes
o the role played by technological advances in transport and/or
telecommunications in the diffusion of the element of culture
o the role played by transnational institutions and/or corporations in
the dispersion of the element of culture
o the role played by media and emerging technologies in the
generation and dispersion of the element of culture
o implications of the changes in the nature and spatial distribution of
the element of culture for peoples and places at a range of scales,
including the local
o likely future changes in the nature and spatial distribution of the
element of culture
HOLIDAYS
GEOGRAPHICAL INQUIRY:
Research – Mining in a LDC
Due: Week 10 Term 3
10%
HAZARDS
NETWORKS
& INTERCONNECTIONS
Jones & Snell
Chapt 12
1
12 – 16
Oct
2
19 – 23
Oct
o the ways people embrace, adapt to, or resist the forces of
international cultural integration
o the role of the media and new technologies in shaping people’s
perceptions of place and events through the images and information
presented
o the likely future changes to the sustainability of indigenous cultures
in an increasingly integrated world
o the spatial, economic, social and geopolitical consequences of
changes to the cultural element
SHORT & EXTENDED
RESPONSES:
Music
7.5%
3/4
26 Oct –
6 Nov
REVISION
5/6
EXAM
9 - 20
Nov
7
23 Nov –
27 Nov


EXAMINATION
18%
Debrief exam
Introduction to Year 12 course
ASSESSMENT OUTLINE
Type
Weighting
Task
Geographical
Inquiry
Comparison of Earthquake Impacts
MDC’s & LDC’s
Mining Operations in a LDC
(20%)
Topographic Mapping
Fieldwork/
Practical skills
(20%)
Weight
Week 1 - Term 1
Due: Mon Week 3
10%
Week 7/8 - Term 3
Due: Mon Week 10
Week 4 - Term 1
10%
5%
Week 9 – Term 2
5%
Week 1 - Term 3
10%
Week 6 – Term 1
7.5%
Tropical Diseases
Week 4 – Term 2
7.5%
Iron Ore Mining
Week 5 – Term 3
7.5%
Music
Week 2 – Term 4
7.5%
Weeks 6/7
Term 2
10%
Weeks 5/6
Term 4
20%
Topographic Mapping
Statistical Analysis : Multinationals:
Tectonics
Short and
extended
responses
Timing
(30%)
Examination
(30%)
TOTAL
Semester 1: Natural & Ecological
Hazards
Semester 2: Natural & Ecological
Hazards
Global Networks & Interconnections
100%
Your score