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AGTA Newsletter - Geographia

The GeogSpace website, an initiative of the Australian Geography Teachers Association (AGTA) supported by the resources of Education Services Australia (ESA), is now live. AGTA thanks all members of the writing and development teams for their outstanding contributions to this resource which will support the teaching of the Australian Curriculum: Geography. AGTA will be running special professional learning programs to support teachers in their use of this wonderful new resource. Further information about these programs can be obtained from AGTA Chair Malcolm McInerney.

There has never been a more exciting time to study geography, with it being a subject vital to the education of every young Australian in the 21st century. GeogSpace has been designed to provide materials to support primary and secondary teachers in implementing the Australian Curriculum: Geography. It has been developed by AGTA's team of practising geography teachers, dedicated to ensuring all schools across Australia have access to a unique resource that reflects best practice using current technology and pedagogies.

GeogSpace offers quality primary and secondary geography resource materials for all teachers of geography, including those that are very experienced and those just commencing their involvement. The materials will support teachers to develop their knowledge, skills and pedagogical capacity to teach geography of the highest quality.

GeogSpace comprises two major resource sections, Core units and Support units.

Core units comprise illustrations of practice for stages of schooling described in the Australian Curriculum: Geography. The illustrations are provided for:

•· Years F–4

•· Years 5–6

•· Years 7–8

•· Years 9–10.

The illustrations are designed to provide classroom-ready ideas and resources that reflect the dynamism of this exciting learning area. Each illustration is linked to the Australian Curriculum: Geography and provides opportunities for students to actively engage in learning, whether it be through undertaking class research, practical activities, field investigations or through taking local action.

Core units have three sections for each of the stages of schooling:

•· Key understandings

•· Inquiry and skills

•· Exemplars

Support units provide illustrations of practice designed to support teachers' professional learning and provide guidance, information and resources in eight areas of geographical education:

•· Thinking geographically

•· Why teach geography?

•· Professional practice

•· Fieldwork

•· ICT in geography

•· Assessment in geography

•· Language of geography

•· Geographical inquiry

Australia's Engagement with Asia: Indonesia

Case studies in water, food, urbanisation and human wellbeing

Australia's engagement with Asia: Indonesia is an engaging and easy-to-use teaching resource that supports the Australian Curriculum: Geography. It includes six DVD chapters with related texts and worksheets developed by World Vision and the Australian Geography Teachers Association.

It directly addresses two cross-curriculum perspectives: Sustainability and Asia and Australia's engagement with Asia.

CLICK HERE TO GO TO RESOURCE

New online Australian Curriculum resources

The Asia Education Foundation (AEF) enables educators to develop Asia literate young Australians. AEF supports teachers, principals, education leaders and school communities to implement the Australian Curriculum cross-curriculum priority of Asia and Australia's engagement with Asia.

http://www.asiaeducation.edu.au/curriculum_resources/geography/geography_cr.html

AGTA’s - RESOURCES - Link

DOWNLOAD INFORMATION HERE

Bushfire Resource

Download the GTAV Busfire resource free.

Fire has been a part of the Australian environment for a long time, with early explorers noting the bushfires burning across the landscape. Fire has shaped the vegetation types in Australia and has had an impact on human societies, beginning with Indigenous Australians and continuing through European settlement. The majority of Australians live

in coastal and urban areas and have little experience of bushfire. This includes those living on the rural-urban fringeundefineda place where bushfire can have deadly consequences.

An effective fire management strategy, supported by ancillary services and trained volunteers, can succeed in minimising the loss of life and property in a bushfire crisis. In Australia, a strategy has been developed where people are informed about the ways to prepare for bushfire, how to take precautionary action and how to respond in a manner that reduces the impact of a bushfire event.

DOWNLOAD TEXT

Arab Gateways Resource

Arab Gateways: A resource for Australian students and teachers explores some of the history, geography, economics and culture of the Arab region. It promotes understanding of the cultures, values, beliefs and diversity of peoples of the Arab region.

Arab Gateways has been developed by Education Services Australia with a grant from the Council for Australian-Arab Relations (CAAR), which is funded by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). The resource aims to enable teachers to promote between the peoples of Australia and the Arab world mutual interests and a greater understanding and acceptance of each other's cultures, values, beliefs and diversity.

The Arab Gateways website provides an online version of the printed resource book with accompanying DVD ROM sent to all secondary schools in Australia.

A teacher professional learning program to support the use of the resource will be delivered by the Australian Federation of Societies for Studies of Society and Environment (AFSSSE) during the second half of 2011 and early 2012. For more information, go to the Arab Gateways Flyer.

Taking GIS to the classroom resource

The GTASA has recently launched a new resource to work with GIS in the classroom. The book is called "Taking GIS to the classroom" and is available from the GTASA for $35 for members and $85 for non-members.

The resource is ideal for teacher and student use as an attractive and easy to use reference resource to learn about geographic information systems!! Data and learning videos are supplied on a CD with the book! Download the order form here.

The book guides you through topics like this: * Using the ABS website for research * GIS terms and tools * Creating a map of your local area * Printing your map * Creating your own geographic areas * Thematic maps * Creating buffers * Using GIS to analyse * Data use * Dot density maps * Collection Districts in Local Government Areas * SQL analysis * Mesh blocks * How to read a Basic Community Profile

Geography Teaching Ideas and Projects

Download Stuartholme’s Year10 Geography Parks project: Annotated Visual Display URBAN PARK DESIGN CONCEPT PLAN. Get the full 13 page pdf lesson and teaching outcomes!

Please see our contact page for more information on resources, support or other enquiries.

Geography Teachers' Association of Queensland Inc.
Level 1/28 Fortescue St, Spring Hill QLD 4000