Citizenship learning in the context of a Geography topic.

Dear parent/carers,

It is with great enthusiasm that I am able to outline some aspects of our grade 5/6 HASS education for the year 2019. In the subsequent information detailed in this blog I’ll be providing information about what your children will be learning in and out of the classroom, highlighting some of the active citizenship and community involvement that will take place. We are committed to developing knowledge and understanding for our students so that they can assume an active role within the broader community. To do this we will be giving students the opportunity to engage within their local community, learning within the context of a Geographic topic.

Students will be actively involved in the investigation of how environments are influenced by human interaction and how we manage them as communities and as individual citizens. To develop the students understanding, we will be looking to key concepts outlined within the Australian curriculum such as cause and effect, continuity and change, place and space, and responsibilities as citizens (Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority [ACARA], n.d.). Students will study a local geographic site and in doing so begin to think about the sustainability of that environment, what they can do to protect and preserve it and how they might take this action.

We want to arm our students with the knowledge to consider global issues facing the environment and sustainability, because if we take care of our now planet, it will take care of us in the future. It is also important that students have adequate understandings that allow them to respect the environment, developing an awareness of relationships between humans and the environment (Gilbert & Hoepper, 2014). This evolution of perspectives can inspire and empower them to take action now, and also later in life (Brett, 2019).

Students will take part in three excursions to a local creek to observe and record information about its well being. The students will be doing activities that are simple but incredibly productive in relationship to the sustainability of the designated area. These activities are attainable by students in a short time frame. Some of these activities are to clean up rubbish in that particular area, and also with the help of a local horticulturalist, learn about the flora of that area. Later in the unit we will be returning to plant native flora found in the area, and then towards the end of the year, return once more to determine the progress of the planting and observe how rubbish is returning to the site.

Students will be learning to present their findings and ideas using some geographical terminology as they embark on this geographical challenge (ACARA, n.d.). Our aim is to give them the tools to identify the possible effects of their actions as they interact with the environment during these excursions. Their literacy skills will be enhanced by the introduction of new vocabulary and its application in their work that demonstrates and reflects their developing knowledge and understanding. Parents will be invited to join us on the excursions and should seek to engage in conversation with their child about this topic, and also take opportunities to interact with similar community projects surrounding sustainability.

References

Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority. (n.d.). The Australian Curriculum: all subjects (Version 8.3), all years, all curriculum elements, all curriculum dimensions. Retrieved from https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/download/

Brett, P. (2019). Citizenship through Geography. Retrieved from https://echo360.org.au/media/39a2872b-4a58-4db5-99ee-cd3cda376ef9/public

Gilbert, R. Hoepper, B. (2014). Teaching Humanities and Social Sciences, History, Geography, Economics & Citizenship in the Australian Curriculum. (5^th ed.) South Melbourne: Cengage Learning Australia