EDU413 Task 2 Unit of work overview template

Unit Title: A Diverse World - Geography

Unit Outline:
Over the course of ten weeks Year 6 Students explore Indonesia and the varied environments, peoples and cultures within the Asia
area and at a universal level whilst looking at space, place, environment and increase their mental understanding of the world. Students
will examine Australias connections with Asian countries and places and how they are changing, and how this is effecting Australia
today.

Key Inquiry Questions:

How do places, people and cultures differ across the world?
What are Australias global connections between people and places?
How do peoples connections to places affect their perception of them?

Assessment description

Diagnostic:
Students will be engaged in a discussion that focuses on prior knowledge, understanding how to engage students for this unit of
work and the content that needs to be taught.

Formative:
During the unit students will be completing many engaging activities that allow for students to show their knowledge and
understanding around the topic. With each activity, there will be book work or sheet work that will clearly identify the students
knowledge and understanding.

Summative:
In pairs students, will research an Asian region and deliver an oral presentation with the data they have found and the comparison
between Asia and Australia.
Specific Alignment with Yr. 6 Geography Australian Curriculum

Knowledge and Skills General capabilities / Cross

Understanding curricular priorities

The location of Collecting, recording, evaluating and representing Asia and Australias engagement
the major Collect and record relevant geographical data and information, using ethical with Asia
countries of the protocols, from primary and secondary sources, for example, people, maps, Ethical understanding
Asia region in plans, photographs, satellite images, statistical sources and reports Intercultural understanding
relation to (ACHGS041) Sustainability
Australia and the Evaluate sources for their usefulness and represent data in different forms, for
geographical Literacy
example, maps, plans, graphs, tables, sketches and diagrams (ACHGS042)
diversity within Numeracy
Represent the location and features of places and different types of geographical
the region Aboriginal and Torres Strait
information by constructing large-scale and small-scale maps that conform to
(ACHGK031) Islander histories and cultures
cartographic conventions including border, source, scale, legend, title and north
point, using spatial technologies as appropriate (ACHGS043) Critical and creative thinking
Differences in the Interpreting, analysing and concluding Personal and social capability
economic,
Interpret geographical data and other information using digital and spatial
demographic and
technologies as appropriate, and identify spatial distributions, patterns and
social
trends, and infer relationships to draw conclusions (ACHGS044)
characteristics
between Communicating
countries across Present findings and ideas in a range of communication forms, for example, written,
the world oral, graphic, tabular, visual and maps, using geographical terminology and digital
(ACHGK032) technologies as appropriate (ACHGS045)
 Related Learning Area Achievement standard
This assessment provides opportunities for students to demonstrate the following highlighted aspects.
By the end of Year 6, students explain the characteristics of diverse places in different locations at different scales from
local to global. They describe the interconnections between people and places, identify factors that influence these
interconnections and describe how they change places and affect people. They describe the location of selected
countries in absolute and relative terms and identify and compare spatial distributions and patterns among
phenomena. They identify and describe alternative views on how to respond to a geographical challenge and propose
a response.
Students develop geographical questions to frame an inquiry. They locate relevant information from a range of sources
to answer inquiry questions. They represent data and the location of places and their characteristics in different graphic
forms, including large-scale and small-scale maps that use cartographic conventions of border, source, scale, legend,
title and north point. Students interpret data and other information to identify and compare spatial distributions,
patterns and trends, infer relationships and draw conclusions. They present findings and ideas using geographical
terminology and graphic representations in a range of communication forms. They propose action in response to a
geographical challenge and describe the expected effects of their proposal.
Overview of (weekly) key focuses/learning experiences/activities
Week 1:
Welcome to Indonesia! / Selemat Datang di Indonesia
Students will watch the short video clip We live in a diverse world: Indonesia. They are free to write
down key information that is explained during the video. After the video is finished as students key questions:
- What is the population difference between Indonesia and Australia?
- What improvements have been made over the past 20 years?
- What would you do/ how would you feel if you had to live on less than $2.00 a day?
- Where does half of Indonesias population live?
- In what ways are Australia and Indonesia connected?
Students will be given their work booklet that they will be completing over the seven-week unit.
Students will read through the work book and understand what they will be completing over the five weeks.
Week 2:
Research!
Students will be working on their booklets by answering key questions:
Look at the photographs and underline the region you think is represented: (a) Europe (b) Africa (c) Latin America
(d) Asia (e) North America (f) Middle East What evidence supports your suggestion? Can you suggest the country
represented?

With a partner, brainstorm a list of questions about this place from observing the images on p.2-3. Include the
following: (i) economic questions about money, trade and aid; (ii) social questions about people and their
relationships; (iii) environmental questions about the natural and built environments.

Textbooks, tourist brochures, newspapers and aid and development organisations use photographs to represent
places in different ways. Choose two photographs you would use for a tourist brochure for this place. Choose two
photographs for an aid and development organisation advertisement. Give reasons for your choices.

Create a line drawing of the volcano and label the prominent features using the space in your booklet below the
photograph of the volcano.
Week 3:
Australian Indonesian Links
Using the news headlines in their booklets students identify and categorise into headings of:
- Tourism
- Trade
- Aid
- Defence
- Migration
Students will then survey their classmates on their beliefs about the Asian country. Create a graph with the data.
Students will search for current news and media stories about Indonesia. How do these news stories represent
Indonesian people and places?
Week 4:
Indonesia- A Country Profile

Students will read the report in their work booklets and complete the report organizing the correct words into
the report.
Use the report and internet research to complete the table given in their work booklets.
After completing this table compare Australia and Indonesia than graph the data for Indonesia using the
worksheet provided
What trend do you observe for Indonesia from 1980-2011 and what are possible future directions?
Students will be looking at key Indonesian terms that would be used if they were to form a relationship with
Indonesian peoples.

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Week 5:
Map it out!
Students will complete the Map activity in their work booklets completing the following questions:
- Identify five of Indonesias neighbouring countries.
- What city do you find at 6 12S 106 48 E?
- What are the megacities of this region?
- Use latitude and longitude to locate the position of Bali. What sort of climate would you expect for a place in this
location?
- In 2006, Australia built an immigration detention centre on Christmas Island. Use the scale to measure the distance
of Christmas Island from the south coast of Java and the west coast of Australia. Suggest reasons why Australia
established a detention centre on Christmas Island.
- From observation, rank the following islands according to area largest (1) to smallest (4) (Bali; Java; Sumatra;
Sumba).
- Use the scale and a ruler to estimate the distance from Banda Aceh in the west (Sumatra) to Jayapura in the east
(Papua). Compare with the distance from Perth to Sydney.
- Identify the sub-divisions of Asia. Is Indonesia located in North-east Asia, South-east Asia, South or West Asia? 9.
Indonesia lies between the ____________ Ocean and the ____________ Ocean
Week 6:
Aid & Development
Complete the work booklet:
Students are to research terms if they are unsure what the question I asking using their laptops.

- Look at the AusAID graph on p.10. Identify these countries on the world map, what region of the world receives the
most Australian Government aid and suggest reasons why. How does Australian aid serve Australias national
interests?
- Graph the information in Table 1 on p.11. Use the worksheet and suggest a reason for the trend in NGO donations
to Indonesia from 2005-2011.
- Give an example of an organisation that provides each of the following: (I) bilateral aid (ii) non-government aid and
(iii) multilateral aid.
- On the internet, research an example of each of the following types of work undertaken by an NGO: (i)
humanitarian relief (ii) community development (iii) advocacy.
Week 7:Review
Go over with students what has been covered over the past six weeks touching on the links Australia
and Asia have, reviewing main topics and key information.
Have students complete a KWL chart Australia and Indonesia!
Have a class discussion around the assessment task due in week 10
Students can freely choose the country of their choice within the Asia
Week 7: Summative assessment
Students will present their information they have gathered within the workbook and create a three-minute
oral presentation explaining the information they have gathered over the past 7 weeks.
Key Resources
Week 1:
Work Booklet & Youtube Video: https://www.worldvision.com.au/get-involved/school-resources/detail/we-live-in-a-
diverse-world-indonesia-(years-6-10)
Week 2:
Work Booklet
Computer Time
Week 3:
Worksheet:
https://www.worldvision.com.au/docs/default-source/school-resources/indonesia---a-country-profile-(p-6-
7).pdf?sfvrsn=0
Weeks 4-7:
Work Booklet
In the 21st century, many countries are influenced by the Asia region, and Asia being one
of Australias close neighbouring countries calls for the fostering of good relationships.
Within the Australian curriculum a cross curricular priority, the focus on Asia and
Australias Engagement with Asia allows for students in all Australian schools to recognise
the diversity between the countries whilst understanding the societies, cultures, beliefs
and environments. This paper will critically justify a unit of work that explores Asia
literacy within Year Six Geography, it will also address the challenges teachers face when
asked to embed Asia Literacy into their pedagogy and the literature that explores Asia
Literacy as a tool to be used within classrooms.

The necessity for an understanding of Asia has captured the collective attention of the
Government within Australia in recent years (Buchanan, 2002). Research shows that
literature on Asia Literacy has emerged over a period of three decades (Love & Rizvi,
2013). Since then many policy documents have embedded the notion of Asia Capable
Australians. Policy documents, such as the Melbourne Declarations on Educational Goals
for Young Australians (2008), state that all Australians need to build stronger
relationships and engage with the nation to become Asia Literate (Love & Rizvi, 2013).
The White Paper (2013) explains that all schools will provide quality teaching of Asian
languages. By 2025 each student will have access to learning an additional languages, and
all schools within Australia will incorporate the cross curricular priority into all key
learning areas (Love & Rizvi, 2013). The Australian Curriculum (2016) incorporates this
cross-curriculum priority to be applied throughout all year levels. The Australian
Professional Standards for Teachers (2012) as cited by (Halse, et al., 2013) states that
the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL) is dedicated to
building and supporting the growth of a high quality, Asia Literate staff. The teaching and
learning around Asia is maintained by all three fields and seven standards across the
career stages within the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (Halse, et al.,
2013). Halse (2013) states that although Asia Literacy has developed through the years,
there have been three key messages that have remained constant; Asia Literacy will
provide fundamental skills and abilities that will drive Australias economic and jobs
growth (Commonwealth of Australia, 2012), schools can be used as the place to equip all
young Australians with Asia Literacy (AEF, 2012) and finally the learning of languages,
histories, geographies, arts and cultures are needed to successfully engage with the Asian
region (AEF, 2012). Having Asia Literate students will lead to having the necessary
abilities to build stronger connections and partnerships across the region, which will help
unlock economic and social gains for future years to come (Moloney , 2015).

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As Asia makes up for more than half of the worlds population, the region is an economic
centre fuelled by the procuring power of the increasing numbers of the middle class. Thus,
further validation is given to this part of the Australian curriculum, as there will be
worldwide change that will require Australians to learn a new set of skills, knowledge and
understanding regarding the engagement Australia has with Asia (Department of
Education, 2015). Asia Literacy has become a focal point with the rapid growth in the
economy and the partnerships between Australia and the Asia region. Preparing students
for the future, will require the inclusion of prioritising Asia Literacy as there is predicated
to be an emphasis on an Asian-centred knowledge economy. With this dawning on
Australia, the value of having Asia literate students will greatly impact our country
(Wesley, 2009, cited in Healy, 2009). As both nations rely heavily on trade, cooperation
plays a large part in maintaining peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region.

This unit has been designed to demonstrate an understanding of the Australian

Curriculums focus on Asia Literacy, by developing lessons that successfully fulfil the Asia
Literacy focus within Year Six Geography. The unit incorporates many general and cross
curricular priorities; mainly the Asia and Australias engagement with Asia, Ethical
understanding, Intercultural understandings and many more. Students will explore
Indonesia and the varied environments, peoples and cultures to increase their knowledge
and understanding of the connection Australia has with Asian countries (Australian
Curriculum, 2016). Learning the key beliefs of ones culture is a fundamental priority to
appreciate your own culture and beliefs (Kinoshita, 2016). Inquiring into questions about
the world such as the queries provided in the unit outline is a fundamental purpose of
Geography. Over the course of the seven-week unit plan, students will participate in many
hands-on learning activities that will immerse three main inquiry questions. Having
inquiry questions allows students to use skills and tools to make investigations about the
world (Butler, 2015), which is a reason why Geography has been used as the Key Learning
Area for this unit of work, as they correlate with the main emphasis on Asia Literacy.

Allowing students to research questions about the world, provides a platform for new
knowledge and content to be learnt. The assessment pieces for this unit include
diagnostic, formative and summative marking. Diagnostic assessment, which includes
discussions around the topic of the unit and the content that will be included, provides
teachers with students prior knowledge and misconceptions before beginning the unit of
work (Starting Point, 2017). Completing engaging activities throughout the unit allows
for teachers to satisfactorily evaluate if the content they are delivering is being attained,
and the learning goals are being met. If students are not displaying the correct level of
knowledge and understanding the teacher will need to re-evaluate their teaching
activities (Starting Point, 2017). At the end of the unit students present orally with their
findings around the research conducted of the Asian region of Indonesia, and the amount
of data they have found and the comparisons to Australia. Having this assessment
provides teachers with a clear understanding of the level of achievement the student has
attained. Summative assessments provide teachers with a measurement of the
effectiveness of the teaching strategies employed, the time needed for instruction within
each lesson, and how to improve the unit for the future teaching (Schwabe, 2011).

Over the course of the seven-week unit, students will participate in many hands-on
learning activities. Key focusses on a weekly basis cover: Understanding of place and
location, comparing the differences, the economy of Indonesia, key language used within
the region, mapping locations, aid and development. Butler (2015) states that within the
middle years, learning comes from a huge range of texts and direct experiences.
Geography uses not only accurate written material, but also integrates video material,
photographs, maps, excursions, guest speakers, websites and interactive games to engage
and inform students within the 21st century (Butler, 2015). These activities have been
designed to incorporate the ability for students to achieve the required standard for the
end of Year Six by combining the use of language with the development of spatial
reasoning, map considerations and visual literateness (Butler, 2015).

By utilising the work book used throughout the unit of work, students are given an
opportunity to engage in scaffolded learning activity through researching key information
regarding Indonesia and the vast differences it holds as a neighbouring country to
Australia. Within each activity students are given many prompts to observe the difference
and explain the reasons they believe it is very different from Australia. In week four,
students conduct research on tourism, trade, aid, defence and migration. This activity is
designed to look at the links Australia has to the region as stated within the Australian
Curriculum. In week six, students research Geography looking at location and co-
ordinates, thereby utilising skills they have previously acquired within years three and
four. The Australian Curriculum (2016), states that by the end of years three and four,
students record and represent data on maps and other conventions. This unit of work has
been created to assist teachers to be encouraged to think outside of the box and
incorporate Asia Literacy within their classroom.

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With the many policy documents stating that Asian Literacy must be taught across all key
learning areas as well within all years, specific challenges begin to arise not only for
teachers, but also for students, parents and carers. Data reveals a dramatic decline in the
enrolments into Asia Literacy subjects over the past nine years (Harrington, 2012). It is
believed that many of the problems that are associated with the implementation of Asia
Literacy resolve down to the perceptions regarding learning about a different country.
Students suspect that it will affect their grades, as they may not feel confident within this
learning area (Harrington, 2012). This poses a problem for teachers as students may not
feel engaged or motivated to complete their work (Halse, et al., 2013). Having engaging
and informative lessons that incorporate Asia Literacy within Geography, Maths or
English allows students to feel more confident within the learning area, thus reducing the
potential for grades being affected.

Teachers that feel ill-equipped with integrating Asia Literacy into their classroom are not
only doing themselves an injustice, but their students as well. Grainger & Christie (2015)
state that teachers today are not full equipped with satisfactory knowledge of
implementing Asia Literacy across the key learning areas within their classroom.
Teachers feel they are generally uneducated around Asia Literacy and believe that
without satisfactory teaching they would not feel confident teaching the subject (Grainger
& Christie, 2015). If pre-graduated teachers are made to do units of work regarding Asia
Literacy within tertiary education, there would be a vast improvement in their attitude
towards teaching the subject. With this comes integration, and students are given an equal
opportunity to successfully learn about Asia and the connections it holds to Australia.
Future teachers need education that provides skills of knowledge and understanding,
tools and an outlook that will involve Asia within their teaching (AEF, 2013).

Another issue a teacher may face regarding the implementation of Asia literacy is not
understanding that it is generally an overlooked subject, and one which is often quickly
skimmed over and the boxes ticked. Salter (2014) cautions that without the proper
application of Asia Literacy, it will be miss its mark and will only focus on the knowledge
content while the values, skills and attributes of cultural competence/literacies are
missed. Teachers may not understand the full concept of Asia Literacy, allowing it to be
swept under the carpet and only briefly touched on.

Support from parents provides teachers with a lot of help as children are excited to learn
about Asia Literacy when parents are interested in their childs education. The lack of
parent involvement can be a major uphill battle for teachers as children believe that the
content they are receiving holds no value and place in their lives, and that they shouldnt
be learning about it. Field (2015) states that supporting what your child is being taught
within the classroom can go along way with their achievements. Parents do not need to
spend several hours going over content. All that is need is a general interest in the content
being taught in class.

This issue of teachers of the 21st century not having the appropriate knowledge and
understanding in relation to Asia Literacy is not a shock to myself, as a preservice teacher
studying a Bachelor of Primary Education. Over the course of four years have never heard,
seen or implemented Asia Literacy within any courses or on supervised training days.
This is very alarming as the Australian Government are funding schools across the
country to promote the focus on Asia Literate students. Briggs (2013) states the
government is projected to spend $15.2 million to promote students to become more
involved in Asia Literacy and Languages. If pre-service teachers were educated within
their tertiary studies, there would be a far greater success rate of Asia Literacies within
Australian schools (Grainger & Christie, 2015).

Having ill-equipped teachers can prompt many challenges to arise within the classroom
that can take time to resolve, however, with the support of the school and the government,
the implementation of Asia Literacy can be a positive tool used within the classroom. This
unit provides examples of a motivational method to get students engaged and involved
with the Asia Literacy priority, while covering the Australian Curriculum content and the
cross curricular aspects. Australia is placing more emphasis and financial assistance on
Asia Literacy, thus making a positive step towards the future of embedding it within the
classroom for all students to access. Asia Literacy is a great tool to be used within a
classroom and can be implemented in a variety of ways to involve all students.

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Works Cited

AEF. (2013). Asia Literacy Teacher Education Roundtable. A discussion paper for Teacher
Eduication: Towards an 'Asia Capable' School Educaiton Wrokforce, 5-16.
Australia, C. o. (n.d.).
Australian Curriculum. (2016, December 14). Retrieved from Australian Curriculum:
http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/crosscurriculumpriorities/asia-and-australia-s-
engagement-with-asia/overview
Buchanan, J. (2002). The emergence of Aisa: Development of studies of Asia in one Australian
school. Issues in Educational research.
Butler, J. (2015). Thinking, Inquiring and Literacy skills in Geography. Developing better thinking,
inquiry and literacy skills using the Australian, 2-4.
Department of Education. (2015, July 30). Retrieved from Govenrment of Western Australia:
http://det.wa.edu.au/curriculumsupport/asialiteracy/detcms/navigation/what-is-asia-
literacy/?page=4#toc4
Field, W. (2015). Parents' interest 'vital' to a child's educaiton. Parents don't need to be experts -
they just have to show an interest and be engaged in their child's education, 2.
Grainger, P., & Christie, M. (2015). Teaching Education. Measuring pre-service teachers' Asia
literacy and thier prepardness to teach Asia , 15-16.
Halse, C. (2013, September ). Point and Counterpoint. Asia Literacy and schooling, 33(3), 71-73.
Halse, C., Cloonan, A., Dyer, A., Kostogriz, A., Toe, D., & Weinmann, M. (2013). Asia Literacy
and the Australian teaching workforce: Full repot. Victoria: InSight.
Harrington, M. (2012, November 1). Australia in the Asian Century: Asian studies in schools.
Retrieved from Parliament of Australia:
http://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/Parliamentary_Libr
ary/FlagPost/2012/November/Australia_in_the_Asian_Century_Asian_studies_in_schools
Kinoshita, Y. (2016, April 16). Want to get ahead this century? Learn an Asian Language .
Retrieved from The Conversation: http://theconversation.com/want-to-get-ahead-this-
century-learn-an-asian-language-6247
Love, K., & Rizvi, F. (2013). Discussion Paper . Asia Literacy Teacher Educaiton Rountable , 3-
16.
Moloney , C. (2015, April 10). Australia in the Asian Century. Retrieved from Options:
http://www.asiaoptions.org/australia-in-the-asian-century-and-why-you-should-study-
japanese/
Schwabe, J. (2011). Teachers Guide to Assessment. Teachers Guide to Assessment, 7-8.
Starting Point. (2017, April 7). Retrieved from Diagnostic and Formative Assessment :
http://serc.carleton.edu/introgeo/assessment/formative.html
Wesley, 2009, cited in Healy. (2009). The Australian. Future depends on Asian languages.