Emerald: Where do we live?

Inquiry question: What is thee economic, geographical and historical significance of Emerald?
Big ideas:

Emerald can be explored through its places, people and resources

Emeralds history can be explored through peoples stories and geographical and natural
development

Teaching Proposal
This unit focuses on the township of Emerald and comparisons between past and present. The concepts
that are explored through this unit include the development of the area and the connections between past
and present, sustainability and the environment, effects that the environment has on the population and
population on the environment and the geographical attributes of the area. These concepts will be
supported and explored through an excursion to the Emerald Heritage Museum and Emerald Lake Park.
Following this excursion, a series of investigations through which students will explore how the township
has developed, the geographical attributes of the local area, and how students can contribute to the
sustainability and protection of the local park. Creating learning opportunities that are engaging and
[relevant] to students is seen as a vital factor in promoting intellectual engagement with social and
environmental issues (Hoepper 2014, p.61). This unit aims to provide opportunities for young Australians
to connect with their communities, participate in civic life and develop a sense of responsible citizenship
(MCEETYA 2008, p. 10). Through connecting with the history of their local area students are able to make
sense of their world and think about how things have become the way they are (MCEETYA 2008 , p. 8) and
also make connections with how students can change the world that they live in now. This unit aims at
developing responsible and active citizens who have the knowledge, skills, values and world views
necessary for people to act in ways that contribute to a more sustainable patterns of living (ACARA 2013d).
The Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians notes that active and informed
citizens work for the common good, in particular sustaining and improving natural and social
environments (MCEETYA 2008, p. 9). Sustainability is a multifaceted idea with far-reaching goals
environmental, economic, social, cultural and political, (Cutter-Mackenzie & Hoepper2014, p. 396). Other
concepts that are covered in length in this unit include history through which student analysis of sources of
evidence, discussion and debate, weighing up of evidence and proposing answers to key questions
(Hoepper 2014, p. 202) are important. Understanding events, lifestyles and values can be explored through
looking at different perspectives, with the realisation that, ideas people held in the past may have been
very different from modern ideas (Hoepper 2014, p. 186). Excursions and fieldwork are encouraged as
physical examples of the landscape can be understood in a more holistic manner. Students will explore
geographical concepts through a range of skills such as mapping and fieldwork to undertake their work,
employ spatial technologies and consider a range of perspectives (Matthews & Cranby 2014, p. 225). This
unit aims to equip students to become active and informed citizens so that they can engage in local,
national and global issues.

Learning Intentions
1. History can be explored through peoples stories
2. Towns develop to meet peoples needs
3. Buildings, roads, and other forms of transport are
planned through geographical investigation
4. Emerald richness of resources needs to be
sustainably monitored
5. The environment can effect and shape development
and the ways in which human live
Skills Developed
Analyse and compare information from a historical
source in order to respond creatively.
Understand the features of a topographical map and
create their own using geographical planning.
Understand and implement sustainability strategies
such as caring for the environment and wildlife.
Assessment Evidence
Students will be assessed in the following ways:
Pictorial timeline with brief annotations
Creating a topographical map of the local area
Create a Venn Diagram and compare and contrast
the township now to when it was first built
Design an information brochure with strategies for
a sustainable environment
Design and construct a digital snapshot of a town
including at least a map, biography and summary
of significant features
Australian Curriculum
Geography, Economics, History, Civics and Citizenship.
Cross Curriculum Priority of Sustainability . General
Capabilities included Literacy , Numeracy, Critical and
Creative Thinking , ICT, Personal and Social Capability,
Ethical Understanding, Intercultural Understanding
Samantha
Pete

Lesson 1
Learning Intention
History can be explored through
peoples stories
Activity
Look at photos from the past, and
compare to current town planning
and photos. Discuss changes that
students have noticed in their local
area including gender roles, dress and
occupations. Students can bring in
any photos or artefacts that they have
that demonstrate the changes to the
area.
Resources
Historical photos of the town, current
photos of the town, student photos
and artefacts
Australian Curriculum
ACHHS098, ACHHS104, ACHHS117,
ACHHS122, ACHHS123, ACHHS100,
ACHHS103, ACHGS035

Lesson 2
Learning Intention
1,2,3,4,5
Activity
Excursion to Nobelius Heritage
Museum (looking at local history and
development, artefacts and other
visual stimulus)
Emerald Lake Park (looking at the
local wildlife and habitation,
geographical layout) . Gather
information for a local timeline, also
make notes on anything that
surprised that students or that they
found interesting, Discuss when back
at school.
Resources
Emerald Lake Park, Emerald Heritage
Museum
Australian Curriculum
ACHHK095, ACHHK097, ACHHS103,
ACHHK116, ACHGK028, ACHGK029,

Lesson 3
Learning Intention
Towns develop to meet peoples
needs
Activity
Students create a pictorial timeline of
local historical events and
development and represent this on a
poster.
Resources
Photos, cameras, paper, pencils, glue,
scissors
Australian Curriculum
ACHHS098, ACHGS033,

Lesson 6
Learning Intention
History can be explored through
peoples stories
Activity
Students write a letter/ diary entry
from the point of view of a local
historical figure. Students can create
characters and events in their writing,
but the figure must be real.
Resources
Students Journal
Australian Curriculum
ACHHS104, ACHHS105, ACHHS106,
Assessment
Letter/ diary entry from the
perspective of a local historical figure

Lesson 7
Learning Intention
Buildings, roads, and other forms of
transport are planned through
geographical investigation
Activity
Explore the economic development of
the town. What has changed over
time and why might this be? Compare
the type of farming from past and
present, as well as the development
of the tourist industry in the area
(Puffing Billy, Emerald Lake Park,
Mount Dandenong, local restaurants).
Details are compared in a venn
diagram, Past, same, present.
Resources
Pictures past and present, venn
diagram template, pencils, textas,
scissors, glue
Australian Curriculum
ACHEK002, ACHEK001, ACHEK010,
Assessment
Informative venn diagram comparing
past and present with some
similarities

Lesson 8
Learning Intention
Emerald richness of resources needs
to be sustainably monitored
Activity
Students are to work in groups to
examine and plan a strategy to
maintain Emerald Lake Park in a
sustainable manner. This is to be in
regards to native wild life and
vegetation. Whilst still ensuring that
humans can enjoy the park.
Information and strategies are
presented in an informative
brochure/poster
Resources
Student journal, computer, coloured
paper, pencils, textas, scissors, glue,
photos
Australian Curriculum
ACHCS032, ACHCS034, ACHCS044,
ACHCS046
Assessment
Informative brochure which details
sustainability issues and provides
some strategies for maintaining
sustainability

Assessment
Photos that detail the towns, or an
aspect of the towns historical
development or significant events
with brief annotations

Lesson 4
Learning Intention
Buildings, roads, and other forms of
transport are planned through
geographical investigation
Activity
Explore the layout of the town and its
development in relation to the
landscape. Discuss reasons why other
areas were not built on. Map the
current town with buildings and other
features to scale.
Resources
Pictures of the town, past and
present, rulers, pencils, example
maps, pencils, textas
Australian Curriculum ACHGK029,
ACHGS036, ACHGS035

Lesson 5
Learning Intention
Buildings, roads, and other forms of
transport are planned through
geographical investigation
Activity
With the aid of student knowledge,
pictures and other visual resources,
students create a topographical map
of a part, or all of Emerald.
Resources
Pictures, coloured pencils, journals,
A4-A3 paper, example topographical
maps
Australian Curriculum
ACHGS036, ACHGS035, ACHGK029
Assessment
Accurate and detailed topographic
map of the local area

Lesson 9
Learning Intention
The environment can effect and
shape development and the ways in
which human live

Lesson 10
Learning Intention
The environment can effect and
shape development and the ways in
which human live
Activity
Create their own town
Map, biography of a citizen,
description of the town and
significant features
Resources
Computers, iPads, photos, maps,
planner,
Australian Curriculum
ICT

Activity
In groups, students look at natural
disasters and the effects on the
community and on the environment.
With this knowledge students create
a poster on how to prepare properties
in the event of a natural disaster. This
can include a fire evacuation plan.
Resources
Poster paper, pencils, textas,
computers for research,
Australian Curriculum
ACHGK030, ACHGK028, ACHGK029,
ACHCS044, ACHCS046

Assessment
Students provide a range of sources
to form a snapshot of their town. This
will include a map of the town,
biography of a citizen, brief
description of the towns significant
features. The snapshot will be
presented in a website/presentation
form