Middle School Geography of the World:Part 7 Australia/Oceana Ecosystems & People
Four lesson class on local culture & iconic ecosystems specific to Australia & Oceana. Students explore how regional ecosystems interact, with emphasis on the theme of movement. *No Prerequisites*Small classes*Experienced Teacher
Miss Mollie Geography & Social Studies Writing
Average rating:
5.0
Number of reviews:(135)
What's included
4 live meetings
3 hrs 20 mins in-class hoursHomework
1 hour per week. Students can choose from a menu of topics and formats to complete modest independent projects. Projects are designed to give students an opportunity to practice skills we address in class, independently. These can serve as portfolio projects to demonstrate learning. Estimated time for independent work after each class: 30 minutes. Note that projects are designed to encourage students to explore new ideas and skills. Projects can expand, responding to student curiosity and motivation. We will set aside some class time for students to begin their homework project in class, when possible. In this way, students can easily ask clarifying questions as they proceed. We also encourage students to practice with an online interactive puzzle game to review the names and locations of countries in the region of Australia and Oceana. They should also review the key terms list each week (provided with each homework post) to prepare for our dazzling Kahoot in Week 4.Assessment
A student-completed map of Australia and Oceana, 2 independent projects and a Kahoot quiz at the end of this mini-course will demonstrate mastery of skills, terms and concepts. Student score on the Kahoot quiz is also available.Class Experience
US Grade 5 - 8
This multi-day course is the seventh in a series on Middle School Geography, including physical and human geography. Part 7 is designed to help middle schoolers apply their map reading and analytic skills to the culture and ecosystems of Australia and related ecosystems in Oceana, today. Classes include visuals that promote discussion and analysis, plus interactive games encouraging mastery. Part 7 will introduce new skills and vocabulary to address physical, political, environmental and cultural aspects of the region anchored by Australia. Part 7 will introduce key ideas related to identifying and understanding ecosystems. Students can succeed in this Part 7 course even if they have not taken previous classes in this series. We do build foundation concepts in the previous classes but will refresh understanding in each part of this series. After finishing Part 7, students will be able to demonstrate their familiarity with the map of Australia, Oceana and neighboring oceans, identify physical features, compare some political, economic and cultural features of selected locations and evaluate information on a current environmental issue affecting this region. Students will analyze comparative data describing environmental factors, and choose options for writing to support an argument. The goal of this class is to provide students with skills and challenge them to apply these skills to increase their understanding of today's world beyond their own experience. At the time of enrollment, students are provided with a set of vocabulary and defined concepts. We encourage students to review these each week if they want to finish our Week 4 Kahoot with a mighty splash 😊. NOTE: A popular class feature, I encourage our students to send school appropriate geography jokes via the Outschool Classroom. We will share appropriate jokes, puns & cartoons in class and enjoy a 'geography guffaw.' Our Aussie friends have a notable track record regarding humor 😊, which makes this element of our class particularly fun. My goal is to draw students into our small class discussions using humor, interactive games/techniques, discussion and student choice. COURSE OUTLINE WEEK 1: Physical Features & Their Relationship To Human Settlement, Over Time WEEK 2: Major Regions - Ecosystem Focus WEEK 3: History, Traditions and Cultures WEEK 4: Interacting Environmental Factors, Student Projects & Kahoot Challenge With this small class we are able to present concepts and guide students to apply ideas and draw conclusions about what the maps, primary sources, illustrations and almanac data sources show them. I love the academic goal of expanding our students' thinking by helping them evaluate sources, make comparisons, create questions and evaluate what they learn. This learning will be a good foundation for understanding future middle school and high school geography classes about world locations, cultures, economics, political history and ecosystems. Independent Projects. I do encourage students to complete the independent projects which are assigned each week. These projects are designed to expand students' independent learning, increasing their grasp of facts. Students work with facts to develop analytic skills and practice drawing conclusions based on reliable evidence. Students frequently choose topics and formats from a menu of activities. Projects build on research and analytic skills presented in class and are supported with specific resources and project instructions. Students will have a choice of using technology to build their projects or relying on non-digital resources (paper/pencil, art materials). When possible, students may start their project before the end of class, giving them an opportunity to clarify their ideas and form a good project plan. We will share student projects at the beginning of the next class session to help the students deepen their understanding and improve long term memory of class topics. These projects will also serve as artifacts suitable for a student's learning portfolio. As an Outschool teacher, I encourage students to use the communication window in our classroom to ask clarifying questions about concepts we discuss in class or to clarify the details of an assignment. I am routinely available between classes to communicate via our classroom. When students complete the 4 class sessions in this course they will receive a certificate of course completion, referring to all completed project work. National Geography Standards addressed in this course: Students will demonstrate thinking skills: chronology, picture analysis, statistical analysis, source analysis and writing to support a hypothesis using evidence.. 4 The physical and human characteristics of places Places and Regions 5 That people create regions to interpret Earth's complexity Places and Regions 9 The characteristics, distribution, and migration of human populations on Earth's surface Human Systems 11 The patterns and networks of economic interdependence on Earth's surface Human Systems 13 How the forces of cooperation and conflict among people influence the division and control of Earth's surface Human Systems 15 How physical systems affect human systems Environment and Society 18 How to apply geography to interpret the present and plan for the future. The Uses of Geography Related courses on Outschool, now: Middle School Geography of the World: Part 1 Mapping Skills (4 sessions) Middle School Geography of the World: Part 2 Europe Landforms & Culture (4 sessions) Middle School Geography of the World: Part 3 Russia @ Heart of Eurasia (4 sessions) Middle School Geography of the World: Part 4-Middle East-Land & Culture Regions (4 sessions) Middle School Geography of the World: Part 5 - South Asia Society & Economy Middle School Geography of the World: Part 6 - China and South East Asia Geography Bee: Map Skills Vocabulary - Let’s Kahoot It! (1 session) Geography Bee 2: Landforms in Europe - Let’s Kahoot It (1 session) Geography Bee 3: Russia - Places and Things - Let’s Kahoot It! (1 session) Geography Bee 4: Middle East - Culture, Economy & the Map - Let’s Kahoot It! (1 session) Geography Bee 5: South Asia - Locations, Trade and Society - Let's Kahoot It! (1 session) Geography Bee 6: East-SE Asia Geography & Thinking Skills-Let’s Kahoot It! (1 session) Geography Bee 7: Australia/Oceana Ecosystem, Location, Movement-Let's Kahoot It! Geography Bee 8: Africa-Living South of the Sahara-Let's Kahoot It! Geography Bee 7: Australia/Oceana Ecosystem, Location, Movement-Let's Kahoot It! Geography Bee World Series (1) - Let's Kahoot It! [All 7 Geography Bees in this series are bundled in one sign up] (7 sessions) Welcome to Middle School Geography - Have Fun With That! Elementary Tutoring: Social Studies With A Twist
Learning Goals
The goal of this class is to provide students with skills and challenge them to apply these skills to increase their understanding of the world beyond their own experience, specifically in the region of Australia and Oceana. Students will demonstrate mastery of over 20 concepts related to landforms, political and physical maps, history highlights, the environment and the economy. They will practice with research and analysis to make sense out of the knowledge they acquire. Students will also sharpen their ability to form hypotheses and defend them with evidence, using a variety of thinking skills. These concepts are embedded in middle school geography learning standards.
Students will demonstrate thinking skills: data analysis, source analysis. and constructing effective arguments using evidence.
National Geography Standards addressed in this course:
4 The physical and human characteristics of places Places and Regions
5 That people create regions to interpret Earth's complexity Places and Regions
9 The characteristics, distribution, and migration of human populations on Earth's surface Human Systems
11 The patterns and networks of economic interdependence on Earth's surface Human Systems
13 How the forces of cooperation and conflict among people influence the division and control of Earth's surface Human Systems
15 How physical systems affect human systems Environment and Society
18 How to apply geography to interpret the present and plan for the future. The Uses of Geography
Other Details
Parental Guidance
Students will participate in a review game on the Kahoot platform. This is an approved tool in Outschool. No student account is required. Teacher will run Kahoot game. Its purpose is to review the material covered in class and apply it to problems. Students may sign into the 'answer device' screen using an appropriate first name, nick name or symbol.
Homework assignments are provided and encouraged, but are not required for participation. For source material, students may access one or more of the following sites. These sites provide useful resources and give our students an opportunity to practice map skills, gather research information and extend their learning. For on-line best practice, students should use the link to a resource that is provided in our classroom. No membership or sign up is required to access the links provided in independent project assignments, unless noted below. Best practice also recommends responsible adults to monitor student on-line activity.
Seterrra https://online.seterra.com/en/vgp/3007 (an online map practice & quiz game...not sign in required)
Encyclopedia Britannica https://www.britannica.com/ (a prominent and well respected research tool ...no sign in required)
Ducksters https://www.ducksters.com/ (a social studies resource for elementary and middle school students. Ducksters.com is certified by the kidSAFE Seal Program.) Read more at: https://www.ducksters.com/about.php ...no sign in required
Mr. Donn https://www.mrdonn.org/ A site for teachers and students, this site is recognized by the BBC Educational Guide: ""This is an excellent resource for students and teachers of ancient history." ...no sign in required
Smithsonian Science Education https://ssec.si.edu/ This US Government institution describes the site as "the website of the Smithsonian Science Education Center (SSEC), the only organization at the Smithsonian Institution that is solely dedicated to formal K-12 Education." ...no sign in required
Quizlet https://quizlet.com/ (This is a quiz site that allows us to offer practice quizzes tailored to our topic). ...no sign in required
Kahn Academy.org This is a site that offers free resources related to most K-12 topics. Resources may be used for optional activities. Privacy Statement " We take extra precautions for our younger learners as described in our Children’s Privacy Notice, including restricting child accounts to automatically block features that would allow a child to post or disclose personal information." Students may sign in to access the content.
Discovery Virtual Field Trips. https://www.discoveryeducation.com/community/virtual-field-trips/ Privacy Statement: https://www-media.discoveryeducation.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Discovery-Education-Privacy-Policy-05-05-2022.pdf ...no sign in required.
YouTube Videos may be offered for optional homework assignments. The link is controlled and limited within the Outschool Platform...no sign in is required.
Supply List
Handouts and homework guidance will be provided through Outschool communication. It will be helpful to print out the handout provided for our first class. This is a map activity that students will use in our first class. This is the only assignment that is best printed out. If a printer is not availale, the student may bring blank paper and pencil to class, to draw a rough version of the map we will be working with. In Week 4, Students can have two screens for the Kahoot game quiz, if possible. Our quiz game is to provide review and evidence of learning--in an entertaining game format. The device you normally use for online classes will display the questions and choices through Outschool. A second smart device, a smart phone or tablet, works well. Using this second device, learners will sign in to www.kahoot.it, enter the PIN number provided in class and then they are ready to enter their answers in our Kahoot. Results will be displayed in the Outschool classroom screen after each question. If a second device is not available to enter answers, students can participate by signing into Kahoot on their Outschool computer with a second tab (split screen OS/Kahoot if you are techie) or with a simple paper & pencil, and keep their own tally of results.
3 files available upon enrollment
External Resources
In addition to the Outschool classroom, this class uses:
Joined August, 2020
5.0
135reviews
Teacher expertise and credentials
Maryland Teaching Certificate in Social Studies/History
2 Degrees
Master's Degree from George Washington University
Bachelor's Degree in History from Trinity University of Washington D.C.
Certified as a Social Studies Teacher in my state, I have taught Social Studies (including World Geography) for over 18 years, primarily at the Middle School level. My classes have had lots of fun and engagement with World Geography, delving into the wonders of 'oh so slightly' familiar cultures, as well as cultures that are dramatically different from the West. Students sparkle when engaging in special projects, conversations, Kahoot Challenges, interactive games and other teaching practices designed to help our students enjoy becoming a master of their own learning. Master's Degree (Public Policy), Bachelor's Degree (History), Teaching Certificate (State of Maryland) : Social Studies, History, Middle School Language Arts, 30 credits beyond Master's Degree. I am grateful to all my students, both in traditional classrooms and on line, for all that they teach me every day. Reviews
Live Group Class
$60
for 4 classes1x per week, 4 weeks
50 min
Completed by 3 learners
Live video meetings
Ages: 10-14
1-6 learners per class
