20825_Global_Geography_Year_3_Climate_zones

Australia’s climate zones
Lesson objectives
XXExamining climate data from cities/towns in Australia and comparing these to Australia’s climate zone map
XXIdentifying some factors that influence local climate, such as proximity to major lines of latitude and waterways,
elevation or altitude, and natural and built features
Lesson plan
Introduction
XXAs a class, watch the video at to
revise weather and climate and introduce local climate. Discuss the
questions What is the difference between major climate zones and
local climate? What factors may influence local climate? (proximity
to major lines of latitude and waterways, elevation/altitude, and
natural/built features)
Development
XXDivide the class into eight groups and allocate a different state
or territory of Australia to each group. As a group, students use
Google Earth to locate and explore their allocated state/territory,
it’s capital city and three major towns. Students then decide who
will research the capital city and who will research each major
town. Individually, students use page 35 to research climate data
for their city/town and record it using the tables.
XXUsing a brainstorming app (Popplet) students write and research
five questions about the elevation and natural and built features in
their city/town and record the answers using the same app.
XXAs a group, students discuss the climate data, location, elevation
and features for each city/town to draw conclusions about the
weather, seasons and climate in that state or territory. Students
then use a presentation app (SeeSaw) to explain the weather and
climate in their allocated state or territory, and factors that may
influence this. Students must add climate data tables (page 33) and
an explanation of the weather, seasons and climate in each city.
Students upload their presentation and view others.
Conclusion
XXAs a class, explore annual temperature and rainfall maps for
Australia at and compare these to
Australia’s climate zone map at .
Think-pair-share What factors may influence the climate in your
researched city/town and in your allocated state/territory?
Resources
XXVideo—What are climate zones?
XXGoogle Earth
XXPage 35
XXiPad ® /tablet with QR scanner, a
brainstorming app (Popplet) and a
presentation app (SeeSaw)
XXAnnual temperature and rainfall maps
of Australia
XXAustralia’s climate zone map
Travelling further
Students research weather
and climate data for their
local area and create graphs
showing average monthly
temperature and rainfall data.
Students create a model
of their local area and use
climate facts and opinions
to create a stop-motion
animation of the weather
and seasons in their local
area, and how this influences
people’s daily lives.
Curriculum links
HASS Knowledge and Understanding
The main climate types of the world and the similarities and differences between the climates of different places
(ACHASSK068)
HASS Inquiry and Skills
Questioning Researching Analysing
Evaluating and
reflecting
Communicating
• Poses questions about the
elevation and features of a
given city
• Locates and collects
information from Google
Earth, climate maps,
websites and videos
• Records, sorts and
represents data using tables
and a brainstorming app
• Interprets cartographic
information on maps to
locate and explore places in
Australia
• Compares climate and
physical maps to identify
patterns between climate
data and factors that
influence climate
• Draws simple conclusions
about the weather and
climate in a given state/
territory, and factors that
may influence this climate
• Communicates
understanding using a
presentation app
34YYear 3A AC GLOBAL GEOGRAPHYw www.ricpublications.com.auI