Humanities-Geography

=__Year 9 Geography Unit - The Water Cycle, River Systems and Human Interaction with the Water Cycle__=

Water Glossary Words
__**Precipitation**__: Moisture that returns to the earth from the atmospher such as rain, hail and snow. __**Run-off:**__ water running over the surface of the land that is not used by plants and does not soak into the ground. __**Drought:**__ A period of abnormally low rainfall where there is not enough water to meet the needs of people, animals and the environment. __**Water Catchment Area:**__ an area of land where water runs off into a river system.
 * __Climate:__** The __average__ weather conditions such as precipitation, temperature, wind and sunshine __observed over many years__ at a particular location of region.

Introduction to Water Facts and Issues.
Students are working on Water topics from __Chapter 6, Humanities Alive 3.__ What do you know about water??? Are the following statements fact or fiction???

Water in an Arid Land.
Only 3% of the Earth's water is fresh water - where is this fresh water found?? Copy the following diagram into your workbook. Year 9 students - For most of your life (the last 14 years) Australia has been in drought. This is hard to believe when we look out the window and see it raining at the moment!!! __Read pages 156-157, in Humanitie Alive 3,__ and focusing on Figures 1 and 2 and the news article from //**The Australian**//. Answer questions 1-5 on page 157.

The Water Cycle.
Define the following key terms: __evaporation, transpiration, evapotranspiration, condensation, precipitation, inflitration, run-off, groundwater.__ Go to the following Earthguide website and interact with the water cycle. Where does the energy come from that drives the water cycle? []

Complete a labelled diagram of the water cycle and then complete the 12 statements about the water cycle using the water cycle word bank**.**



Your diagran should be labelled like the following...............

Water Issues in the News
In __Humaities Alive 3, page 157,__ is an article titled, **//'Melbourne suffers as drought in southern Australia declared worst on record.'//** Look at news media websites such as the Herald Sun, the Age, the Australian, the ABC and search online for other water issues in the news. What can you find about:
 * Floods in Queensland
 * Cyclone Anthony 2011
 * Floods in Victoria
 * Water storage levels in Victorian dams and reserviors
 * Tsunami in Thailand
 * Salinity issues in the Murray Darling Basin
 * Desalination plant at Wonthaggi in Victoria

Creating and Analysing Overlay Maps
__Refer to page 158 of Humanities Alive 3 and read the steps in creating an overlay map__. Use the black line master below of Australia with its state boundaries to construct both your base map and overlay map.

You will also need to refer to the Heinemann Atlas for a map with Australia's annual rainfall (page 15 in 4th edition, page 17 in 5th edition) and a map of Australia's population distribution (page 30 in 4th edition, page 32 in 5th edition). Create a base map showing Australia's annual rainfall. Create an overlay map with tracing paper showing Australia's poulation distribution. Join the two maps together with tape making sure the maps are carefully aligned.

__**Questions:**__ 1. Describe the spatial distribution of rainfall in Australia -where are the high rainfall areas / moderate rainfall areas / low rainfall areas??? 2. Describe the spatial distribution of Australia's poulation - in what areas of Australia are most people living / few people living??? 3. Describe the spatial association betweem rainfall and population - is there a matching pattern between where the people live and where the rain is falling??? 4. What happens to the rain falling on our highly populated areas - the cities??? Where does the run-off go???

River Ecosystems and Rivers out of Balance.
__Read pages 162 - 165 in Humanities Alive 3__. 1. Using Figure 2, estimate the length of each of the longest river systems on each continent. Which is the longest river system in the world??? Complete the following mapping task on 24 Major World Rivers.



2. Rivers are complex natural systems that depend on a balance between inputs and ouputs. What things go into a river that can affect it??? What things come out of a river that can affect it???? 3. Refer to Figure 1. How do rivers change from their source to the sea??? 4. Complete the worksheet below by (a) discussing and writing down what 'out of balance ' means in relation to rivers; (b) annotating each picture to describe what is happening and what it has to do with rivers.



4. Complete 'Causes of River Imbalance Match -up Activity' and glue in workbook.



=Water and Agriculture= Agriculture is an important industry in Australia, It produces most of our food requirements and contributes to Australia's export earnings. A great deal of fesh water in Australia is used in agriculture. __Read from pages 170-171 in Humanities Alive 3.__ Here is a sample table and pie graph:
 * __Task 1:__** Using the tables on page 170 of your text, create a table and pie chart in MS Excel to represent (1) How fresh water is used in Australia, and (2) The percentage of fresh water used to irrigate different crops in Australia.

By referring to your tables and pie charts, describe (1) how fresh water is used in Australia and (2) which crops are the biggest water users.

Create a two column table with arguments that support this statement (Affirmative) and arguments that refute this statement (Negative).
 * __Task 2:__** Refer to Figure 2 on page 171 of your text. Consider the statement,
 * “People should eat less red meat so that we use less water.”**


 * ** “People should eat less red meat so that we use less water.” ** ||
 * Affirmative (Eat less red meat)  ||   Negative (Keep eating red meat)   ||
 * * Raising cattle and sheep for meat consumption uses too much water 50,000 and 100,000 litres of water for every kg of meat.
 * || * Red meat is an important part of a healthy diet so we should keep producing and eating it.
 * || * Red meat is an important part of a healthy diet so we should keep producing and eating it.
 * || * Red meat is an important part of a healthy diet so we should keep producing and eating it.
 * || * Red meat is an important part of a healthy diet so we should keep producing and eating it.

=Water Sanitation Issues: Group Project - PPT and Oral Presentation= __Preliminary Reading: Humanities Alive 3, pages 180-183; Pearson Atlas, pages 38-39__

Below is the __**assessment task sheet**__ and the **__marking criteria rubric__.** Open and save these to your student drive as you will need to refer to these throughout your research.



Group PowerPoint and Oral Presentations are due Friday June 1. Everyone needs to be ready as the order of presentation will be randomly selected by your teacher. Each group will be expected to present, even if some group members are absent - SHARE YOUR RESEARCH so that you know what each group member is responsible for.