Landforms, Landscapes and All That Jazz…
While you might be thinking that Humanities has gone all Chicago in its title for this article, you won’t be surprised to know that our Geographical Landforms and Landscapes Unit is almost as exciting and engaging as our 2024 College musical.
True, the unit doesn’t involve jazz hands or the great Cell Block Tango, nor does it require much dancing prowess or acting chops. However, the Year 8 Landforms and Landscapes Unit draws upon creativity and asks students to take a bit of a risk with their learning in order to produce something original.
Year 8 Humanities teachers work with their geographers to develop an understanding of common landforms and landscapes. As a class, they delve into the birth and evolution of the landscapes and landforms, and learn about the impact climate and disaster can have on mountain areas, coastal regions and deserts.
Then, this information is harnessed and wrangled in order for geographers to unleash their creativity and critical thinking skills. Selecting a landform and possible event that may befall that landscape, students write and illustrate a visual short story, a fictional, artistic book that may teach young learners about what they have unearthed about the world around them.
The Year 8 Landforms and Landscapes Unit practically sings off the page. Students are challenged to synthesise facts about geography and make these visually and grammatically appealing, all the while weaving character and plot throughout the narrative. Many geographers take pride in their original work. Some students realise that they actually can draw and conjure a story from their own imagination.
And just like jazz, the narrative process and product can be a little chaotic, a little bit noisy, but when it all comes together, the book permeates with individuality and vigour. That’s a wrap!