Lilydale

High School Year 9 Geography CAT Biomes & Food Security

Geographical Inquiry
Biomes &
Food Security
Scenario

Your Task:

Everyone in the world depends completely

on the Earths biomes and the services
they provide from our food and water
supply to the regulation of our climate.
Over the past fifty-year, people have had a
more rapid and more extensive impact on
these biomes than during any other time
in human history. Our demand for food,
water, fibres, timber and fuel has driven
these changes. The results have
contributed to improvements in human
wellbeing and economic development, but
there has also been detrimental change to
many our major food-producing biomes.

Your team has been selected to create a website that not only
grabs peoples attention but also informs them of the
importance of one particular biome as a producer of food, and
the current threats to food production. Looking into the future,
you will also suggest more sustainable ways of managing this
biome.

Key Inquiry Questions:

1. What is the biome and what are its characteristics and
distribution across the world and Australia (if
applicable)?
2. What are the main types of food produced in this
biome? How are the foods produced?

3. In what ways has food production changed this biome?

Are there any threats to food production this biome
faces?
4. How can we sustainably feed future populations using
this biome?

Forests

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ds
n
a
l
s
Gras

Oceans

Deserts

Process
1) Watch the introductory video.
2) Research: Create a Research Document. You will need to research the characteristics of a
biome and address the four key inquiry questions supplied in your Research Document.
3) Collecting and recording data: Once you have chosen your biome, it is time to start
researching information. For your key questions, break it down into several minor questions
that can become subheadings to form the structure of your research. When researching, look
for maps, graphs and images that supports your key question. You should also look for data or
statistics that you can show visually in the form of maps, diagrams or graphics.
4) Analysing your information and data: Once you have researched and collected relevant
information, you need to review it, ensure that you understand the material and then use it to
answer your key questions. From maps and graphs, describe any patterns or trends that you
identify. If using photographs, write clear annotations for each one, highlighting particular
features.
5)

Use the website-planning template to create design specifications for your site. You should
have a home page and at least three link pages per topic. You might want to insert features
such as Amazing facts and Did you know? into your interactive website. Remember the
three-click rule in web design you should be able to get anywhere in a website (including
back to the homepage) with a maximum of three clicks.

6) Communicating your findings: Use the website building software Weebly to build your
website. Remember that less is more with website design. Your mission is to engage and
inform people about a topic they may never have thought about. You want people to take the
time to read your entire website!
7) Reflecting on your work: Think back over how well you worked on the various tasks for this
inquiry. Reflect on your effort and final product by completing the Reflection Template
attached. Determine strengths and weaknesses and recommend changes you would make if
you were to repeat the exercise. Identify one area where you were pleased with your
performance, and an area where you would like to improve. Write two sentences outlining how
you might be able to do this.
8) Print out your Research Report and hand it in with your website and reflection notes.

Research Table
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Article -
Topic


Overfishing
Plenty of Fish in
the Sea? Not
Always

Usefullness
(/10)

Website

Summary

http://ocean.nationalgeogra
phic.com/ocean/critical-
issues-overfishing/

Led by the sushi market in Japan,

the global demand for succulent tuna
meat has driven stocks of this
species to the brink of collapse.
Fisheries in the Mediterranean are in
particular peril, with some studies
showing highly prized Bluefin tuna
near extinction there.

9 / 10

Assessment Rubric
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Student Name: ____________________________________________________

Class: ______________________
Task: To create a website that informs people of the importance of one particular biome as a producer of food, and the
current threats to food production.
Assessment
criteria

Excellent

Very good

Good

Pass

Poor

Geographical
knowledge and
understanding

Very
appropriate,
accurate,
detailed and
relevant
geographical
information

Appropriate,
accurate and
relevant
geographical
information

Usually
appropriate,
accurate and
relevant
geographical
information.
Minor errors
with content
and/or lacking
detail

Insufficient or
inaccurate
information or
frequently
incorrect

Mostly
irrelevant,
inaccurate or
incomplete
information

Geographical
skills

Information
and data very
well presented
and analysed.

Information
and data
presented and
analysed.

Some effort to
present and
analyse data.

Excellent
research

Very good
research

Some effort to
present and
analyse data
but errors
evident and/or
lacking detail.

Little evidence
of presentation
and analysis of
information
and data.

Some
research
conducted

Limited
research
Communication

Clear, relevant
and accurately
communicated
website based
on excellent
geographical
understanding.
Informative
and visually
appealing

Quite well
detailed and
based on good
geographical
understanding.
Generally
clear and
relevant
website

Mostly clear
and generally
relevant
website
indicating a
basic
geographical
understanding
of the
information.

Insufficient
information or
problems with
addressing the
key questions.
Website does
not clearly
communicate
geographical
understanding

Very limited
research
Not all
assessment
criteria have
been met.
Website does
not
communicate
geographical
understanding

A little
superficial or
inaccurate

Comment:

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Reflection

issue, date

Geographical inquiry
Student name _______________________________ Class _________ Due date ______________
1. You have used a number of important geographical skills to develop your website. Use the graphic organiser below
to consider how you performed in the various activities.

Completed with
confidence

Activity

Needed assistance to
complete

Reasons for needing

assistance

Planning the website

Planning the workload

and inquiry sequence/
key questions
Researching
information

Collecting and
recording data
(mapping, graphing,
etc.)
Analysing your
information and data

Building the website to

the final product

Working collaboratively
or independently

2. Look at the skills listed in the above table and decide which skills you enjoyed the most and which skills you enjoyed
using the least. Give each skill a ranking of 1 to 7, with 1 indicating your most preferred and 7 your least preferred.
Complete the following statements:
a

I find the skill of ...........................................................................................................................

enjoyable because .......................................................................................................................
.....................................................................................................................................................
.....................................................................................................................................................

I find the skill of ...........................................................................................................................

difficult because ...........................................................................................................................
.....................................................................................................................................................