CaseStudies
Responding to a Natural Disaster (1 Mb pdf file). This is an analysis of community responses to the disastrous storms and floods that struck the Central Coast and Hunter River regions of NSW on June 8th, 2007. It was written specifically to meet the Syllabus expections of the Natural Disasters topic in HSC Senior Science but will also find application in other curriculum areas which focus upon how communities respond to Natural Disasters
Porters Creek Case Study (4 Mb pdf file). Porters Creek Wetland is the largest remaining freshwater wetland on the NSW Central Coast; a reservoir of fresh water and biodiversity. This case study addresses many of the curriculum objectives for the topic 'A Local Ecosystem' in the Year11 Biology syllabus but will also find application in other curriculum areas such as in Senior Geography.
Water History Case Study (2 Mb pdf file). This case study of the history of water supply on the Central Coast of NSW asks the question: 'Where would you have put the dam?'. It was written to address those curriculum areas in the Geography Syllabus for years 11-12 that focus upon the management of water resources and land-use planning.
Global Warming Case Study
'Is climate change real or a figment of our imagination?'
'What is the evidence that our planet is warming?' This case study examines one aspect of the science of meteorology: namely, the measurement of day-to-day local air temperature, the way in which temperature data is compiled and the way it is presented in order for inferences to be drawn about long term trends in climate. The case study was written to strengthen students' skills in graphical presentation and interpretation particularly within years 10-12 of the NSW school curriculum.
Purpose
These Case Studies are for Senior High School Students (Years 11-12). Each individual page within the body of the text is designed to be a stand-alone page usually centred on an activity or set of questions of Year11-12 standard.
The Case Studies provide local area investigations of relevance to the Geography and Sciences Curricula. They will assist teachers and students in those topics that deal with the natural environment, particularly in the areas of resource use and human impacts.
The Case Studies do not address specific syllabus dot points but aim to provide stimulus material drawn mainly from local, Central Coast sources (often unpublished), that are difficult for students to access on their own. Their purpose is to encourage broad, evaluative thinking.
Recommended use
It is recommended that teachers adopt one or other of the following strategies:
1. For Classroom Use
• Teachers download the entire pdf document from the website using Adobe Acrobat
• Teachers select those pages and appendices of relevance to their teaching programs
• Photocopy black and white class sets of selected pages for students
• Teachers direct students to the website to view colour versions of the pages as set out in the online pdf document and to establish the context of the pages within the document as a whole.
2. For Assessment Task Purposes
• If teachers intend to use the entire Case Study as an assessment task it is recommended that the best approach is to direct students to the online pdf document for the students to down load individually.
• Teachers direct students by way of written instructions to those pages/sections that are to be addressed in the Assessment task
Please refer to the Disclaimer page for instructions regarding the use of material from external sites and to the Teachers Resources Page for general advice about Activities included within this Website.
Responding to a Natural Disaster
Porters Creek Case Study
Water History Case Study
Global Warming Case Study
Download Adobe Reader to access the Case Study pdf documents
Last Modified Nov 2007