Introduction
What is Place?
Place refers to the physical and human aspects of a location. This theme of geography is associated with the name of a place, the description of the features of the place and the environmental conditions of the place. Each place in the world has its own unique characteristics.
Learning about place helps us understand the world in which we live!
So will you, my fellow explorer, join me on an adventure as we explore places? Let's Go!
Task
Your Task
Inquiry Question: How can we research, locate, organise and classify information about how places are similar and different?
It is your task to explore this inquiry question as part of the process of investigating how places and similar and different. We will do this by focusing on two distinct places - Broken Hill and Bondi. You will explore:
- The location of each place
- What each place looks like - its characteristics and features
- The climate and weather of each place
- The demographics of each place
As you engage in this process it is your job to complete your comparison table which you have been given, answering the questions asked, to realise ways these places are similiar and different. This will help you complete the final activity for this lesson.
Are you ready to explore? Click "Process" to begin your journey to these wonderful places!
Process
Key Terms:
https://syllabus.bostes.nsw.edu.au/hsie/geography-k10/glossary/#aerial-photograph
- Area - The measurement of a piece of land
- Location - A particular place or position
- Features - Distinctive aspects which are tangible (can be touched)
- Characteristics - A feature or quality that belongs to a place that serves to identify it that are tangible and intangible (can and cannot be touched)
- Climate - The average types of weather experienced by a place over a long period of time
- Weather - The condition of the atmosphere at a point in time - contributes to the climate
- Demographics - Data relating to the population and groups within it
- Ancestry - One's family or ethnic descent
- Religion - A particular system of faith and worship
Exploring Climate and Weather:
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbAWny7FV3w]
The climate of Australia can be classified into the following:
- Tropical - Warm all year where humidity is high and there is lots of rain
- Subtropical - Hot and humid summers and mild to cool winters
- Arid - Very dry and lack of water
- Temperate - It is not toprical and it is not polar but rather moderate; warm during the summer and cold during winter
- Cool - Usually at or below 19 degrees
For more information: http://mocomi.com/weather-and-climate/
Place 1: Broken Hill
Where is Broken Hill?
Broken Hill lies in Australia in the north-western corner of outback New South Wales in the Barrier Ranges; almost as far west as it is possible to go in New South Wales. It is 935 km north-west of Sydney, 725 km north-west of Melbourne, and 420 km north-east of Adelaide.
Click the map to explore Broken Hill further!
What is the size of the area of Broken Hill?
http://profile.id.com.au/broken-hill/about
What does Broken Hill look like?
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dA5B-u8_rgo]
What undeniably is the main characteristic of Broken Hill is the massive ore body present in the heart of the city - The Line of Lode. It is one of the world's largest silver/lead/zinc deposits.
Other characteristics include:
- Rich mining history
- Birthplace of BHP Billiton
- Backdrop for ‘Priscilla Queen of the Desert’ and ‘Mad Max 2
- Community spirit
- Strong resilience
Main features include:
- The Living Desert
- Menindee Lakes
- Silverton and Mundi Mundi Lookout
- The Big Chair
- Late Victorian buildings
- Home to one of the largest solar plants in the Southern Hemisphere
View images of Broken Hill here!
What is the Climate and Weather of Broken Hill?
Climate: Using the climate zone map at the start of the page and the map identifying Broken Hill's location figure out its climate.
Weather: http://weather.mla.com.au/climate-history/nsw/broken-hill
What are the Demographics of Broken Hill?
Click on the following links to find your answers:
- http://stat.abs.gov.au/itt/r.jsp?RegionSummary®ion=11250&dataset=ABS_REGIONAL_LGA&geoconcept=REGION&datasetASGS=ABS_REGIONAL_ASGS&datasetLGA=ABS_REGIONAL_LGA®ionLGA=REGION®ionASGS=REGION
- http://profile.id.com.au/broken-hill/ancestry
Place 2: Bondi
Where is Bondi?
Bondi is a popular beach suburb in Sydney New South Wales. It is located 7km east of the Sydney Central in the Eastern Suburbs.
Click the map to explore Bondi further!
What is the size of the area of Bondi?
http://profile.id.com.au/waverley/about?WebID=100
What does Bondi look like?
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEzhTxcHszk]
What is definitely the main characteristic of Bondi is the well known Bondi Beach! It is a 1.5km stretch of shore that is a living symbol of the "Aussie Summer." It is one of Australia's most treasured places.
Other characteristics include:
- The site of Australia's first lifesaving club
- The birthplace of beach culture in Australia
- Symbol of the Australian way of life
Main features include:
- Bondi Icebergs Pool/Baths
- Bondi to Coogee Walk
- Bondi Junction Shopping
- Surf lifesaving club
What is the Climate and Weather of Bondi?
Climate: Using the climate zone map at the start of the page and the map identifying Bondi's location figure out its climate.
Weather: http://weather.mla.com.au/climate-history/nsw/bondi
What are the Demographics of Broken Hill?
Click on the following links to find your answers:
Conclusion
What Next?
Have you retrieved all the information you need?
Now let's think, how are Broken Hill and Bondi similar and different?
To conclude: Use your comparison, which should now be complete,to create a Venn diagram using the template which you have been given to identify the similarities and differences of Broken Hill and Bondi.
Thank you for exploring with me!
