Connections to Two Places

Overview

In this 6-week sequence, students investigate Townsville (Queensland, Australia) and Florianópolis (Santa Catarina, Brazil) and compare natural, managed and constructed features, with a focus on climate, vegetation and animals, and how climate affects people’s lives. Lessons explicitly teach research skills, climate data interpretation, note-taking, map labelling conventions and writing a modelled comparison paragraph.

Learning intentions

Students will:

• locate and describe key features of two places using research
• interpret climate data (temperature and rainfall) to describe climate and impacts
• record information in organised notes and tables
• label a map using basic cartographic conventions (title, north/compass rose, location, legend)
• compare places by identifying similarities and differences in natural and built features and how people live

Success criteria

Students can:

• identify where each place is located and name two natural and two built landmarks for both places
• describe climate using evidence from a pre-populated climate data table
• list natural vegetation types and native animals for each place
• explain how climate affects how people live (food, sports/recreation, farming, housing choices)
• label maps correctly (title, north, location, legend) and write a comparison paragraph with clear similarities and differences

Curriculum links

• AC9HS3K05: similarities and differences between places in Australia and neighbouring countries in terms of natural, managed and constructed features (adapted to a neighbouring-region comparison across Australia and a South American city)
• AC9HS3S02: locate, collect and record information and data from a range of sources, including maps (online/digital sources) and record in labelled formats
• AC9HS3S03: interpret information and data displayed in different formats (especially climate tables)
• AC9HS3S05: draw conclusions based on analysis of information (link climate evidence to impacts on people)
• AC9HS3K03: use geographical tools to locate and name relevant places and regions; identify direction from Australia

---

Lesson structure (6 × 60 minutes)

Week 1 (60 min) — Start investigations + map basics

Learning intention: Students will begin researching Townsville and Florianópolis and identify key landmarks and location information, and start climate note-taking. Success criteria: I can locate both places on a map/globe; list 2 natural and 2 built landmarks for each place; record research notes in headings.

1. 0–10 min · Hook and model. Teacher shows two photo sets of Townsville and Florianópolis and asks: “What natural and built features do you notice?” Students do a quick think-pair-share and teacher lists observations. 2. 10–25 min · Research skills mini-lesson (I do/We do). Teacher demonstrates using a teacher-provided list of safe sources, showing how to take notes under headings (location, landmarks, climate, vegetation, animals, people’s lives). Students practise highlighting keywords and turning them into short notes. 3. 25–45 min · Guided research (You do). Students work in pairs: complete “Townsville notes” and “Florianópolis notes” for (a) location and (b) 2 natural + 2 built landmarks each place. 4. 45–55 min · Map conventions intro (I do/We do). Teacher models a map label set: title, north/compass rose, location, legend; students label a sample mini-map template (no glue yet). 5. 55–60 min · Formative check (exit). Students answer: “One landmark I found and one question I still have.”

Key vocabulary (Week 1): place, landmark, natural feature, built feature, climate, vegetation, native animals, compass rose, legend, north.

---

Week 2 (60 min) — Climate interpretation with evidence

Learning intention: Students will interpret pre-populated climate data tables and write climate descriptions for both places. Success criteria: I can use temperature and rainfall patterns to describe climate type; I can write a climate summary with evidence.

1. 0–10 min · Retrieval warm-up. Students revisit Week 1 notes: teacher asks for one landmark example from each place. 2. 10–22 min · Interpret data (I do/We do). Teacher models reading a climate table: identify warm/cool months, wetter/drier months, then sentence stems (e.g., “In most months, temperatures are… Rainfall is highest in…”). 3. 22–40 min · Climate table work (You do). Students fill “Climate description” for Townsville and Florianópolis using the teacher pre-populated tables (placeholders included below; teacher prepares data before Lesson 2).

• Climate data table (teacher pre-populate): Place 1 Townsville
• Jan–Dec: Rainfall (mm): ______; Temperature (°C): ______
• Climate data table (teacher pre-populate): Place 2 Florianópolis
• Jan–Dec: Rainfall (mm): ______; Temperature (°C): ______ Teacher circulates to check they cite patterns, not guesses. 4. 40–50 min · Formative check. “Data → sentence” card sort: teacher provides 6 data statements; students choose the best matching evidence sentence for each place. 5. 50–60 min · Share and improve. Students swap partners’ climate descriptions and highlight one sentence that uses evidence.

Key vocabulary (Week 2): temperature, rainfall, wet/dry season, pattern, degrees Celsius, climate description, evidence, vegetation type.

---

Week 3 (60 min) — Vegetation, animals and “how people live”

Learning intention: Students will record natural vegetation types, native animals, popular food, sports/recreation and farming, then explain climate impacts on daily life. Success criteria: I can list vegetation and animals for both places; I can explain how climate affects food, activities and farming.

1. 0–12 min · Teacher model (I do). Teacher demonstrates note-taking: “Because Townsville is hot with distinct wet/dry periods, people often…” using sentence starters. 2. 12–30 min · Research (You do). Students use teacher-provided sources to complete for each place:

• natural vegetation type(s)
• native animals
• popular food
• sports/recreation
• farming types 3. 30–45 min · Climate impact writing (We do/You do). Teacher co-writes one impact paragraph for Townsville: climate → daily life. Students then write for Florianópolis using their climate notes. 4. 45–55 min · Formative check (success criteria). Teacher uses a checklist: students trade books and check for (a) climate evidence used, (b) impact explained, (c) at least one food/activity/farming detail. 5. 55–60 min · Quick confer. Teacher calls 3–4 students to read one sentence; gives immediate feedback.

Key vocabulary (Week 3): natural vegetation, native, animal adaptation (simple), popular food, recreation, farming, climate affects, housing (optional link), interconnections.

---

Week 4 (60 min) — Map labelling conventions + landmarks on map

Learning intention: Students will correctly label the provided map for Florianópolis and place two landmarks with accurate compass orientation. Success criteria: I can label title, compass rose north, location of Place 2, legend; I can mark 2 landmarks on the map.

1. 0–15 min · Map conventions (I do/We do). Teacher models writing a map title and legend symbols; demonstrates north/compass rose and “where is it compared to Australia”. 2. 15–35 min · Map task (You do). Students label Florianópolis map: title, north, location, legend, and add two landmarks (with symbol key). 3. 35–50 min · Review and correction (We do). Teacher projects a “common mistakes” version (missing north/unclear legend); students revise their own maps. 4. 50–58 min · Formative check. Peer check using a 4-point rubric (Title / North / Location / Legend + landmarks). 5. 58–60 min · Exit. Students write: “One improvement I made to my map…”

Key vocabulary (Week 4): map symbol, legend, compass rose, north, title, label, landmark placement.

---

Week 5 (60 min) — Similarities/differences and modelled comparison paragraph

Learning intention: Students will identify similarities and differences between the two places and write a comparison paragraph using a model. Success criteria: I can write 1 similarity and 1 difference supported by evidence; I can use clear comparisons (both/while/in contrast).

1. 0–12 min · Modelled comparison (I do). Teacher provides a model paragraph (topic sentence, evidence sentence for each place, closing sentence). Students underline: similarity, difference, and climate evidence. 2. 12–30 min · Build comparison notes (You do). Students complete:

• Similarities table row(s)
• Unique to Townsville
• Unique to Florianópolis Include at least: climate impact, landmarks, vegetation/animals or food/activity. 3. 30–45 min · Write paragraph (You do). Students draft a comparison paragraph using sentence starters:
• “Both places have…”
• “Townsville is different because…”
• “In contrast, Florianópolis…” 4. 45–55 min · Formative check (teacher conference). Teacher checks paragraph plan: at least 2 evidence references and one concluding claim. 5. 55–60 min · Self-check. Students tick whether they used the comparison connectors.

Key vocabulary (Week 5): compare, similarity, difference, climate affects, both/while/in contrast, evidence, conclusion.

---

Week 6 (60 min) — Prepare final Part A responses + climate table check

Learning intention: Students will finalise Part A: complete all required sections with accurate, organised information and map labelling conventions. Success criteria: I can complete all Part A sections for both places; I can present climate descriptions supported by table data; my map is correctly labelled.

1. 0–15 min · Checklist and revision (We do). Teacher shows a “Part A organiser” and models completing one section (e.g., Townsville climate description linked to the table). 2. 15–40 min · Independent finishing (You do). Students complete remaining boxes for Part A:

• name places and location in Australia / relation to Australia
• 2 natural + 2 built landmarks each
• climate data description for both
• vegetation types, native animals
• how people live: food, sports/recreation, farming
• how climate affects people
• similarities + unique features
• Florianópolis map labelling conventions (if not already complete) 3. 40–50 min · Data accuracy check. Students circle in each climate description the month(s)/pattern(s) they used from the table. 4. 50–58 min · Peer review (formative). Partner checks for map conventions and evidence-based comparison sentence(s). 5. 58–60 min · Exit ticket. “One thing I did well and one thing to improve for Week 7 completion.”

Key vocabulary (Week 6): organiser, evidence-based, accuracy, labelled map, conclude, reflect.

---

Resources

• Teacher pre-populated climate tables for Townsville and Florianópolis (Jan–Dec rainfall and temperature)
• Teacher-provided safe research sources (books and/or approved websites) with notes sheet templates
• Townsville note sheet and Florianópolis note sheet (headings aligned to Part A)
• Blank maps for Place 2 with compass rose and legend space (or provided template)
• Landmark symbol cards and legend examples
• Climate interpretation sentence starters (both/while/in contrast)
• Model comparison paragraph (printed)
• Checklist rubric for map labelling and evidence use

Assessment

• Formative checks each week aligned to success criteria:
• Week 1: landmark + research note headings
• Week 2: data-to-sentence alignment for climate description
• Week 3: peer checklist for climate impact explanation
• Week 4: map conventions peer rubric
• Week 5: teacher conference on evidence and comparison paragraph structure
• Week 6: data accuracy circle-check + peer review of map conventions
• Quick exit tickets at end of Weeks 1, 4, 5, and 6 to track readiness for Week 7

Differentiation

• Support:
• Provide sentence starters and a word bank for climate description and comparison connectors
• Use chunked note cards (one section per page) to reduce cognitive load
• Offer guided reading groups for vegetation/animals pages
• Extension:
• Students add one extra managed/constructed feature (e.g., transport, tourism sites) and a further evidence link in the paragraph
• EAL/SEN:
• Allow oral rehearsal of paragraph before writing; provide simplified climate sentence stems
• Use colour-coding: blue for temperature evidence, green for rainfall evidence, red for impact statements

Week 7 pathway (after the 6 weeks)

• Complete Part A “Investigate and compare places” fully using:
• location in Australia (and relation for Florianópolis)
• two natural landmarks + two built landmarks for each place
• climate description using the teacher pre-populated climate tables
• natural vegetation types + native animals
• how people live: popular food, sports/recreation, farming
• climate impacts on people for both places
• similarities + unique features section
• Florianópolis map labelling conventions: title, compass rose showing north, location of Place 2, legend (and landmark placement)
• climate data table presentation: Rainfall (mm) and Temperature (°C) with Jan–Dec entries (data already pre-populated by teacher)