Great Aussie Itinerary

Overview

Students begin an imagined “Great Aussie Road Trip” by using Australian maps and geographical information to plan a logical route across states and territories. They practise sequencing and justification language, then reflect on how travel can help people appreciate and care for Australia.

Learning intentions

• Students will plan an imaginary road trip around Australia using geographical information.
• Students will select 4–5 destinations and sequence them into a logical route.
• Students will explain why each destination is important using geographical evidence and vocabulary.
• Students will organise and record their route using an itinerary/planning template.

Success criteria

• I can plan a logical route across Australia using road map evidence.
• I can select destinations using geographical vocabulary (urban, rural, remote, landmark/geographical features).
• I can justify each stop with “I chose… because…” using geographical reasons.
• I can sequence my trip clearly using first, next, then, finally.

Curriculum links

• History/Geography (Stage 3): People organise places using geographical information; locate and represent places using road maps.
• History/Geography (Stage 3): Explain connections between urban, rural and remote places using geographical information.
• Aboriginal Cultural Knowledges and Practices: examine how oral traditions and mapping of landscapes care for Country and support understanding of place.

Lesson structure (99 minutes)

1. 0–10 min · Hook and discussion (Introduction). Teacher displays a wall map of Australia and asks: “If you could travel anywhere in Australia, where would you go? How would you get there? What would you like to see?” Students share quick responses using sentence starters (“I would go to… because…”), then the teacher names the project: “Great Aussie Road Trip”.

2. 10–28 min · Explicit teaching and modelling. Teacher models planning a short example road trip on the wall map: starting location, choosing destinations in different states/territories, and tracing a route using major roads. Students watch and track the steps on a visual checklist while the teacher highlights geography choices (urban/rural/remote) and “justify language”.

3. 28–40 min · Vocabulary and language rehearsal (guided). Teacher co-constructs a word bank on the board: Tier 2 (plan, justify, select, sequence, organise, investigate, explain, evaluate) and Tier 3 (itinerary, route, destination, geographical features, landmark, urban, rural, remote, transport network, state/territory). Students practise writing two justification sentences for one sample stop using: “This destination is important because…” and sequencing terms (first/next/then/finally).

4. 40–55 min · Guided practice as a class (shared route). Teacher draws a “class route” across the map (teacher-chosen start, students choose 2–3 stops). Students vote and explain choices using at least one geographical term and one reason from map evidence (e.g., “It links to other places using the transport network.”).

5. 55–60 min · Transition to independent task (success criteria check). Teacher clarifies the task expectations and shows the planning template structure: starting location, 4–5 destinations, states/territories, urban/rural/remote, reasons, and an approximate route. Students underline the success criteria on their template and ask one clarifying question.

6. 60–78 min · Independent planning (You Do: Draft part 1). Teacher circulates for conferencing support (focus: route logic and destination selection). Students complete the template sections for starting location and first 2 destinations, marking whether each is urban/rural/remote and adding a justification sentence using geographical vocabulary.

7. 78–90 min · Research and route drafting (You Do: Draft part 2). Teacher provides map/atlas stations; optionally allows laptops/iPads for quick destination research (image facts to support “why this stop”). Students complete remaining destinations and trace an approximate transport route on their draft map, sequencing stops clearly.

8. 90–97 min · Quality check: evaluate and revise (mini review). Teacher prompts students to self-check: “Is the route logical? Do reasons match map evidence? Did you use sequencing and justification language?” Students revise one section (destination justification or route order) and add missing geographical terms.

9. 97–99 min · Plenary reflection (Tafakkur). Teacher asks: “How can learning about Australia’s different places help us appreciate and care for our country?” Students write a 1-sentence reflection connecting respectful travel to people, cultures, and the environment (and acknowledge that thoughtful travellers care for Allah’s (SWT) creation).

Resources

• Large wall map of Australia
• Australian road maps/atlases (one set per group where possible)
• Great Aussie Road Trip planning template
• Great Aussie Road Trip Planner worksheet
• Draft map paper (grid or traceable map)
• Assessment task sheet and rubric (teacher use + student-friendly criteria visible)
• Coloured pencils, rulers, highlighters
• Laptops/iPads (optional) for quick research
• Word bank chart and sentence starters on desk cards

Assessment

• Formative: teacher conferencing during drafting (route logic, urban/rural/remote classification, justification quality).
• Formative: quick check of sequencing language in the template (first/next/then/finally).
• Exit evidence: completed reflection sentence plus a “ready for teacher feedback” status for the template.

Differentiation

• Support: provide sentence starters (“I chose… because I can see…”) and an evidence bank of phrases (e.g., “connected by the transport network”, “geographical features like…”) for students needing structure.
• Support: use partially filled templates for students who require reduced writing (e.g., they choose destinations while teacher helps organise reasons).
• EAL: allow justification using key phrases first, then add one extended sentence; provide visual vocabulary cards for urban/rural/remote and landmark/geographical features.
• SEN: offer a “route starter” printed route line they can modify, and highlight only two required justifications rather than all at once.
• Extension: advanced students evaluate two route options (Route A vs Route B) and add a short “I chose this route because…” comparing travel logic and connectivity using map evidence.