Researching people & places

Overview

This lesson is the eighth in a 10-lesson unit on exploring continents and cultures. Students build on prior map-based learning by creating research questions about a chosen location in Africa or South America, linking to how people and places connect and how resources are used and managed.

Learning intentions

Students will:

• develop questions to investigate a chosen place in Africa or South America
• use the “five W’s + H” to draft questions (who, what, when, where, why, how)
• explain how their questions link to evidence they might find in sources
• generate three research questions and record them clearly for later research

Success criteria

Students can:

• write three research questions about a chosen location (Africa or South America)
• include at least one “how” or “why” question to explore reasons and connections
• use question words correctly and make questions specific to a place
• share and improve their questions during a peer check

Curriculum links

• HASS AC9HS4K01: explore the diversity of First Nations Australians’ continuous connection to Country/Place (as a respectful comparison point when thinking about place and belonging)
• HASS AC9HS4S01: develop questions to guide investigations about people, events, places and issues
• HASS AC9HS4S02: locate, collect and record information from a range of sources (preview for next lesson: students will know what evidence to look for)
• HASS AC9HS4S07: present brief explanations using relevant subject terms (used in question sharing and justification)

Lesson structure (45 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Hook (place curiosity). Teacher shows two simple “place cards” (one from Africa, one from South America) with images and a few neutral facts (no deep claims). Students turn-and-talk: “What would you want to know about this place and the people there?”

2. 5–12 min · Direct teach (question types). Teacher models how strong research questions are specific and evidence-friendly, introducing:

• “What is…?” and “Where is…?” for facts
• “Why does…?” and “How do…?” for reasons and connections Teacher uses one example: “How do people manage water in this region?” Students identify the key question words and what evidence might be needed.

3. 12–18 min · Choose a location (focus). Teacher gives students a choice of locations (teacher-selected options on printed map cards): one Africa region or one South America region. Students circle their chosen place on the map and state (or write) one thing they already know and one curiosity.

4. 18–28 min · Create questions (3 required). Teacher reminds students: you must write three research questions about your chosen location. Students complete a “Question Builder” sheet:

• Question 1 (facts): includes “what/where”
• Question 2 (connections): includes “how”
• Question 3 (reasons): includes “why” Teacher circulates, prompting students to make questions more specific (e.g., replace “people” with “farmers”, “families”, or “communities” if they can).

5. 28–36 min · Peer check (improve for evidence). Students swap sheets with a partner. Peer uses a simple checklist:

• Is it about the chosen location?
• Does it have a clear question word?
• Could we find evidence to answer it? Partners add one suggestion to improve wording (teacher models “Try this: add ‘in this region’…”).

6. 36–43 min · Share and refine (quick justify). A few students share one question and explain why it matters for understanding the place. Teacher records common question stems on the board and highlights strong examples of “how/why” questions.

7. 43–45 min · Exit ticket (quick check). Students write one sentence: “My best research question is… because…”. Teacher collects to gauge readiness for the next research lesson.

Resources

• Printed map of Africa and South America with teacher-selected location options
• Image “place cards” for each option (photos + 3–4 neutral facts)
• “Question Builder” worksheet with sentence frames
• Peer checklist for question feedback
• Coloured pencils (to mark chosen location)
• Board/whiteboard markers
• Timer

Assessment

• Teacher observation during question drafting: checks specificity and question-word use
• Peer checklist notes: identifies whether questions are evidence-friendly and location-specific
• Exit ticket: determines whether students can justify a question choice and improve phrasing

Differentiation

• Support:
• Provide sentence starters for all three questions (e.g., “What is… in…?”, “How do people… in this region?”, “Why does… happen in…?”)
• Offer a “question bank” of stems and a word bank (people, community, environment, water, farming, transport, homes, culture)
• For students needing more scaffolding, allow them to draft one question orally first, then write it.
• Advanced learners:
• Ask them to include an extra constraint in one question (e.g., “How has it changed over time?”, “How does this affect daily life?”)
• Invite them to share how they chose question type (facts vs reasons vs connections).
• Language support:
• Keep questions short; allow use of a bilingual peer helper if available.
• Emphasise punctuation and question marks during modelling.
• Grouping:
• Pair students with mixed confidence for the peer check; rotate roles so each student contributes.

Extension (optional)

• None.