Kiribati: Choices and Change

Overview

Students investigate Kiribati as a geographic challenge in the wider Pacific region. They locate and describe the country, examine climate-change impacts on natural and cultural environments, and compare perspectives before making a supported judgement about decision-making responses.

Learning intentions

• WALT locate Kiribati using absolute and relative location.
• WALT explain how climate change affects Kiribati’s natural and cultural environments.
• WALT identify perspectives and viewpoints that influence decisions about climate change.
• WALT evaluate how effectively different responses address the challenge.

Success criteria

• I can label Kiribati accurately on a Pacific map and describe its absolute and relative location.
• I can use evidence and geographic terminology to explain climate-change impacts.
• I can distinguish between a perspective and a viewpoint.
• I can make a justified judgement about a response to Kiribati’s geographic challenge.

Curriculum links

• Demonstrate understanding of decision-making in response to a geographic challenge in the wider Pacific region: geographic challenge, perspectives, viewpoints, evidence and evaluation.
• Demonstrate understanding of the spatial distribution of a phenomenon and its impacts on place: location, distribution, and social, cultural, economic and environmental impacts.
• Explore an environment using data: interpreting maps, photographs, graphs and other presented data.
• New Zealand Curriculum Social Sciences Level 6 and key competencies: thinking; using language, symbols and texts; managing self; participating and contributing; relating to others.

Lesson structure (240 minutes)

1. 0–15 min · Provocation and prior knowledge. Teacher opens with the opening question and Kiribati image and asks, “What might make a country vulnerable to climate change?” Students write an initial response, then share ideas in pairs and identify what they already know about Kiribati.

2. 15–45 min · Locating Kiribati. Teacher uses the Pacific location maps to model how to read latitude, longitude, scale, direction and relative location. Students use the Kiribati location and evidence worksheet to label Kiribati, the Pacific Ocean, Aotearoa New Zealand, Australia, Fiji, Tuvalu and the equator, then record an approximate absolute location and three relative-location statements.

3. 45–70 min · Building a geographic profile. Teacher presents the Kiribati geographic profile covering its location in Micronesia, low-lying coral atolls, dispersed islands, population concentration around South Tarawa, limited land area and exposure to the ocean. Students annotate a map and complete a short profile using terms such as atoll, equator, archipelago, sea level, population density and vulnerability.

4. 70–85 min · Movement break and retrieval check. Teacher pauses for a short break, then displays the retrieval questions. Students answer individually: Where is Kiribati? What is an atoll? Why might low elevation increase risk? Pairs compare answers, and the teacher addresses misconceptions.

5. 85–135 min · Climate-change impacts investigation. Teacher introduces evidence in the climate-change evidence set: sea-level rise, coastal erosion, saltwater intrusion, storm damage, freshwater stress, changing fisheries, overcrowding and possible relocation. In groups of four, students analyse maps, photographs, a simple data display and short evidence statements on the worksheet. They classify impacts as natural/environmental, social, economic, political or cultural, and explain two cause-and-effect relationships. Each group prepares a two-minute evidence briefing.

6. 135–155 min · Group briefings and synthesis. Teacher facilitates group presentations and records impacts under “environment”, “people”, “culture” and “economy” on the board. Students listen for connections, add evidence to their worksheets, and write one paragraph explaining why climate change is a geographic challenge rather than only an environmental issue.

7. 155–195 min · Perspectives and viewpoints. Teacher uses the perspectives and decision-making section to distinguish a perspective as a way of seeing the world shaped by values and beliefs, and a viewpoint as a specific opinion or proposed action. Groups receive roles: Kiribati community members, the Kiribati Government, environmental scientists, fishing and tourism businesses, neighbouring Pacific countries, and higher-emitting countries. Students examine the role information on the worksheet and identify economic, social, political, indigenous or spiritual perspectives. They prepare a response to the question: “What should be prioritised, and why?”

8. 195–225 min · Decision-making simulation. Teacher presents three possible responses through the response options and decision question: adapt in place through coastal protection and water management; seek international support and climate finance; or plan staged migration and relocation. Students hold a structured meeting, ensuring each group presents a viewpoint, uses evidence, responds to another perspective and negotiates a recommendation. The class votes, then discusses whose perspectives influenced the decision and whose interests may remain under-represented.

9. 225–240 min · Individual evaluation and exit ticket. Teacher models an evaluation structure: claim, evidence, explanation, judgement. Students complete the final worksheet task: “To what extent does the recommended response address Kiribati’s geographic challenge?” They must include one location fact, two impacts, two perspectives, relevant geographic terminology and a justified judgement. Students hand in the response as an exit ticket.

Resources

• the Kiribati geographic challenge presentation
• the Kiribati investigation and decision-making worksheet
• Pacific map outline and atlases
• Projector or interactive board
• Printed maps, photographs and data displays
• Role cards prepared from the worksheet
• Coloured pens and highlighters
• Board or shared digital workspace
• Timer

Assessment

• Check map labelling, absolute and relative location statements, and use of geographic terminology during the first activities.
• Use group briefings and the decision-making simulation to assess understanding of impacts, perspectives, viewpoints and evidence.
• Collect the final evaluation for evidence of explanation and judgement: a stronger response explains how perspectives inform decisions and evaluates the extent to which the response addresses the challenge.

Differentiation

• Provide a labelled reference map, a latitude-and-longitude example, a word bank and sentence starters such as “Kiribati is located…” and “This perspective may influence the decision because…”.
• Chunk the evidence set into short sections and offer audio or teacher-read versions for students who need reading support; allow speech-to-text or oral presentation where appropriate.
• Use mixed-ability groups with defined roles such as facilitator, evidence finder, recorder and speaker.
• Extend confident students by requiring comparison of short-term and long-term responses, consideration of trade-offs, and evaluation of whether international responsibility should influence decision-making.