Lesson 2 – Humanities Subject Selection Talk

Review homework: source, sink, service, spiritual

Worldviews: how we see the world impacts on how we act on the world

• Human-centred: egocentric / anthropocentric
• Earth-centred: ecocentric / biocentric

New Ecological Paradigm Scale

Read the following list of statements. List which numbered comments you Agree and Disagree with.

Look back through the statements you Agree to. Can you work out which worldview this paradigm suggests you hold?

Task:

Research one controversial environmental project in Australia. Present only the point of view which the NEP suggests you hold.

Can you find any flaws in this argument? (Which number/s from the paradigm might this correlate to?)

(We will work on this on Friday, too)

Our environment

List as many words as you can think of to describe ‘environment’ or its components. [2 min]

How do humans use ‘the environment’ – ie the resources of the earth? Classify these resources as Renewable, Somewhat Renewable or Not Renewable.

Refer to this document. Outline how the earth functions as source, sink, service and spiritual.
What are some examples of these not listed in the document?

Homework

1. Finish the above.

2. Some ecosystem services are below. Give an example for each, and classify as source, sink, service or spirituality:

• Dispersing seeds
• Places for recreation and reflection
• Purifying the air, providing oxygen
• Moderating weather extremes
• Building and maintaining soil fertility
• Decomposing and dispersing waste
• Providing food and fibre
• Protection from river and coastal erosion
• Filtering water
• Plant pollination
• Providing shade
• Protection from UV rays
• Controlling farming pests

[If time … could you draw this? Feel free to do this if you wish, but no compulsion!]

Review of 7 Geo concepts. Answer this quiz in silence please:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1AUR42ax1sS_uJQYWgWJIV9rA70kKzOiCKL5FET64fUQ/viewform?usp=send_form

Discussion, and maybe handing out of lollies….

Water restrictions in California

Drought-shaming

Tragedy of the commons

In Geography this Semester we will look at:

Environmental Management and Change

Key Focus 1 – The human-induced environmental changes that challenge sustainability
Key Focus 2 – Urban environments: A comparative study of Australian and international eg’s

Geographies of Human Wellbeing

Key Focus 1 – Human Wellbeing
Key Focus 2 – Inequalities in Human Wellbeing
Key Focus 3 – Improving Human Wellbeing

Tuesday Week 1

8 groups of 3 to read from photocopy (Oxford Big Ideas – Geo 10, pp 6-12)

1Place Space

2Environment Interconnection

3Scale Change

4Place Environment

5Space Scale

6Interconnection Change

7Sustainability Environment

8Interconnection Sustainability

 Answer these questions for your two concepts:

What is it?

Different categories?

What do geographers study?

Why is this important?

Then, find someone who has a concept you need, and you have a concept they need. Share your answers. Discuss and clarify (go back to the handout if necessary)