Embedded Files
Syllabus outcomes
Syllabus outcomes
Students:
formulate a plan for active geographical inquiry (P7)
use maps, graphs and statistics and photographs to prepare for fieldwork
select appropriate fieldwork methodologies for an inquiry into biophysical environments
identify geographical methods applicable to, and useful in, the workplace such as collecting and analysing field data.
Assessment
Assessment
Students complete:
Task 3 - Fieldwork techniques to test their understanding.
Overview
Overview
When preparing for fieldwork students need to decide on what they want to find out and how. It combines Step 1 and 2 of the fieldwork inquiry process.
Step 1 – Develop geographic inquiry questions
Step 2 – Formulate a plan for the investigation
The following activities guide students through the development of fieldwork inquiry questions and considerations that need to be made when planning fieldwork such as ethical practice, the practicalities of the day and the methodologies that are used to collect data.
Step 1 – Develop geographic inquiry questions
Step 1 – Develop geographic inquiry questions
The inquiry questions below have been developed to guide fieldwork.
What is the nature of the Field of Mars Reserve?
What are the biophysical interactions which influence the environment at the Field of Mars Reserve?
How do human actions impact the functioning of the lithosphere, hydrosphere and biosphere at the Field of Mars Reserve?
What actions are appropriate for the sustainable management of the environments within the Field of Mars Reserve?
How do we formulate a plan for active geographical inquiry in the field?
Further questions need to be developed to support the investigation.
Re-read the inquiry questions and write a further three questions to help you identify what you will need to observe, collect or measure in the field.
Use Questioning formulation techniques to improve your questioning.
Step 2 – Formulating a plan for investigation
Step 2 – Formulating a plan for investigation
Ethical considerations
Ethical considerations
Field researchers need to comply with site regulations and be mindful of impacts on fragile environments.
Students need to consider the ethical responsibilities for field research. This includes:
respecting policies and regulations of sites or institutions
respecting research participants
minimising environmental impacts
taking appropriate actions to protect the health and safety of you and others
respecting intellectual property
accurate representation of data collected.
Route planning
Route planning
Before embarking on fieldwork students need to review potential sites in the field to ensure their investigations will be valid in answering fieldwork inquiries.
As the focus of this fieldwork is to examine the biophysical interactions in the environment and human impacts, seven sites have been reviewed and selected.
These sites are located in the northern part of the reserve on a slope with a north easterly aspect.
The route climbs a ridge and then traverses a slope before descending into the Strangers Creek valley.
Fieldwork sites:
Site 1 - Start – Introduction
Site 2 - Eroded track
Site 3 - Coastal Enriched Sandstone Dry Forest
Site 4 - Sydney Turpentine-Ironbark Forest
Site 5 - Strangers Creek stormwater management area
Site 6 - Mid Strangers Creek
Site 7 - Lower Strangers Creek weed thicket
A focus on biophysical interactions will occur at:
Site 3 - Coastal Enriched Sandstone Dry Forest
Site 4 - Sydney Turpentine-Ironbark Forest
A focus on ecological dimensions and sustainable management will occur at:
Site 2- Eroded track
Site 5 - Strangers Creek stormwater management area
Site 6 - Mid Strangers Creek
Site 7 - Lower Strangers Creek weed thicket
Elevation profile diagram of the fieldwork journey as mapped above, showing relative position of each site.Note how the first kilometre climbs and then traverses the ridge and the second kilometre returns to the start down the Strangers Creek channel with a steady loss of altitude.
Fieldtrip weather forecast
Fieldtrip weather forecast
Weather and safety
To maximise the safety and wellbeing of a research group check the local weather forecast before commencing fieldwork.
Wear suitable clothing including wet weather and UV protection.
Carry a minimum of 2 water bottles on hot days.
Examine source 3. The Willy Weather interactive widget and other real-time weather information sources are useful tools when planning fieldwork.
Source 3: Field of Mars Reserve weather forecast generated by WillyWeather.Information based on data supplied by the Bureau of Meteorology and other sources.East Ryde forecast: Bureau of Meteorology
Selecting fieldwork methods and equipment
Selecting fieldwork methods and equipment
Develop inquiry questions for your fieldwork to ensure you collect the data you need.
To investigate the inquiry, the following primary data will need to be collected:
Qualitative:
Photos
Notes
Quantitative:
Abiotic and biotic factors will be measured and calculated at the Coastal Enriched Sandstone Dry Forest and the Sydney Turpentine-Ironbark Forest.
14 Fieldwork techniques in 4.5 minutesYouTube | Field of Mars EEC (4:23min) | Video transcript | View in Google Drive.
View the YouTube video 14 Fieldwork techniques in 4.5 minutes
Determine the usefulness of each technique in collecting data in an environment.
Factors tested include: time, position, air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, aspect, slope, light, canopy cover, soil temperature and texture, plant species.
View the three YouTube videos below detailing the equipment, methodologies and procedures used to collect reliable and accurate fieldwork data.
Why is it important to ensure your tests are reliable and accurate?
Fieldwork instruents part 1 (2:44min)Air temp, humidity, wind speed, light intensityYouTube | Field of Mars EEC | Video transcript
Fieldwork instruments part 2 (2:49min)Soil texture, soil pH and soil temperatureYouTube | Field of Mars EEC | Video transcript
Fieldwork instruents part 3(2:37min)Slope, aspect, positionYouTube | Field of Mars EEC | Video transcript
Task 3 – Fieldwork techniques
Task 3 – Fieldwork techniques
Activity
Activity
Complete the quiz to test your knowledge of the fieldwork techniques used in the field.
Read the instructions carefully to 'Make a Copy'
In order to keep your responses (or your student's responses if you are a teacher) you must MAKE A COPY of the task by using this link: https://bit.ly/3dYH7I9 (you will need to log on to your @education account)
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