Preparing for fieldwork

Fieldwork inquiry questions

Let's remind ourselves of the fieldwork inquiry questions stated in the Home section of this website:

• How does the built environment impact natural processes that cause urban heat?

• How do geographers measure the impact of urban heat on people and the environment?

• What strategies could be implemented to address urban heat in outdoor spaces in Meadowbank?

Fieldwork activities

To answer the inquiry students will: 

• observe, measure and record features of the built environment

• measure microclimate data within the study site for the Cool Places Cool Spaces Citizen Science project

• conduct an urban heat questionaire

• draw conclusions and suggest urban heat mitigation strategies.

Meadowbank precinct

The Cool Places Cool Spaces citizen science project will measure and record microclimate data within the City of Ryde LGA. In 2024, we will collect data in the Meadowbank - Melrose Park precinct. 

Activity 1

Access the 2024 - HEI Study 3: Climate change - Urban heat fieldwork Google MyMap to familiarise yourself with the study site. 

Mobile phones

We recommend students bring a mobile device with location services to collect spatial data and take photos.

During fieldwork, students can use latitude and longitude to identify study sites. Apps that identify GPS coordinates include Google Maps, Apple Maps, Emergency Plus and Compass.

This data can be used for post-fieldwork analysis. 

NSW Department of Education Schools please note the Student Use of Mobile Phones in Schools policy statement 1.3 Principals may allow students to use mobile phones in specific circumstances, such as for an educational purpose.

Fieldwork equipment 

To identify how urban areas lead to urban heat you will observe and record data on urban and natural surfaces, shade and canopy cover, urban morphology and anthropogenic heat.

You will use equipment to measure land surface temperature, air temperature, humidity, wind speed and direction and light intensity. 

Activity 2 

Learn more about the equipment you will use during fieldwork on the Field of Mars EEC website Fieldwork techniques.

Photography 

During our fieldwork, we will be taking photographs as a means of acquiring primary data.

Activity 3

Access the NSW Department of Education resource Types of photos to familiarise yourself with different types of photographs and ways we can interpret them.

Types of photos

Types of photos - NSW Department of Education 

As a class, discuss how you can use ground photographs to obtain information about urban heat.

Measuring microclimates and thermal comfort

As participants in the Cool Places Cool Spaces citizen science project we will be following methodologies and using equipment designed by RMIT University Sustainable Building Innovation laboratory and UNSW Sydney Faculty of Built Environment High Performance Architecture for measuring microclimate parameters that influence thermal comfort. The project design was built for the 2019 Citizen Science Microclimate Project.

Activity 4

Watch the Urban heat islands citizen scientists video to learn more about the equipment and the microclimate data you will be collecting. The process for collecting data will be different for your fieldwork. You will learn more about this on the day of your fieldwork.

In the Cool Places Cool Spaces project section you had an opportunity to create a survey investigating the impact of urban heat on people. 

Activity 5

Save a copy of your survey and remember to bring this on the day of your fieldowork.

Activity 6

Watch the Preparing for your secondary excursion video. 

As a class discuss:

• what you will wear

• the most appropriate devices to bring with you for recording photos and GIS data

• healthy food options

• water bottles 

• personal medications 

• additional equipment.