Australia

Geographic Understandings

SS6G11 Locate selected features of Australia.

a. Locate on a world and regional political-physical map: the Great Barrier Reef, Coral Sea, Uluru/Ayers Rock, Indian and Pacific Oceans, Great Dividing Range, and Great Victoria Desert.

SS6G12 Explain the impact of location, climate, distribution of natural resources, and population distribution on Australia.

a. Describe how Australia’s location, climate, and natural resources impact trade and affect where people live.

Historical Understandings

SS6H4 Explain the impact of English colonization on current Aboriginal basic rights, health, literacy, and language.

Government/Civic Understandings

SS6CG4 Explain forms of citizen participation in government.

a. Explain citizen participation in democratic governments [i.e. the role of citizens in choosing the leaders of Australia (parliamentary democracy)].

Economic Understandings

SS6E10 Analyze different economic systems.

a. Compare how traditional, command, and market economies answer the economic questions of 1-what to produce, 2-how to produce, and 3-for whom to produce.

b. Explain that countries have a mixed economic system located on a continuum between pure market and pure command.

c. Describe the economic system used in Australia.

SS6E11 Give examples of how voluntary trade benefits buyers and sellers in Australia.

a. Explain how specialization makes trade possible between countries.

b. Compare and contrast different types of trade barriers, such as tariffs, quotas, and embargoes.

c. Explain why international trade requires a system for exchanging currency between nations.

SS6E12 Describe factors that influence economic growth and examine their presence or absence in Australia.

a. Evaluate how literacy rates affect the standard of living.

b. Explain the relationship between investment in human capital (education and training) and gross domestic product (GDP per capita).

c. Explain the relationship between investment in capital goods (factories, machinery, and technology) and gross domestic product (GDP per capita).

d. Describe the role of natural resources in a country’s economy.

e. Describe the role of entrepreneurship.