Planning, programming and assessing geography K–6 (2015)
Resources to help you plan, program and assess K– 6 geography (Geography K–6 Syllabus (2015)).
Resources on this page relate to the Geography K–10 syllabus (2015).
For resources related to the new syllabus, go to Planning, programming, and assessing HSIE K–6 (2024).
It is mandatory for all students from Kindergarten to Year 6 to study both geography and history in the key learning area of human society and its environment (HSIE).
The NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) recommends that 6–10 percent of a typical school week is spent teaching HSIE.
Geography K–10 Syllabus (2015)
Through the Geography K–10 Syllabus (2015), students learn to form and express their own ideas and arguments whilst critically assessing the opinions of others. This forms the basis for active and informed civic participation and responsible membership of society.
Use the Inquiry process (DOCX 101 KB) to support programming in geography.
Inquiry skills
The study of geography examines where things are, why they are there and how humans interact with environments. It involves students:
- investigating geographical issues
- asking questions
- acquiring information
- analysing data
- evaluating consequences
- contributing to the management of physical, social, cultural and built environments.
These skills are outlined in the K–10 Geographical inquiry skills continuum (NESA).
Learn how to develop effective scope and sequences (includes sample scope and sequences).
The syllabus contains useful information to assist with programming including a guide to the syllabus, sample scope and sequences, and sample units.
Geography K–6 teaching and learning frameworks
The following Early Stage 1 to Stage 3 teaching and learning frameworks cover topics from the Geography K–10 Syllabus.
You may adapt these frameworks to suit the needs of individual students and your local school context.
Syllabus content
- Important places
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander places
- Locating places
Teaching framework
Syllabus content
- Features of places
- How places are organised
Teaching framework
Local places and spaces (DOCX 238 KB)
Syllabus content
Weather and seasons
Teaching framework
Syllabus content
- Australian places
- Australia's location
- People's connection to places
Teaching framework
Australian places (DOCX 62 KB)
Syllabus content
Local and global connections
Teaching framework
Syllabus content
The Australian continent
Teaching framework
Features of Australia (DOC 101 KB)
Syllabus content
- Climate of places
- Similarities and differences between places
- Perception and protection of places
Teaching framework
Syllabus content
Australia's neighbours
Teaching framework
Syllabus content
- Different environments
- Significance of environments
Teaching framework
Natural environments (DOCX 59 KB)
Syllabus content
- Perception of environments
- Protection of environments
Teaching framework
Syllabus content
- Factors that shape environments
- Humans shape places
Teaching framework
Contemporary land use issue (DOCX 49 KB)
Syllabus content
Environments shape places
Teaching framework
Why live where? (DOCX 71.1 KB)
Syllabus content
Bushfire hazard
Teaching framework
Syllabus content
- Diversity across Asia
- The world's cultural diversity
Teaching framework
Engaging with Asia (DOC 105 KB)
Syllabus content
- Connections shape perceptions
- Global connections
Teaching framework
Resources for Geography (2015) Syllabus
Geographical toolkit K–10
Geographical toolkit (DOCX 16.3 MB) – The interconnections between geographical concepts, geographical inquiry skills and geographical tools enables students to think and work geographically when investigating geographical knowledge and understandings.
Geography terminology continuum
Geography terminology continuum K–10 (DOCX 80 KB) – provides a list of essential vocabulary required of the NSW syllabus for the Australian curriculum K–10 geography.
Using quality literature in geography
Guide to using picture books in geography K–10 (PDF 4.52 MB) supports teachers to integrate picture books to enhance their geography teaching and programming. It provides examples of learning activities for picture books selected for their geographical and literary value.
Learning across the curriculum using picture books
- Using picture books for intercultural understanding (PDF 1.55 MB) is a resource for geography, history, English, creative arts K–10. The resource suggests learning activities based around picture books selected for their value in developing intercultural understandings and their literary worth.
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures – picture books (DOCX 12.6 MB) – is a resource for history and geography that suggests learning activities based around quality literature for the cross-curriculum priority of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures.
- Asia and Australia's engagement with Asia – picture books (DOCX 1.6 MB) – a resource for history and geography that suggests learning activities based around quality literature for the cross-curriculum priority of Asia and Australia’s engagement with Asia.
- Sustainability – picture books (DOCX 2.81MB) – a resource for geography that suggests learning activities based around quality literature for the cross-curriculum priority of Sustainability.
Geography for small schools
Geography for small schools K–6 (DOCX 59.8 KB) supports small school planning and programming for geography using a conceptual approach.
Eight organisational ideas have been identified which align with much of the Geography K–10 Syllabus. They are:
- Local places
- Global connections
- Important environments
- Features and characteristics of places
- Distribution of features/places
- Environmental perspectives and significance
- Environmental management
- Life in different places.
Learning across the curriculum
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures (DOCX 116 KB) – teaching and learning activities and links to resources to integrate the teaching of the key concepts of Country and Place, Culture, and People with the content and outcomes of the syllabus.
- Sustainability (DOCX 84 KB) – how to embed the cross-curriculum priority of sustainability within a history program through learning snapshots with links to resources across a number of different topics from K–10.
- The K–10 cross-curriculum resource Asia and Australia's engagement with Asia (PDF 903 KB) provides snapshots of learning for each stage with case studies that support teachers to include the diversity of Asia, achievements and contributions of peoples of Asia and Asia-Australia engagement in geography.