1. Explain how rising temperatures may lead to climate change in Australia.

EXTENSION ACTIVITIES

1.   Using the table of the average cost of Australian natural disasters by state and territory for the period 1967-99 (Diagram 1) divide the class into eight groups with each group being assigned a single state or territory to analyse.

a.    Read your state/territory data from the table and present the reasons and the cost of disasters in that region as a bar graph.

b.    Post these bar graphs on a wall and investigate the similarities and differences between each of the states and territories.

c.    As a group discuss your own beliefs for why these differences or similarities exist. From these discussions create a hypothesis, a scientific reason for the events which are occurring.

d.   Seek to test your hypothesis by investigating the report on 'The Impact of Climate Change on Insurance against Catastrophes' - IAG Publications (Insurance Australia Group) or additional internet and/or library research which you believe supports or challenges your viewpoint. (A link to the IAG report can be found at the following web address.) http://www.iag.com.au/pub/iag/sustainability/our-strategy/climate-change.shtml

e.   Present this hypothesis and your following research to the class for discussion.