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Population change in the North West region is rapid and is forecast to increase further. That growth is expected to include many more families with children. This predicted population growth is one of the main reasons for the development of Sydney Metro Northwest. The railway will also influence the nature of that growth. In this sequence of  stage 5 lessons students learn more about their local population and how it is changing. Students learn how to gather data by conducting a small survey and building a population pyramid.

Topics covered: Planning, designing and building a railway, Geography.
Geography K-10; GE5-1; GE5-7

In this lessons for stage 5 students gather land-use information from the aerial photographic land use maps of each of the station locations along the Sydney Metro Northwest alignment. They compare these maps to the 1943 land use images, in the NSW Government GIS SixViewer. This activity provides an understanding of land use change around the station precincts over time, in addition to refining students mapping and GIS skills. 

Topics covered: A railway for Sydney’s North West region and Geography.
Geography K-10; GE5-3; GE5-7; GE5-8

Students in Stage 4 and Stage 5 History are required to conduct a mandatory site study. This site study for Stage 5 students, provides students with the opportunity to explore features of change and continuity in their local area (HT5-2) and can be taught very effectively to less able students. The unit design encourages a strong emphasis on literary skills.

Topics covered: Linking the nation, mandatory site study, a complete unit of work and History. 

History K-10; HT5-1; HT5-2; HT5-6; HT5-7; HT5-8; HT5-10

This inquiry-based unit of work was created, trialled and peer reviewed as part of a professional learning program in inquiry-based learning for school teachers. The professional learning courses were part of a pilot partnership between the NSW Government’s Sydney Metro transport agency and Western Sydney University.

Topics covered: Mathematics

Mathematics; MA4-1WM; MA4-2WM; MA4-3WM; MA4-19SP; MA4-20SP; MA5.1-1WM;  MA5.1-3WM; MA5.2-1WM; MA5.1-12SP; MA5.2-3WM; ACMSP228; ACMSP282; ACMSP283; ACMSP253;

This activity involves a Sydney Metro Northwest site study research task including suggested resources, group research tasks and preparing a presentation. Assessment schedule and guidelines are included. This is part of stage 5, mandatory site study, a complete unit of work.

Topics covered: Linking the nation and History. 

Over the next decade, the new metro rail link to the North West region will help relieve the congestion on Sydney’s road and rail network, which is the result of population growth. This overview provides a list of the lessons which explore some of the challenges of planning for the future in a sustainable manner.

Topics covered: A railway for Sydney's North West region, Geography and History. 
Geography K-10; GE4-1; GE4-7; GE5-5; GE5-7

People living in Sydney’s North West region will be more familiar with travelling by car or bus rather than by train. Why does the North West region need better public transport?

These lessons help students discover answers to this question, and provide insights into how transport forecasters and planners work. This is an introductory stage 4 Geography learning activity, but can easily be incorporated into lesson sequence in transport or forecasting topics with stage 5 students.  

Topics covered: A railway for Sydney's North West region and Geography. 
Geography K-10; GE4-1; GE4-3; GE4-7; GE4-8; GE5-2; GE5-3; GE5-5; GE5-7; GE5-8

Students record and analyse field data collected at school and in the local community. They use their results to determine how people travel and how travel patterns are measured. This lesson sequence for stage 4 assists students to understand how the Sydney Metro Northwest alignment may change the travel patterns of Northwest Sydney.

Topics covered: A railway for Sydney's North West region and Geography. 
Geography K-10; GE4-7

In this sequence of lessons for stages 4-5 students consider two key features of modern urban growth planning – trip analysis and the journey to work. Minimising the length and time of the journey to work is at the forefront of most people’s decisions about where to live and work.

Topics covered: A railway for Sydney's North West region and Geography.
Geography K-10; GE4-1; GE4-3; GE4-7; GE5-3; GE5-5

This media case study may be adapted for either Stage 4 or 5 English. Students find and review articles and news clips found on the web that relate to Sydney Metro Northwest and discuss the questions.

Topics covered: A railway for Sydney's North West region and English. 
English K-10; EN4-1A; EN4-2A; EN5-1A; EN5-2A