Lesson summary
In this lesson, students will be immersed in and connect with the documentary film 2040. Students begin by clarifying the key terms used in the 2040 documentary. They then work in groups to investigate some of the challenges for our future as identified in the documentary (including energy, transport, and food production). Students undertake research into their assigned challenge and then share their findings with the class. They then work in groups to brainstorm solutions to their challenge. Finally, students are invited to watch and reflect on the 2040 documentary film.
Learning intentions:
Students will...
- understand some of the key concepts and messages of the 2040 documentary film
- understand how a documentary film can engage, inform and inspire
- understand that solutions to global environmental and social challenges already exist
Success criteria:
Students can...
- work collaboratively
- undertake research online
- participate in group discussion
- participate in a group brainwriting activity
- watch and reflect on a documentary film
Lesson guides and printables
Lesson details
Curriculum mapping
- Unit of work: 2040 – Watching the Film – Years 5–10
- Time required:Â 152 mins
- Level of teacher scaffolding: Medium – facilitate class discussion
To view our Australian Curriculum alignment, click here.
To view our NZ Curriculum alignment, click here.
Resources required
- Student Worksheets – one copy per student. Device capable of presenting a video to the class
- Device capable of creating audio-visual recordings, such as an iPad or camera
- Brainwriting Sheet
- Critically Viewing a Documentary Film
- Climate Change Factsheet (optional)
Additional info
2040 is an innovative feature documentary that looks to the future, but is vitally important NOW! Director Damon Gameau embarks on a journey to explore what the future could look like by the year 2040 if we simply embraced the best solutions already available to us to improve our planet and shifted them rapidly into the mainstream.
In Australia: Order the Schools Version of the 2040 DVD. The Schools Version includes an educational license and is for Australian primary and secondary schools that wish to utilise the film as a learning tool or host free on-site screenings for the school community.
In New Zealand: Order the Schools Version of the 2040 DVD. The Schools Version includes an educational license and is for New Zealand primary and secondary schools that wish to utilise the film as a learning tool or host free on-site screenings for the school community.
If you are teaching in either New Zealand or Australia, you can now organise a virtual screening of the film for your class. To enquire about this option, simply email schools@whatsyour2040.com and the 2040 team will help you set this up! If you have already bought a DVD of the film and you have a ClickView account, you can email the team for permission to upload the film to your account to make it more easily accessible for your teachers and students.
Cool.org, GoodThing Productions and Regen Pictures would like to acknowledge the generous contributions of Good Pitch Australia, Shark Island Institute, Documentary Australia Foundation, The Caledonia Foundation and our philanthropic partners in the development of these teaching resources.
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