2040 - The Maths of Carbon

Australian Curriculum content description:

Year 5 Mathematics

• Recognise that the place value system can be extended beyond hundredths (ACMNA104)
• Solve problems involving multiplication of large numbers by one- or two-digit numbers using efficient mental, written strategies and appropriate digital technologies (ACMNA100)
• Describe and interpret different data sets in context (ACMSP120)

Year 6 Mathematics

• Select and apply efficient mental and written strategies and appropriate digital technologies to solve problems involving all four operations with whole numbers (ACMNA123)
• Make connections between equivalent fractions, decimals and percentages (ACMNA131)
• Multiply and divide decimals by powers of 10 (ACMNA130)
• Interpret secondary data presented in digital media and elsewhere (ACMSP148)
• Interpret and compare a range of data displays, including side-by-side column graphs for two categorical variables (ACMSP147)

Year 5 Science

• Solids, liquids and gases have different observable properties and behave in different ways (ACSSU077)
• Scientific knowledge is used to solve problems and inform personal and community decisions (ACSHE083)
• Construct and use a range of representations, including tables and graphs, to represent and describe observations, patterns or relationships in data using digital technologies as appropriate (ACSIS090)

Year 6 Science

• Sudden geological changes and extreme weather events can affect Earth’s surface (ACSSU096)
• Construct and use a range of representations, including tables and graphs, to represent and describe observations, patterns or relationships in data using digital technologies as appropriate (ACSIS107)

Relevant parts of Year 5 Mathematics achievement standards: Students solve simple problems involving the four operations using a range of strategies. They check the reasonableness of answers using estimation and rounding. Students interpret different data sets, pose questions to gather data and construct data displays appropriate for the data.

Relevant parts of Year 6 Mathematics achievement standards: Students make connections between the powers of 10 and the multiplication and division of decimals. They connect decimal representations to the metric system and choose appropriate units of measurement to perform a calculation. Students interpret and compare data displays including those displays (for non-categorical variables). They interpret secondary data displayed in the media and other sources.

Relevant parts of Year 5 Science achievement standards: Students classify substances (such as gases in the atmosphere) according to their observable properties and behaviours. They discuss how scientific developments have affected people’s lives, help us solve problems and how science knowledge develops from many people’s contributions. Students follow instructions to pose questions for investigation and predict the effect of changing variables when planning an investigation. They construct tables and graphs to organise data and identify patterns in the data.

Relevant parts of Year 6 Science achievement standards: Students describe and predict the effect of environmental changes on individual living things. Students explain how scientific knowledge helps us to solve problems and inform decisions. Students collect, organise and interpret data, identifying where improvements to their methods or research could improve the data. They describe and analyse relationships in data using appropriate representations.

Syllabus outcomes: MA3‑1WM, MA3‑2WM, MA3‑3WM, MA3‑5NA, MA3‑6NA, MA3‑7NA, MA3-18SP, ST3-4WS, ST3-12MW, ST3-7PW, ST3-9ES

General capabilities: Numeracy, Ethical Understanding, ICT Capability.

Cross-curriculum priority: Sustainability

Unit of work: 2040 – Mathematics – Years 5 & 6

Time required: 65 mins

Level of teacher scaffolding:  High – direct instruction, scaffolding, and guiding activities

To view our NZ Curriculum alignment, click here.

• Student Worksheets – one copy per student
• A device capable of presenting a video to the class
• Tall glass with 10 increments on it, marked as a scale from 0 to 100 (i.e., going up by 10s)
• Jug of water
• Coloured liquid or coloured rice 
• Whiteboard and markers
• Sticky notes – 1 pad 
• Large, blank wall space OR whiteboard OR window (with room for students to move around in front)
• Chalk or non-permanent marker (to write on wall/board/window) 
• Global Temperature Record Factsheet.
• CO₂ Data Table (this can be either projected, printed and given to students or recreated on a whiteboard)

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.