Lesson summary

In this lesson, students will be immersed in and connect with the documentary film 2040 – it is a great lesson to conduct before watching the documentary in full. Students begin by working in groups to imagine what the world might look like in 2040 based on a range of categories, such as diet, fashion, buildings, transport, and technology. They are then introduced to the 2040 documentary by watching and responding to a short clip that establishes the key messages of the film. Students are then guided to prepare an information collection sheet, helping them respond to the film and conduct research around key messages of the film (optional).

Learning intentions:

Students will...

understand that different people have different ideas and concerns about the future

Success criteria:

Students can...

work collaboratively
engage in class and group discussions
develop a range of inquiry questions
express their thoughts, feelings and concerns through class discussion and independent activities

Lesson guides and printables

Lesson details

Australian Curriculum content description:

Year 7 Science

Identify questions and problems that can be investigated scientifically and make predictions based on scientific knowledge (ACSIS124)
Solutions to contemporary issues that are found using science and technology, may impact on other areas of society and may involve ethical considerations (ACSHE120).

Year 8 Science

Identify questions and problems that can be investigated scientifically and make predictions based on scientific knowledge (ACSIS139)
Solutions to contemporary issues that are found using science and technology, may impact on other areas of society and may involve ethical considerations (ACSHE135).

Year 9 Science

Formulate questions or hypotheses that can be investigated scientifically (ACSIS164)
People use scientific knowledge to evaluate whether they accept claims, explanations or predictions, and advances in science can affect people’s lives, including generating new career opportunities (ACSHE160)
Values and needs of contemporary society can influence the focus of scientific research (ACSHE228).

Year 10 Science

Formulate questions or hypotheses that can be investigated scientifically (ACSIS198)
People use scientific knowledge to evaluate whether they accept claims, explanations or predictions, and advances in science can affect people’s lives, including generating new career opportunities (ACSHE194)
Values and needs of contemporary society can influence the focus of scientific research (ACSHE230).

Year 7 English

Use interaction skills when discussing and presenting ideas and information, selecting body language, voice qualities and other elements, (for example music and sound) to add interest and meaning (ACELY1804)
Plan, draft and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive texts, selecting aspects of subject matter and particular language, visual, and audio features to convey information and ideas (ACELY1725)
Edit for meaning by removing repetition, refining ideas, reordering sentences and adding or substituting words for impact (ACELY1726).

Year 8 English

Use interaction skills for identified purposes, using voice and language conventions to suit different situations, selecting vocabulary, modulating voice and using elements such as music, images and sound for specific effects (ACELY1808)
Create imaginative, informative and persuasive texts that raise issues, report events and advance opinions, using deliberate language and textual choices, and including digital elements as appropriate (ACELY1736)
Experiment with text structures and language features to refine and clarify ideas to improve the effectiveness of students’ own texts (ACELY1810).

Year 9 English

Use interaction skills to present and discuss an idea and to influence and engage an audience by selecting persuasive language, varying voice tone, pitch, and pace, and using elements such as music and sound effects (ACELY1811)
Create imaginative, informative and persuasive texts that present a point of view and advance or illustrate arguments, including texts that integrate visual, print and/or audio features (ACELY1746)
Review and edit students’ own and others’ texts to improve clarity and control over content, organisation, paragraphing, sentence structure, vocabulary and audio/visual features (ACELY1747).

Year 10 English

Use organisation patterns, voice and language conventions to present a point of view on a subject, speaking clearly, coherently and with effect, using logic, imagery and rhetorical devices to engage audiences (ACELY1813)
Create sustained texts, including texts that combine specific digital or media content, for imaginative, informative, or persuasive purposes that reflect upon challenging and complex issues (ACELY1756)
Review, edit and refine students’ own and others’ texts for control of content, organisation, sentence structure, vocabulary, and/or visual features to achieve particular purposes and effects (ACELY1757).

Year 7 & 8 Media Arts

Analyse how technical and symbolic elements are used in media artworks to create representations influenced by story, genre, values and points of view of particular audiences (ACAMAR071)
Identify specific features and purposes of media artworks from contemporary and past times to explore viewpoints and enrich their media arts making, starting with Australian media artworks including of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander media artworks (ACAMAR072).

Year 9 & 10 Media Arts

Manipulate media representations to identify and examine social and cultural values and beliefs, including those of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples (ACAMAM074)
Evaluate how technical and symbolic elements are manipulated in media artworks to create and challenge representations framed by media conventions, social beliefs and values for a range of audiences (ACAMAR078).

Relevant parts of Year 7 Science achievement standards: Students describe situations where scientific knowledge has been used to solve a real-world problem and explain possible implications of the solution. Students identify questions that can be investigated scientifically.

Relevant parts of Year 8 Science achievement standards: Students describe situations in which scientists collaborated to generate solutions to contemporary problems. They reflect on implications of these solutions. Students identify and construct questions and problems that they can investigate scientifically.

Relevant parts of Year 9 Science achievement standards: Students describe social and technological factors that have influenced scientific developments and predict how future applications of science and technology may affect people’s lives. Students design questions that can be investigated using a range of inquiry skills.

Relevant parts of Year 10 Science achievement standards: Students develop questions and hypotheses.

Relevant parts of Year 7 English achievement standards: Students create and edit structured and coherent texts for a range of purposes and audiences. They contribute actively to class and group discussions.

Relevant parts of Year 8 English achievement standards: Students create texts for different purposes. They contribute actively to class and group discussions. They edit texts to create specific effects.

Relevant parts of Year 9 English achievement standards: Students create and edit texts that respond to issues, interpreting and integrating ideas from other texts. They contribute actively to class and group discussions, comparing and evaluating responses to ideas and issues.

Relevant parts of Year 10 English achievement standards:

Students create a wide range of texts to articulate complex ideas. They make presentations and contribute actively to class and group discussions, building on others’ ideas, solving problems, justifying opinions and developing and expanding arguments.
Students identify and analyse how representations of social values and points of view are portrayed in the media artworks they make, distribute and view. They identify and analyse the social and ethical responsibility of the makers and users of media artworks.

Relevant parts of Year 9 & 10 Media Arts achievement standard: Students analyse how social and cultural values and alternative points of view are portrayed in media artworks they make, interact with and distribute. They evaluate how genre and media conventions and technical and symbolic elements are manipulated to make representations and meaning. They evaluate how social, institutional and ethical issues influence the making and use of media artworks.

Unit of work: 2040 – Watching the Film – Years 5–10
Time required: 60 mins
Level of teacher scaffolding: Medium – facilitate class discussion, lead students in activities

To view our NZ Curriculum alignment, click here.

Student Worksheets – one copy per student
Device capable of presenting a video to the class
Generating Great Questions factsheet
The World in 2040 worksheet

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.

2040 - Tuning In to the Documentary (Secondary)

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Summary

Learning intentions:

Students will...

Success criteria:

Students can...

Lesson guides and printables

Lesson Details

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