Beyond the Bushfires - Fighting Fire with Fire

Australian Curriculum content descriptions: 

Year 9 Science:

• Scientific understanding, including models and theories, is contestable and is refined over time through a process of review by the scientific community (ACSHE157)
• 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)
• Communicate scientific ideas and information for a particular purpose, including constructing evidence-based arguments and using appropriate scientific language, conventions and representations (ACSIS174)

Syllabus outcomes: SC5-12ES, SC5-9WS, SC5-13ES

General capabilities: Critical and Creative Thinking, ICT Capability, Intercultural Understanding

Cross-curriculum priority: Sustainability OI.2, OI.3, OI.7, OI.9

Relevant parts of Year 9 Science achievement standards: Students analyse how biological systems function and respond to external changes with reference to interdependencies, energy transfers and flows of matter. They evaluate others’ methods and explanations from a scientific perspective and use appropriate language and representations when communicating their findings and ideas to specific audiences.

This lesson is part of the wider unit of work Beyond the Bushfires – Secondary

Time required: 65 mins

Level of teacher scaffolding: Low – Supervise student work creating an infographic. Facilitate a sharing session between students once completed

• Access to simple presentation software such as PowerPoint or Photoshop
• Access to a printer or projector
• Article – The Conversation – Indigenous innovation could save a billion tonnes of greenhouse gases
• Laptops or personal computer access
• (Optional) A3 or A2 sized card or paper
• (Optional) Coloured pens and markers
• (Optional) Coloured card stock 

This lesson is designed to build students’ competencies in the following skills:

• Creativity
• Critical thinking
• Communication

In partnership with The Conversation, the Beyond the Bushfires series brings the words of scientists who are actively involved in research and science communication into classrooms throughout Australia. Students will explore evidence-based research embedded in the context of real-world practice.

Additional thanks to the Ian Potter Foundation, John T Reid Charitable Trusts and The Myer Foundation, for generously supporting the development of these lessons