Blue - Do the Maths on Plastic Toothbrushes

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

• communication
• collaboration
• creativity
• critical thinking
• mpathy

Australian Curriculum content descriptions:

Year 7 Mathematics: Identify and investigate issues involving numerical data collected from primary and secondary sources (ACMSP169)

Syllabus outcomes:  MA4-1WM, MA4-3WM, MA4-19SP

General capabilities: Critical and Creative Thinking, Ethical Understanding

Cross-curriculum priority: Sustainability OI.1, OI.6

Relevant parts of Year 7 Mathematics achievement standards: Students identify issues involving the collection of continuous data. They describe the relationship between the median and mean in data displays.

Unit of work: Blue The Film – Mathematics – Year 7 – 10

Time required: 60 mins +

Level of teacher scaffolding: Medium – Lead students in discussion.

Goal 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development

• Target 14.1: By 2025, prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land-based activities, including marine debris and nutrient pollution.

• Student Worksheet – one copy per student
• Device capable of presenting a clip to the class
• Plastic Statistics Factsheet (one copy per student)
• Sticky-notes

Blue is a feature documentary film charting the drastic decline in the health of our oceans. With more than half of all marine life lost and the expansion of the industrialization of the seas, the film sets out the challenges we are facing and the opportunities for positive change. Blue changes the way we think about our liquid world and inspires the audience to action. Find out how to screen or download the film here. Along with the film is an ambitious global campaign to create advocacy and behaviour change through the #oceanguardian movement. To become an ocean guardian, see the website.

How To Teach Sustainability With Hope

Quick summary: This course is for both primary and secondary teachers of all subjects, but especially for English, Science, Humanities and Geography teachers who are covering climate change and the cross-curriculum priority of sustainability.