A Little Bit Of Rubbish Goes A Long Way

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

• empathy
• communication
• global citizenship

Australian Curriculum content descriptions:

Foundation Science:

• Objects are made of materials that have observable properties (ACSSU003)

Year 1 Science:

• Everyday materials can be physically changed in a variety of ways (ACSSU018)

Year 2 Science:

• Different materials can be combined for a particular purpose (ACSSU031)

Syllabus outcomes: STe-9ME, ST1-12MW.

General capabilities: Critical and Creative Thinking

Cross-curriculum priority: Sustainability

Relevant parts of Foundation Science achievement standards: Students describe the properties and behaviour of familiar objects. They suggest how the environment affects them and other living things. Students share and reflect on observations, and ask and respond to questions about familiar objects and events.

Relevant parts of Year 1 Science achievement standards: Students describe objects and events that they encounter in their everyday lives, and the effects of interacting with materials and objects.

Relevant parts of Year 2 Science achievement standards: Students describe changes to objects, materials and living things. They identify that certain materials and resources have different uses and describe examples of where science is used in people’s daily lives.

Unit of work: Blue The Film: the Decline of Our Oceans

Level of teacher scaffolding: High – oversee activities, lead discussions and use sensory tables.

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
• Pens/pencils
• Device capable of presenting a website to the class
• Various plastic and rubbish items (shopping bags, juice containers, hard plastic lids, paper, cardboard, small paper boxes, tin foil, cans, plastic cling wrap, wrappers, yogurt containers, etc).

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.