Blue - Mighty Marine Habitats

Australian Curriculum content descriptions:

Year 3 Science:

• Living things can be grouped on the basis of observable features and can be distinguished from non-living things (ACSSU044)
• Science knowledge helps people to understand the effect of their actions (ACSHE051)

Year 4 Science:

• Living things depend on each other and the environment to survive (ACSSU073)
• Science knowledge helps people to understand the effect of their actions (ACSHE062)

Year 3 & 4 Visual Arts:

• Use materials, techniques and processes to explore visual conventions when making artworks (ACAVAM111)
• Present artworks and describe how they have used visual conventions to represent their ideas (ACAVAM112)

Syllabus outcomes: ST2-10LW, ST2-11LW, VAS2.2, VAS2.1.

General capabilities: Critical and Creative Thinking.

Cross-curriculum priority: Sustainability OI.2.

Relevant parts of Year 3 Science achievement standards: Students group living things based on observable features.

Relevant parts of Year 4 Science achievement standards: Students describe relationships that assist the survival of living things.

Relevant parts of Year 3 & 4 Visual Arts achievement standards: Students collaborate to plan and make artworks that are inspired by artworks they experience. They use visual conventions, techniques and processes to communicate their ideas.

Unit of work: Blue The Film: Inquiry – Years 3 & 4.

Time required: 60 mins.

Level of teacher scaffolding: Medium – oversee activities and lead discussions.

• Student Worksheet – one copy per student
• Device capable of presenting a website to the class
• Art materials
• Printed copies of the following marine habitat posters:
• Open water poster (Victorian Government)
• Kelp forests poster (Victorian Government)
• Seagrass meadow and mudflat poster (Victorian Government)
• Rocky reef poster (Victorian Government)
• Mangroves poster (Victorian Government)

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

• Communication
• Collaboration
• Creativity

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.