Blue - Our Ocean is a Valuable Resource

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

• communication
• global citizenship
• ocial skills

Australian Curriculum content descriptions:

Year 7 Geography Unit 1 Water in the World:

• Classification of environmental resources and the forms that water takes as a resource (ACHGK037)

Syllabus outcomes: GE4-3, GE4.

General capabilities: Critical and Creative Thinking, Numeracy. 

Cross-curriculum priority: Sustainability OI.1, OI.2.

Relevant parts of Year 7 Geography achievement standards: Students explain interconnections between people and places and environments and describe how these interconnections change places and environments. Students record and represent data and the location and distribution of geographical phenomena in a range of forms.

Unit of work: Blue The Film – Geography – Year 7.

Time required: 100 mins.

Level of teacher scaffolding: Medium – lead students in discussion and class activities, oversee group work.

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 website to the class
• Two copies of the Water Flashcards for the lesson
• Tape (optional)

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.