Shearwaters of the Sea

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

• empathy
• communication
• social skills

Australian Curriculum content descriptions:

Foundation Science:

• Living things have basic needs, including food and water (ACSSU002)

Year 1 Science:

• Living things live in different places where their needs are met (ACSSU211)

Year 2 Science:

• Living things grow, change and have offspring similar to themselves (ACSSU030)

Syllabus outcomes: STe-8NE, ST1-10LW, ST1-11LW

General capabilities: Critical and Creative Thinking

Cross-curriculum priority: Sustainability

Relevant parts of Foundation Science achievement standards: Students suggest how the environment affects them and other living things.

Relevant parts of Year 1 Science achievement standards: Students describe how different places meet the needs of living things.

Relevant parts of Year 2 Science achievement standards: Students describe changes to living things.

Level of teacher scaffolding: High – oversee activities, lead discussions and to lead play dough sculpt activity.

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.

• Device capable of presenting a website to the class
• Play dough (enough for a medium sized ball for each student), sparkles (e.g. glitter or small pieces of colour paper to represent plastic pieces), large recycled plastic bag
• Shearwaters of the Sea Script
• Flesh-footed Shearwater Picture

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.