Teaching sequence

Work through this resource material in the following sequence:

10 minutes

Tune In: My thoughts matter

20 minutes

Find Out: Rethinking

25 minutes

Take Action: Messages of Blue

5 minutes

Reflection

Learning intentions:

Students will:

Students understand that the health of life on land is dependent upon healthy oceans.

Success criteria:

Students can:

critically examine the meaning and purpose of a clip
share personal thoughts with others
Identify some ways we can all help marine species.

Tune In: My thoughts matter

Preparation

As students arrive provide them with a small piece of recycled paper (half A4 size) and a pencil.

Step 1

This lesson begins by watching two clips from Blue as a class. It is important that students are given time to tune in to their own personal responses and begin to form connections to the oceans and to express thoughts and ideas.

As the students watch each clip, focus their attention to the way that the it makes them feel. Each student is to write one or two sentences on the paper in response to the clips.

Watch the clips separately, giving time in between for students to write their responses.

Clip 1. A turtle's life

A turtle's life (https://vimeo.com/1056609745/7e4fc7c04f)

Clip 2. Ode to seabirds

Ode to seabirds (https://vimeo.com/1056609559/4415169959)

Once both of the clips have been viewed, discuss students' thoughts using the following questions:

How did you feel about the clips you saw?
Did they make you feel happy, challenged, frustrated or sad?
What did these clips make you think about?
What was happening in the clips?
What message was being conveyed?
What do you think was interesting or important about these clips?
What questions do you still have about these clips?

Tip: You could record students' thoughts and use some of these ideas to guide further discussion or inquiry.

Find Out: Rethinking

Step 1

Now, provide students with three to five minutes to think, re-think and write a independent, anonymous response to these clips on the paper provided. The response should address how these clips made them feel. Ask the students to keep their response secret.

Step 2

Once students have written their responses, bring the class together to form a large circle. Direct students to crumple up their paper into a ball. Invite students to turn and face outwards from the circle, and ask them to toss the paper over their heads back into the centre of the circle.

Taking it in turns, invite students to select a random paper ball. After all of the paper balls have been collected the students need to find out which person wrote the message on their paper ball. This is done by students discussing their paper with others. The piece of paper cannot be shown to the other students; instead it must be asked as a question. For example: "In your response did you write…?" or "Do you think that...?" or "How do you feel about...?"

Step 3

Once a match is found the student hands the paper back to the owner. When all matches are made the group returns to the circle. This is an interactive way for the class to share thoughts with each other.

Find Out: Messages of Blue

Step 1

Read this statement to the students:

If our ocean creatures are sick or having difficulty living, this is an indicator of ocean health. Without healthy oceans we do not have healthy land. Our oceans provide life on land with oxygen to breath and food to eat. Oceans also drive the water cycle and regulate the temperature of our planet. Without blue there is no green.

After sharing this statement, ask the students to reflect on the final sentence, a quote by Sylvia Green: ‘Without BLUE there is no GREEN’. Invite students to share their thoughts about this sentence, for example:

What does this mean to them?
How does this relate to seabirds and marine turtles?
How might science help us to understand this idea further?
Why is it important that all people understand this idea?
How could they incorporate this message and share this to a wider audience?

Step 2

Now, invite the students to create a message of Blue by using their written sentences and shared ideas to create a message around the central idea of ‘Without BLUE there is no GREEN’. Students are encouraged to be as creative as possible to write stories, cinquain poems, or create drawings with a message, visual performances or use digital mediums.

Depending on age and ability, students can work individually or collaboratively in small teams (one to three students).

The students can choose either Blue clip as the central theme of their creative messages. This tuning in session is set to be an open exploration of ideas and creative messages.

Step 3

Once complete, create a gallery walk to share your students' work with the class.

Use a gallery walk format to provide peer feedback on student work. Display the students work around the classroom and place a piece of blank paper next to each work for writing feedback. Invite groups to rotate around the room and provide feedback to the creators of the work. As groups view the works they are required to record one thing they like about the work displayed, one thing they wonder about it, and one thing to improve the work or where to go next. Consider doing this before the work is submitted to the teacher so that students can incorporate any feedback to improve their work.

Reflection

Invite students to work independently to answer the following questions (also available on the Student Worksheet):

What did I used to think about the oceans?
What do I think about the oceans now?
What words can I use that help me describe how I feel about the ocean?
What questions do I still have about the ocean?

Assessment

Teachers can use the following items as part of their formative assessment:

Watching a clip for meaning.
Formulating personal responses.
Participation in discussions to express ideas.
Sharing personal responses
Creating a message for an audience.

For summative assessment, visit the Drawing Conclusions lesson: Blue: We Owe The Ocean - Years 5 & 6.

Blue - Without Blue There Is No Green

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Summary

Learning intentions:

Students will...

Success criteria:

Students can...

Lesson guides and printables

Lesson Details

Skills

Curriculum Mapping

Resources Required

UN Sustainable Development Goals

Additional Info

Related Professional Learning

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