Blueback: What is ocean literacy? Year 5 HASS

Teacher Content Information

This is lesson 2 of 13 in the Blueback: Sustainability and the ocean unit. The preceding lesson is Blueback: Our relationship to the ocean. The following lesson is Blueback: How healthy is the ocean?

Teachers should watch Blueback (2022) so they are familiar with the narrative, characters and content.

Access Blueback here. (athome.roadshow.com.au/blueback) and on Clickview.

Ideally, teachers have a Kahoot login so they can access the quiz in Part 1. Navigating the website first is encouraged. https://kahoot.com/

Teachers can begin a vocabulary bank with their students. Teachers use their discretion as to whether students use a word processing program or their books. This vocabulary bank can be returned to and added to in future lessons.

Teachers should navigate the Ocean Literacy UNESCO website for an improved understanding of what ocean literacy is: there are free resources available that may improve the effectiveness of lessons on this subject.

https://oceanliteracy.unesco.org/?post-types=all&sort=popular

Teachers are encouraged to try and deliver content in a positive or neutral tone. Catastrophizing issues can be damaging for students’ well being. Teachers can frame conversations by focusing on the ways we can all help to improve the ocean's health, rather than explore the various problems plaguing the ocean.

Learning intentions

Students will:

understand the concept of ocean literacy
understand the value of becoming ocean literate- it is a powerful way to positively impact the ocean.

Success criteria

Students can:

explain what ocean literacy is
list the possible effects that being ocean literate may have on the ocean.

Teaching Sequence

Work through this resource material in the following sequence:

15 minutes - Tune in: What do you know about the ocean?
15 minutes - Find out: What is ocean literacy?
25 minutes - Take action: Educate yourself

Tune in: What do you know about the ocean?

Step 1.

Watch clips from the film:

Blueback - Abby reading marine encyclopedia (vimeo.com/794747659)

Blueback - Abby showing her pictures to council (vimeo.com/794747907)

Explain that throughout Blueback, Abby develops her knowledge and understanding of the ocean.

Step 2 (optional).

If students have watched the entire film, discuss:

Abby came to have a strong understanding of the marine environment. How did she use that knowledge to help the ocean?

Suggested response: Abby used that knowledge at the council meeting to help save the marine environment around her home, as well as conducting research later in life in her role as a marine biologist to help the ocean.

Step 3.

Have students take a kahoot quiz to test prior knowledge of the ocean. Here’s one we’ve provided for you.

Step 4.

Watch this clip:

Ocean Literacy Principle #1 - UNESCO (youtu.be/y-aGjNdWuQk)

Discuss:

What can be gained by having knowledge and insight into the ocean? What can we do with this information and insight?

Suggested response: Knowing how the ocean functions can help us make informed and responsible decisions about it.

Find out: What is ocean literacy?

Step 1:

Explain the term ‘Ocean Literacy’ to students.Ocean literacy is defined as, 'Understanding the ocean’s influence on you, and your influence on the ocean' (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)).

Being ‘ocean literate’ is more than knowing ocean terminology, it has 3 key elements - see in the table below (also available on Student Worksheet)

Step 2:

Describe a scene where Abby demonstrates her ocean literacy for each of the 3 key elements.

Ocean literacy element	Describe a Blueback scene where Abby shows her ocean literacy.
Understands the essential principles and fundamental concepts of a healthy ocean
Can communicate about the ocean in meaningful ways
Can make informed and responsible decisions regarding the ocean and its resources

Step 3:

To help students broaden their understanding of ocean literacy, they should create a Vocabulary Bank. If created in a book, it may be good to situate it at the back so students can use as many pages as they need. If a word processing tool is used, they need to remember to save the document regularly. They should begin by copying in ‘Ocean Literacy’.

Students create their own definitions and examples by conducting independent research. We have provided examples for you.

Term / Phrase	Definition	Example (if applicable)
Ocean literacy	an understanding of the ocean’s influence on you and your influence on the ocean	understands the fundamental concepts about the functioning of the ocean; can communicate about the ocean in a meaningful way; is able to make informed and responsible decisions regarding the ocean and its resources.
Global Ocean	The ocean is the body of saltwater that covers about 71 percent of Earth’s surface and contains 97 percent of Earth’s water. The planet has one global ocean, though oceanographers and the countries of the world have traditionally divided it into five interconnected regions or basins: the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, and Arctic and Southern oceans.	The global ocean has multiple basins - Pacific Ocean Atlantic Ocean Arctic Ocean Indian Ocean Southern Ocean
Marine Pollution	Marine pollution is the introduction of substances from humans into the marine environment. It leads to a reduction in water quality, harm to living things (including humans), and impacts marine activities.	Plastics

Take action: Educate yourself

Step 1.

Explain that the ocean’s health is threatened by unsustainable fishing practices, pollution and climate change. These are negatively impacting the health of the ocean, threatening ocean-connected communities, marine life and essential natural resources. One of the most powerful tools we have to help the ocean is to educate ourselves about the issues it is facing. We are on the way to becoming ocean literate!

Step 2.

Coral bleaching is one issue impacting the ocean’s health. Students might like to start their research by exploring Great Barrier Reef Foundation's website on coral bleaching (barrierreef.org/the-reef/threats/coral-bleaching)As you’re investigating, try to answer the following questions:

What is the problem addressed in the website?
What is the cause of the problem?
How is it impacting ocean life?
How is it impacting humans?
How can we help? Or, who is already helping?

Step 3:

Students finish the end of these writing prompts:

I understand that it is important to become ocean literate because …

Becoming ocean literate will help me make a more positive impact on the ocean because…

Step 4:

Have students share their responses with the class as their exit ticket.

Differentiated learning

We trust that teachers are the best equipped to know how to cater to the diversity in their classes. At Cool Australia, we incorporate a variety of differentiation strategies into each lesson. Firstly, each lesson in this unit appeals to an array of different learning preferences. Learning activities can be completed in a number of different ways, e.g. if a student feels more comfortable speaking rather than writing, there are opportunities to accommodate this. In lessons featuring group work or learning stations, we trust teachers to use their discretion in knowing how to best organise their students for positive working relationships and ability. Graphic organisers and scaffolds are often included so students can ‘visually think’ and keep a record of their work. While our lessons are designed to be 55 - 60 minutes in length, we trust teachers will manipulate lesson and segment times according to the needs of their students.

Blueback - What is Ocean Literacy?

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Success criteria:

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