Teacher Instructions

Work through this resource material in the following sequence:

10 minutes

Tune in: Activating Prior Knowledge

10 minutes

Find out: Cool burning independent investigation

30 minutes

Take action: Evaluating cool burns

10 minutes

Reflection

Please make sure to read the About Cool Burning Factsheet.

Tune In: Activating prior knowledge

Step 1. Discuss

Have bushfires have always been a part of the Australian landscape? Australia has always had bushfires, some people even call Australia the 'fire continent' (source). Fire has shaped our landscape; this is evident in the number of plants that rely on fire for germination.
Are bushfires are getting worse in Australia? Bushfires have been increasing in severity and frequency in Australia. The 2019/2020 'Black Summer' fire season was the worst season we have experienced. This can be attributed in large part to climate change, and the effects of a hotter and drier climate in Australia.
Are there are a range of tools and practices for managing bushfires in Australia? Some of these practices include back burning or hazard reduction burning. This is where planned burns are used in cooler seasons to reduce fuel load in areas at risk of bushfires.
What are cool burns? Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have been practising cool burns for thousands of years. Cool burns help to reduce fuel load without harming biodiversity and creating fewer emissions than a hot burn.

Find Out: Cool burning independent investigation

Step 1. Watch:

Restoring Country with cool burns - (https://vimeo.com/79474009)

How to conduct a cool burn - (http://vimeo.com/79469831)

Step 2. Read:

Take Action: Evaluating cool burns

Step 1.

Independently, students complete the 'reporter’s notebook' thinking routine available on the Student Worksheet.

Students are asked to imagine they are a newspaper reporter exploring the claim: 'Cool burns should be used as a bushfire management tool'.

Taking the stance of a reporter helps students to clarify issues and points of agreement and disagreement by getting distance from their own perspective. It helps organise facts and feelings in order to consider a situation where fairness may be at stake. It promotes the fine discernment of information and perspective taken in order to clarify and make a tentative judgment.

Step 2.

Students will now develop two checklists that could actually be used to start and evaluate a cool burn project.

The first checklist identifies the best conditions for doing a cool burn. They don’t need to be too specific. A statement such as this will be sufficient: 'Grass is dry enough to burn slowly on its own'.
The second checklist is an evaluation that could be used after a cool burn. It should identify how the environment - including its wildlife - should have proceeded through the cool burn process.

Each checklist should contain at least five points.

Step 3.

Once complete, invite students to swap their checklist with a peer for feedback.

Step 4.

Invite students to share some of their ideas with the class through class discussion.

Reflection

As a class, discuss the original provocation:

Cool burns should be used as a bushfire management tool.

Teacher Reflection

Take this opportunity to reflect on your own teaching:

• What did you learn about your teaching?
• What worked well?
• What didn't work well?
• What would you share?
• Where to next?
• How are you going to get there?

Caring for Country Using Fire

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Summary

Learning intentions:

Students will...

Success criteria:

Students can...

Partner acknowledgement

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