Earth Hour - The Places We Love

Students explore how nature makes them feel, the Australian places in nature that they love, and how these places might be affected by climate change. Students begin this lesson by participating in a mindfulness walk through nature, observing their responses to nature. They are then asked to look at and compare holiday photos of their parents/caregivers with pictures of places they love, discussing the reasons why these places are special and speculating on how these places may have changed over time. Students will then look at a range of other images of special places in Australia, and investigate how climate change might affect the place they love and their experience of it. Finally, students will write an article to describe the place they love, how it will be affected by climate change, and why people should participate in Earth Hour this year. Note: Year 7 students will look at Australian places with water that they love; Year 8 students will look at Australian landscapes that they love.

Essential questions:

• How do we value our environment?
• How do people’s reliance on places and environments influence their perception of them?
• How do environmental and human processes affect the characteristics of places and environments?
• What are the consequences of changes to places and environments and how can these changes be managed?