Teacher Preparation

Overarching learning goals: By using Google Maps your students will explore the green areas in their neighbourhood or area. Students will find an area which could be made “greener” or one where biodiversity work has been performed and needs maintenance and upkeep.

Teacher content information: For information about biodiversity - what it is, how it helps us and what we are doing to protect it, read this short article.

Connecting lessons: Year 9 and 10 Biodiversity PowerPoint, Biodiversity Revegetation Project, Wildlife Garden Website, AuSSI Biodiversity Audit - Secondary.

Lesson and student organisation

Part 1: Tune In – Seeking Green Space

Step 1: What is Green Space?

Help your students learn what the term 'green space' means by conducting a quick Think, Pair, Share (explained below).

Students will have ten seconds to silently think of their own definition of the term 'green space'. Afterwards, each student should pair up with another and discuss possible definitions. Students should explore what the concept might mean and decide on the best answer. Select a few pairs of students to share their answer with the class. Help them to realise that 'green space' is undeveloped land that is near to residential or industrial land. It should be maintained for purposes of conservation and recreational enjoyment.

Step 2: Google Maps

Students are to use Flash Earth, Google Maps or another online aerial photography website or resource. They are to locate their suburb and find their school. Students are provided with specific focus questions on the Student Worksheet. They need to think about the most effective way they might estimate and compare areas of land, including the language required to express it (for example, 80% of the land is used for roads and housing).

At the conclusion, ask students to discuss how they went about solving the questions.

Part 2: Act - Enviroweek Green Thumb Project Action Planning

The aim of the Green Thumb Action is for students to explore and increase schoolyard biodiversity and to care for existing habitats. Teachers may choose to use this activity to follow up their National Tree Day plantings. Students will begin to understand the significant benefits green spaces have on the health of people and the environment.

The fun part of Enviroweek is allowing your students to plan your school's activities. This places students in charge of their own learning and encourages them to learn in a real-world context. Students will follow a project-based learning style that allows them to develop skills from a range of educational areas.

Step 1:

Introduce the Green Thumb Action to students, outlining the aims, the starting date of Enviroweek, and the specific environmental benefits of taking part. Highlight the fact that each student who participates in this action will save 0.17 kg of CO₂e correlating to 3 black balloons (for a week).

Step 2:

Talk to your students about the many different activities that can be undertaken for this action. Use the table below to spark some ideas. As they plan their activities, encourage students to think outside the box, but ensure that the details are aligned with the SMART goal principles: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time Bound.

Students can plan their Enviroweek challenge for their whole school, for one year level, for a class or just for their group. As students plan their activities they can use the Student Worksheet to guide them.

Step 3:

Organise your students into small groups and encourage them to take on different roles that suit their strengths and learning styles. Set a timeline for their groups planning to be completed. Ensure that this is done well before the date of Enviroweek so you have time to seek approval, advertise the event and solve other organisational issues.

Green Thumb Challenge Ideas

Drought tolerant planting	Find out which local native species can be planted in an area that doesn't get much rainwater.
Food and herb gardens	Fresh food and herbs from the garden are yummy! See our Fact Sheet: How to Start a Veggie Garden
Fruit tree planting	Nothing tastes better than fruit right off the tree. Find some fruits that grow well in your area that the students love to eat.
Bush tucker garden	There are many native plants that can be eaten, and we can learn about these from Indigenous Australians. We can find out which ones grow in our area and have a go cultivating them. See our Fact Sheet: How to plant a Native Garden
Native planting to encourage native birds	Which plants do your local native birds prefer? Find a spot where you can plant them, nurture these plants carefully and watch as your bird population increases. See our Fact Sheets: How to plant a native garden How to build a nesting box Nesting box construction guide
Create a frog bog	Learn which types of frogs live in your area and create the habitat/s they prefer. You’ll know it’s working when you hear their calls in your frog bog!
Care for existing green spaces	Identify which existing green spaces in your garden need some TLC and develop a plant to water, compost, weed and nourish these spaces so they grow into lush, verdant and healthy green spaces.
Create a quiet shady garden where people can relax, read and study	There might be an area of your school yard that just needs a few items, such as platforms or benches, where people can relax, read or study. This fact sheet might help: How to control garden pests the green way
Measure and audit the schoolyard's biodiversity	Measure and improve your schoolyard’s biodiversity. You have to know where you are starting from, right? Link to biodiversity audits: AuSSI Biodiversity Audit - Secondary
Follow up on National Tree Day planting	Help your plants to survive and thrive with water, mulch, compost, pest control and general care. Planet Ark Website

You may not be able to achieve all the ideas that students come up with. Decide as a class which ones you can implement. Don't forget to document your Enviroweek journey with pictures and videos!

Part 3: Share

Students will combine the information and skills learned during the Green Thumb Action with their persuasive language skills to communicate their achievements to the school community. In small groups, students are to develop a campaign to convince the school community to plant more green spaces.

Have students decide upon the key message of the campaign, which should include specific measurements detailing weekly or annual CO₂e savings. They should also ensure the finished work is persuasive.

Students plan, rehearse and deliver an oral presentation to their targeted audience. They should aim to influence and engage the audience by using the language of persuasion. They must also pay attention to their method of delivery, varying vocal tone, pitch and pace.

For this task, students should focus on the persuasive techniques of emotive language and use of facts and numerical statistics. They will use the information obtained from the aerial photos and combine these facts with a delivery that is emotive, aiming to influence and engage them by using facts.

Extension

Create a formal letter to your local Council for the purpose of requesting that more 'green space' be preserved in your area. Consider:

The person to whom the letter is addressed, their position and whether or not they are a key decision-maker.
The register (level) of language you will use to express your opinion.
The conventions for the formal structure of a letter.
Selecting language that presents your opinion persuasively and positively.

Other ways to share

Upload your photos and videos to your Enviroweek Schools Profile.
Feature an article in the school newsletter or local paper.
Present information you found out about green spaces to the maintenance team or the school council.

Enviroweek - Caring for Green Spaces

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