Investigating Local Biodiversity and Threats to Culturally Significant Species

This lesson is designed to build students’ competencies in the following skills:

• creative thinking
• critical thinking
• collaboration
• communication
• community engagement
• cultural understanding
• problem solving

Australian Curriculum (v9.0) content description: 

Year 9, Science

Students learn to:

• analyse the key factors that contribute to science knowledge and practices being adopted more broadly by society (AC9S9H03).

Year 10, Science

Students learn to:

• analyse the key factors that contribute to science knowledge and practices being adopted more broadly by society (AC9S10H03).

Relevant parts of Year 9 Science achievement standards: Students analyse the different ways in which science and society are interconnected.

Relevant parts of Year 10 Science achievement standards: Students analyse the key factors that influence interactions between science and society.

NSW Syllabus outcomes: Stage 5

A student:

• analyses data from investigations to identify trends, patterns and relationships, and draws conclusions (SC5-WS-06).

General capabilities: Critical and Creative Thinking, Intercultural Understanding

Cross-curriculum priority: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures, Sustainability 

Level of teacher scaffolding: Medium - teachers will facilitate class discussion and guide online research.

UN SDG 15: Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all

• Target 15.5: Take urgent and significant action to reduce the degradation of natural habitats, halt the loss of biodiversity and, by 2020, protect and prevent the extinction of threatened species.

• device capable of displaying audiovisual material
• student devices
• Student Worksheet
• whiteboard

This lesson was created in collaboration with The Biodiversity Council.

Special thanks to our content partner, The Conversation and to The Garry White Foundation, The Hugh D. T. Williamson Foundation, Wedgetail and The James Kirby Foundation for their generous financial support.

Beginning to Include First Nations Peoples' Perspectives in Your Classroom

Quick summary: This course aims to inform and upskill educators in incorporating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples perspectives.