Beeing Curious

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

• critical thinking
• communication
• creativity
• ethical understanding
• collaboration

Australian Curriculum content descriptions:

Year 5 English:

• Clarify understanding of content as it unfolds in formal and informal situations, connecting ideas to students’ own experiences and present and justify a point of view (ACELY1699)
• Use interaction skills, for example paraphrasing, questioning and interpreting non-verbal cues and choose vocabulary and vocal effects appropriate for different audiences and purposes (ACELY1796)

Year 5 Science:

• Living things have structural features and adaptations that help them to survive in their environment (ACSSU043)

Year 6 English: 

• Participate in and contribute to discussions, clarifying and interrogating ideas, developing and supporting arguments, sharing and evaluating information, experiences and opinions (ACELY1709)
• Use interaction skills, varying conventions of spoken interactions such as voice volume, tone, pitch and pace, according to group size, formality of interaction and needs and expertise of the audience (ACELY1816)

Year 6 Science:

• The growth and survival of living things are affected by physical conditions of their environment (ACSSU094)

General capabilities: Ethical Understanding, Personal and Social Capability

Cross-curriculum priority: Sustainability

Relevant parts of Year 5 English achievement standards: Contribute actively to class and group discussions, taking into account other perspectives. Select specific vocabulary and use accurate spelling and punctuation. 

Relevant parts of Year 5 Science achievement standards: Analyse how the form of living things enables them to function in their environments.

Relevant parts of Year 6 English achievement standards: Make presentations and contribute actively to class and group discussions, using a variety of strategies for effect. Use accurate spelling and punctuation for clarity and make and explain editorial choices based on criteria.

Relevant parts of Year 6 Science achievement standards: Describe and predict the effect of environmental changes on individual living things. 

Unit of work: Love Food? Love Bees!

Level of teacher scaffolding: Medium – facilitate class discussion.

Goal 15: Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss

• 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.

• Student Worksheet – one copy per student OR computers/tablets to access the online worksheet
• Web enabled computer, Bee Safe! Factsheet, projector, screen and speakers
• String or masking tape, ‘AGREE’, ‘DISAGREE’ and ‘NOT SURE’ signs
• Sticky-notes, butcher’s paper and textas/pens (optional). Clipboards, paper and pens for recording data for the observation activity
• Hive of Reflection print-out

This lesson has been created in partnership with ACT for Bees. ACT for Bees is a not-for-profit organisation taking action to preserve these essential pollinators, ensuring a food-secure future.

How To Teach Sustainability With Hope

Quick summary: This course is for both primary and secondary teachers of all subjects, but especially for English, Science, Humanities and Geography teachers who are covering climate change and the cross-curriculum priority of sustainability.