Lesson summary
Students examine the role of minibeasts in food production. They will explore why some farmers use pesticides and how this differs from regenerative farming practices. They will debate whether regenerative farming practices are better for our minibeasts, the farmer and the consumer.
Learning intentions:
Students will...
- explore a range of Australian minibeasts and be able to identify them as good or bad for food production
- understand pesticide use in conventional farming and how this differs to regenerative farming practices.
Success criteria:
Students can...
- describe the role of different minibeasts in the environment and in food production
- discuss the pros and cons of managing pests through pesticide use vs regenerative farming processes.
Lesson guides and printables
Lesson details
Skills
This lesson is designed to build students’ competencies in the following skills:
- collaboration
- communication
- social skills
Curriculum Mapping
Australian Curriculum (v9.0) content descriptions - Geography Year 9
Students learn to:
- challenges to sustainable food production and food security in Australia and appropriate management strategies (AC9HG9K04)
- the environmental, economic and technological factors that impact agricultural productivity, in Australia and a country in Asia (AC9HG9K03)
General capabilities: Literacy, Critical and Creative Thinking
Cross-curriculum priority: Sustainability.
Relevant parts of Year 9 Geography achievement standards:
Students analyse the interconnections between people and places and environments. Students analyse strategies to address a geographical phenomenon or challenge using environmental, social or economic criteria.
UN Sustainable Development Goals
Target 2.4: By 2030, ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices that increase productivity and production, that help maintain ecosystems, that strengthen capacity for adaptation to climate change, extreme weather, drought, flooding and other disasters and that progressively improve land and soil quality
Target 15.3: By 2030, combat desertification, restore degraded land and soil, including land affected by desertification, drought and floods, and strive to achieve a land degradation-neutral world.
Resources Required
- access to ABC iView and the ability to share with students
- bell/ timer
- coloured pencils/textas
- devices with internet access for students to use
- Debate Guidelines
- paper
- printer
- room rearrangement
- Student Worksheet - one per student
- VENN diagram
Additional Info
Level of teacher scaffolding: Medium - facilitate the movement of students during the minibeast activity and the debate.
Special thanks to:
This lesson has been developed with the support of the Macdoch Foundation.
This lesson includes video content of the brilliant new feature documentary from WildBear Entertainment, New Town Films and Regen Studios - go to Rachel’s Farm to see the entire film.
Cool.org's curriculum team continually reviews and refines our resources to be in line with changes to the Australian Curriculum.
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