Teaching sequence

Work through this resource material in the following sequence:

20 minutes

Part A: What does poverty mean in Australia?

35 minutes

Part B: Cause and Effect Group Task

45 minutes

Part C: Our Community Matters

10 minutes

Reflection

Part A: What does poverty mean in Australia?

Step 1

Inform your students that we are about to discuss some sensitive topics. Acknowledge that we may feel emotional or concerned, and this is entirely normal. Consider what is appropriate for your class and encourage students to draw on their strengths and use empathy and kindness.

Step 2

Open up the class discussion by stating that poverty exists in Australia. There are currently 1 in 6 children living below the poverty line. You might not always see it, but it affects people across all States and Territories. In many communities, both regional and urban, people fall below the poverty line. People with jobs and people without, mums, dads, the elderly and children. People from all different backgrounds. Most of the time, people live in poverty for a short time until they get back on their feet, but some are affected for longer.

Step 3

Share Poverty in Australia 2023 Snapshot Infographic and guide students to reflect on their thinking by completing a See, Think, Wonder thinking routine (see Student Worksheet).

Step 4

Once students have expressed their thoughts on paper bring their attention back to the board and watch the video:

Anti Poverty Week case studies from the bushfires and COVID-19. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBhJaPWsHHo)

Model how to think about the cause and effect of poverty using a poverty thinking map. Discuss reasons why people experience homelessness and reflect on the various causes of homelessness.

Step 5.

Watch the video:

Vinnies Rebuilds Lives (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBurtsLe6rQ)

Invite students to identify the cause and effect of poverty using the same thinking template to complete their own thinking map.

Consider: While students are working on their map, walk around the classroom and take note of how your class is responding to the issue. Once your class has completed the template ask your students to share any emotions that may have come through while they were completing the table. Poverty is an unfortunate and unfavourable outcome that is related to hardship and struggle. It is essential to ensure all your students are aware of the reality of poverty and understand the sensitivity and emotion that is attached to this topic. Ensure you follow your school's counselling and guidance protocol shall a student require additional support.

Part B: Community matters

Step 1.

Invite students to watch this 2-minute animation:

Imagine a world (https://youtu.be/m2OF6lUGIAg) produced by Canberra University students for Anti Poverty Week

Ask them to reflect on the following with a partner:

What does community mean to you?
How important is it to feel safe in your community?
Do you think people living in poverty have the same sense of community and feel like they can rely on their community or government? Why/why not?

Ensure you explain to the class how poverty puts pressure on people. If the pressure builds up, people can be pushed into homelessness. People who are homeless aren’t just people we can see sleeping rough on the street. They can also be living in their car, having to stay with friends or family, sleeping on their couches. We can relieve the pressure on people’s lives by creating affordable housing and helping people get decent jobs. We can also strengthen our social welfare system and ensure all income support payments (including for people who are unemployed) are above the poverty line. We can invest in social housing so there are more houses low-income people can afford to live in.

Step 2

Class divides into small groups of 3 to 4 students; each group is given a different Community Member card upon which to base discussion, along with scaffolded discussion. Explain that these are real stories from real people in our community.

What caused this person to fall below the poverty line?
What was the effect on this person?
What is the effect on our community?
What was their pathway out of poverty?
Each group can create a cause and effect thinking map to share with the class

Step 3

Invite a spokesperson(s) from each group to share their Cause and Effect thinking maps.

Part C: Call to action

Step 1

Poverty in Australia is a serious issue and there are a number of things that we can do to make a big impact.
Begin by opening a discussion with the class by asking your students to think about the following questions as they navigate through the Anti Poverty Week ideas for activities section of the website.

What can we do as individuals to help?
What can our community do to help?
What can our government do to help?

Create a mind map of all the possible solutions to this problem and split students into groups of three to four students to come up with the most effective solution.

Some potential answers may include:

You could ask people in the general community or particularly disadvantaged groups to produce art, photography or writing which reflects poverty generally or a specific issue.
You could hold a virtual workshop, an exhibition or display of the work in a library, town hall or shopping mall and additionally through your social media channels.
You could organise a virtual performance, concert or screening on a poverty-related issue. Some events could be designed especially for children (e.g. a puppet show with a poverty-related theme)
You could organise an online family day or award presentation. It could involve as many local people as possible from schools, welfare or community organisations, police, health centres, places of worship etc with scheduled online drop-in sessions. Different groups could have virtual stalls or exhibits which explain or promote their services or issues.
The event could encourage community participation in programs to address local problems. For example, it could launch a program of community donations to help schools, sports clubs and other organisations provide free or low-cost services for low-income families.
Ask your students to pretend they are creating a statement to the press about their 'call to action' event. Their statement should be clear and engaging and address what, when and why their event is important in order to reduce the rates of poverty and promote awareness.

Students may wish to record, film or write their statement and share this on the school's Facebook, Twitter or Instagram page.

Step 2

Support your students by validating any emotions they may be feeling after this lesson. Encourage your class to use their energy to help find solutions.

Reflection

Ask your student to reflect on the following prompt:

If I could do one thing to help reduce poverty in Australia what would I do?

Once students have had some time to reflect invite your class to write down their response or share their opinion with a partner.

Differentiated learning

Extension - Invite your students to watch the video on the ABC website: 1 in 4 Australians struggle to make ends meet. (https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-06-07/1-in-4-australians-struggling-to-make-ends-meet/13376336)

Ask the student to think about the information they have received in this lesson about people living below the poverty line. Encourage them to write a letter to a chosen government authority describing this story. You may like to include a suggestion on how we could support people experiencing poverty.

Provisions for Learning Support - Some students may need additional one on one support while reading and comprehending this information. Please prepare educational support staff to guide students through the lesson and be aware of your school's guidance and counselling protocol.

Teacher reflection

Take this opportunity to reflect on your own teaching:

• What did you learn about your teaching practice?
• What worked well?
• What didn't work so well?
• What would you share?
• Where to next?
• How are you going to get there?

Poverty and Inequality in Australia - What is Poverty and Why Does It Matter?

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Summary

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Students will...

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Lesson guides and printables

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Curriculum Mapping

Resources Required

UN Sustainable Development Goals

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