Lesson summary
Students explore the ways that we are connected to the ocean through the ways we impact it. They begin by completing a prior knowledge activity to help them understand that our connection to the oceans can be split into two categories: the ways we need the ocean and the ways we impact it. Students then think about some of the ways we impact the ocean before focusing on plastic waste. They watch a clip from Take 3 For The Sea and reflect on some of the themes around plastic waste described in this clip. They use these themes to identify gaps in their knowledge around plastic waste and create questions around these knowledge gaps that can be used to guide an inquiry.
Learning intentions:
Students will...
- understand that we impact the oceans in a range of ways, including through plastic waste
- recognise some of the ways that plastic waste harms marine environments and animals
Success criteria:
Students can...
- participate in a group and class discussion and activities
- generate questions
- make recommendations for appropriate research to answer their own questions (optional)
- conduct research to answer their own questions and create a communication piece to share their answers (optional)
Lesson guides and printables
Curriculum links
Select your curriculum from the options below.
Lesson details
Curriculum mapping
Australian curriculum content descriptions:
Depending on the activities you choose, you may meet the following content descriptions:
Year 4 HASS:
- Pose questions to investigate people, events, places and issues (ACHASSI073)
- The diversity of Australia’s first peoples and the long and continuous connection of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples to Country/Place (land, sea, waterways and skies) (ACHASSK083)
- The importance of environments, including natural vegetation, to animals and people (ACHASSK088)
- Optional: Present ideas, findings and conclusions in texts and modes that incorporate digital and non-digital representations and discipline-specific terms (ACHASSI082)
Year 4 English:
- Plan, draft and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive texts containing key information and supporting details for a widening range of audiences, demonstrating increasing control over text structures and language features (ACELY1694)
- Re-read and edit for meaning by adding, deleting or moving words or word groups to improve content and structure (ACELY1695)
Year 4 Science:
- Natural and processed materials have a range of physical properties that can influence their use (ACSSU074)
Year 5 HASS:
- Develop appropriate questions to guide an inquiry about people, events, developments, places, systems and challenges (ACHASSI094)
- The influence of people, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, on the environmental characteristics of Australian places (ACHASSK112)
- Optional: Present ideas, findings, viewpoints and conclusions in a range of texts and modes that incorporate source materials, digital and non-digital representations and discipline-specific terms and conventions (ACHASSI105)
Year 5 English:
- Plan, draft and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive print and multimodal texts, choosing text structures, language features, images and sound appropriate to purpose and audience (ACELY1704)
- Re-read and edit student’s own and others’ work using agreed criteria for text structures and language features (ACELY1705)
Year 5 Science:
- Solids, liquids and gases have different observable properties and behave in different ways (ACSSU077)
Year 6 HASS:
- Develop appropriate questions to guide an inquiry about people, events, developments, places, systems and challenges (ACHASSI122)
- The world’s cultural diversity, including that of its indigenous peoples (ACHASSK140)
- Optional: Present ideas, findings, viewpoints and conclusions in a range of texts and modes that incorporate source materials, digital and non-digital representations and discipline-specific terms and conventions (ACHASSI133)
Year 6 English:
- Plan, draft and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive texts, choosing and experimenting with text structures, language features, images and digital resources appropriate to purpose and audience (ACELY1714)
- Re-read and edit students’ own and others’ work using agreed criteria and explaining editing choices (ACELY1715)
Syllabus outcomes: GE2-1, GE2-2, GE2-3, GE2-4, GE3-1, GE3-2, GE3-4, EN2-2A, EN3-2A, ST3-12MW, ST2-13MW
General capabilities: Critical and Creative Thinking, Literacy
Cross-curriculum priority: Sustainability (OI.2), Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures (OI.2, OI.3).
Relevant parts of Year 4 HASS achievement standards: Students develop questions to investigate. They identify the interconnections between components of the environment and between people and the environment. They present findings using geographical terminology in a range of texts.
Relevant parts of Year 4 English achievement standards: Students create structured texts to explain ideas for different audiences. They reread and edit their work to improve meaning.
Relevant parts of Year 5 HASS achievement standards: Students develop questions for an investigation. They identify and describe the interconnections between people and the human and environmental characteristics of places. They present their ideas, findings and conclusions in a range of communication forms using discipline-specific terms and appropriate conventions.
Relevant parts of Year 5 English achievement standards: Students create imaginative, informative and persuasive texts for different purposes and audiences. They edit their work for cohesive structure and meaning.
Relevant parts of Year 5 Science achievement standards: Students apply the observable properties of materials to explain how objects and materials can be used.
Relevant parts of Year 6 HASS achievement standards: Students develop appropriate questions to frame an investigation. They describe how people, places, communities and environments are interconnected. They present ideas, findings, viewpoints and conclusions in a range of communication forms that incorporate source materials, mapping, graphing, communication conventions and discipline-specific terms.
Relevant parts of Year 6 English achievement standards: Students create detailed texts elaborating on key ideas for a range of purposes and audiences.
This lesson is part of the wider unit of work Take 3 For The Sea – Project-based Learning – Years 4 to 6
Time required: 175+ mins
Level of teacher scaffolding: Medium – lead class discussions, oversee question generation activities
Resources required
- Device capable of presenting a website and video to the class
- Generating Questions Factsheet (optional)
- Human Impacts On The Ocean – Images
- How Do We Need The Ocean? Image
- How Do We Need The Ocean? Annotated Image
- Student Worksheet – one copy per student
Skills
This lesson is designed to build students’ competencies in the following skills:
- Communication
- Critical thinking
- Collaboration
Additional info
Take 3 is an Australian charity removing rubbish from the environment through education programs, international campaigns and clean-ups. Take 3’s call to action is simple: Take 3 pieces of rubbish with you when you leave the beach, waterway or… anywhere and you have made a difference.
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