The History of Energy Use in Australia

The History of Energy Use in Australia

Lesson 1 of 3 in this unit

  • Primary
  • Year 5 - 6
  • Humanities and Social Sciences
  • Business and Economics
  • Environmental
  • Energy
  • ...

Lesson summary

Students will explore the history of energy usage globally by digitally co-creating a timeline, including key events and discoveries, of each energy source discovery. They will develop a deeper understanding of how the shift in energy resource usage has and can impact society and the local environment over time.

Learning intentions:

Students will...

  • explore the history of energy use both globally and locally
  • understand how shifts in energy sources have influenced societal and environmental changes.

Success criteria:

Students can...

  • create a timeline of energy use
  • reflect on what Australia’s energy landscape will look like in the future.

Lesson guides and printables

Lesson Plan
Teacher Content Info
Australia's Energy History Activity Sheet

Curriculum links

Select your curriculum from the options below.

Lesson details

Skills

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

  • critical thinking
  • communication
  • curiosity
  • enterprise
  • global citizenship
  • problem-solving
  • reflection

Curriculum Mapping

Australian Curriculum (v9.0) content description: 

Year 5, HASS

Students learn: 

  • types of resources, including natural, human and capital, and how they satisfy needs and wants (AC9HS5K08).

Year 6, HASS

Students learn:

  •  influences on consumer choices and strategies that can be used to help make informed personal consumer and financial choices (AC9HS6K08).

Relevant parts of Year 5 HASS achievement standards: Students explain the nature of resources and how they meet needs and wants. 

Relevant parts of Year 6 HASS achievement standards: Students explain influences on consumers and strategies for informed consumer and financial choices. 

NSW Syllabus outcomes:

A student:

  • examines global citizenship and how people organise, protect and sustainability use the environment, using geographic information (HS3-GEO-01).

General capabilities: Critical and Creative ThinkingDigital LiteracyLiteracyPersonal and Social Capability 

Cross-curriculum priority: Sustainability 

Level of teacher scaffolding: Medium - the teacher will be required to facilitate discussions throughout this lesson.

UN Sustainable Development Goals

UN SDG 4: Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all

  • Target 4.7: By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable development.

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Additional Info

Cool.org thanks our philanthropic funder, Boundless Earth for their generous contributions and collaboration in creating these resources.

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  • Humanities and Social Sciences
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  • Humanities and Social Sciences
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