War On Waste - Plastic Waste In Our Ocean

Australian curriculum content descriptions: 

Foundation Science:

• Objects are made of materials that have observable properties (ACSSU003)
• Share observations and ideas (ACSIS012)

Year 1 Science:

• Everyday materials can be physically changed in a variety of ways (ACSSU018)
• Represent and communicate observations and ideas in a variety of ways (ACSIS029)

Year 2 Science:

• Different materials can be combined for a particular purpose (ACSSU031)
• Represent and communicate observations and ideas in a variety of ways (ACSIS042)

Year 3 Science:

• Science knowledge helps people to understand the effect of their actions (ACSHE051)
• Represent and communicate observations, ideas and findings using formal and informal representations (ACSIS060)

Years F to 2 Visual Arts:

• Explore ideas, experiences, observations and imagination to create visual artworks and design, including considering ideas in artworks by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists (ACAVAM106)
• Use and experiment with different materials, techniques, technologies and processes to make artworks (ACAVAM107)
• Create and display artworks to communicate ideas to an audience (ACAVAM108)
• Respond to visual artworks and consider where and why people make visual artworks, starting with visual artworks from Australia, including visual artworks of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples (ACAVAR109)

Year 3 Visual Arts:

• Use materials, techniques and processes to explore visual conventions when making artworks (ACAVAM111)
• Present artworks and describe how they have used visual conventions to represent their ideas (ACAVAM112)
• Identify intended purposes and meanings of artworks using visual arts terminology to compare artworks, starting with visual artworks in Australia including visual artworks of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples (ACAVAR113)

Syllabus outcomes: STe-9MEm, STe-4WS, ST1-12MW, ST1-4WS, ST2-11LW, ST2-4WS, VAS1.1, VAS1.2, VAS1.3, VAS1.4, VAS2.1, VAS2.2, VAS2.3, VAS2.4

General capabilities: Critical and Creative Thinking

Cross-curriculum priority: Sustainability OI.8, OI.9

Relevant parts of Foundation Science achievement standards: Students describe the properties and behaviour of familiar objects, and share and reflect on observations

Relevant parts of Year 1 Science achievement standards: Students describe objects and events that they encounter in their everyday lives, and sort their observations and share them with others

Relevant parts of Year 2 Science achievement standards: Students identify that certain materials and resources have different uses, and communicate ideas in a variety of ways

Relevant parts of Year 3 Science achievement standards: Students describe how they can use science to respond to questions and they communicate their ideas

Relevant parts of Foundation to Year 2 Visual Arts achievement standards: Students describe artworks they make and view and where and why artworks are made and presented. They make artworks in different forms to express their ideas, observations and imagination, using different techniques and processes.

Relevant parts of Year 3 Visual Arts achievement standards: Students discuss how they and others use visual conventions in artworks. They plan and make artworks that are inspired by artworks they experience. They use visual conventions, techniques and processes to communicate their ideas.

This lesson is part of the wider unit of work: War On Waste – Foundation to Year 3

Time required: 60 mins

Level of teacher scaffolding: Medium – facilitate class discussion, oversee art analysis and art-making activities

• Art-making materials
• Device capable of presenting a video to the class
• Plastic Pollution Factsheet
• Plastic Waste Artwork Images
• Plastic waste items (can be collected by students during creation of artwork)
• OPTIONAL – Student Worksheets – one copy per student

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

• Communication
• Creativity
• Critical thinking

Cool Australia’s War On Waste lessons have been developed in partnership with Lune Media and with support from the Australian Environmental Grantmakers Network. These lessons have been designed to lead students through a deeper understanding of some of the big issues relating to waste in Australia and to support them to take action to reduce the impact of waste on our environment.