Teaching sequence

Work through this resource material in the following sequence:

15 minutes

Tune In: First Nations Clean Energy Network

20 minutes

Find Out: Exploring First Nations clean energy projects

20 minutes

Take Action: Poster task

5 minutes

Reflection

Learning intentions

Students will:

understand why the First Nations Clean Energy Network was founded
recognise that scientific progress often relies on collaboration and shared knowledge
explore how leadership and partnerships drive innovation in clean energy.

Success criteria

Students can:

explain why First Nations leadership is essential to clean-energy transitions
identify examples of scientific collaboration between communities and experts
communicate ideas clearly through a visual or digital product.

Tune In: Introducing the First Nations Clean Energy Network

Step 1

Engage students in a class discussion around the following question:

How do we use electricity in our daily lives?

Invite students to consider how we use electricity for cooking, keeping food cool, powering devices, accessing the internet, and washing clothes.

For each suggested use of electricity, ask students to consider what the impact would be if the electricity weren’t available. For example, not being able to cook food, food rotting in the fridge, being unable to use devices, no internet access to connect with other people or pay bills, or not being able to wash and clean clothes. The aim of this discussion is to emphasise the many ways that we need and use electricity.

Step 2

Share the following video with students, explaining that it introduces some of the challenges in accessing electricity in remote communities in Australia, and how the First Nations Clean Energy Network is working to address these challenges:

Introducing the First Nations Clean Energy Network – (youtube.com/watch?v=b-BuSIs4Os8)

Step 3

After viewing, engage students in a class discussion around some of the key ideas introduced in the video. You could do this as a guided discussion by stopping the video at the following timestamps and using the prompts provided to elicit discussion:

Impact of disconnections (1:00 to 1:15) - Explain that more than 15,000 First Nations households access electricity through prepayment cards. Prepayment power meters require households to add credit in advance to keep electricity running. When the credit runs out, the supply is automatically disconnected, leaving homes without lighting, power, refrigeration, or cooling. Prepayment cards can be recharged via phone apps, but these are often unavailable without access to household internet, which relies on electricity, so residents need to travel to a local shop to add more credit.
Diesel generators (1:16 to 1:24) - Explain that an alternative to prepayment cards is using diesel generators. Diesel is like petrol and is both expensive to buy and creates air pollution that contributes to climate change.
Clean energy (Start to 1:00) - The term ‘clean energy’ is introduced as a solution to pollution caused by diesel generators and the challenges posed by prepayment cards. The First Nations Clean Energy Network is an organisation that aims to bring reliable, affordable, and clean energy to First Nations people and communities living on Country.
Living, working on and caring for Country (end) - Unaffordable or unreliable power sources can affect the ability of First Nations peoples and communities to live on Country and care for Country. Polluting diesel generators can harm Country.

Step 4

Using a piece of butcher's paper, work as a class to create a ‘Community Energy Wall’ where students record responses to the following question:

What is clean energy?

Find Out: Exploring First Nations clean energy projects

Step 1

Invite students to discuss the following questions. Explain that they might not have all the answers to these questions yet, but they will be exploring these issues further in this lesson. This could be done as a class or in table groups:

Discussion question	Possible answers
Thinking about where you live, what types of energy are used in your community?	• Electricity from the main power grid • Solar panels on homes or buildings • Petrol or diesel is used for transport or generators • Gas used for cooking or heating • Renewable energy, like solar or wind farms
Who do you think decides what types of energy will be used?	Most communities are connected to power sources when they are established. This includes remote communities and new suburbs attached to a city or town. The power company for a new community or suburb is decided by the state or territory government rather than by personal choice or the developer. Individual homes and communities can choose to install solar panels and battery storage.
Why might First Nations leadership be important in deciding what types of energy should be used in a community? Note: Ask students to reflect on the video they watched earlier to help them answer this question. For example, the type of power can limit the opportunities for First Nations peoples and communities to remain on Country.	• First Nations peoples have deep knowledge of Country, including the land, the sun, and the wind. • They can help make sure energy projects respect cultural sites and the environment. • Community leadership means local people help make decisions about their future. • It can create jobs and benefits for the community. • Combining traditional knowledge and science can lead to better solutions.

Step 2

Now, students will explore community energy projects developed by the First Nations Clean Energy Network and learn why communities were inspired to take action on clean energy. In pairs or small groups, invite students to use a device to navigate to the First Nations Clean Energy Network Projects (firstnationscleanenergy.org.au/energy-projects) page.

Allow students several minutes to look through the case studies.

Step 3

Explain to students that the first case study they will be focusing on is the Wujal Wujal Microgrid project. Consider using Google Maps to locate Wujal Wujal. Navigate to the Wujal Wujal Microgrid project (firstnationscleanenergy.org.au/wujal_wujal_microgrid) on the First Nations Clean Energy Network website.

Then, watch the following video (watch from start to 3:35):

Have Our Own – (youtube.com/watch?v=iziFTbt52Mw)

Using the information in the video and on the website, work as a class to identify the following elements of this project:

the challenge
the proposed solution
the outcome
the role of leadership.

The following sections of text from the page will help you:

Challenge: "... connected to the national grid at the end of a long fringe of grid feeder line, causing a significantly higher distribution cost of supply" (paragraph 1)
Leadership: "community-ownership and control opportunities to meet the community’s own power objectives." (paragraph 3), and the final statement from the video (3:27 to 3:35); "Don't our Traditional Owners deserve the right to make decisions on their Country that impact for the benefit of their people?"
Proposed solution: A plan to install "... a solar and battery microgrid and a hydro plant" (paragraph 3)
Outcome: “keep the power on, reduce electricity costs, create local jobs, and build economic empowerment” (paragraph 4)

Work with students to summarise each point into a short statement, for example:

Challenge: High cost to the community.
Leadership: Community-owned and controlled.
Solution: Solar and battery microgrid, hydro plant.
Outcome: Reliable and affordable power, jobs, and empowerment.

Step 4

Explain to students that one way to communicate the story of this case study is through a cause-and-effect chain. Create a simple cause-and-effect chain on the board, such as:

Give students a copy of the Student Worksheet and direct them to the cause-and-effect chain. Discuss how the challenge experienced by the Wujal Wujal community inspired leadership to develop a solution that would benefit the community.

Ask students to complete the cause-and-effect chain template for the Wujal Wujal case study on the Student Worksheet by adding short summaries for each step of the chain.

Learning extension: If time permits or where students require extension, a cause-and-effect chain could be created for the following projects:

Ngardara ‘Sun’ Project (firstnationscleanenergy.org.au/ngardara_sun_project)
Ltyentye Apurte Microgrid (firstnationscleanenergy.org.au/ltyentye_apurte_microgrid)

Take Action: Poster task

Step 1

Ask students to work in pairs or small groups to design a digital or paper mini-poster titled ‘Why First Nations leadership matters in clean energy.’

Consider holding a brief discussion to clarify some of the reasons for ensuring First Nations leadership in clean energy projects identified in this lesson. For example, First Nations leadership provides communities with:

project ownership and control
economic benefits and jobs for the community
the option to safely and comfortably live, work on and care for Country.

In their posters, students must include three facts and one quote or insight from the class discussion. Suggested types of facts or quotes can be found on the Student Worksheet.

Learning support: Some suggested sentence starters to support students in developing their ideas for the poster could include:

First Nations clean energy projects need community leadership because…
Leadership on First Nations clean energy projects helps communities by…
First Nations clean energy projects allow communities to…
First Nations clean energy projects provide communities with…
Clean energy projects allow First Nations communities to stay on Country because…

Step 2

Invite students to share their posters with another group and to provide feedback for improvement. Feedback could be based on:

How First Nations' leadership of clean energy projects is addressed.
How clearly the poster communicates the value of clean energy
The relevance of facts and quotes included in the poster, and how well these address the poster title.

Reflection

Gather students together for a reflection circle. Pose the following question:

What have you learned about the value of leadership in this lesson?
What new information would you add to your ‘Community Energy Wall’?

Why the First Nations Clean Energy Network?

Go to

Summary

Learning intentions

Success criteria

Lesson Guides and Printables

Lesson Details

Skills Required

Curriculum Mapping

Resources Required

UN Sustainable Development Goals

Additional Information

Related Professional Learning

In this lesson

Why the First Nations Clean Energy Network?

Go to

Summary

Learning intentions

Success criteria

Lesson Guides and Printables

Lesson Details

Skills Required

Curriculum Mapping

Resources Required

UN Sustainable Development Goals

Additional Information

Related Professional Learning

In this lesson