Towards a Sustainable future

1. By: Melanie, Sissy, Robin & Matt Towards a Sustainable future

2. Facing global issues Hi there! This is Earth speaking. Will you spare a moment to listen to me? I have some very important things to discuss. We must face up to some urgent environmental problems! All living things depend on my environment, but the way you humans are living at the moment, I will not be able to keep looking after you. The issues I am worried about are: • The supply of clean air and water • Wasting resources • Protecting all living things • Global warming and climate change. My global challenge to you is to find a sustainable way of living.

3. “Education is critical for promoting sustainable development and improving the capacity of people to address environment and development issues…It is also critical for achieving environmental and ethical awareness, values and attitudes, skills and behaviour consistent with sustainable development and for effective public participation in decision-making.” (UNEP, 1992) • United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro 1992

5. Unit Outcomes • This unit is designed to familiarise students with the notion of environmental sustainability. children learn about social responsibility, particularly practical steps that they can employ to monitor their wastage…… tackle environmental problems and issues. • influence children to think about the bigger picture, the quality of life for future generations • ethical awareness, values • education • The value of environmental education • To develop critical thinking processes.

6. Week 1-Lessons • LITERACY LESSON: ENERGY Tuning In: • Today we are going to talk about how reliant we have become in the modern world on uninterrupted access to energy (electricity, gas, petrol-oil) • Initial discussion re: heatwave we experienced over summer and the problems the interruption of power supply caused. How were the students affected? Complete a list on the black-white board of student responses. Making Conclusions: • Students are to respond in sentence form with correct grammar to these questions. • If the power went out? • How would the classroom be affected at this moment? • What changes would occur in the school? • How would getting up and getting to school this morning have been affected? • Would there be any problems getting to school or going home? • What will be affected when you get home? Going Further: • Once these responses have been made finish with class discussion on how we rely on the use of energy. • Students are then to complete Energy Smart Schools ‘Clean & Green’ word-search. • http://www.eere.energy.gov/kids/pdfs/activity_book_color.pdf

7. VELS REFERENCES LESSON 1 • Writing • At Level 3, students write texts containing several logically ordered paragraphs that express opinions and include ideas and information about familiar topics. They write narratives which include characters, setting and plot. They order information and sequence events using some detail or illustrative evidence, and they express a point of view providing some information and supporting detail. They combine verbal and visual elements in the texts they produce. They meet the needs of audiences by including appropriate background information. • They write a variety of simple and compound sentences and use verb tenses correctly. They use punctuation to support meaning, including exclamation marks and quotation marks, and accurately use full stops, commas and question marks. They use vocabulary appropriate to context and spell most one- and two-syllable words with regular spelling patterns, and frequently used words which have less regular spelling patterns. They use sound and visual patterns when attempting to spell unfamiliar words. • Humanities • awareness of the limited nature of resources and the unlimited nature of wants understanding of production, distribution and/or consumption of resources in basic contexts; for example, that oranges grow on trees and are sold in supermarkets • ICT for communicating • At Level 3, students initiate and compose email messages to known and unknown audiences and, where appropriate, send replies. Students create folders in their mailbox to organise the storage of email messages they wish to keep. They locate information on an intranet, and use a recommended search engine and limited key words to locate information from websites. They develop and apply simple criteria to evaluate the value of the located information. • Building social relationships • At Level 3, students demonstrate respect for others and exhibit appropriate behaviour for maintaining friendships with other people. They support each other by sharing ideas and materials, offering assistance, giving appropriate feedback and acknowledging individual differences. They work with others to reduce, avoid and resolve conflict. • Working in teams • At Level 3, students cooperate with others in teams for agreed purposes, taking roles and following guidelines established within the task. They describe and evaluate their own contribution and the team’s progress towards the achievement of agreed goals.

8. Week 2-Lessons • NUMERACY LESSON: ENERGY • Following the discussion in previous lesson we will be discussing where energy comes from, and how it is generated. Students prior knowledge will be assessed through guided discussion. Focus will be on the production of energy and what is required to make-generate this power. • ACTIVITY: Run, Run, Run. • We use a lot of energy to heat and cool buildings like your home and our school. However, our bodies are able to heat themselves. When people feel cold, they can turn on the heating, put on a jumper or choose to do something active. In this activity we will measure how long it takes to feel warm by being active and how long that warmth lasts. • Materials: stopwatch, measuring tape or trundle wheel, witches hats or markers, worksheet. • PROCESS: Students are to work in groups of three. 1 student will be running. 1 student will record times with a stopwatch. 1 student will record the distance covered. (on provided worksheet) • Mark out 100 metres with witches hats. • Students to run back and forth (at their own speed) between the markers. • Record the time each student starts their run and time with stopwatch how long it takes for them to feel warm. • Students stop activity when warm. • Record the distance they ran and how fast they ran. • When they start to cool down, calculate how long they were warm When activity is completed we will have a brief discussion while the class cools down about how effective exercise is as creating heat energy.

9. VELS REFERENCES LESSON 2 • Measurement, chance and data [Maths] • At Level 3, students estimate and measure length, area, volume, capacity, mass and time using appropriate instruments. They recognise and use different units of measurement including informal (for example, paces), formal (for example, centimetres) and standard metric measures (for example, metre) in appropriate contexts. They read linear scales (for example, tape measures) and circular scales (for example, bathroom scales) in measurement contexts. They read digital time displays and analogue clock times at five-minute intervals. They interpret timetables and calendars in relation to familiar events. They compare the likelihood of everyday events (for example, the chances of rain and snow). They describe the fairness of events in qualitative terms. They plan and conduct chance experiments (for example, using colours on a spinner) and display the results of these experiments. They recognise different types of data: non-numerical (categories), separate numbers (discrete), or points on an unbroken number line (continuous). They use a column or bar graph to display the results of an experiment (for example, the frequencies of possible categories). • Movement and physical activity [P.E.] • They participate regularly in physical activities for the purpose of improving skill and health, and identify and describe the components of health-related fitness. They begin to use basic games’ tactics. They work with others to achieve goals in both cooperative and competitive games. • Economic knowledge and understanding [Humanities] • awareness of the resources used for production; for example, land, labour, minerals and equipment • Working in teams[Interpersonal] • At Level 3, students cooperate with others in teams for agreed purposes, taking roles and following guidelines established within the task. They describe and evaluate their own contribution and the team’s progress towards the achievement of agreed goals.

10. EXTENSION ACTIVITIES LESSON 3+4 Students to complete a graph displaying the results of the Run, Run, Run activity. Under the graph the students are to write a brief reflection in sentence form describing what they have learnt about energy and its production and alternatives to putting on the heater to get warm. • EXTENSION MATHS ACTIVITY: Exploring mean, median and mode using the data gathered in the Run, Run, Run activity. • SCIENCE ICT ACTIVITY: • Students conduct research on the computer to find how power is generated in Victoria and create pictorial representation of the cycle. • Science activity students create a circuit using wire, battery and light globe; to experiment with energy concept.

11. VELS REFERENCES • Measurement, chance and data • At Level 3, students estimate and measure length, area, volume, capacity, mass and time using appropriate instruments. They recognise and use different units of measurement including informal (for example, paces), formal (for example, centimetres) and standard metric measures (for example, metre) in appropriate contexts. They read linear scales (for example, tape measures) and circular scales (for example, bathroom scales) in measurement contexts. They read digital time displays and analogue clock times at five-minute intervals. They interpret timetables and calendars in relation to familiar events. They compare the likelihood of everyday events (for example, the chances of rain and snow). They describe the fairness of events in qualitative terms. They plan and conduct chance experiments (for example, using colours on a spinner) and display the results of these experiments. • ICT for visualising thinking • At Level 3, students use ICT tools to list ideas, order them into logical sequences, and identify relationships between them. Students retrieve their saved visualising thinking strategies and edit them for use in new, but similar situations. They explain how these strategies can be used for different problems or situations. • Science knowledge and understanding • At Level 3, students classify a range of materials such as solids, liquids and gases according to observable properties, and demonstrate understanding that this system of classification of substances is sometimes problematic. Students describe examples of reversible and non-reversible changes in substances. • Students identify the actions of forces in everyday situations. They use the words push and pull in discussing how things can be moved and stopped. They identify forms of energy and energy transformations in the everyday world. They use appropriate scientific vocabulary to describe and explain their observations and investigations. • Science at work • At Level 3, students plan, design, conduct and report collaboratively on experiments related to their questions about living and non-living things and events. They select and use simple measuring equipment, use a range of appropriate methods to record observations, and comment on trends. They describe the concept of a fair test and identify the variables associated with an experiment. They develop fair tests to make comparisons and explain how they have controlled experimental variables.

12. Week 3-Lessons • LITERACY LESSON: ‘MY PLACE’ (N. Wheatly & D. Rawlins) • Read the class the book ‘My Place’ emphasise the changes to the landscape (nature-ecology) and the life of the characters ( focus on energy and resource use). Look at the four text blocks on every double page. Discuss with the students the four subjects they always cover. (home & family, community & environment, pets, celebrations) What are the two elements of the landscape which are found in every map? What do they symbolise? • Model activity for students on black-white board draw timeline (and discuss concept), illustrate (what are relevant images?) and write reflection (create example with students) • Students are to form small groups (3-4). Each group will be given a copy of ‘My Place’ they are to: • Starting at the back of the book, read through and track the changes to the environment over time. • Each group is to complete a timeline, with illustrations and short reflections on the changes to the environment between each of the periods in the book. Students are to designate responsibilities within the group.

13. VELS REFERENCES • Reading • At Level 3, students read and respond to an increasing range of imaginative and informative texts with some unfamiliar ideas and information, vocabulary and textual features. They interpret the main ideas and purpose of texts. They make inferences from imaginative text about plot and setting and about characters’ qualities, motives and actions. They infer meaning from material presented in informative texts. They identify how language is used to represent information, characters, people, places and events in different ways including identification of some simple symbolic meanings and stereotypes. They use several strategies to locate, select and record key information from texts. • Writing • At Level 3, students write texts containing several logically ordered paragraphs that express opinions and include ideas and information about familiar topics. They write narratives which include characters, setting and plot. They order information and sequence events using some detail or illustrative evidence, and they express a point of view providing some information and supporting detail. They combine verbal and visual elements in the texts they produce. They meet the needs of audiences by including appropriate background information. • They write a variety of simple and compound sentences and use verb tenses correctly. They use punctuation to support meaning, including exclamation marks and quotation marks, and accurately use full stops, commas and question marks. They use vocabulary appropriate to context and spell most one- and two-syllable words with regular spelling patterns, and frequently used words which have less regular spelling patterns. They use sound and visual patterns when attempting to spell unfamiliar words. • Speaking and listening • At Level 3, students vary their speaking and listening for a small range of contexts, purposes and audiences. They project their voice adequately for an audience, use appropriate spoken language features, and modify spoken texts to clarify meaning and information. • They listen attentively to spoken texts, including factual texts, and identify the topic, retell information accurately, ask clarifying questions, volunteer information and justify opinions. • Humanities skills • At Level 3, students use a range of historical evidence, including oral history, artefacts, narratives and pictures, to retell events and describe historical characters. They develop simple timelines to show events in sequence. They explain some of the differences between different types of historical evidence, and frame questions to further explore historical events. Students draw simple maps and plans of familiar environments observing basic mapping conventions. • Civic knowledge and understanding • At Level 3, students demonstrate understanding of the contribution of people from the many culturally diverse groups that make up the Australian community. They sequence and describe some key events in Australia’s democratic history. They describe symbols and emblems of national life in Australia and identify values related to symbols and national celebrations and commemorations. They describe the purpose of government, some familiar government services and the roles of some leaders and representatives. They explain the difference between rules and laws and describe the qualities of a good law. They explain why protection and care for the natural and built environment is important. • Building social relationships • At Level 3, students demonstrate respect for others and exhibit appropriate behaviour for maintaining friendships with other people. They support each other by sharing ideas and materials, offering assistance, giving appropriate feedback and acknowledging individual differences. They work with others to reduce, avoid and resolve conflict. • Working in teams • At Level 3, students cooperate with others in teams for agreed purposes, taking roles and following guidelines established within the task. They describe and evaluate their own contribution and the team’s progress towards the achievement of agreed goals.

14. tryptich

15. DRIP,DRIP,DRIP LESSON • Numeracy Lesson: Drip, Drip, Drip. (This lesson is based on Data collection and analysis) • Discuss with the students the importance of water to our everyday life. Ask focused questions to stimulate discussion: Where does our water come from? Where does the water from our taps, drains, toilets etc. go? Why is it important to recycle and save water? Introduce the concepts of finite and infinite, follow with brief discussion: Is the water we use finite or infinite? Is that a reason why saving and recycling water is so important? (ask for class explanations) • Next component: What can we do as a class to save water? (Discuss) • ACTIVITY: • At the start of the school day students take their containers and place them underneath assorted taps around the school: Staffroom, bathrooms, drink fountains and assorted taps. They are left there for the day and retrieved for the last class to analyse the data. When retrieved the amount of water and location is recorded as this data forms the basis of the worksheet. • Examples (teacher modelling) of the mathematical equation necessary will be done on the whiteboard at this stage: Ask students how they would find the solution and work through process. Choose data from one location and work through worksheet with the students.(6 hours, 24 hours, 7 days, 1 month, 1 year) • Students complete the ‘Priceless Drops’ activity sheet and class discusses the implications of using water at this rate. • Going Further: To further students’ understanding of household water conservation. • By doing a home water-use survey, students will recognise how we use (and waste) water and how water can be saved at home. • Activity sheet 15a: Water Survey lists the average household water usage for various activities. • In column 3, students calculate their household usage taking into account the number of people in their house. • In column 4, students explore ways to conserve water at home. • Students can visit http://www.epa.vic.gov.au/water/Protect/default.asp to find specific information about water usage and conservation.

16. SCANS OF 2 WORKSHEETS

17. VELS REFERENCES • Number • They estimate the results of computations and recognise whether these are likely to be over-estimates or under-estimates. • multiplication by single digits (using recall of multiplication tables) and multiples and powers of ten (for example, 5 × 100, 5 × 70 ) • Measurement, chance and data • At Level 3, students estimate and measure length, area, volume, capacity, mass and time using appropriate instruments. They recognise and use different units of measurement including informal (for example, paces), formal (for example, centimetres) and standard metric measures (for example, metre) in appropriate contexts. They read linear scales (for example, tape measures) and circular scales (for example, bathroom scales) in measurement contexts. They read digital time displays and analogue clock times at five-minute intervals. They interpret timetables and calendars in relation to familiar events. They compare the likelihood of everyday events (for example, the chances of rain and snow). They describe the fairness of events in qualitative terms. They plan and conduct chance experiments (for example, using colours on a spinner) and display the results of these experiments. They recognise different types of data: non-numerical (categories), separate numbers (discrete), or points on an unbroken number line (continuous). • Geographic knowledge and understanding • They compare the various ways humans have used and affected the Australian environment. Students recommend ways of protecting environmentally sensitive areas in a sustainable way. They provide examples and evidence based on their inquiries • Building social relationships • At Level 3, students demonstrate respect for others and exhibit appropriate behaviour for maintaining friendships with other people. They support each other by sharing ideas and materials, offering assistance, giving appropriate feedback and acknowledging individual differences.

18. Waste data collection

19. Emma data collection lesson

20. Civics: Class Rules Lesson • Learning Purpose: • To complete the unit of work on the environment, refresh the class behaviour charter and directly implement some of the environment information covered. Assess the comprehension of subjects covered. • Engagement: • Initial class discussion re class charter and refresh re its importance. Question why did we make a charter? Why is it important? Introduce task: To design a class charter re recycling & sustainability. On board list a few examples to start discussion. Group activity to devise 5-10 points for charter. Group discussion: share ideas and vote on points to include in charter. Students individually to make a visual representation of the charter • Procedure: • Class discussion 10-15min (assess existing knowledge, introduce task) • Group work 15min (running record asses participation) • Class discussion 15-20min (assess understanding) • Individual work 15-20min (assessment tool) •   Extension Activity: • 1.Compile an entire class document to display in class (use as a reward for quick finishers or for student effort) • 2. Discuss with the principle the opportunity to expand this charter to whole school and present at assembly. • 3. Implement garden/ recycle/ compost ideas. •  Observations of students’ learning: Assessing how students work together, in the engagement exercise and in the group work will help illustrate how students are working socially. Throughout this lesson student input is a big factor and I will be able to assess what and how they’ve learnt. I would be looking for input in the class discussion at the end of the lesson too. • Teacher’s Resources: •  Board-work, Paper / art supplies, Worksheets / examples

21. VELS References: • Reading (English) • At Level 3, students read and respond to an increasing range of imaginative and informative texts with some unfamiliar ideas and information, vocabulary and textual features. They interpret the main ideas and purpose of texts. They make inferences from imaginative text about plot and setting and about characters’ qualities, motives and actions. They infer meaning from material presented in informative texts. They identify how language is used to represent information, characters, people, places and events in different ways including identification of some simple symbolic meanings and stereotypes. They use several strategies to locate, select and record key information from texts. • Writing (English) • At Level 3, students write texts containing several logically ordered paragraphs that express opinions and include ideas and information about familiar topics. They write narratives which include characters, setting and plot. They order information and sequence events using some detail or illustrative evidence, and they express a point of view providing some information and supporting detail. They combine verbal and visual elements in the texts they produce. They meet the needs of audiences by including appropriate background information. • They write a variety of simple and compound sentences and use verb tenses correctly. They use punctuation to support meaning, including exclamation marks and quotation marks, and accurately use full stops, commas and question marks. They use vocabulary appropriate to context and spell most one- and two-syllable words with regular spelling patterns, and frequently used words which have less regular spelling patterns. They use sound and visual patterns when attempting to spell unfamiliar words. • Speaking and listening(English) • At Level 3, students vary their speaking and listening for a small range of contexts, purposes and audiences. They project their voice adequately for an audience, use appropriate spoken language features, and modify spoken texts to clarify meaning and information. • They listen attentively to spoken texts, including factual texts, and identify the topic, retell information accurately, ask clarifying questions, volunteer information and justify opinions. • Civic knowledge and understanding(Interpersonal Development) • They explain the difference between rules and laws and describe the qualities of a good law. They explain why protection and care for the natural and built environment is important. • Community engagement(Civics and Citizenship) • At Level 3, students contribute to the development and support of class rules . They work with other students to identify a local issue and plan possible actions to achieve a desired outcome. They describe the benefits of action at the local level and the democratic aspects of the process. They participate in activities to protect and care for the natural and built environment. • Building social relationships (Interpersonal Development) • At Level 3, students demonstrate respect for others and exhibit appropriate behaviour for maintaining friendships with other people. They support each other by sharing ideas and materials, offering assistance, giving appropriate feedback and acknowledging individual differences. They work with others to reduce, avoid and resolve conflict. • Working in teams(Interpersonal Development) • At Level 3, students cooperate with others in teams for agreed purposes, taking roles and following guidelines established within the task. They describe and evaluate their own contribution and the team’s progress towards the achievement of agreed goals.

22. Assessment rubric

23. Towards a sustainable future Well, I hope you now see that if you take up my challenge your world will be a better place. There are many ways to work towards a sustainable future. Imagine it… a world with: • A stable climate • Clean air and water • Non-polluting, renewable fuel supplies • Healthy natural environments. This is what you can achieve if you work together with my natural system. You must work together to live sustainably. That will mean a better environment and a better life for all living things on Earth, now and in the further.

24. Reference Books: • M. Driscoll, & D. Driscoll (2008), A Child’s Instruction to The Environment, Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers, Inc. • N. Wheatly & D. Rawlins (2008), MY PLACE, Published by Collins Dove. • C. Jakab (2007), Global Issues: Energy Use, Macmillan education Australia Pty Ltd. Websites: • Do Something, Unit 5: Priceless Drops, http://www. planetark.org • Energy Smart Schools ‘Clean & Green’ word-search: http://www.eere.energy.gov/kids/pdfs/activity_book_color.pdf • http://www.olliesworld.com/planet/aus/educator/Energy_290802pdf • http://www.epa.vic.gov.au/ • http://www.bom.gov.au/ • http://www.visy.com.au/recycling/ • http://www.ceres.org.au/ • http://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/ • http://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/collection/pub/search/ • Victoria Essential Learning Standards: http://vels.vcaa.vic.edu.au/