Activity Introduction
In this lesson, students will be immersed in and connect with the documentary film 2040. Students begin by clarifying the key terms used in the 2040 documentary. They then work in groups to investigate some of the challenges for our future as identified in the documentary (including energy, transport, and food production).
Students undertake research into their assigned challenge and then share their findings with the class. They then work in groups to brainstorm solutions to their challenge. Finally, students are invited to watch and reflect on the 2040 documentary film.
- Students will understand some of the key concepts and messages of the 2040 documentary film.
- Students will understand how a documentary film can engage, inform and inspire.
- Students will understand that solutions to global environmental and social challenges already exist.
- Topic: Sustainability.
- Unit of work: 2040 – Watching the Film – Years 5–10
- Time required: 152 mins.
- Level of teacher scaffolding: Medium – facilitate class discussion.
- Keywords: 2040 documentary, future, energy, transport, food production.
To view our Australian Curriculum alignment click here.
To view our NZ Curriculum alignment click here.
- Student Worksheets – one copy per student. Device capable of presenting a video to the class.
- Device capable of creating audiovisual recordings, such as an iPad or camera.
- Brainwriting Sheet.
- Critically Viewing a Documentary Film.
- Climate Change Factsheet (OPTIONAL).
2040 is an innovative feature documentary that looks to the future, but is vitally important NOW! Director Damon Gameau embarks on a journey to explore what the future could look like by the year 2040 if we simply embraced the best solutions already available to us to improve our planet and shifted them rapidly into the mainstream.
In Australia: Order the Schools Version of the 2040 DVD. The Schools Version includes an educational license and is for Australian primary and secondary schools that wish to utilise the film as a learning tool or host free on-site screenings for the school community.
In New Zealand: Order the Schools Version of the 2040 DVD. The Schools Version includes an educational license and is for New Zealand primary and secondary schools that wish to utilise the film as a learning tool or host free on-site screenings for the school community.
If you are teaching in either New Zealand or Australia, you can now organise a virtual screening of the film for your class. To enquire about this option, simply email [email protected] and the 2040 team will help you set this up! If you have already bought a DVD of the film and you have a ClickView account, you can email the team for permission to upload the film to your account to make it more easily accessible for your teachers and students.
Cool Australia’s curriculum team continually reviews and refines our resources to be in line with changes to the Australian Curriculum.
Cool Australia, GoodThing Productions and Regen Pictures would like to acknowledge the generous contributions of Good Pitch Australia, Shark Island Institute, Documentary Australia Foundation, The Caledonia Foundation and our philanthropic partners in the development of these teaching resources.
Teacher preparation
