Lesson summary
In this lesson, students will be immersed in and connect with the documentary film 2040 – it is a great lesson to conduct before watching the documentary in full. Students begin by working in groups to imagine what the world might look like in 2040 based on a range of categories, such as diet, fashion, buildings, transport, and technology. They are then introduced to the 2040 documentary by watching and responding to a short clip that establishes the key messages of the film. Students are then guided to prepare an information collection sheet, helping them respond to the film and conduct research around key messages of the film (optional).
Learning intentions:
Students will...
- understand that different people have different ideas and concerns about the future
Success criteria:
Students can...
- work collaboratively
- engage in class and group discussions
- develop a range of inquiry questions
- express their thoughts, feelings and concerns through class discussion and independent activities
Lesson guides and printables
Lesson details
Curriculum mapping
- Unit of work: 2040 – Watching the Film – Years 5–10
- Time required: 60 mins
- Level of teacher scaffolding: Medium – facilitate class discussion, lead students in activities
To view our Australian Curriculum alignment, click here.
To view our NZ Curriculum alignment, click here.
Resources required
- Student Worksheets – one copy per student
- Device capable of presenting a video to the class
- Generating Great Questions factsheet
- The World in 2040 worksheet
Additional info
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 schools@whatsyour2040.com 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.org, 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.
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