Activity Introduction
Quick summary: In this activity students are asked to interview someone older than them. The student will ask the person about how they used energy when they where the age of the student. This person should be at least as old as their parents or as old as their grandparents if possible.
Note: Teachers must confirm that this activity fits with their school’s privacy policies. It may be necessary to modify the activity so it does comply (making sure there is no references to names, including the student’s name). Your school may also require that a note goes home explaining and asking permission that students collect family oral history comparing energy use.
Essential questions:
- How has energy use changed over time?
- What was it like when our parents were young? What was it like when our grandparents were young? How does this compare to now?
- Why is it important and interesting to talk to our families about the past?
21st century skills:
Australian Curriculum Mapping
Content descriptions:
Year 5 English:
- Clarify understanding of content as it unfolds in formal and informal situations, connecting ideas to students’ own experiences and present and justify a point of view (ACELY1699)
- Plan, draft and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive print and multimodal texts, choosing text structures, language features, images and sound appropriate to purpose and audience (ACELY1704)
Year 5 History:
- Develop appropriate questions to guide an inquiry about people, events, developments, places, systems and challenges (ACHASSI094)
- Examine different viewpoints on actions, events, issues and phenomena in the past and present (ACHASSI099)
Year 6 English:
- Participate in and contribute to discussions, clarifying and interrogating ideas, developing and supporting arguments, sharing and evaluating information, experiences and opinions (ACELY1709)
- Plan, draft and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive texts, choosing and experimenting with text structures, language features, images and digital resources appropriate to purpose and audience (ACELY1714)
Year 6 History:
- Develop appropriate questions to guide an inquiry about people, events, developments, places, systems and challenges (ACHASSI122)
- Examine different viewpoints on actions, events, issues and phenomena in the past and present (ACHASSI127)
Syllabus Outcomes: EN3-1A, EN3-8D, HT3-5.
General capabilities: Critical and creative thinking, Literacy.
Cross-curriculum priority: Sustainability OI.6, OI.8.
Relevant parts of Year 5 English achievement standards: Students create imaginative, informative and persuasive texts for different purposes and audiences.
Relevant parts of Year 5 History achievement standards: Students develop questions for an investigation and describe the experiences of different people in the past.
Relevant parts of Year 6 English achievement standards: Students create detailed texts elaborating on key ideas for a range of purposes and audiences. They contribute actively to class and group discussions, using a variety of strategies for effect.
Relevant parts of Year 6 History achievement standards: Students develop appropriate questions to frame an investigation, and They compare the experiences of different people in the past.
Topic: Energy
Time required: 20 mins in class prior to and after interview, homework time
Level of teacher scaffolding: Engage students in a discussion around interview results following completion of the activity.
Resources required: Student Worksheet – one copy per student OR computers/tablets to access the online worksheet.
Digital technology opportunities: Digital sharing capabilities.
Keywords: Energy, consumption, history, present, interview, parents, grandparents, family.
Cool Australia’s curriculum team continually reviews and refines our resources to be in line with changes to the Australian Curriculum.
Teacher preparation