Activity: Actions For Biodiversity In Our Community – Years 7 to 10

Quick summary: Students work collaboratively to develop actions to conserve or improve biodiversity. They begin by reviewing their knowledge of cool burning and the ways it relates to biodiversity. They then research other actions that communities and individuals can take to improve or conserve biodiversity. Students work in groups to select one action to plan and implement in their community.

Learning intentions:

• Students understand how cool burning practices can benefit biodiversity
• Students understand and can drive the processes required for planning and executing an action-based project.

21st century skills: 

           

Australian Curriculum Mapping

Content descriptions: 

Year 7 Geography

• Reflect on their learning to propose individual and collective action in response to a contemporary geographical challenge, taking account of environmental, economic and social considerations, and predict the expected outcomes of their proposal (ACHGS054)

Year 8 Geography

• Spiritual, aesthetic and cultural value of landscapes and landforms for people, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples (ACHGK049)
• Ways of protecting significant landscapes (ACHGK052)
• Reflect on their learning to propose individual and collective action in response to a contemporary geographical challenge, taking account of environmental, economic and social considerations, and predict the expected outcomes of their proposal (ACHGS062)

Year 9 Geography

• Reflect on and evaluate findings of an inquiry to propose individual and collective action in response to a contemporary geographical challenge, taking account of environmental, economic, political and social considerations; and explain the predicted outcomes and consequences of their proposal (ACHGS071)

Year 10 Geography

• The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ approaches to custodial responsibility and environmental management in different regions of Australia (ACHGK072)
• Human-induced environmental changes that challenge sustainability (ACHGK070)
• Reflect on and evaluate findings of an inquiry to propose individual and collective action in response to a contemporary geographical challenge, taking account of environmental, economic, political and social considerations; and explain the predicted outcomes and consequences of their proposal (ACHGS080)

Syllabus outcomes: GE4-1, GE4-4, GE4-5, GE4-8, GE5-8, GE5-4, GE5-5, GE5-3.

General capabilities: Critical and Creative Thinking, Intercultural Understanding.

Cross-curriculum priority: Sustainability OI.7.

Relevant parts of Year 7 Geography achievement standards: Students explain interconnections between people and places and environments and describe how these interconnections change places and environments. They propose action in response to a geographical challenge.

Relevant parts of Year 8 Geography achievement standards: Students explain interconnections within environments and between people and places and explain how they change places and environments, and they compare alternative strategies to a geographical challenge.

Relevant parts of Year 9 Geography achievement standards: Students analyse interconnections between people, places and environments and explain how these interconnections influence people, and change places and environments. Students propose action in response to a geographical challenge, taking account of environmental, economic and social factors, and predict the outcomes and consequences of their proposal.

Relevant parts of Year 10 Geography achievement standards: Students identify, analyse and explain significant interconnections between people, places and environments and explain changes that result from these interconnections and their consequences. They evaluate their findings and propose action in response to a contemporary geographical challenge, taking account of environmental, economic, political and social considerations.

Topic: Cool Burning, Indigenous Education.

Unit of work: Cool Burning – Secondary.

Time required: 180+ mins.

Level of teacher scaffolding: Medium – oversee activities and facilitate class discussions.

Resources required:

• Device with internet and presenting capability
• Project Roles
• Project Checklist – ready to project
• Project Planning Tool – ready to project
• S.M.A.R.T. Criteria – ready to project
• Student Worksheets – one copy per student.

Keywords: Cool burning, biodiversity, actions, community, conservation.

Special thanks to:

Fish River Station, John Daly, Dr Jeremy Russell-Smith, Peter Jacklyn, Peter McConchie, Dr Tommy George, David Claudie, Dale Musgrave, Carolyn George and Victor Steffensen.

Cool Australia would like to acknowledge the support of the Bennelong Foundation in updating these lessons.

Cool Australia’s curriculum team continually reviews and refines our resources to be in line with changes to the Australian Curriculum. There is great diversity in histories and cultures among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples throughout Australia. This resource includes investigations into and information about some of them. It has an emphasis, but not an exclusive one, on the histories and cultural practices of the Aboriginal peoples of the Northern Territory. It is underpinned by consultation with Aboriginal communities in various parts of Australia.