Activity Introduction
Quick summary: This lesson explores the concepts of volunteering and community service as well as the benefits of participating in these activities. Through viewing a short online clip and internet research, students will be introduced to La Trobe University’s Aspire Generation, and will explore how they themselves can become positive contributors to their community.
This lesson supports La Trobe University’s Aspire Generation initiative, which empowers students to drive change through community engagement, volunteerism and leadership opportunities.
Essential questions:
- What is volunteering?
- What is community service?
- What can I contribute to my local community?
- What skills do volunteering/community service help to develop?
21st century skills:
Australian Curriculum Mapping
Content descriptions:
Year 9 Work Studies
- Explain the importance of active and lifelong learning for personal and community development (ACWSCL004)
Year 10 Work Studies
- Focus their learning strategies on personal and work-related aspirations (ACWSCL024)
General capabilities: Literacy, Critical and Creative Thinking, Personal and Social Capability
Relevant parts of Year 9 achievement standards: Students understand the importance and components of self-directed and lifelong learning.
Relevant parts of Year 10 achievement standards: Students understand the importance of growing self-awareness in improving learning, accessing work opportunities and developing appropriate skills and making more-informed subject and career choices. They synthesise increased self-knowledge and career information to school and career-based decisions and create potential career scenarios.
Topic: Enterprise Learning
Unit of work: Aspire Generation – Work Studies
Time required: 60 mins
Level of teacher scaffolding: Medium – facilitate class discussion.
Resources required: Student Worksheets – one copy per student OR computers/tablets to access the online worksheet. Printed Hexagonal Thinking templates, scissors, glue and blank A4 sheets of paper (enough for students to work together in pairs). Device capable of presenting a video to the class.
Digital technology opportunities: Digital sharing capabilities, internet research.
Keywords: Volunteerism, community service, service learning, Aspire Generation.
Cool Australia’s curriculum team continually reviews and refines our resources to be in line with changes to the Australian Curriculum.