Activity Introduction
Quick summary: This lesson incorporates clips from Blue The Film as learning inspiration. Students explore their own solutions for addressing coral reef damage using a design thinking model, working through the ’empathise’ and ‘define’ stages of the design thinking model to identify innovative solutions. They begin exploring the issue of coral reef health, and then use a challenge map to define the problem and brainstorm solutions.
Blue is a feature documentary film charting the drastic decline in the health of our oceans. With more than half of all marine life lost and the expansion of the industrialization of the seas, the film sets out the challenges we are facing and the opportunities for positive change. Blue changes the way we think about our liquid world and inspires the audience to action. Find out how to screen or download the film here. Along with the film is an ambitious global campaign to create advocacy and behaviour change through the #oceanguardian movement. To become an ocean guardian, see the website.
Learning intention:
- Students will explore how to frame a problem and think creatively to design innovative solutions to address ecological issues.
21st century skills:
Australian Curriculum Mapping
Content descriptions:
Year 10 Science
- Values and needs of contemporary society can influence the focus of scientific research (ACSHE230)
- Formulate questions or hypotheses that can be investigated scientifically (ACSIS198)
- Communicate scientific ideas and information for a particular purpose, including constructing evidence-based arguments and using appropriate scientific language, conventions and representations (ACSIS208)
Syllabus outcomes: SC5-11PW, SC5-4WS, SC5-9WS.
General capabilities: Critical and Creative Thinking.
Cross-curriculum priority: Sustainability OI.2, OI.8.
Relevant parts of Year 10 Science achievement standards: Students develop questions and hypotheses, and select appropriate representations and text types to communicate science ideas for specific purposes.
Topic: Blue The Film, Ocean Conservation, Water.
Unit of work: Blue The Film – Science – Year 9 & 10.
Time required: 60 mins.
Level of teacher scaffolding: Medium – lead students in discussions.
Resources required: Student Worksheet – one copy per student. Device capable of presenting a clip to the class. One copy of the Coral Reefs Factsheet for each student.
Keywords: Blue The Film, ocean conservation, coral reefs, design thinking.
Cool Australia and Northern Pictures would like to acknowledge the generous contributions of GoodPitch² Australia, Shark Island Institute, Documentary Australia Foundation, The Caledonia Foundation and Screen Australia in the development of these teaching resources.
Cool Australia’s curriculum team continually reviews and refines our resources to be in line with changes to the Australian Curriculum.
© 2017 Northern Pictures and Cool Australia
Teacher Preparation
