Activity: Blue: Mighty Marine Habitats – Years 3 & 4

Quick summary: This lesson incorporates clips from Blue The Film as learning inspiration. Students explore the role of the ocean and some of the different habitats that can be found in the ocean. Students begin by reflecting on a range of artworks that represent different marine habitats. They are then asked to think about the role of the ocean and how the marine habitats support these roles. They then work in groups or pairs to create an artwork to communicate a message about ocean habitats, and share their artworks with the class.

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 intentions:

• Students understand the role of the ocean.
• Students identify some of the different ocean habitats and some of the organisms that live in these habitats.

21st century skills:

Australian Curriculum Mapping

Content descriptions:

Year 3 Science

• Living things can be grouped on the basis of observable features and can be distinguished from non-living things (ACSSU044)
• Science knowledge helps people to understand the effect of their actions (ACSHE051)

Year 4 Science

• Living things depend on each other and the environment to survive (ACSSU073)
• Science knowledge helps people to understand the effect of their actions (ACSHE062)

Year 3 & 4 Visual Arts

• Use materials, techniques and processes to explore visual conventions when making artworks (ACAVAM111)
• Present artworks and describe how they have used visual conventions to represent their ideas (ACAVAM112)

Syllabus outcomes: ST2-10LW, ST2-11LW, VAS2.2, VAS2.1.

General capabilities: Critical and Creative Thinking.

Cross-curriculum priority: Sustainability OI.2.

Relevant parts of Year 3 Science achievement standards: Students group living things based on observable features.

Relevant parts of Year 4 Science achievement standards: Students describe relationships that assist the survival of living things.

Relevant parts of Year 3 & 4 Visual Arts achievement standards: Students collaborate to plan and make artworks that are inspired by artworks they experience. They use visual conventions, techniques and processes to communicate their ideas.

Topic: Blue The Film, Ocean Conservation, Water.

Unit of work: Blue The Film: Inquiry – Years 3 & 4.

Time required: 60 mins.

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

Resources required: Student Worksheet – one copy per student. Device capable of presenting a website to the class. Art materials. Printed copies of the following marine habitat posters:

• Open water poster (Victorian Government)
• Kelp forests poster (Victorian Government)
• Seagrass meadow and mudflat poster (Victorian Government)
• Rocky reef poster (Victorian Government)
• Mangroves poster (Victorian Government)

Keywords: Blue The Film, ocean conservation, oceans, habitats, artworks, message.

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