Activity Introduction
Quick summary: In this activity students investigate sustainability, looking at how they think about sustainability and how others describe sustainability. Students begin by completing a visible thinking tool, and then work in groups to find, compare and analyse different definitions of sustainability. Finally students will create their own definitions of sustainability.
Learning goals:
- Students understand that there are many different definitions of sustainability, and recognise common themes in these different definitions.
- Students identify how they think about and define sustainability.
General capabilities: Critical and Creative Thinking, Literacy.
Cross-curriculum priority: Sustainability OI.4, Sustainability OI.5
Australian Curriculum content description:
Year 5 English
- Show how ideas and points of view in texts are conveyed through the use of vocabulary, including idiomatic expressions, objective and subjective language, and that these can change according to context (ACELY1698)
- 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)
- Navigate and read texts for specific purposes applying appropriate text processing strategies, for example predicting and confirming, monitoring meaning, skimming and scanning (ACELY1702)
- 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 6 English
- Participate in and contribute to discussions, clarifying and interrogating ideas, developing and supporting arguments, sharing and evaluating information, experiences and opinions (ACELY1709)
- Select, navigate and read texts for a range of purposes, applying appropriate text processing strategies and interpreting structural features, for example table of contents, glossary, chapters, headings and subheadings (ACELY1712)
- Use comprehension strategies to interpret and analyse information and ideas, comparing content from a variety of textual sources including media and digital texts (ACELY1713)
- 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)
Syllabus Outcomes: EN3-1A, EN3-2A, EN3-3A EN3-6B.
Topic: Sustainability
Time required: 45 mins
Level of teacher scaffolding: Medium – oversee discussion and facilitate activity
Resources required: Internet access, student worksheet, printed copy of Thinking tool for each student, Definitions of sustainability (optional).
Digital technology opportunities: Internet searching, digital sharing capabilities.
Homework and extension opportunities: Includes opportunities for extension.
Keywords: Sustainability, definitions.
Cool Australia’s curriculum team continually reviews and refines our resources to be in line with changes to the Australian Curriculum.
Teacher preparation: