Activity: Earth Hour – Banana Dramas – Year 3 & 4

Quick summary: Teachers implementing this lesson can engage students in thinking about the practical implications of climate change on food production specific to a familiar lunchbox staple, the humble banana. Students will work through a series of linked literacy and numeracy activities to explore the impacts of climate change on Australia’s banana plantation farmers in recent years. This lesson meets selected Australian Curriculum outcomes for Years 3 and 4 in the subjects of Geography and Mathematics.

This lesson has been created in partnership with WWF-Australia. Earth Hour is the world’s largest community-driven climate change campaign. At the centre of Earth Hour is switching off lights to show a commitment to taking action. Thousands of teachers use Earth Hour’s education program to enrich their curriculum and provide pathways for young people to create change in their world.

For the most up to date Earth Hour dates, times, and events, check here.

Learning goals:

• Students grasp the significance of climate change impacts upon food production in Australia.
• Students conceptualise the global climate change issue affecting life in their home country.
• Students work with maps to obtain and interpret data.

General capabilities: Numeracy, literacy, Critical and creative thinking, Personal and social capability, Ethical understanding

Australian Curriculum content descriptions

Year 3 HASS (Geography)

• The representation of Australia as states and territories and as Countries/Places of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples; and major places in Australia, both natural and human (ACHASSK066)
• Reflect on learning to propose actions in response to an issue or challenge and consider possible effects of proposed actions (ACHASSI060)

Year 3 Mathematics

• Recall multiplication facts of two, three, five and ten and related division facts (ACMNA056)
• Represent money values in multiple ways and count the change required for simple transactions to the nearest five cents (ACMNA059)

Year 4 Mathematics

• Develop efficient mental and written strategies and use appropriate digital technologies for multiplication and for division where there is no remainder (ACMNA076)

 Year 4 HASS (Geography)

• The importance of environments, including natural vegetation, to animals and people (ACHASSK088)
• Reflect on learning to propose actions in response to an issue or challenge and consider possible effects of proposed actions (ACHASSI081)

Syllabus Outcomes: GE2-1, GE2-4, MA2‑1WM, MA2‑2WM, MA2‑3WM, MA2‑5NA, MA2‑6NA.

Time needed: 60 minutes.

Resources required: Internet, Student Worksheet.

Key words: Climate change, Earth Hour, impacts, future.

Cool Australia’s curriculum team continually reviews and refines our resources to be in line with changes to the Australian Curriculum.