Seal the Loop - Healthy Oceans Challenge

Activity Introduction

Quick summary: In this concluding activity students will work in groups to come up with 100 ideas for marine conservation in 10 minutes. Each group will then choose 8 of their ideas (5 of the best and 3 of the craziest) and place these onto a class ideas quadrant. Students should then vote on the 3 most realistic actions and using the information on the student worksheet, plan the implementation and communication of this action.

Following this lesson plan is an ideal way for your school to introduce Zoos Victoria’s Seal the Loop program. You’ll be joining other amazing teachers in making a difference and creating positive environmental change. Go to Zoo Education Online to find further support for you to help you develop your own Seal the Loop program.

Learning goals:

Students will understand that there are a range of actions that we can take at home or school to help conserve our oceans.
Students recognise that they have the ability to help conserve our oceans and keep debris out of our oceans.

Australian Curriculum content descriptions:

This lesson can be used with all the learning areas of the Australian Curriculum. Cool Australia’s curriculum team continually reviews and refines our resources to be in line with changes to the Australian Curriculum.

Topic: Seal the Loop

Time required: 3 x 60 mins

Level of teacher scaffolding: Medium – oversee activity.

Resources required: Quadrant drawn on large piece of butchers paper or board (see Teacher Worksheet), Internet access, Student Worksheet.

Digital technology opportunities: Digital sharing capabilities.

Homework and extension opportunities: None.

Keywords: Healthy oceans, waste, pollution, conservation, actions, challenge.

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

Worksheets

Teacher Worksheet

Quick summary: In this activity students will work in groups to come up with 100 ideas for marine conservation in 10 minutes. Each group will then choose 8 of their ideas (5 of the best and 3 of the craziest) and place these onto a class ideas quadrant. Students should then vote on the 3 most realistic actions and using the information on the student worksheet, plan the implementation and communication of this action.

Healthy Oceans Challenge

Preparation: Draw a large chart on the board.

graph-1-final

Step 1. Idea Phase - 10 minutes

Divide your class into 6 groups. Each group is to try to come up with 100 ideas for marine conservation in 10 minutes.

Some sample ideas include: rubbish recycling robots, global ban on drinking straws, write a letter to Government, stopping overfishing, genetically engineered plastic eating shark.

All students in the group should contribute by scribbling down their ideas. The aim at this stage is to come up with as many ideas as possible (offer a prize for the g

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Student Worksheet

Thought starter: How can you help our oceans?

In groups, you are to design a Healthy Oceans Challenge. The aim of the Challenge is to help other people in your school community explore their day-to-day waste practices, encourage others to make better waste choices in order to improve the health of our oceans.

You will be using one of the ideas that you thought up as a class using the ideas quadrant. You will take this idea and develop it into a Healthy Oceans Challenge using the Project Action Plan and Communication Strategy below.

Think outside the box but make sure that the details of your project are aligned with the design principles of a SMART goal: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time Bound.

Project Action Plan

Group Members:

Steps

Actions/Decisions

Person Responsible

1. Your idea

Which idea is your group exploring?

2. Project Aims

What do you hope to achieve through this project? Complete this task as a group.

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Activity: Seal the Loop – Healthy Oceans Challenge

Activity Introduction