Activity Introduction

Quick summary: Students will learn about Hydro Tasmania’s sustainable creation of energy from wind and water and create artworks exploring wind. Note: It is preferable that students provide their own art-making materials for this task. As such, the homework task must be completed PRIOR to the art-making lesson.

Activity developed in partnership with  tasmania_hydro_200x84_300pxl

Hydro Tasmania has been at the forefront of clean energy innovation for one hundred years. It is Australia’s largest producer of clean energy – generating hydro and wind power – and the largest water manager. Hydro Tasmania has 55 major dams, operates 30 hydropower stations and has built some of Australia’s largest wind farms.

Hydro Tasmania also sells energy in the National Electricity Market through its retail business Momentum Energy, and sells its expertise internationally through its consulting business Entura. Visit the Hydro Tasmania website to learn how the business is working towards Australia’s clean energy future.

Learning goals: 

  • Students respond to stimulus material.
  • Students understand the importance and value of sustainable energy methods.
  • Students engage in art-making to demonstrate their understanding.

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

Cross-curriculum priority: Sustainability OI.8.

Australian Curriculum content description:

Year 3 & 4 Visual Arts

  • Explore ideas and artworks from different cultures and times, including artwork by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists, to use as inspiration for their own representations (ACAVAM110).
  • Use materials, techniques and processes to explore visual conventions when making artworks (ACAVAM111).

Syllabus outcomes: VAS2.1, VAS2.4

Topic: Hydro Tasmania, Energy.

Time required: 60 mins.

Level of teacher scaffolding: Medium – oversee activity.

Resources required:

  • Prepare a range of art-making materials to supplement students’ found materials (e.g. adhesive tape, glue, paper fasteners).
  • Prepare a few images of sample wind sculptures (internet image search keywords) to show students on printed sheets or displayed using a projector, smartboard or individual devices.
  • Student Worksheet (one copy per student OR computers/tablets to access the online worksheet).
  • Internet access (optional).

Digital technology opportunities: Digital sharing capabilities.

Homework and extension opportunities: Includes opportunities for homework and extension. Note: It is preferable that students provide their own art-making materials for this task. As such, the homework task must be completed PRIOR to the art-making lesson.

Keywords: Energy, hydropower, art-making, wind, Hydro Tasmania. 

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

Worksheets

Teacher Worksheet

Teacher Preparation

Overarching learning goal: Students participating in this activity are asked to respond to stimulus material. They will understand the importance and value of sustainable energy methods and will engage in art-making to demonstrate their understanding.

Teacher background information: Energy is the lifeblood of our modern life. It gives us light and keeps our food fresh. It powers our industry, fuels our cars, and charges our iPhones. Our energy is produced by burning fossil fuels and this has a range of environmental, social and economic impacts. One of the most significant is the emission of greenhouse gases. A solution is the transition to clean energy sources. The brilliant thing is that we have huge amounts of free, renewable and clean supplies of natural energies. These include sunlight, wind, running water, oceans and underground hot rocks.

According to the Clean Energy Australia Report 2013:

  • 14.76% of Australia's electricity came from renewable sources
...
 
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Student Worksheet

Thought starter: How does nature use the wind?

An introduction to Hydro Tasmania

Hydro Tasmania provides electrical energy for the people of Tasmania, Australia’s island state. The word ‘hydro’ means ‘water’. Hydro Tasmania has thirty hydropower stations in Tasmania and a wind farm on an island in Bass Strait. Hydro Tasmania operates two wind farms on mainland Tasmania under a joint venture. Hydro Tasmania catches the electrical energy from these sources and sends it to places where it is needed, to power people’s homes and businesses.

Now that you know how Hydro Tasmania cleverly uses wind, create an artwork or sculpture that uses wind in some way. First, consider some of the common uses of wind and write them in the table below. Use at least one of these ideas as inspiration for your artwork.

USES OF WIND

At home

Transport

Sports

Other

Example: Fan-forced oven

*

*

*

Example: Wind-powered car

*

*

*

Example: Gliding

*

*

*
...
 
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