Activity Introduction

bbrw-arrow-photoframe-newQuick summary: After exploring the differences between needs and wants, students learn about the concept of ecological footprints. They approximate the amount of resources they personally use and take steps to reduce their footprint. Students conclude that valuing material wealth in isolation can impact on our community and planet.

BB logo coolest partnerBendigo Bank is passionate about connecting with and enriching communities across Australia. Cool Australia and Bendigo Bank share the common goal of bringing communities together through educational programs that help to build sustainable communities for the future. This lesson supports students to inquire into the big idea of ‘real wealth’. Students develop an understanding of shared values, and build their sustainable and ethical financial knowledge, equipping them with the skills to make sound financial decisions based on social, environmental and economical merit.

Learning goals:

  • Students measure their personal ecological footprint.
  • Students practice their research skills.
  • Students build their understanding of wealth as a holistic concept.

General capabilities: Critical and creative thinking, Numeracy.

Cross-curriculum priority: Sustainability OI.3, OI.8.

Australian Curriculum content description:

Year 5 Humanities and Social Sciences

  • Develop appropriate questions to guide an inquiry about people, events, developments, places, systems and challenges (ACHASSI094)
  • The difference between needs and wants and why choices need to be made about how limited resources are used (ACHASSK119)

Year 5 Science

  • Science involves testing predictions by gathering data and using evidence to develop explanations of events and phenomena (ACSHE081)
  • Scientific knowledge is used to inform personal and community decisions (ACSHE217)

Year 6 Humanities and Social Sciences

  • Develop appropriate questions to guide an inquiry about people, events, developments, places, systems and challenges (ACHASSI122)

Year 6 Science

  • Science involves testing predictions by gathering data and using evidence to develop explanations of events and phenomena (ACSHE098)
  • Scientific knowledge is used to inform personal and community decisions (ACSHE220)

Syllabus Outcomes: ST3-6PW, ST3-4WS, HT3-5.

Topic: Consumption

Unit of lessons: Bendigo Bank Real Wealth

Time required: 60 mins.

Level of teacher scaffolding: High – lead students in activity.

Resources required: Student Worksheet – one copy per student OR computers/tablets to access the online worksheet. Real Wealth Cheat Sheet, Glossary – Years 5 & 6.

Digital technology opportunities: Get your students to complete a digital footprint: www.myfootprint.org

Homework and extension opportunities: Includes opportunities for homework or extension.

Keywords: wealth, open and closed-ended questions, Googleable and Un-Googleable questions, Bendigo Bank.

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

Worksheets

Teacher Worksheet

bbrw-happy-photoframe-newTeacher preparation

Overarching learning goal: By participating in this lesson students build their understanding of wealth and consider the environmental, economical and social implications of their choices.

Teacher content information: With a world population of 7 billion people and rising, we need to be concerned about the Earth’s ability to provide us with all the things we need to live, and to absorb all the waste we produce. Your environmental footprint is a measure of your personal impact on the environment. It can be defined as the amount of the Earth’s surface it takes to provide everything each person uses - food, water, energy, clothes, roads, buildings, etc.

The larger the footprint, the more resources needed to support that lifestyle. The ecological footprints of most developed countries require more land than is available. People in Australia have a very large footprint. Based on one estimate, the average Australian has a footprint of 9.4 hectares (about the size of 14

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Student Worksheet

Thought Starter: Does everyone in the world have access to the same things you do?

How many resources do you use? Think about all the activities you have completed today and the things you have bought lately. Did you listen to your iPod? Brush your teeth? Catch the bus? Buy a drink?

Using the table below, record some of the activities you have completed and record what resources you think they used. Then estimate what you think the resource usage might have been. Use the following guide:

Length of Activity

Usage

Score

Less than 10 minutes

Low

1

11 minutes – 1 hour

Medium

2

Over 1 hour

High

3

For example, if you only had the television on for 30 minutes the resource use would be medium, however if you had the television on for three hours it would be high. We have included an example below to get you started!

Activity

Resources

Low Usage

Medium Usage

High Usage
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