Seal the Loop - Conserving marine biodiversity - Year 8

Activity Introduction

Quick summary: Students will identify different views about the value of marine biodiversity, for example recreational, economic, human rights, human health, and intrinsic and spiritual. Students will interrogate these issues by looking at how conservation organisations think about biodiversity before planning, drafting and performing a play describing the different ways of thinking about marine biodiversity.

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 understand that there are different ways of valuing marine biodiversity.
Students make connections between how we value biodiversity and the actions we take to conserve it.
Students develop literacy skills around planning, drafting and performing short plays.

General capabilities: Critical and creative thinking, Ethical understanding

Australian Curriculum content description:

Year 8 English

Experiment with particular language features drawn from different types of texts, including combinations of language and visual choices to create new texts (ACELT1768)
Create imaginative, informative and persuasive texts that raise issues, report events and advance opinions, using deliberate language and textual choices, and including digital elements as appropriate (ACELY1736)
Experiment with text structures and language features to refine and clarify ideas to improve the effectiveness of students’ own texts (ACELY1810)

Year 8 Geography

The ways of protecting significant landscapes (ACHGK052)

Syllabus Outcomes: GE4-2, GE4-3, EN4-4B.

Topic: Seal the Loop

Time required: 2 x 60 mins

Level of teacher scaffolding: Medium – oversee activity and facilitate discussion.

Resources required: Internet access, student worksheet.

Digital technology opportunities: Digital sharing capabilities.

Homework and extension opportunities: Includes opportunities for homework.

Keywords: Marine biodiversity, value, conservation, economic, recreational, human health, human rights, intrinsic, spiritual.

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 goals: By participating in this activity students will understand that there are different ways of valuing marine biodiversity.They will make connections between how we value marine biodiversity and the actions we take to conserve it. Finally, student are given the opportunity to develop literacy skills around planning, drafting and performing short plays.

Teacher content information: We’re always being told that we need to look after biodiversity, that we need to preserve it: but why exactly? Is it because of the animals and the plants that live there? If it was just about looking after the plants and animals, couldn’t we just build huge zoos, gardens and aquariums and keep everything safe that way? Or is there more to it than just looking after the plants and animals? In this activity your students will explore a range of reasons why we might want to preserve our biodiversity, in particular, our marine biodiversity.

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Student Worksheet

Thought starter: In terms of biodiversity, what are the differences between conservation, protection and preservation?

Part 1. Definition refresher

Working independently, write a definition for the following terms -

Biodiversity

Ecosystem

Extinction

Write a sentence that uses all these words:

Part 2. The ethics of biodiversity

In groups discuss the statement about conservation and biodiversity. Write down what your group discusses. Does everyone agree with the statement?

We should conserve our biodiversity for the sake of human survival only.

Part 3. How do biodiversity conservation organisations think about biodiversity?

Working in groups, visit the following websites and assess why they want to conserve biodiversity (economic, recreational, human health, human rights, intrinsic)?

The Wilderness Society - www.wilderness.org.au

National Geographic - www.nationalgeographic.com

WWF - www.worldwildlife.org

Australian Marine Conservation Society - www.marinec

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Activity: Seal the Loop – Conserving marine biodiversity – Year 8

Activity Introduction