Activity: The Show – What Does It Take To Be A Farmer? – Years 5 & 6

Quick summary: In this lesson, students investigate what is involved in being a farmer. Students begin by thinking about some of the different types of agricultural jobs available, before focusing on farmers. Students participate in a guided discussion around a clip about farming and then work in groups to create their own guided discussions around other farming clips that they will present to the class. 

This lesson has been developed in partnership with The Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria. For over 160 years, The Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria (RASV) has been running the Royal Melbourne Show which, like other agricultural shows around the country, works to build the community’s knowledge and understanding of the vital role agriculture plays in our everyday lives. 

This year’s Royal Melbourne Show will be held between Saturday 21st to Tuesday 1st September.

Learning intentions:

• Students understand some of the key tasks, challenges and benefits of farming in Australia.
• Students be able to engage in guided discussions to interrogate what is being presented in a clip.

21st century skills:

Australian Curriculum Mapping

Content descriptions: 

Year 5 HASS

• Develop appropriate questions to guide an inquiry about people, events, developments, places, systems and challenges (ACHASSI094)
• Work in groups to generate responses to issues and challenges (ACHASSI102)

Year 6 HASS

• Develop appropriate questions to guide an inquiry about people, events, developments, places, systems and challenges (ACHASSI122)
• Work in groups to generate responses to issues and challenges (ACHASSI130)

Year 5 & 6 Design and Technologies

• Investigate how and why food and fibre are produced in managed environments and prepared to enable people to grow and be healthy (ACTDEK021)

Syllabus outcomes: GE3-4, ST3-11LW.

General capabilities: Critical and creative thinking.

Cross-curriculum priority: Sustainability OI.7.

Relevant parts of Year 5 HASS achievement standards: Students develop questions for an investigation and work with others to generate responses to an issue or challenge.

Relevant parts of Year 6 HASS achievement standards: Students develop appropriate questions to frame an investigation and collaboratively generate responses to an issue.

Relevant parts of Year 5 & 6 Design and Technologies achievement standards: Students explain how social, ethical, technical and sustainability considerations influence the design of solutions to meet a range of present and future needs.

Topic: Consumption.

Unit of work: The Show – Connections To Farming And Agriculture – Years 5 & 6.

Time required: 60 mins.

Level of teacher scaffolding: Medium – lead students in guided discussion, assist students with the creation of guided discussions.

Resources required: Student Worksheets (one copy per student). A device capable of presenting a video to the class. Devices for students to watch videos on (e.g. tablets or desktop computers). What is Farming Question Sheet (one copy per student).

Keywords: The Show, farming, agriculture, farmer, jobs, guided discussion, video clip.

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