Activity Introduction

Quick summary: Students will consider the environmental impact of a wind farm and come up with wildlife protection strategies. Students are asked to investigate a bird, animal or insect living near the Woolnorth Wind Farm, and to suggest solutions to potential problems or hazards facing this bird, animal or insect.

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:

  • This lesson is designed to get students thinking about conservation and sustainability.
  • Students will respond creatively and scientifically to stimulus materials and a case study.

General capabilities: Literacy, Critical and creative thinking, Ethical understanding.

Cross-curriculum priority: Sustainability OI.7.

Australian Curriculum content description:

Year 5 Science

  • Scientific understandings, discoveries and inventions are used to solve problems that directly affect peoples’ lives (ACSHE083).
  • With guidance, plan appropriate investigation methods to answer questions or solve problems (ACSIS086).

Year 6 Science

  • Scientific knowledge is used to inform personal and community decisions (ACSHE100).
  • Construct and use a range of representations, including tables and graphs, to represent and describe observations, patterns or relationships in data using digital technologies as appropriate (ACSIS090).

Syllabus outcomes: ST3-7PW, ST3-6PW, ST3-4WS.

Topic: Hydro Tasmania, Energy.

Time required: 60 mins.

Level of teacher scaffolding: Medium – oversee activity.

Resources required: Internet access, access to computers/tablets for online research, Student Worksheet (one copy per student OR computers/tablets to access the online worksheet).

Digital technology opportunities: Digital sharing capabilities.

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

Keywords: Energy, hydropower, wildlife, Woolnorth Wind Farm, 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: This lesson is designed to get students thinking about conservation and sustainability. Students participating in this activity will respond creatively and scientifically to stimulus materials and a case study.

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 in 2013: enoug
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Student Worksheet

Thought starter: What are some of the most famous Tasmanian animals?

Instructions to students

You’re hired ... as a wildlife protection expert! But who are you working for?

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.

This task requires you to research ONE creature (either a bird, animal or insect) living near a wind farm in Tasmania and complete the Environmental Impact Table below to show how the creature can be protected.

Watch the following video about the benefits of wind power.

Positive Energy (https://youtu.be/OoTJ1dnkNe4).

Pay particular attenti

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