Kid’s Can Make a Difference – Choose to Make the World
a Better Place

Roots & Shoots is a global network of young people taking action to improve our world, making a difference in almost 100 countries.

Founded in 1991 by Dr. Jane Goodall, Roots & Shoots is a global network of young people taking action to improve our world. It is a youth-led action program that is building on Dr. Jane’s legacy and vision of placing the power and responsibility for creating solutions to big challenges in the hands of the young people. 

We have lessons for lower and upper primary that can be used to support learning. Check them out below.

It All Started as a Child’s Dream..

In July 1960, at the age of 26, Jane Goodall  to Gombe Stream National Park in what is now Tanzania and courageously entered the mysterious world of wild chimpanzees. She was equipped with little more than a notebook, binoculars, optimism and desire to learn more about these incredible animals.

Through patience and persistence, she won the trust of the chimpanzees and eventually learnt more than anyone else on earth ever had about our closest living relatives. The public was fascinated by her findings, which changed the way that we look at evolution and ourselves forever.

This short video highlights Roots & Shoots, the global youth program of the Jane Goodall Institute which was founded by Dr. Jane Goodall and Tanzanian students in 1991.

 

Roots and Shoots Exciting New Nature Education Program! 

The Roots & Shoots Resource Box is a new FREE initiative of the Jane Goodall Institute of Australia (JGIA). This curriculum-linked, action-based nature education program aims to engage students, their families, and the community about our wildlife plus the natural environment. We aim to promote optimism for our future by encouraging young people to become environmental champions! The Resource Box is funded with support from the Phillips Foundation.

The Resource Box is designed for use by primary school teachers and home schools to share life-long lessons with our children. It is full of fabulous FREE resources, including:

Four beautiful books:

  • Local Safari: Fun, ethical and hands-on activities to inspire environmental champions
  • Amazing Australia: Explore the unique relationships between Australia’s spectacular wildlife and their environments
  • What on Earth?: Meet the weirdest, wildest and most wonderful animals on the planet!
  • Incredible Earth: Discover the fantastic geographical marvels of the world
  • Information about the wonderful WOODiWILD tree-planting project; and
  • Teachers Guide and Resources on how to get involved, ideas and lesson plans.

Registration for the 2022 Resource Box is open now to all Australian primary-aged educators, with Resource Boxes expected to be delivered early in 2023. Last year Roots & Shoots Australia produced and distributed almost 4000 boxes to schools across Australia free of charge – to educate and inspire the next generation of custodians of planet earth.

Please Note: Parents who are homeschooling are eligible, however, we will ask you to submit completed education action plans to receive your box. Insert ‘Homeschool’ in the School field and provide your relevant address details.

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Primary Resources

If you have received your Resource box, download this guide for use alongside the lessons

Observe Your School Environment – HASS
– Foundation to Year 2

Students participate in a mapping exercise, working as a class to create a map of the human-made, animal & environmental features of their school.
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Take Action
– HASS – Foundation to Year 2

Students develop a social action project to address a problem they have noticed at their school. Students begin by looking at the problems that are in their school, why these have occurred and what actions they could take to address the problem.
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Assessment and Reflection
– HASS – Foundation to Year 2

Students analyse, reflect on and celebrate their social action project. Students begin by sequencing a range of assets produced throughout their project, and then assess the success of the project and reflect.
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Tuning In To Animals, People & Environment – Science, HASS, English – Foundation to Year 2

Students will explore the question ‘What kind of world do we live in?’ They will view media that prompts them to think about interactions between people, animals & the environment and the impact of our choices & actions.
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Exploring Habitats
– Science, HASS, English – Foundation to Year 2

Students explore the ways in which various actions or occurrences can impact an environment. They begin by engaging with the story The Great Kapok tree and consider the way people, animals and plants interact within an environment.
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Exploring Habitats
– Science, HASS, English – Foundation to Year 2

Students focus on threatened species – what it means for a species to be labelled threatened, how they become threatened and what people can do to assist. They explore animals of the world, then identify endangered species within the Australasian region.
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Endangered Data
– Science, HASS, Maths – Foundation to Year 2

Students will explore the population numbers for key Australian endangered species through an outdoor conservation trail, with the data presented as a column graph.
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Observe Your Neighbourhood
– HASS – Years 3 to 6

Students create a map of an area of their neighbourhood. Students begin by understanding key terms, and work in groups to develop questions to help guide their walk.
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Take Action
– HASS – Years 3 to 6

Students develop a social action project to address a humanitarian or environmental issue they have noticed in their neighbourhood.
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Assessment and Reflection
– HASS – Years 3 to 6

Students analyse, reflect on and celebrate their completed social action project. Students begin by sharing the assets they made, as well as the overall success of the project.
Go to Activity

Tuning In To Animals, People
& Environment
– Science, HASS – Years 3 to 6

Students will explore the big challenges facing our world, such as climate change and waste. They will note the interconnectedness of people, animals and nature.
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Consuming Our World
– Science, HASS – Years 3 to 6

Students explore what it means to be a consumer and how the choices they make as a consumer can impact people, animals and the environment.
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What Should I Buy?
– Science, HASS – Years 3 to 6

Students explore and discuss what factors should be considered when deciding to make a product purchase.
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What Makes A Great Leader?
– HASS, Civics & Citizenship
– Years 3 to 6

Students will explore what it means to be a compassionate leader and the skills and traits compassionate leaders have.
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Exploring Community Data
– Science, HASS, Maths
– Years 3 to 6

Students will select a particular environmental or conservation related issue and collect data to show how the choices and behaviours of members of the school community contribute to the issue.
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With Thanks to Our Partner

Jane Goodall's Roots and ShootsThese lessons has been developed in partnership with Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots program. Roots & Shoots is a global youth-led program of young people taking action to improve our world. By participating in these lessons, you and your students will be joining thousands of young people and teachers working to make positive change in our world.

© 2022 Jane Goodall Roots and Shoots, and Cool Australia.