Dapto Learning Community and the Illawarra Environmental Education Centre

Big ideas

What do I want the students to learn?

  • Climate change affects the environment
  • Changing conditions in the environment and the impact on living things
  • Humans affect tothe environment
  • The growth and survival of living things are affected by the physical conditions of their environment
  • Living things have structural features and adaptations that help them to survive in their environment

Syllabus references

Science (incorporating Science and Technology K-6) K-10 Syllabus © NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) for and on behalf of the Crown in right of the State of New South Wales, 2012

  • ST3-10LW – A student describes how structural features and other adaptations of living things help them to survive in their environment
  • ST3-11LW – A student describes some physical conditions of the environment and how these affect the growth and survival of living things
  • ST3-2VA – A student demonstrates a willingness to engage responsibly with local, national and global issues relevant to their lives, and to shaping sustainable futures.

Geography K-10 Syllabus© NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) for and on behalf of the Crown in right of the State of New South Wales, 2015

  • GE3-2 – A student explains interactions and connections between people, places and environments
  • GE3-3 – A student compares and contrasts influences on the management of places and environments

Mathematics K-10 Syllabus© NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) for and on behalf of the Crown in right of the State of New South Wales, 2017

  • MA3-18SP – A student uses appropriate methods to collect data and constructs, interprets and evaluates data displays, including dot plots, line graphs and two-way tables
  • MA3-1WM – A student describes and represents mathematical situations in a variety of ways using mathematical terminology and some conventions
  • MA3-3WM – A student gives a valid reason for supporting one possible solution over another

Assessments

  • Presentations
  • Displays/collections
  • A website that describes what a presentation rubric is –
  • A website that describes what a creativity and innovation rubric is –
  • A website that describes what a collaboration rubric is –

Working scientifically

ST3-4WS

A student investigates by posing questions, including testable questions, making predictions and gathering data to draw evidence-based conclusions and develop explanations

Working technologically

ST3-5WT

A student plans and implements a design process, selecting a range of tools, equipment, materials and techniques to produce solutions that address the design criteria and identified constraints

Key inquiry question

How are living things responding to climate change?

The hook (to initiate students into the unit of work) – week 1

Videos – climate change

ABC Splash article on Polar Bears being endangered by vanishing Arctic sea ice –

A video on what climate change means –

An online game called Catchment Detox –

A website on our changing climate –

© NSW Department of Education, May 20171

Inquiry question 1 (3 weeks)

What is climate change?

(Weeks 2, 3, 4)

Inquiry question 2 (3 weeks)

How do living things respond to climate change?

(Weeks 5, 6, 7)

Inquiry question 3 (3 weeks)

How can humans manage the environment to ensure the survival of key species?

(Week 7– excursion) (Weeks 8, 9, 10)

© NSW Department of Education, May 20171

Gather G

This is where students gather data about the topic, do observations, conduct experiments, make calculations.

Week 2 – Inquiry question 1

  • Watch the videos in the Hook section. As students watch the videos have them write keywords/take notes on their mini whiteboards.
  • Separate kids into Learning Groups of 3 students.
  • Each group is given an area on the Pinterest Board to put any information that they gather (have this ready prior to the lesson).
  • Give students an IPAD or computer and have students research and explore the following websites on climate change:
  • Earth hour website section on our climate future –
  • NASA website for children on climate change –

Kids are given an area of the climate kids – ‘big questions’ section and they have to gather information, using the climate kids website as well as using the questions in google searches.

  1. Is the climate of the whole Earth really changing?
  2. What is climate?
  3. What is weather?
  4. Do we care if Earth is getting warmer?
  5. Does what we do matter?
  6. What is making Earth’s climate warmer?

Students have to consider these factors when gathering information:

  • Temperature changes
  • Water levels
  • Seasonal changes and effects

What are the needs of living things to tolerate environmental factors?

  • What is the time frame in which some of these things have happened?
  • How have temperatures changes?
  • Show how water levels have changes
  • What are the seasonal effects on living things eg bee cycle out of cinque with changing flower cycle

Other useful sites:

  • Australian online coastal information website about climate –
  • BBC science website (general home page) –

Inquiry question 2

  • ABC Splash article on wine in a changing climate –
  • ABC splash article on how decreasing snowfalls impacts pygmy possums –
  • A website on the impacts of climate change on the marine environment –
  • Learn about different lifecycles
  • What is the distribution (where) and abundance (where are they) of the sand crab, black swan and tea tree?

Inquiry question 3

IEEC excursion

Exploration of rocky platform

Creation of a booklet on Book Creator

OrganiseO

Set out the data gathered – for example – use a retrieval chart

Inquiry question 1

© NSW Department of Education, May 20171

Retrieval chart

Maps

Visuals

Images of floods, storm, etc

Data sets

© NSW Department of Education, May 20171

Analyse A

The teacher leads this analysis – so what do we know – what have we collected or found?

Inquiry question 1

Asking ‘what did we learn’? and ‘what are you going to do with the knowledge?

  • Create a poster stating a call to action, or a pic collage of collated evidence.
  • Support the existence of climate change by refuting the statement that ‘climate change does not exist.

Synthesise S

Most important part – to shift the students thinking

Apply A

What has been learned is applied to a new task or situation.

Culminating activity

Final – 1 week

Resources

Maths activity on measurement –

An activity on measuring temperature –

A website on the Centre for Remote Sensing of Ice Sheets –

© NSW Department of Education, May 20171