TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page 1-2 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lesson sequence

Page 3-7 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lesson plan

Page 8-9 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Assessment strategies

Page 10 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Alternative energy worksheet

Page 11 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sustainability cross-curriculum priority

Page 12 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- References

Lesson sequence:

INVESTIGATE: “What are fossil fuels and how do they generate energy?”
Lesson 1
1. Conduct a hands-on activity to discover how fossil fuels are created (see
https://www.teachengineering.org/activities/view/cub_rock_lesson03_activity1 for activity).
2. Explain how fossil fuels are used to generate electricity
3. Explore how energy is used in Australia by exploring the Department of the
Environment and Energy (https://www.energy.gov.au/government-priorities/energy-supply).
4. Reflect on how student’s use energy in their everyday lives and think about one
product in their home they think could operate on renewable energy. For example,
an air conditioner or oven.

INVESTIGATE: “What effect do fossil fuels have on the environment?”

Lesson 2
1. Complete a worksheet on important vocabulary such as: energy, electricity,
renewable energy, non-renewable energy, fossil fuels.
2. Research alternative energy: set up QR codes around the classroom, students will
float around to watch videos of alternative energy projects that currently exist.
Videos will include: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUnI3otKUlg,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xlf6s4QlVws,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKOG7lb48bI, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xA-
TcVKEuJ8, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qAhnc6LR2Y
3. From reflection in previous lesson, choose one product they would like to operate on
renewable energy.

INVESTIGATE: “What are the pros and cons of alternative energy?”

Lesson 3
1. Conduct independent research on the pros and cons of alternative energy with
guidance from teacher. Play the following video until 4:00:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RnvCbquYeIM
2. Conduct an inner-outer circle activity to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of
alternative energy with classmates.

INVESTIGATING: “How do people use science knowledge to improve the

environment?”

3. Show students a video on how people use an environmental degree at RMIT

University to make a difference - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkudPxAT0EM
4. Explore what kind of science knowledge is required to use alternative energy (this
includes everything student’s have learnt so far).
5. Investigate sustainable development goal number 7: Affordable and Clean Energy.

GENERATING: “What difference can I make?”

Lesson 4

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 1. In groups, generate ideas to change an existing product that uses fossil fuel
generated electricity to operate on alternative energy. Products must be designed
using sustainable materials.
For inspiration, students will have access to devices for further research as well as
reference books such as Renewable Energy: Discover the Fuel of the Future With 20
Projects (Build It Yourself) by Joshua Sneideman and Erin Twamley and will be
directed to search clips from the documentary ‘2040’ by Damon Gameau.

PRODUCING: “How will this be made?”

Lesson 5
1. Students will spend the lesson creating their design from the last lesson and
implementing changes deemed necessary. Teacher will be available for assistance.

EVALUATING: “How can this be improved?”

Lesson 6
1. Test the product’s workability and discuss design improvements.
2. Seek evaluation from other groups using evaluation forms.

PRODUCING: “This is the final design”

Lesson 7
1. Implement design changes, if any, to produce final product.
2. Start creating an information booklet that explains what the product is and how it
uses alternative energy to make an everyday product more sustainable.

COLLABORATING & MANAGING: “The future is ours”

Lesson 8
1. Finish creating information booklet about the final product.
2. Present product and information booklet to the rest of the class and share thoughts
and ideas about each product that was created.

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 Appendix 1
LESSON PLAN
SCHOOL OF EDUCATION

LESSON ORGANISATION

Year Level: 5 Time: 90 min Date: 21/10/2019 Students’ Prior Knowledge:

Learning Area: Have used the app Flipgrid before

Science Have reflected with a group on a product they
want to base their project on
Are aware of the Sustainable Development Goals
Have basic knowledge of alternative energy
sources
Know what University is

Strand/Topic from the Australian Curriculum

Examine how people in design
and technologies occupations address competing
considerations, including sustainability in the design of
products, services, and environments for current and
future use (ACTDEK019)
Communicate ideas, explanations and processes using
scientific representations in a variety of ways,
including multi-modal texts (ACSIS093)
Scientific knowledge is used to solve problems and
inform personal and community
decisions (ACSHE083)
General Capabilities (that may potentially be covered in the lesson)
Literacy Numeracy ICT Critical and Ethical Personal and Intercultural
competence creative thinking behaviour Social understanding
competence
Cross-curriculum priorities (may be addressed in the lesson)
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Asia and Australia’s engagement with Asia Sustainability
histories and cultures
Proficiencies:(Mathematics only)

Lesson Objectives (i.e. anticipated outcomes of this lesson, in point form beginning with an action verb)

As a result of this lesson, students will be able to:

 Record at least two relevant researched points from reliable websites on an individual worksheet
 Discuss at least two relevant researched points with another student in an inner-outer circle activity
 Construct a written quiz of at least five relevant questions based on a Sustainable Development Goal

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Teacher’s Prior Preparation/Organisation:
Print worksheets
Source butcher’s paper and colourful textas
Load Youtube videos
Ensure iPads are charged
LESSON EVALUATION (to be completed AFTER the lesson)
Assessment of Lesson Objective and Suggestions for Improvement:
Provision for students at educational risk:
Variety of individual, partner and group work
Open ended task of researching advantages and
disadvantages of alternative energy
Worksheet to guide research process
Collaborative learning
Brain break activity for students who have
difficulty paying attention for long periods of time
Know which students don’t work well in a group
and actively avoid grouping them
Early finishers activity option

Teacher self-reflection and self-evaluation:

[OFFICIAL USE ONLY] Comments by classroom teacher, HOPP, supervisor:

LESSON DELIVERY (attach worksheets, examples, marking key, etc, as relevant)

Resources/References
Time Motivation and Introduction:
10 Play the Youtube video: 2040 / Kids talk Sustainability for the class.
min https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4_F8Nd3-W0
After playing the video, ask students to form groups of five with the
students closest to them and find a space in the classroom to discuss
this question: “What would you like 2040 to look like?”
Allow discussion to last around five minutes and then ask students
to get their iPads and upload a video of themselves to Flipgrid
answering the same question. The video should be a maximum two
minutes.
Lesson Steps (Lesson content, structure, strategies & Key Questions):

Ask students to put their iPads down and hold up a number on their
hand from 0-5. Students must find a partner who can make their
total add to 5. For example, a student holding 1 finger up must find
a partner holding 4 fingers up.
Once everyone has a partner, they must find another pair to join
with to make a group of 4 and find their own space in the classroom.

1. Play a game of cooperative graffiti: Teacher will provide each

group with two pieces of butcher’s paper and colourful textas.
Ask students to write ‘advantages of alternative energy’ on one Butcher’s paper and colourful textas
piece of paper and ‘disadvantages of alternative energy’ on the
other. On the teacher’s mark, students will have two minutes to
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5 write down as many words as they can think of associated with
min
the advantages of alternative energy. Once the two minutes are
up, teacher will repeat the process and give students two minutes
to do the same for ‘disadvantages of alternative energy’.
Ask students to put the papers aside for the time being. Teacher will
go to each group and assign them to be either ‘advantage’ or
disadvantage’ experts.

2. Instruct students to conduct independent research on the

advantages or disadvantages of alternative energy (depending on Research guiding worksheet attached below
15
which group they are in) using their iPads. Students will be
min
reminded to use reliable websites and to take notes of things
they find interesting. Students will be given a worksheet to track
their research – if completed, students should turn the page over
and continue writing on the other side.
After 15 minutes, ask students to stop their research and sit on the
floor in the front of the room.

3. Show students the Youtube video ‘Can 100% renewable energy

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power the world?’ until 4:00 and engage students in some or all https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RnvCbquYeIM

min of the following questions:

What were the disadvantages that were discussed?
What were the advantages that were discussed?
Do you still think its worth using alternative energy?

4. Play a game of inner-outer circle. All the students who

10
researched the disadvantages will be in the inner circle and those
min who researched the advantages will be in the outer circle –
students will pair up with someone in the other circle. For 10
minutes, students will discuss the advantages and disadvantages
of alternative energy with the person opposite them. Every two
minutes, the teacher will prompt the inner circle to rotate so that
they talk to a new partner from the outer circle.

5. Students will be instructed to go back to their brainstorming

5 groups and access their butcher’s paper. From what they’ve
min learnt, students will have 5 minutes to add new words or
concepts to both pieces of their butcher’s paper.

6. Perform a pen-flipping brain break. Students will stand up with a

pen and try to flip it one revolution – so that it starts and lands
5
min with the cap facing to student, for example. Then they can flip it
with their other hand and attempt to flip two pens in two hands
at the same time.

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5 7. Ask students to find in a seat on the floor in the front of the https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkudPxAT0EM
min
classroom and play them the Youtube video of RMIT
University’s environmental degrees. In a class discussion, ask
students the question:
“What kind of knowledge do you think is needed for this kind of
career?”

Teacher will write key words from student responses on the

whiteboard. If students are slow to start the discussion, teacher can Whiteboard and marker
prompt them with the following suggestions: a knowledge of what
an environment is, sustainability, technology, alternative energy,
fossil fuels, climate change, pollution, ecosystem, conservation,
emissions. Next, ask another question and repeat the process. Other
questions to ask include:

“Why is this kind of career important?”

“Do you know anyone who has this degree or something similar?”
“Is this something you can be involved in?”
“Do you need a career in environmental science to make a
difference to the environment? Why do people have these degrees
then?”

Tell students: degrees like this are important because even though
everyone can make a difference to the environment, some people
dedicate their degrees to researching and finding innovative
solutions for environmental sustainability. There is an organisation
that have created goals for environmental sustainability, can you
think of what this is? Can you remember when they want these
goals achieved by?
Confirm that it is the United Nations who have developed the
Sustainable Development Goals and they want to achieve these
goals by 2030.

8. Inform students to get their iPads and access the United Nations
5 Development Program and see if they can find a goal that aligns
min with today’s lesson on alternative energy. After 5 minutes, gain
student’s attention and ask if they can see any goals that do
align. While there might be a few goals, explain that goal
number 7: Affordable and Clean Energy is the one that fits the
lesson the closest.

9. Ask students to explore Sustainable Development Goal number

5 7 and become familiar with some of the case studies featured on
min the website. After 5 minutes, instruct students to use goal
number 7 to create a 5-question quiz in their workbooks for
another student in the class to complete. Early finishers can
choose to reflect further on the product they chose in the last
lesson and begin to think about how it can be operated on
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 alternative energy or access the ‘2040’ website and explore
current alternative energy projects.

10. Students will walk around the classroom with their workbooks
10 and a pen in random directions until the teacher tells them to
min
stop. When this happens, students will find the person closest to
them and swap quizzes. They will spend 5 minutes completing
the other students quiz. After 5 minutes, the students will have
time to discuss the answers with each other.

Lesson Closure:(Review lesson objectives with students)

Ask students to stop, look and listen. Teacher will ask the students
5 ‘on a scale of 1-5, how much did you learn today?’ and students will
min
respond by holding up fingers on their hand. Teacher will call on a
few students and ask them to expand on their response.

Transition: (What needs to happen prior to the next lesson?)

Pack iPads and workbooks away
Hand in worksheets and butcher’s paper to teacher
Ask focus group to hand in their quizzes

Assessment: (Were the lesson objectives met? How will these be

judged?)

Objective 1: Record at least two relevant researched points from

reliable websites on an individual worksheet
- Students will hand in their worksheets at the end of the
lesson
- Checklist attached below

Objective 2: Discuss at least two relevant researched points with

another student in an inner-outer circle activity
- Focus group will be chosen – every time there is a rotation
of the inner circle, teacher will assess a new focus student
- Checklist attached below

Objective 3: Construct a written quiz of at least five relevant

questions based on a Sustainable Development Goal
- Focus group from previous assessment will be asked to hand
their quiz in to teacher
- Checklist attached below

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Assessment 1:
(Class list)

Objective 1: Record at
least two relevant
Name researched points Comment
from reliable websites
on an individual
worksheet

Henry

Jasmine

Victoria

Isabella

Mason

Key: x = not demonstrated, * = almost demonstrated, ** = has demonstrated, ** = outstanding demonstration

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Assessment 2 and 3:
(Focus group)

Objective 2: Objective 3:
Discuss at least Construct a
Name two relevant written quiz of Comment
researched at least five
points with relevant
another student questions based
in an inner-outer on a Sustainable
circle activity Development
Goal
Round 1:
Henry

Round 2:
Jasmine

Round 3:
Victoria

Round 4:
Isabella

Round 5:
Mason

Key: x = not demonstrated, * = almost demonstrated, ** = has demonstrated, ** = outstanding demonstration

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10
Sustainability Cross-Curriculum Priority

The sustainability cross-curriculum priority is integral to teaching 21st century learners as it is necessary for

them to be equipped with the knowledge, skills and understandings to contribute to their preferred futures. This

design brief assists students in further understanding all three concepts of sustainability in the Australian

curriculum. That is, it looks at the interdependent nature of systems as we explore how our need for energy is

impacting our ecosystems because non-renewable energy is the cheapest to produce and the easiest to access.

Further, it explores the global context of sustainability as we address alternative energy issues and projects from

all around the world. Lastly, it promotes ownership of the future by requiring students to think and act in a way

that will contribute to a sustainable future. While this design brief aligns with most organising ideas, it is most

closely aligned to organising idea 8 which requires an evaluation of past practices as well as a balanced view of

current practices to determine the most sustainable options for energy in the future (ACARA, 2012). This

design brief is closely linked to Sustainable Development Goal number 7: Affordable and Clean Energy. The

goal aims to improve energy efficiency and increase the reliance on renewable energy worldwide by 2030

(UNDP, 2019). The design brief is focused on analysing energy usage and identifying ways to increase the

efficiency of everyday products in order to rely more heavily on renewable energy. As such, this design brief

and Sustainable Development Goal 7 go hand in hand.

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References

2040 (Producer), (2019, May 24,). 2040 | kids talk sustainability. [Video/DVD] Australia: Retrieved

from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4_F8Nd3-W0

Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. (2012). Cross curriculum priority sustainability.

Retrieved from

https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/f-10-curriculum/technologies/design-and- technologies/structure/

United Nations Development Programme. (2019). Goal 7: Affordable and clean energy. Retrieved

from https://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/sustainable-development-goals/goal-7-affordable-

and-clean-energy.html

Cool Australia Activity: 2040 - exploring energy - years 5 & 6. Retrieved

from https://www.coolaustralia.org/activity/2040-exploring-energy-years-5-6/

Sladkey, D. (2015). Energising brain breaks. Retrieved from https://brainbreaks.blogspot.com/

TED-Ed (Producer), (2017, Dec 7,). Can 100% renewable energy power the world? -& Federico Rosei and

Renzo Rosei. [Video/DVD] Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RnvCbquYeIM

RMIT University (Producer), (2015, May 15,). What can you do with an environment degree? | RMIT

university. [Video/DVD] Australia: Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkudPxAT0EM

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