M.

Primary School

INQUIRY-BASED INTERGRATED UNIT

How can I become an active citizen and help look
after the planet for future generations?

CARING FOR
PLACE, CARING
FOR COUNRTY
Grade 4 Integrated Unit- Sustainability

Brooke Robinson, Ruby Curtis & Adrian

Cirillo
EDF5033- Humanities and Social Sciences
Education in the Primary Years [AT2]

CARING FOR PLACE, CARING FOR

COUNTRY
YEAR 4- SUSTAINABILIY UNIT
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Fieldwork/ Excursion Forms
-

Fieldwork approval document

Permission forms
Risk Assessment
Inclusion and Access Guide
Email of Thanks to RBG Cranbourne

pg. 2
pg. 2
pg. 7
pg. 8
pg. 11
pg. 12

Unit Overview

pg. 13

Fieldwork Handouts

pg. 21

Fieldwork Map
Teacher handout
Student booklet

Unit Assessment Tasks

-

Fieldwork Booklet- Rubric

Post Unit Rubric
Post Unit Assessment Task

Unit Evaluation
-

Teacher Unit and Fieldwork Evaluation

Student Self and Unit Evaluation

Unit Justification
-

References

Unit Appendices

pg. 21
pg. 22
pg. 25
pg. 37
pg. 37
pg. 38
pg. 39
pg. 40
pg. 40
pg. 41
pg. 42
pg. 47
pg. 49

Page | 1

M. PRIMARY SCHOOL
Fieldwork/Excursion Approval Form
Rationale
Fieldwork and excursion opportunities are seen as an integral part of the school curriculum as they
enable students to explore, extend and enrich their learning and their social skills development, in a
non-school setting. They are to complement, and are an important aspect of the educational programs
offered at the school. An excursion is defined as any activity beyond the school grounds.
Aims
- To reinforce, complement and extend the learning opportunities beyond the classroom
- To develop an understanding that learning is not limited to school, and that valuable and
powerful learning takes place in the real world.
- To provide a safe, secure learning experience for students in a venue external to the school.
- To further develop social skills such as cooperation, tolerance, communication, individual and
group interaction.
- To further develop problem solving and life survival skills.
- To extend understanding of their physical and cultural environment.
Guidelines for Action
- All out of school activities must be approved by the Principal or Assistant Principal.
- Staff wishing to organise an excursion must complete an excursion proposal form and lodge
this for approval. All fieldwork/excursions must be approved prior to any bookings or the
event taking place. Where a proposal has not been submitted, the excursion or fieldwork will
not run, unless special circumstances are pending. This decision will be made by the Principal
or Assistant Principal. A decision will consider the educational outcome, as well as the impact
on the school for the proposed date.
- The Principal or Assistant Principal will ensure that all transport arrangements, emergency
procedures and staffing comply with DEECD guidelines. Refer to: DEECD Excursion Policy
- Once approved all relevant documentation must be completed. The teacher in charge will
complete the Notification of School Activity three weeks prior to the excursion departure
date, and ensure relevant details are passed onto the Assistant Principal.
www.eduweb.vic.gov.au/forms/school/sal/enteractivity.asp
- School Council is responsible for the approval of: Overnight excursions, Camps, Adventure
activities
- The Principal or Assistant Principal is responsible for the approval of all single-day excursions
and external fieldwork, other than those that must be approved by school council.
Expectations
- Only children who have displayed sensible, reliable behaviour at school will be invited to
participate in camps or excursions. Students and their parents/carers need to be made
aware that acceptable standards of behaviour will be expected during a camp or an
excursion.
- The emergency management process of the school will extend to and incorporate all camps
and excursions.
Approval Proforma for all Excursions Requiring School Council Approval

Accessed online:
http://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/principals/health/Pages/outdoorrisk.aspx
Page | 2

APPROVAL FORM
Department of Education and Early Childhood Development
This proforma details minimum requirements for school council approval. It must be submitted to the
principal for school council approval prior to the excursion.
All information on this proforma is required. Add attachments if necessary.
School councils are responsible for approving:

overnight excursions
camps
interstate/overseas visits
excursions requiring sea or air travel
excursions involving weekends or vacations
Adventure activities.
Complete the Student Activity Locator online form three weeks prior to the excursion.
Sections with an * have explanatory notes included at the end of this document.
Ensure you have the most current version of this template
Download from the Safety Guidelines for Education Outdoors website at:
http://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/principals/health/Pages/outdoor.aspx

PROGRAM NAME, YEAR, LOCATION, DATE(S), TEACHER-IN-CHARGE

Name of program:

Caring for Place, Caring for Country- Sustainability Unit

Year level(s):

Grade 4

Location(s):

Cranbourne Royal Botanic Gardens

* Date(s):

Term 3, Week 3

Teacher-in-charge:

Ruby Curtis

* EDUCATIONAL PURPOSE
Providing students with this fieldwork experience gives students an indispensable opportunity to apply
concepts from the Caring for place, Caring for Country unit, in a practical and holistic manner. Aiming
at developing students understanding of the interdependent nature of the world and the
interrelationships within, actions to improve sustainability, and developing a personal balanced idea to
the way humans interact with each other and the environment.
A learning experience like this therefore gives students the chance to develop an understanding on how
the environment plays an essential role in supporting the lives of people and other living things. It
emphasises a sense of belonging to, and a responsibility within local, national and global communities.
Conservation Matters Seminar: Provides students with a hands on learning experience to become active
conversationalists and to be a part of a positive global change.

Page | 3

PROGRAM DETAILS
Fieldwork program outline:
Time
Activity
8.45am
Collect last minute consent forms.
Check class roll.
Check students have everything they require for the day.
Escort students to the bus which will be parked outside the school.
9.10am

Depart School. On the bus re-emphasise behavioural expectations of students for the
day.

9.30am

Arrive at Royal Botanic Gardens, Cranbourne.

Escort students to the Visitor Centre.
Check in as a school check booking for Conservation Matters program.
Students have opportunity to use the toilet.
Split into assigned fieldwork groups (see following page for assigned groups and the
order that your group will complete each activity).

9.40am
10.10am

First activity.
Recess with your activity group

10.30am
11.00am
11.30am
12.00pm
12.30pm
2.15pm

Second activity.
Third activity.
Fourth activity.
Meet at the Visitor Centre for lunch.
Conservation Matters Session, run by Royal Botanic Gardens, Cranbourne.
Students have opportunity for the toilet.
Escort students to the bus.
Check roll.

2.30pm

Depart for school.

* Transport arrangements
Internal X External

Both

Type of transports and seating capacity: 45 seated bus

Will a member of the supervising staff be driving students?
If yes, list driver(s).
Approximate distance between school and destination:

Yes

X No

12.4km 15min

All transport requirements comply with the advice in the School Policy and Advisory Guide, Transporting
Students and VicRoads regulations. X YES

Budget
Transport

$428

Other expenditure
* Conversation Matters seminar

$202

CRTs
* 2 excess teachers required for Teacher
Student Ratio
Total cost
Total cost per student

2
required
$632
$15

Page | 4

STUDENTS AND STAFF

Students
Number of female students: 19
Number of male students: 21
Total number of students: 40
List required student preparation, if any: N/A

Staff
* Supervising staff
1. Briony Rollings
2. Rachel Clarke
3. Adam Collins
4. Steve Javis
Where possible all staff members including teachers, school support staff, parents, volunteers and
external contractors should be listed. Indicate those who have a current first aid qualification. Indicate
staff members with first aid and CPR training including the qualification or certification held.

DOCUMENTATION TO BE LODGED PRIOR TO DEPARTURE

Copies of the following completed documents will be lodged with the principal or nominee and the
designated school contact, before the program commences.
Signed informed consent from parents/guardians
Completed medical form for all students and staff
Detailed itinerary with specific locations and contact numbers
A copy of map(s), including map name, access routes and grid references if required
Staff and student equipment and clothing lists
Group equipment list(s) if necessary
A supervision plan that outlines staffing allocations for activities and for non-programmed periods.
This may form part of the detailed itinerary. It must maintain at least the minimum prescribed
staffing for adventure activities.
Completed staffing details proforma
Risk management plan
Emergency response plan, including contacts for police, ambulance, doctor, hospital, fire brigade,
24-hour
school emergency contact number. This is to be held by staff on the excursion and by the
nominated school contact person
Other school-specific information:
Acknowledgement by the teacher-in-charge that all required documentation indicated on this
form will be completed prior to the program starting.
Teacher-in-charge:
Name

Signed

Date

Acknowledgement of receipt of approval proforma for activities requiring school council approval.
Principal:
Name

Signed

Date

Approved and minuted at a school council meeting on _____/_____/______

Page | 5

FIELDWORK CHECKLIST

3
4

6
7
8
9
10
11

12

13
14
15
16

17

18
19

Task
Consult Principal and seek approval for activity. This should follow
discussion and agreement of proposed activity at teaching team and
staff level.
Submit pro-forma of details for proposed activity to School Council for
approval. Details should include link to school curriculum, dates,
program, costs, travel arrangements, accommodation arrangements,
staffing and special provisions to be made for the safety and welfare of
students and staff.
Ask for written proof of accreditation from the camp if it is a residential
setting.
Book/confirm travel, venue and program arrangements.
Inform parents of proposed activity by letter include dates, purpose,
timetable, costs, travel arrangements, meal arrangements, parent
approval form, parent consent to emergency medical treatment,
confidential medical and asthma information form and school contact
person (58292490). Seek parent helpers if required via this letter. This
letter should be shown to the Principal or Assistant Principal prior to its
distribution.
Collect parent approval forms and confidential medical information form
from parents. Note medical details pertaining to children with particular
reference to medicines to be taken by children.
Discuss/Confirm staffing arrangements with the Principal or Assistant
Principal. If possible a first aid trained staff member should be included.
Notify parent volunteers of acceptance or non-acceptance. Refer to
Principal or Assistant Principal regarding attendees
Notification of School Activity completed online at least 3 weeks prior
Collect money from students, where appropriate, and arrange for
cheques to be prepared by the business manager in advance, where
appropriate.
Confirm final numbers with camp venue, attractions and transport
companies
Provide the following details to the Assistant Principal
Confirmed timetable of planned activities and location of
excursion participants at all times
The names and contact numbers of all excursion participants
Contact numbers through which excursion staff may be
contacted in case of emergency
Make arrangements for students remaining at school during the
external fieldwork/excursion.
Notify specialists of intended external fieldwork/excursion.
Make arrangements for any yard duty changes and advise Assistant
Principal
Make identity tags (if required) for participants.
Hold a pre-camp meeting and cover:
Inform students of the standards of behaviour expected during
the activity.
Clarify roles/responsibilities of each staff member (teachers,
parents, instructors etc.)
Collect first aid kits and medication
Copy of all permission forms and medical forms with the Assistant
Principal prior to departure

Completed

Page | 6

FIELDTRIP INFORMATION AND PERMISSION

FORM
This form MUST be completed, signed and returned PRIOR to the
fieldtrip to allow your child to participate. Verbal permission will NOT
be accepted.

PART A
Fieldtrip details: Royal Botanic Gardens, Cranbourne
Date: Term 3 2017
Departure time: 9.10am
Return: 3.15pm
Organising teacher: Rachel Clarke
Activities expected during fieldtrip: Participating in a range of activities at the
Gardens
Method of transport: Bus
Cash expected of students during fieldtrip: Nil
Required articles or food to be brought: Own lunch and snacks for the day
Uniform/Casual dress: Full school uniform

PART B
Students Name:____________________ Excursion Name:
Contact number during excursion hours: ____________ Name:______________
Other emergency contact number:

____________ Name:_____________

Any general concerns relating to this fieldtrip for your child?

_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
I undertake to ensure that my child is properly supplied with such medications as
he/she may reasonable require during this excursion. These medications are and
need to be administered on the following basis
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------In the event of a medical emergency arising in relation to my child and in the event that it is impracticable in the circumstances to contact
my partner or me, I authorise school and the teachers in charge of the excursion to consent to receiving such medical treatment as
deemed reasonably necessary in the circumstances, including blood transfusion and administering of anaesthetic. I agree to pay all
medical expenses and transport costs incurred on behalf of my child as a result of any injury sustained by him/her. I also agree to pay the
costs of any transport required to bring my child home as a result of serious misbehaviour.
I have read this form and understand the nature and extent of the proposed excursion. I also understand the risks involved in such
excursion and, in knowledge of these matters; I hereby give my consent for my child to attend that excursion.

Parent/Guardians Name: ______________________________________________

Signature: _________________________

Date: ______________________
Page | 7

ROYAL BOTANIC GARDENS

CRANBOURNE
Risk / Benefit Statement- Child Safety at the
Gardens

Potential Risks

Risk Reduction Strategies

Lost children

Schools should follow recommended supervision

ratios of 1:3 for kindergarten / preschool; 1:5 for Prep
to 2; and 1:10 for year 3 to 12
Ensure the students are mentally and physically
prepared for walking through a large site.
Teachers/supervising adults should employ effective
supervision strategies, e.g. Emergency meeting points,
regular head counts, name badges, mobile contact
number displayed on students, utilising RBG staff in
case of emergencies. Teachers need to bring a mobile
phone.

Exposure to weather
Wind
Rain
Heat
Extreme Weather Conditions

Slips Trips and Falls

Falling over in the Rockpool Waterway
Slipping on paths
Tripping over tree roots

Ensure students are equipped with appropriate

footwear and weather protection: hats, sunscreen,
wet weather gear (umbrellas are not recommended
for younger children)
Ensure students have had a drink of water before
beginning the program. RBG Teachers are aware of
locations of drinking fountains Education sessions
will not operate in extreme weather conditions e.g.
Temperatures over 35C, very high winds, or during
electric storms
Climbing on the rocks in the Australian Garden is not
allowed
Climbing of trees in the Australian Garden is not
allowed
Ensure students are supervised
Paths are regularly maintained by RBG
RBG staff member leads the group to assess any
potential hazards on walk
First Aid officers are on duty at all times at the
Visitor Centre, however schools are required to carry
their own First Aid Kit

Page | 8

Experience

Benefits

Contact with nature to

promote positive physical,
social, cognitive and
emotional benefits for
children.

Frequent and authentic contact with natural environments is vital for

childrens overall development and in promoting their sense of
independence, autonomy and wellbeing.
Exposure to reasonable risk within nature gives children opportunities to
learn to: assess and manage their own risk, to self-regulate and manage
their own activity, to develop autonomy and to become independent
decision makers.
Nature stimulates social interactions between children, helping them to
develop powers of observation and creativity. Nature instils a sense of
peace and being at one with the world
'Nature buffers the impact of life stress on children and helps them deal
with adversity. The greater the amount of

Authentic connections,
understandings and
relationships with nature.

Physically experiencing changes within nature allows children to connect

holistically and spiritually with the natural world and 'to discover their
innate 'sense of relatedness and connectiveness to the natural world'
Physical and spiritual connections with nature are intrinsic to indigenous
people's sense of place and belonging.
Experiencing weather changes and its impact upon the natural
environment promotes an understanding within children of seasonal and
life cycles.
'Outdoor education fosters connected knowing, where education is part
of, rather than separate from life'

Physical play in natural

environments provides an
endless variety of cognitive,
physical and creative
challenges for children to
negotiate, problem solve,
practice and master.

Playing in natural environments enables children to encounter a rich

variety of texture and terrain, with each encounter challenging children to
approach each situation in new ways
Children learn to problem solve cognitively, spatially and physically as
they navigate through new and challenging environments and experiences.
Children who play regularly in natural environments show more
advanced motor fitness, including coordination, balance and agility
Exposure to reasonable risk within nature gives children opportunities to
become skilled in assessing their own risk, learn to self-regulate and
manage their own activity, to develop autonomy and resilience and to
become independent decision makers.
When children play in natural environments, their play is more diverse,
imaginative, creative and collaborative

Page | 9

ROYAL BOTANIC GARDENS CRANBOURNE

EDUCATION INCLUSION AND ACCESS GUIDE
The Royal Botanic Gardens Education Service aims to provide access and inclusion for all children.
We provide teachers with specialist skills in ESL, Special Education and Learning Difficulties.
RBG teachers can modify any of our programs for students with additional needs, including English
language needs.
Including
children who
speak English
as a Second
Language

We provide

Including
children who
use
wheelchairs

We provide

Including
children with
limited arm and
hand function,
frail children or
with limited
muscle control
Including
children with
sensory
impairments

Teachers trained in teaching English as a Second Language.

Learning environments that are rich and provide experiences that are handson, sensory and physical.
Learning experiences that are highly social and provide rich opportunities for
listening, speaking and interacting with students, teachers and parents.
The Aboriginal Resource Trail provides a rich introduction to Indigenous
culture.

Opportunities to get out of a chair and lie or sit in an alternative position to

reach elements such as sand, water, grass, flowers and other natural
elements that can be manipulated by hands or feet.
Places that a person using a wheelchair can be wheeled through or under to
stimulate the senses eg. Plant tunnels or overhanging plants.
Activities that provide interaction at wheelchair level (front on) eg. Potting a
plant, smelling and touching aromatic plants.
Raised garden beds in the How to Garden that allow easy access, sensory
immersion and exploration.
Wide paths with varying degrees of slopes in the larger RBG and bushland. Trig
track is steeper with a 1:11m grade on a granitic sand base and the Serpentine
Path in the Australian Garden is also a bit steep. Some student activity areas
do not have sealed path access and can be difficult to get to. There are steps
between the Arid Garden and the Weird and Wonderful Garden however both
areas can be accessed by graded pathways (see maps)
http://www.rbg.vic.gov.au/visit-cranbourne/plan-your-visit/map-of-thegardens
Children who are frail or have limited muscle control are more vulnerable to
being knocked down by others. They may need more support and time to use
certain activities, and spaces to relax or gain their composure. For these
children, a very busy play space may be daunting.
RBG Teachers are aware that limited ability to move freely often affects
independence, access and participation and can limit which parts of the play
space a child can use, and the speed at which they can move around and
interact with a group. RBG programs can be modified to meet the individual
requirements of the group.

For children with visual impairments the RBGC provides

Coloured cues at level changes in the Discovery Shelter near pond.

Garden edges, patterns and textures define pathways. Narrow paths meander
through areas of taller plants, invite exploration and provide a route to guide
movement.
Wide, clearly defined pathways through the RBG.

Page | 10

Including
children with
sensory
impairments

For children who are deaf or hearing impaired

Including
children with a
range of
intellectual and
cognitive
abilities

Including
parents and
carers

Communication and social engagement may be more challenging. RBG teachers

consider the seating or positioning of a child in the group to maximize listening
and watching and avoid sun glare. Teachers can modify the level of English
used in a program if they are working with an Auslan Interpreter.
Some children are very sensitive to touch or have difficulty integrating
sensory information. Others may be particularly sensitive to light,
temperature and other environmental conditions. RBG teachers will discuss
with the classroom teacher the specific needs of the children in the group and
adapt the program accordingly.
RBG teachers will discuss with the classroom teacher the specific learning
difficulties, cognitive and communication needs of the students and adapt the
program accordingly.
Some kinds of intellectual or cognitive impairments affect a childs ability to
perceive a challenging situation or potential hazard in a play space. The
Australian Garden is a fenced space which also provides retreat spaces where
a frustrated child can have time out with dignity.

Parents and carers are welcomed and are actively included in our educational
programs.
Adults are encouraged to be supporters in learning and play, as well as caring
for childrens personal needs.
We provide seating for adults to relax and / or care for individual needs in the
Australian Garden and the bushland.

Arriving by bus

Disability parking is close to the entry point for the Australian Garden, with a
drop-off zone big enough for a small bus. Coach parking is provided and clearly
marked and is again adjacent to the Australian Garden entry point and the
Entry Orientation Shelter

Toilets

A fully accessible toilet with hoist is situated at the Visitors Centre, very close
to the meeting area, and a number of disability toilets are also available in
other parts of the Royal Botanic Gardens during the program (see Maps).

RBG services

The Visitors Centre can provide the following information;

The RBG Cranbourne Accessibility Action Plan

http://www.rbg.vic.gov.au/visit-cranbourne/plan-your-visit/accessibility
Royal Botanic Gardens Cranbourne Map, which includes signage and access
paths
The Garden Explorer is an electric motorized people mover which circulates
around the Australian Garden continuously and can seat 23 people. There is a
fee for this service.
Electric Mobility Scooters are available for hire on site.
Free use of wheelchair (with $50 deposit)
Carers Cards are accepted for Visitor Programs

Page | 11

EMAIL OF THANKS TO THE ROYAL BOTANIC GARDENS CRANBOURNE

Dear,
Cranbourne Botanic Gardens

Thank you for allowing us to experience your wonderful gardens our students had
fantastic day learning about sustainability. Your tour Conservation matters was an
excellent topic to kick start our unit plan for sustainability. On behalf of all the staff and
students we would like to thank you for your patience and giving us an amazing
experience at the Royal Botanic Gardens Cranbourne. We look forward to seeing you
next year for another successful field trip.

Kind Regards,

M. Primary School

Page | 12

INTEGRATED UNIT OUTLINE AND PLANNER

SKILLS
Analysing
Checking
Classifying
Co-operating
Considering options
Designing
Elaborating
Estimating
Explaining
Generalising
Hypothesising
Inferring
Justifying
Listening
Locating
information
Making choices
Note-taking
Observing
Ordering Events
Organising
Performing
Persuading
Planning
Predicting
Presenting in a
range of ways
Providing feedback
Questioning
Reading
Recognising bias
Reflecting
Reporting
Restating
Revising
Seeing patterns
Selecting
information
Self-assessing
Sharing ideas
Summarising
Synthesising
Testing
Viewing
Visually
representing
Working
independently
Working to a
timeline

M. PRIMARY SCHOOL

Caring for Place, Caring for Country

How can I become an active citizen and help look after the planet for future generations?
TOPIC:
YEAR LEVEL: Grade 4

Sustainability
TERM:

3, 2017

UNIT DURATION:

weeks

TEACHERS: Rachel Clarke, Briony Rollings, Adam Collins & Steve Javis
UNIT OVERVIEW:
Caring for Place, Caring for Country provides students with the opportunity to make a connection between the
individual choices they make and how these have a wider impact on the sustainability of the Earth. The unit is
presented through an integrated curriculum which connects and relates relevant aspects of content across
learning areas and subjects. This allows students to explore pressing issues that relate to our shared responsibility
to care for the environment for future generations. Students identify the practices of the indigenous Australians
and how they could be implemented in todays society to create more sustainable practices. Sustainability
education is futures-oriented, focusing on protecting environments and creating a more ecologically and socially
just world through informed action. This promotes the value of responsibility and understanding, so that by
seeking to understand each other and the natural world we are closer to becoming global citizens.
UNIT GOALS:
Develop students perceptions on what it means to be an active citizen and facilitate them with the knowledge
and means to help look after the planet for future generations
Develop their understanding on how the environment plays an essential role in supporting the lives of
people and other living things.
Create students understanding of a shared responsibility towards sustainability and working together to
reduce our impact on the environment
To understand the ongoing capacity of the environment to sustain human life and wellbeing is dependent
on implementing change at the local, national and global level
Develop knowledge, skills, values and world views necessary for people to act in ways that contribute to
more sustainable patterns of living.
Fieldwork: Provides students with the opportunity to apply concepts from the unit, in a practical and holistic
manner
Conservation Matters Seminar: Provides students with a hands on learning experience to become active
conversationalists and to be a part of a positive global change.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Students explain how and why life changed in the past, and identify aspects of the past that remained the
same. They describe the experiences of an individual or group over time.
Students sequence events to identify key dates. They recognise the significance of events in bringing about
change and develop and present texts, including narratives, using historical terms
They pose a range of questions about the past and identify sources and locate information to answer these
questions.
Students recognise different points of view. They pose questions about the society in which they live and
use information to answer them. They suggest solutions to an identified issue.
Students describe and compare the characteristics of places in different locations at the national scale
and describe factors that shape a persons identity and sense of belonging.
They identify and describe the interconnections between people and the environment. Recognising the
importance of the environment.
Students interpret data to identify spatial distributions and simple patterns and draw conclusions.
Students propose individual action in response to a local geographical challenge and identify the expected
effects of their proposed action.
Students recognise how an understanding of Indigenous Australians practices can help us manage
resources in a more sustainable manner and acknowledge the practices of the Indigenous Australians and
how they could be implemented in todays society to increase sustainability.
Students understand the critical role the environment plays in sustaining our lives and therefore the
importance of using resources sustainably
ASSESSMENT:
Student Integrated Scrapbook- progressive development of students knowledge and understanding
Observation and anecdotal notes
Fieldwork booklet and Assessment
How do I become an active citizen?- Post Unit Project

Page | 13

AUSVELS STANDARDS TO BE ADDRESSED IN THIS UNIT

AusVELs DOMAIN
Physical,
Personal
And Social
Learning

LEARNING FOCUS
Health and Physical
Education
Interpersonal
Development
Personal Learning
Civics and
Citizenship

Discipline Based
Learning

The Arts
English

The Humanities
- Economics
- Geography
- History
Mathematics

Science

Interdisciplinary
Learning

Communication
Design, Creativity
and Technology
ICT

Thinking processes

STANDARD

STANDARD
S

Movement and physical activity

Health knowledge and promotion
Building social relationships
Working in teams
The individual learner
Managing personal learning
Civic knowledge and understanding
Community engagement
Creating and making
Exploring and responding
Language
Literature
Literacy
Humanities knowledge and understanding

Humanities skills

Number and Algebra

Statistics and Probability
Measurement and Geometry

Understanding, Fluency, Problem Solving &

Reasoning
Science understanding
Science as a Human Endeavour

Science Inquiry Skills

Listening, viewing and responding
Presenting
Investigating and designing
Producing
Analysing and Evaluating
ICT for visualising thinking
ICT for creating
ICT for communicating
Reasoning, processing and inquiry
Creativity
Reflection, evaluation and metacognition

ESTABLISHING THE TOPIC / TUNING IN

- Watch the sustainability video on Future Shots:
http://www.futureshots.net.au/?watchvideos&id=20&quality=low
- Establish an understanding of students foundational prior knowledge of sustainability
- Complete a Think, puzzle, explore activity (Appendix A)
http://www.visiblethinkingpz.org/VisibleThinking_html_files/03_ThinkingRoutines/03d_UnderstandingRoutine
s/ThinkPuzzleExplore/ThinkPuzzleExplore_Routine.html
- Use diagnostic assessment to assess the students skills and prior knowledge of sustainability.

Page | 14

INVESTIGATING THE TOPIC

Week # and title
W1

What is
sustainability?

Specific Objective &

Connection to Australian
Curriculum

Method/Activities

Resources

Assessment
Strategies

Sustainability addresses the

ongoing capacity of the Earth to
maintain all life. It is both a
goal and a way of thinking
about how to progress towards
that goal. Sustainable patterns
of living meet the needs of the
present without compromising
the ability of future generations
to meet their needs (economic,
social and environmental).
Sustainability depends on the
maintenance or restoration of
the functions that sustain all
life and human wellbeing (K,
Ashton et al. 2012).

Develop understandings of sustainability:

Engage in a class discussion about What
does sustainability look like?

Sustainability
through
animation.
https://www.
youtube.com/
watch?v=g21O7a9280

Observation and
anecdotal notes

The natural resources provided

by the environment, and
different views on how they
could be used
sustainably (ACHGK024)
Present findings and ideas in a
range of communication forms,
for example, written, oral,
graphic, tabular, visual and
maps; using geographical
terminology and digital
technologies as appropriate
(ACHGS038)
The importance of
environments to animals and
people, and different views on
how they can be
protected (ACHGK022)
Develop geographical questions
to investigate (ACHGS026)
Represent data by constructing
tables and graphs (ACHGS028)

As a class, watch the YouTube clip

Sustainability explained through
animation (see Resources). Discuss the
visual representation of the key ideas
about this concept.
Use a concept map to identify the big
ideas about the environment and
sustainability, e.g. resources, animals,
vegetation, forests, settlements,
agriculture, wellbeing, future,
management. Display this concept map
for students to refer to during the unit.
Students form two circles; each group is
given a different set of instructions that
will demonstrate a sustainable system
versus an unsustainable system. One
group is told to hold hands and stand on
one foot, while the other group is told
hold hands. The idea is to show that
holding hands while standing on one foot
is much less sustainable than holding
hands.
Q: How can we make the environment a
more sustainable place?
Have students use the information they
have learned this lesson and get them to
draw their representation of a
sustainable environment (ICT) - IPad.
Explore the maps in the Living Planet
Report 2012 (see Resources). Get
students to use the time filter to show
how the world distribution of
environments has changed from the past
to present and ask the class to draw
conclusions about this spatial change.
Have students then develop questioning
about what can be done. Discuss
Population growth and effect on
sustainability.
Students will plot the increase trend in
world population from 2010-2100. They
will put the data in a Colum chart and
then transfer this data into a simple line
graph. Students will then answer the
following questions
Q1: Briefly describe the trend in
estimated population growth and
compare your answer with classmates.
Q2: How might population increase
effect sustainability?

WWF, Living
Planet Report
2012,
www.wwf.org.
au/our_work/
people_and_th
e_environmen
t/human_foot
print/living_pl
anet_report_2
012/

Page | 15

W2

Natural
Resources

Students recognise that

everything they use and need
originates from the
environment.
Students begin to realise the
value of using renewable
compared to non-renewable
resources.
Students value the importance
of the environment to their
lives and begin to understand
the necessity of using resources
sustainably.
The natural resources provided
by the environment, and
different views on how they
could be used
sustainably (ACHGK024)
Represent data by constructing
tables and graphs (ACHGS028)
Reflect on their learning to
propose individual action in
response to a contemporary
geographical challenge and
identify the expected effects of
the proposal (ACHGS032)

Students will now reflect their

knowledge on sustainability. And answer
individually What sustainability means
and how the importance of people and
animals are in protecting the future of
our planet.

United Nations
World
Population
Prospects: The
2004 Revised
Population
database.

Introduce the idea of natural resources

as a class discussion (brainstorm).
Teacher ensures to emphasise the
impact that the extraction of these
resources can have on the earth. Use
examples including mining operations
and deforestation. Students begin to
recognise the wider impact that using
resources can have on the world.

Where have
the items in
the classroom
come from?
(Appendix B)

Have the students complete the activity

Where have the items in the classroom
come from?. Students label items in the
classroom which have come from natural
resources using sticky notes. This will
consolidate their knowledge on natural
resources, highlight our dependence on
the environment and help to develop
their ability to classify resources into
different categories.
Students complete renewable / nonrenewable resource activity. This will
demonstrate to the students that some
resources are better to use than others
and that some resources will run out,
what will we do when that happens?
Students start to question why we are
not already using these renewable
resources instead of the harmful nonrenewable ones.
Students design an everyday item which
can be made by or powered by
renewable resources. This allows them
to apply the knowledge they learnt
about the importance of renewable
resources and allows them to create
their own ideas, products and items
which would reduce the human impact
on the environment.

Renewable /
nonrenewable
resource
activity
(Appendix C)
Natural
resource game
(Appendix D)

Diagnostic
Assess students
skills and prior
knowledge of
natural
resources and
their ability to
classify into
categories renewable /
non-renewable.
Formative
Teachers
observations of
student
contributions
during
classroom
discussions.
Contribution to
group when
labelling items
which come
from natural
resources.
Design piece
reflects key
understandings
and is well
presented.

Go through the fieldwork booklet with

the students, behavioural expectations
and answer any questions they may have
about the day. Practise doing field
sketches of plants in the school garden.
Introduce the idea of using a transect
for completing vegetation surveys,
demonstrate and practise creating a
transect. This will allow students to
have the necessary skills to complete
the fieldwork next week.
Key Questions:
Is there anything in the classroom which
doesnt come from a natural resource?
What are the advantages of using
renewable as opposed to non-renewable
resources?

Page | 16

Cranbourne Botanic Gardens Fieldwork

W3

Linking
fieldwork to
the classroom

To create a connection
between students fieldwork
and the classroom learning
experiences, students pose a
range of questions about the
society in which they live and
use information to answer
them, they are also encouraged
to suggest various solutions to
an identified issue and the topic
of sustainability.
To further develop their
understanding of the concept
Caring for Place, Caring for
Country students explore some
of the other functions within
the environment that develop
their understanding of the
concept by exploring some of
the other functions of the
support their lives and the lives
of other living things. They
therefore identify and describe
the interconnections between
people and the environment.
The natural resources provided
by the environment, and
different views on how they
could be used
sustainably (ACHGK024)
- identifying some of the
resources produced by the
environment and where they
come from,
The types of natural
vegetation and the significance
of vegetation to
the environment and to
people (ACHGK021)
The purpose of government and
some familiar services provided
at the local level (ACHCK011)
- exploring what local
government does and things
that occur within the
community in relation to the
environment and sustainability
Use information to develop a
point of view (ACHCS017) and
pose a range of questions about
the society in which they
live (ACHCS015).

Reinforce the fieldwork experience and

students knowledge on the various
aspects covered within the booklet.
Complete FieldworkBingo to
comprehend student understanding of
the fieldwork.
Pose a range of questions to igniting
thinking:
- How can the fieldwork experience aid
my participation in my community in a
sustainable way?
- What is renewable and non-renewable?
- List some natural resources
- What are some of the main things you
learnt from the Cranbourne Royal
Botanic Gardens
Watch the video in resources and
activities and complete the quiz
attached. Create an ideas board and
discuss the types of Landcare activities
you could do in the school and the
community (or both).
Explore the case studies on the Junior
Landcare website, create a piece of
writing on a case study of your choice
that you would like to implement in the
school or the community.
Include why you would implement it,
how you would implement it and the
resource you would use.
Test students conservation skills and
knowledge on a class game of
Conservation Hangman
Explore the Australian wilderness and
natural vegetation through the Wilder
Quest interactive website.
Have students record information and
answer a range of questions about the
Wilder Quest.
Discuss the key features of a water
conscious garden. Introduce students to
the idea of a water-footprint calculator.
Using computers / IPads students
calculate their own footprint and have
them record their results.
Use a Think Pair Share activity for
students to explore the possible ways
they can improve their Water-footprint
and their sustainability with water.

Fieldwork
Bingo activity
resource
(Appendix E)

Observation and
anecdotal notes

http://www.a
bc.net.au/btn
/story/s40761
81.htm watch and
complete the
quiz
http://www.j
uniorlandcare.
com.au/

http://www.g
etwise.org/ga
mes/hangman
/hangman.php
http://wilder
quest.nsw.gov
.au/#/environ
ment/map/da
y
http://www.g
racelinks.org/
1408/waterfootprintcalculator

Think Pair
Share
(Appendix F)

Work in groups to identify

issues, possible solutions and a
plan for action (ACHCS019) and
interact with others with
respect. They share views and
opinions and recognise there
can be differences between
these (ACHCS018)

Page | 17

W4

A changing
world, a
changing
country
Then and Now

Distinguish facts from opinions

in relation
to civics and citizenship topics
and issues (ACHCS016)
- distinguishing between facts
and opinions when discussing a
civics and citizenship issue, for
example the importance of
drought restrictions
Students in week 4 will examine
the impact of Australian
exploration on societies within
the country and look at how
these societies interacted with
newcomers, and how these
experiences contributed to
Australia today.
They investigate the custodial
responsibility of Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander Peoples to
their Country/Place and their
past and present views on the
sustainable use of resources.
The nature of contact between
Aboriginal people and Torres
Strait Islanders People the
Europeans. The effect these
interactions on Indigenous
Australians culture (ACHHK080)
The diversity of Australia's first
peoples and the long and
continuous connection of
Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander Peoples to Country/
Place (land, sea, waterways and
skies) and the implications for
their daily lives. (ACHHK077)
Sequence historical people and
events (ACHHS081)
- place key events and people
of early contact history
- creating timelines and
providing explanation of the
event or key group or individual
Students pose a range of
questions about the
past (ACHHS083)
- exploring the connection of
Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander Peoples to
Country/Place, and the nature
of contact in early Australia (for
example 'Who?' 'What?' 'When?'
'Where?' 'Why?' questions)

Introduce this topic to the student

acknowledging that we are on the
traditional land of the Bunurong and
Wurundjeri People and pays respect to
all elders past and present. Explain to
the students why you are doing this
considering the weeks topic.
Explore language, knowledge, song,
spirit, ceremonial practice and Country
are inseparable for Indigenous
Australians, introduce the importance of
these within indigenous culture.
From the clips scaffolding of student
learning can occur. Have students
research the types of ways Indigenous
People used the land before settlement.
Students create a class mind map to
display their findings (see resources)
After researching Indigenous land use
pose the question, Is this a sustainable
way of using the land?- as class discuss
the different the different techniques
the indigenous used and if it is
sustainable or not
Exploring early contact history of
Pemulwuy with the British. Look at the
impact British colonisation had on the
lives of Aboriginal people. Explore the
changes that occurred during this period
to the land and the Indigenous
Australians. Students create a Venn
diagram of what it was like before, what
was the same and what had changed.
Explore the Australian history timeline
website, looking at the various events
that have occurred from pre 1770 to
2000s. Look for key environmental
events that have occurred over the
years. Students record the dates of 2
significant events from each era in
which they sequentially place in a
timeline using the Timeline Maker app.
Students complete a WebQuest
answering questions to gain an
understanding on how Indigenous
Australians used Fire Stick Farming as a
land management technique.
In partners students discuss their finding
and as a class discuss the benefits and
possible dangers. Make a connection

Watch
http://sharing
stories.org/ou
rstories/countr
y/
- Film: My
Country and
Vignette:
Terrence
Coulthard.
Videos will
introduce the
importance
country has on
aboriginal
people.

Students hand
in Unit
Assessment
tasks- Fieldwork
Booklet (see
Fieldwork
assessment
rubric)

http://popple
t.com/
http://austral
ianmuseum.ne
t.au/indigeno
us-australiathe-land - site
for student
information
research
http://www.n
ma.gov.au/onl
ine_features/
defining_mom
ents/featured
/pemulwuy
- exploring
early contacts
http://www.a
ushistorytimeli
ne.com/ and
http://www.1
2canoes.com.
au/
- students are
required to
download the
Timeline
Maker app
Use the
websites listed
below:
http://www.a
boriginalherita

Page | 18

between this type of technique to how

we burn off prior to summer. Discuss
controlled burning
Compare Indigenous land care
techniques to some common land care
techniques.
Key questions to consider during this
week:

W5

Planning
ahead!
Do we need to
manage
resources?

Students in week 5 will learn

about our current efforts in
managing resources and how we
are using up natural resources
faster than they can be
replaced. They will be made
aware of the conservation
strategies individuals, state,
and local governments are
implementing to preserve our
future resources. As well as
design their own innovative way
to conserve a natural resource.
The sustainable management of
waste from production and
consumption (ACHGK025)

- How has our community changed? What

features have been lost and what
features have been retained?
- What is the nature of the contribution
made by different groups and individuals
in the community?
- How has different views of
sustainability changed over time?
- How do different views about the
environment influence approaches to
sustainability?
Introduce natural resource conservation
by watching info video by BrainPOP Jr,
the movie will introduce and explore
different renewable and non-renewable
resources and explain how people use
them to meet their needs. From this
video we can scaffold and extend
student learning.

ge.tas.gov.au/
firestickfarming
http://www.s
avanna.org.au
/all/fire_indig
enous.html
http://www.a
bc.net.au/lan
dline/content
/2013/s37675
27.htm
www.dse.vic.g
ov.au/fires/
(Fire
Education)
www.brainpop
.com

Observation and
anecdotal notes

Discuss after watching video the various

ways humans are using natural resources
(eg: burn fossil fuels like coal and oil for
energy)
Brainstorm on the board how the video
describes we can conserve our natural
resources (eg: recycling) What else can
be done?
Being safe with waste, give students the
worksheet from Cool Australia, and get
them to answer the question. This fact
sheet will give the teacher a guide as to
how much the students know about the
topic of waste management.

www.coolaust
ralia.org

Impact diagram/Activity sheet: Identify

how mines affect the environment and
investigate ways of reducing the effects.
This student worksheet comprises a
diagram showing activities at a mine site
and a table to be completed by the
student. Students use the table to
summarise environmental effects of the
mine and the actions taken at the site to
reduce these effects.
Students will now work in small groups
to plan for the future. They must design
an innovative strategy to protect our
natural resources (eg: solar energy, wind
energy, recycling) and create a poster
advertising the advantages for their
conservation strategy.

Page | 19

W6

Building our
Future

Summarise key understandings

and ideas developed throughout
the unit.
Students are able to evaluate
the sustainability of their own
lifestyle and make suggestions
to reduce the impact of their
lifestyle on the earth.
Students recognise everyday
choices they make as important
in the quest for a sustainable
world.
Students relate learning to real
life situations by creating an
action plan to reduce the
impact of their lifestyle on the
earth and present their ideas on
how to live a more sustainable
lifestyle in the school
newsletter.
Collect and record relevant
geographical data and
information, for example, by
observing, by interviewing,
conducting surveys and
measuring, or from sources such
as maps, photographs, satellite
images, the media and the
internet (ACHGS027)

Brainstorm question, how does your

lifestyle have an impact on the earth?
Using post it notes, students write their
idea down and put it on the board. As a
class, sort and classify these ideas,
letting the students decide how to
categorise their responses. Follow with
Think, Pair Share, in response to the
question How do you think we could
measure your impact on the earth?
Introduce students to the idea of an
ecological footprint calculator. Using
computers / IPads students calculate
their own footprint and record their
results.

Ecological
footprint
calculator:
http://www.f
ootprintnetwo
rk.org/en/ind
ex.php/GFN/p
age/personal_
footprint/
IPad
computers

Formative
Teachers
observations of
student
contributions
during
classroom
discussions.

Post it notes

Using these results, information

provided on the website and what they
have learnt throughout the unit,
students develop an action plan to
implement at home or in the community
to be more sustainable. Students may
present this action plan in any form they
like (eg. Poster, PowerPoint, website,
written instructions, oral presentation).
This activity is showed to develop the
knowledge needed to complete the final
assessment.
Students write a piece for the school
newsletter for a class article on tried
and tested ways to reduce your impact
on the environment.

Present findings in a range of

communication forms, for
example, written, oral, digital,
graphic, tabular and visual, and
use geographical
terminology (ACHGS031)
Locate relevant information
from sources
provided (ACHHS084)
Use information to develop a
point of view (ACHCS017)

Concluding the topic/ Tuning Out

Tie together the students knowledge that has developed over the course of the unit on the issues related to the environment,
conservation, resources, sustainability and how they have evolved and changed over time through Hot Potato.
(Appendix G.)
- Demonstrates students understanding for specific aspects of Caring for Place, Caring for Country
Refer Unit
How do I become an active sustainable citizen?
Assessment
Task #2- Post
Unit Assessment
Project pg.

Page | 20

FIELDWORK HANDOUTS

Page | 21

Teacher Fieldwork Handout

DETAILS
Location: Royal Botanic Garden, Cranbourne
Date: Term 3, 2017.
Time: 8.45am 3.00pm
Document Overview
Thank you for volunteering to assist with our grade 4 fieldtrip to the Royal Botanic
Gardens, Cranbourne. This document provides an outline of how the day is planned to
run, your role and responsibilities for the day, assigned fieldwork groups, site map and a
copy of the students fieldwork task.
Itinerary
Time
8.45am

9.10am
9.30am

9.40am
10.10am
10.30am
11.00am
11.30am
12.00pm
12.30pm
2.15pm
2.30pm

Activity
Collect last minute consent forms.
Check class roll.
Check students have everything they require for the day.
Escort students to the bus which will be parked outside the school.
Depart School. On the bus re-emphasise behavioural expectations of
students for the day.
Arrive at Royal Botanic Gardens, Cranbourne.
Escort students to the Visitor Centre.
Check in as a school check booking for Conservation Matters program.
Students have opportunity to use the toilet.
Split into assigned fieldwork groups (see following page for assigned
groups and the order that your group will complete each activity).
First activity.
Recess with your activity group
Second activity.
Third activity.
Fourth activity.
Meet at the Visitor Centre for lunch.
Conservation Matters Session, run by Royal Botanic Gardens, Cranbourne.
Students have opportunity for the toilet.
Escort students to the bus.
Check roll.
Depart for school.

Role and responsibilities:

You have been assigned one group of 10 students to supervise whilst students undertake
their first fieldwork component (from 9.45am-12.00pm). Please see the following pages
for your assigned group and activity allocation times. Please stay together as a group and
guide them through the fieldwork tasks.
Clothing and equipment:
You will be provided with:
- 1 small first aid kit
- Clipboard, pencils, plastic pockets
- Measuring tapes
Remember to:
- Wear comfortable walking clothes
- Bring your mobile phone
Page | 22

Contact Numbers:
Briony
1234 567 890

Rachel
2345 678 910

Adam
3456 789 101

Steve
4567 891 011

Group 2: Rachel
Brad
Mandy
Cassy
Mohammed
Sandeep
Lucy
Prya
Candice
David
Luke

Group 3: Adam
Jody
Otarah
Paul
Fin
Hailey
Aiden
Chris
Mel
Danni
Watson

Group 4: Steve
Julia
Xavier
Cory
Rachel
Lema
Mark
Noah
Suzy
Akshay
Daniel

Fieldwork Groups
Group 1: Briony
Ben
Sally
Sarah
Davey
Jen
Peter
Glenda
Riley
Fiona
Pablo

Fieldwork Tasks
The students will rotate between the following four activities. Please see the
attached map to find the location of each of the activity sites, note: activities are
named after their location on the map.
Arid Garden: Undertake a transect, measuring tapes needed.
Red Sand Desert: Comprehension questions
Garden Exploration: Students have the opportunity to explore the gardens.
Backyard, Water Saving, Future and Diversity (BWFD) Gardens: Comprehension
questions
Activity Rotation Schedule:
There are four activities which the students will rotate between from 9.45am till
12.00pm. Please make sure you take your group to the allocated site at the correct
time and complete the corresponding activity in the students fieldwork books.

Group
1

9.40am
Arid Gardens

BWFD Gardens

Garden
Exploration
Red Sand
Desert

ACTIVITY ALLOCATION
10.30am
11.00am
Red Sand
Garden
Desert
Exploration
Arid Gardens
Red Sand
Desert
BWFD Gardens Arid Gardens
Garden
Exploration

BWFD Gardens

11.30am
BWFD Gardens
Garden
Exploration
Red Sand
Desert
Arid Gardens

Page | 23

Map of Royal Botanic Gardens, Cranbourne

ATTACH HERE A COPY OF THE STUDENTS FIELDWORK TASK.

Page | 24

Page | 25

Caring for Place, Caring for Country

How does the environment support the lives of people and other living
things?

* Please note some of

these tasks may
require further
research after
completing the
fieldwork at
Cranbourne Royal
Botanic Gardens.

This booklet is to be completed throughout

the day at your fieldwork experience.
In it you will find:
- The gardens you will need to see with your group
- Fieldwork task at each garden
- A section to write any observations you would
like to note
- A section to complete a piece of writing about
why conservation matters
- A map of the Cranbourne Royal Botanic Gardens

**Booklet is due by the end of week 4**

Todays weather Observations: (Please Circle)

2
1
Weather
. Description: .

3
.

4
.

5
.

6
.

.
.
.

.
Page | 26

Activity Spot: Red

Sand Garden

Where would you find Red Sand in Australia? Can you think of any other places
in the world with a similar landscape?

...............................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................
Compare the following environments and list their natural environmental
features:
Environment
Climate
Native animals
Natural Vegetation
Outback
Australia

Urban Australia
(Home)

What are the challenges living in Outback Australia? List 4.

...............................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................
Draw what you think Outback Australia will look like in 50 years :

Page | 27

Activity Spot: Diversity,

Backyard, Future, Water Saving Gardens

Across the different gardens collect 4 types of seed pods. Draw and name the garden they
were found:

Diversity Garden
Of the 85 bio- regions of Australia can you list 5?
1..
2..
3..
4..
5..

Future Garden
Think of your garden at home, complete a small sketch of a section of your choice and
compare it to the future garden.
MY GARDEN:

THE FUTURE GARDEN

Page | 28

Backyard Garden
Tally and Record some of the plants used in this garden:

Plant Name:

Frequency:

Total:

Comment on why you think some of these plants may have be used:

Page | 29

Water Saving Garden: Find the 3 water conscious terraces

The average home garden in Melbourne uses how many litres of water per year?
.
The plants in this garden were selected because?

List 3 of the key plants in the Water Saving Garden?

Section to complete any additional observational notes:

Page | 30

Activity Spot: Arid Garden

Vegetation Survey
Here we will be looking at the type and characteristics of vegetation in an arid area. You will
be undertaking a transect, a common tool used to survey vegetation.
Method:
1. In pairs or small groups make your transect by measuring 5 metres along the ground.
2. At each metre you will record which plant is the closest to you, using your second
measuring tape if necessary.
3. Record the plants name (if provided).
4. Using your measuring tape measure the plants height and width.
5. Draw a field sketch of this plant.
6. Record this data in the space provided below.

Survey Results

Plant at 1m. Name_____________________

Height_____________ Width_____________
Field sketch

Page | 31

Plant at 2m. Name_____________________

Height_____________ Width_____________
Field Sketch

Plant at 3m. Name_____________________

Height_____________ Width_____________
Field sketch

Page | 32

Plant at 4m. Name_____________________

Height_____________ Width_____________
Field Sketch

Plant at 5m. Name_____________________

Height_____________ Width_____________
Field Sketch

Page | 33

Note here any observations you make about the plants in the Arid Garden:

Write a short paragraph about the Conservation Matters session. Was it interesting? What
did you learn? And why does conservation matter?

.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Page | 34

Example of a transect
This is an example of how to undertake a transect.
Measure 5 metres, at each metre survey they plant which is closest to you.
The circles represent plants.
The squares represent the plants that you would record at each metre.

1m

2m

3m

4m

5m
Page | 35

Page | 36

UNIT ASSESSMENT TASKS

FIELDWORK ASSESSMENT RUBRIC

Criteria
NEEDS
IMPROVEMENT
-1

QUALITY
EMERGING - 2
PROFICIENT - 3

ADVANCED - 4

Completion of
fieldwork
activities

No or few
fieldwork activities
have been
completed.

Some fieldwork
activities have
been completed.

Most fieldwork
activities have
been completed.

All fieldwork
activities have
been completed to
a high standard.

Content
Quality of
responses and
content
knowledge.

Content provided
in response to
questions is
minimal. Student
displays poor
content
knowledge.

Questions are in
part answered,
further elaboration
is required to
demonstrate the
students content
knowledge.

Questions are
answered with the
essential
knowledge.
Student displays
good content
knowledge.

Gathering and
analysing
information
Collected data
from the gardens
and developing
an understanding
of sustainability.
Fieldwork
participation
Including
behaviour,
participation,
respect for
peers, teachers
and staff

Student collects
minimal data from
the gardens.
Students
understanding of
sustainability is
poor.

Student collects
some information
from the gardens.
Shows an emerging
understanding of
sustainability.

Student collects
information from
the gardens and
shows a good
understanding of
sustainability.

Questions are
answered with indepth explanations
and includes
examples provided
from the gardens.
Student displays
excellent content
knowledge.
Student utilises the
gardens to gather
data. Student
shows an in-depth
understanding of
sustainability.

Student displayed
disruptive
behaviour, failed
to respect others
and did not
contribute to
fieldwork
activities.

Student
occasionally
displayed
disruptive
behaviour, rarely
listens or
contributes to
fieldwork
activities.

Student usually
demonstrates
respectful
behaviour towards
others and most
often listens and
contributes to field
work activities.

Student behaviour
was respectful
which included
listening to others
and making
contributions to
the fieldwork
activities.

Teacher comments:

Total mark: ______ / 16

Page | 37

UNIT ASSESSMENT TASKS

POST UNIT ASSESSMENT RUBRIC
HOW DO I BECOME AN ACTIVE SUSTAINABLE CITIZEN?
Criteria
NEEDS
IMPROVEMENT - 1

QUALITY
EMERGING - 2
PROFICIENT - 3

ADVANCED - 4

Most of the must

include activities
have been
completed at a
good standard.
Project topic is
answered with the
essential
knowledge. Student
displays good
content knowledge.

All of the must

include activities
have been completed
to a high standard.

Student collected
good supportive
information to aid
development of
their How do I
become an active
sustainable citizen
project and
presents a good
understanding of
sustainability.
Shows good
demonstration of
their understanding
of the topic and use
many of the key
terms and concepts
of sustainability
and Becoming an
active sustainable
citizen.

Student utilises the

explicit information
they have collected
to support How do I
become an active
sustainable citizen
project and presents
in-depth
understanding of
sustainability.

Completion of project
activities

No or few of the
must include
activities have been
completed.

Some of the must

include activities
have been
completed.

Content

Content provided in
response to project
topic is minimal.
Student displays poor
content knowledge.

Project topic is partly

answered, further
elaboration is
required to
demonstrate the
students content
knowledge.
Student collects little
information to
support their How
do I become an
active sustainable
citizen project and
presents some
understanding of
sustainability.

Quality of responses and

content knowledge.

Gathering and
analysing information
Collected supportive
information in regards to
their How do I become
an active sustainable
citizen project and
presents a developing an
understanding of
sustainability.

Understanding
Use of key terms and
concepts

Student collects
minimal information
to support their How
do I become an
active sustainable
citizen project and
presents little
understanding of
sustainability.

No, or limited,
understanding of the
topic and a limited
use of the key terms
and concepts.

Is able to
demonstrate some
understanding of the
topic and use some
of the key terms and
concepts.

Project topic is
answered with indepth explanations.
Student displays
excellent content
knowledge.

Shows excellent
understanding of the
topic and use a
majority of the key
terms and concepts
of sustainability and
Becoming an active
sustainable citizen.

Teacher comments:

Total mark: ______ / 16

Page | 38

POST UNIT ASSESSMENT TASK- PROJECT OUTLINE

Year 4- Term 3 Project

SUSTAINABILITY

How do I become an
active citizen?
In this final sustainability project, you need to create community program or project that
encourages sustainability or conservation.
You may complete your project as a slideshow, poster, prezi, powtoon, iMovie or any other
method approved by your teacher.
**DUE End of Week 9**

YOU MUST INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING SECTIONS/SLIDES:

1. Find the main topic. What will your community project will be targeting?
ie. Sustainability, Conservation, Saving water, recycling etc.
2. The concept behind your choice. Why it is important to target the area you have chosen
in your community?
3. What your community project will doing to help the target area you have chosen?
ie. Community garden, plant a tree
4. Create a catchy name for your community project
5. A planning document outlining the community projects aims, how you going to achieve
those aims, its location, council grants for the project and the roles and responsibilities
there will need to for your project
6. What will your community project look like? Include a design of how your community
project will look or what you hope it will achieve
7. What resources will you use for your project or to create your project and why?
8. Are there any safety considerations your community project will need to address?
9. Include a logo design for your community project
10. Promoting your project. How you are going to raise awareness for your community
project? Include advertising material you may use. ie, brochure, business card, flyers
REMEMBER This
project will need to be
researched to ensure it
is completed properly.

Page | 39

UNIT EVALUATION
OUTLINE OF HOW THE TEACHING OF THE UNIT WILL BE EVALUATED.

Evaluating the quality of students experiences and the success of the teaching of a unit of work
is important in education to ensure improvements are made where required (University of
Tasmania, 2015). A variety of data gathering techniques will be used to evaluate this unit,
including formal evaluations, informal observations and assessment of the quality of work the
students produce. Formal feedback evaluations will take the form of on-line questionnaires for
the teachers and print-based questionnaires for the students and will be administered upon the
completion of the unit. Teacher feedback will be provided on a number of criteria including
the teaching methods used, unit content, delivery techniques, teaching and learning activities,
fieldwork success, the quality and relevance of the assessment tasks and whether the unit
objectives have been met. The quality of the students work submitted will also be used to
evaluate whether the unit goals and student learning outcomes have been successfully met. It
is important to note that teachers will be undertaking formative evaluations throughout the
duration of the unit, this allows necessary adjustments to be made throughout the units
progress. The formal feedback evaluations for the students have been constructed so students
can provide constructive criticism on the unit, including aspects that they enjoyed and those
which needed improvement. This data from the teachers and students will be collaborated and
analysed to evaluate the success of both the content and teaching of the unit.

TEACHER FIELDWORK AND UNIT EVALUATION

For teacher fieldwork and unit evaluation feedback form please follow the link below.
https://docs.google.com/a/student.monash.edu/forms/d/1IMk0qdRLLogsC4faM_hUOAP1H
ie8iXuBHSei-7ljGGY/viewform?usp=send_form

Page | 40

Caring for Place,

Caring for
Country
Student Name:
Heart Something I loved:

Club Something that I wanted to club away:

Diamond Something have learnt and will treasure:

Spade Something I found difficult and had to dig deep for:

Unit Evaluation:
Fieldwork at the
Cranbourne Royal
Botanic Gardens
Why did you give it that rating?

Caring of Place,
Caring for Country
Why did you give it that rating?

Page | 41

UNIT JUSTIFICATION
The Australian Curriculum outlines Sustainability as a cross curriculum priority, an essential
component of student learning which is required to be taught across all learning domains
(Australian Curriculum, 2015). This unit utilises this education priority of Sustainability as
an integrated curriculum focus, where the subjects geography, history, civics and citizenship,
and economics and business are taught as a collective. This method is used to enhance and
develop students knowledge through creating links and connections within and across various
subject areas (Gilbert & Hoepper, 2014). This unit is centred around Inquiry-based learning
and a key overarching inquiry question How can I become an active citizen and help look after
the planet for future generations?. This inquiry focus highlights how the unit embraces modern
education, as the meaning of knowing has shifted from being able to remember and repeat
information to being able to find and use it as stated by the National Research Council (2007,
as cited in Lutheran Education Queensland, n.d.). The unit structure is centred on Murdochs
(2007) Integrated Inquiry Planning Model (Appendix A), following the guidelines of the phases
to ensure we incorporate all essential components of implementing an effective inquiry.
To spark students beginning curiosity in this unit, we created a unit title Caring for Place,
Caring for Country. This engages students with the topic and helps to develop and produce
thinking for foundational understandings about how individual actions have a wider global
impact, emphasising their role as a global citizen. The units focus on sustainability has created
a context which is relevant to the students through classroom and fieldwork experiences,
creating an essential link aiding the production of meaningful learning experiences and the
opportunity for authentic learning (Boyd & Hipkins, 2012). The development of the unit, with
the intention of providing students with authentic learning experiences, is an essential
component of teaching and learning; emphasising that intrinsic motivation allows [the]
transfer of knowledge from [the] learners context to the school context more easily
(Reynolds, 2012, p. 263). Facilitating this type of knowledge for the student requires relating
the learning in the classroom to important issues in the outside world (Reynolds, 2012). This
focus on teaching and student learning is shown through the central and underlying unit
direction of sustainability, a concept which is critical in helping students develop into global
citizens.

Page | 42

Inquiry based learning involves both problem posing and solving (Wilson and Murdoch, 2004).
This unit embraces this concept by asking open ended questions so students can formulate their
own answers, but also allows students to design their own initiatives, including creating a
community sustainability initiative which could be implemented into their local area. We have
catered for differentiated learning and multiple intelligences by allowing choice within both
the activities and the way the final products are presented, as can be seen in our Unit Outline.
Wilson and Murdoch (2004) suggest many benefits of using inquiry based learning, including
giving students the opportunity to develop skills and dispositions for lifelong learning, for
example, independence, thinking skills, confidence, decision making [and] cooperative
learning (para. 4). Our unit is implemented and designed in such a way to foster the
development of each of these critical skills in the students (Table 1).
Table 1. How inquiry within the unit facilitates the development of Wilson and Murdochs (2004) skills
and dispositions for lifelong learning.

Skill / disposition

How the unit facilitates skill / disposition

development

Independence

Developing an action plan to reduce their

impact on the environment.

Thinking skills

Development of higher order thinking skills

by responding to open ended questions.
Creating mind maps or charts to organise
ideas.

Confidence

In their ability to create and implement action

plans and undertake fieldwork.

Decision Making

Deciding which aspects of their life could be

altered or changed to reduce their impact on
the environment.

Cooperative learning

Developed by working in pairs, groups and

as a whole class.

Page | 43

We have sequenced our teaching and learning activities for this topic to allow the gradual
development of big ideas about society (Gilbert & Hoepper, 2014, p.326), an important
process for learning in humanities. The unit begins with a broad introduction and progressively
equips students with the knowledge to respond to the focus inquiry question. One technique
we have utilised to aid this progression, is relating content to both lower and higher order
thinking. Andersons revised taxonomy emphasises the importance of utilising both lower and
higher order cognitive questions for effective learning to take place in humanities (Boon, 2012).
This includes the preparation of both surface and deep learning questions prior to the lesson
(Reynolds, 2012). Subsequently, we have created key questions to be asked during the unit
which are designed to ensure that learning benefits from each order of thinking are achieved
(Table 2). Particular emphasis has been placed on higher order thinking questions in our unit,
as Boon reveals this will enable students to make meaning at a deeper level (2012, p. 81).
This highlights the importance of our overarching unit inquiry question which is open ended
in nature to allow for a diversity of responses, an important aspect of Inquiry-based learning.
Table 2. Integrated humanities questions and activities incorporated into the unit which address each
order of thinking
Order of thinking

Questions and activities

Lower order thinking

Remembering

Understanding
Applying
Analysing

Evaluating

Creating

What is a natural resource?

Briefly describe the trend in estimated population growth and compare
your answer with classmates.
Classify items in the classroom into groups based on which natural
resource they originated from.
How might population increase effect sustainability?
Look at how we use the land now, compare our Indigenous Australians
land management techniques to common land care techniques seen
today.
How do different views about the environment influence approaches to
sustainability?
Students compare the use of non-renewable and non-renewable
resources.
How has our community changed? What features have been lost and
what features have been retained?
What is the nature of the contribution made by different groups and
individuals in the community?
How has different views of sustainability changed over time?
How can I become an active citizen and help look after the planet for
future generations?
Design a community based project to increase sustainability in your
local area.
Higher order thinking

Page | 44

Within our sustainability unit there is a large emphasis placed on the learning experiences that
can be gained from opportunities provided through participation in fieldwork. This critical
component is presented through the fieldwork experiences at The Royal Botanic Gardens,
Cranbourne. The fieldtrip is a daylong fieldwork program placing an emphasis on varying
environments, water-saving techniques, how the earths environment sustains all life and
collecting data to demonstrate how the environment is sustainably managed. The local location
has been chosen as it creates a larger link for the students, allowing for generalisation (Gilbert
& Hoepper, 2014). The field trip is undertaken in week three to allow for the three distinct
phases of fieldwork including classroom-based pre-fieldwork preparation, the field work itself
and the post field work phase (Gilbert & Hoepper, 2014). Students can revisit concepts covered
in class during fieldwork, when they are also expected to acquire and display deeper levels of
understanding (Fuller et al., 2006). As evidence indicates well-conceived, planned, taught and
followed up fieldwork offers students the opportunity to develop their knowledge and skills
supplementary to experiences in the classroom (Oost, De Vries & Van der Schee, 2011).
Fieldwork is seen as an important way to develop geographical understanding of the world,
during which cognitive and affective learning reinforce each other, making fieldwork a rich
and powerful teaching strategy (Oost et al., 2011). There are many benefits developed from
undertaking fieldwork including learning potential, attitudinal, interpersonal and social
outcomes (Oost et al., 2011). Furthermore, because of the memorable nature of the fieldwork
setting, it can have a positive impact on long-term memory (Pace & Tesi, 2004). Effective
fieldwork can also lead to individual growth and improvements in social skills. More
importantly, the possible reinforcement between the affective and the cognitive, each
influencing the other, provides a bridge to higher-order learning (Nundy, 2001).

This integrated unit is designed to create an authentic and meaningful learning experience,
which fosters the development of students into active citizens. This outcome is achieved
through a focus on Inquiry-based learning, the careful sequencing of learning activities to
facilitate skill and knowledge development and student participation in a fieldwork component.
Upon completion of this unit, students will be equipped with the knowledge and skills to make
positive contributions to society, enabling the creation of a more sustainable future.

Page | 45

REFERENCES

Australian Curriculum. (2015). Sustainability - The Australian Curriculum v7.5. Retrieved,

from http://v7-5.australiancurriculum.edu.au/crosscurriculumpriorities/Sustainability

Boon, D. (2012). Developing thinking and understanding in primary geography and history.
In Taylor, T. Fahey, C. & Boon, D., Place and time explorations in teaching
geography and history (pp. 81). Frenchs Forest, NSW: Pearson.

Boyd, S. & Hipkins, R. (2012). Student inquiry and curriculum integration: shared origins
and points of difference. Research Information for Teachers, 3(9), 15.

Fuller, I., Edmondson, S., France, D., Higgitt, D., & Ratinen, I. (2006). International
Perspectives on the Effectiveness of Geography Fieldwork for Learning. Journal Of
Geography In Higher Education, 30(1), 89-101.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/03098260500499667

Gilbert, R., & Hoepper, B. (2014). Teaching Humanities and Social Sciences: History,
Geography, Economics and Citizenship in the Australian Curriculum (5th ed., pp.
236-238 & 263). South Melbourne, Victoria: Cengage Learning. (Gilbert & Hoepper,
2014)

Murdoch, K. (2007). A basic overview of the Integrated Inquiry planning model. Retrieved
fromhttp://moodle.vle.monash.edu/pluginfile.php/3329782/mod_resource/content/1/K
ath%20Murdoch%20Inquiry%20Learning%20Model.pdf

Lutheran Education Queensland. (n.d.). Inquiry based learning. Retrieved from

http://fLutheran%20Education%20Queensland%20Inquiry%20based%20learning%20
(3).PDF

Nundy, S. (2001). Raising achievement through the environment: The case for fieldwork and
field centres. Doncaster: National Association of Field Studies Officers.

Page | 46

Oost, K., De Vries, B., & Van der Schee, J. (2011). Enquiry-driven fieldwork as a rich and
powerful teaching strategy school practices in secondary geography education in the
Netherlands. International Research In Geographical And Environmental Education,
20(4), 309-325. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10382046.2011.619808
Pace, S., & Tesi, R. (2004). Adults perception of field trips taken within grades K-12: Eight
case studies in the New York metropolitan area. Education, 125(1), 3040.

Reynolds, R. (2012). Teaching history, geography and SOSE in the primary school (2nd Ed.).
South Melbourne, Victoria: Oxford University Press.

University of Tasmania. (2015). Course, unit and teaching evaluation. Retrieved from
http://www.teaching-learning.utas.edu.au/planning/evaluation

Page | 47

UNIT APPENDICIES
Appendix A. Think, Puzzle, Explore
What kind of thinking does this routine encourage?
This routine activates prior knowledge, generates ideas and curiosity and sets the stage for deeper
inquiry.
Key Questions of exploration:
1. What do you think you know about this topic?
2. What questions or puzzles do you have?
3. What does the topic make you want to explore?
Tips for starting and using this routine:
With the introduction of new topic the class can engage in the routine together to create a group
list of ideas. You may even want to have students write down their individual ideas before sharing
them out as a class. In some cases, you may want to have students carry out the routine
individually on paper or in their heads before working on a new area.
Keep a visible record of students ideas. If you are working in a group, ask students to share some
of their thoughts and collect a broad list of ideas about the topic on chart paper. Or students can
write their individual responses on post-it notes and later add them to a class list of ideas.
Note: It is common for students to have misconceptions at this pointinclude them on the list so all
ideas are available for consideration after further study. Students may at first list seemingly
simplistic ideas and questions. Include these on the whole class list but push students to think
about things that are truly puzzling or interesting to them.
Appendix B. Where have the items in the classroom come from?
Steps to implement activity:
1. Divide students into groups assigning each group to a particular area within the classroom.
2. Using sticky notes, ask students to label all of the items which are made from natural
resources within this section
3. The students need to create a list as they go of everything which they label
4. Sort this list into common components, for example item which come from timber, metal,
coal, water, food in a table or a mind-map.
5. Compare each groups findings as a class
6. Key Question: Is there anything in the classroom which doesnt originally come from a
natural resource?

Page | 48

Appendix C. Renewable / non-renewable resource activity

Steps to implement activity:
1. Have 5 different coloured beads explain to students that each colour represents a
different resource eg. White=wind, yellow = solar power, green = timber, black = coal
and grey = metals
2. Hide the beads around the classroom not in cupboards but behind things is ok.
3. Assign the students to small groups and tell them which resource they need to find
4. Have a timer for 30 seconds, students need to find as much of their particular resource
(coloured beads) in the allocated time.
5. Allow the students to make a tally of how the amount of resources they find.
6. As the students are tallying results, hide more beads which represent the renewable
resources
7. Then repeat allow students another 30 seconds to look for their particular resource
8. Tally them again repeat once more
9. Students who were collecting the renewable resources will notice that they were
getting consistent numbers, whereas non-renewable such as coal got less and less and
was harder to find.
10. Students may ask what youre doing but do not tell them until the end see if they can
figure it out.
11. Once activity is complete - discuss renewable and non-renewable resources.
12. Allows students to understand that some resources are better to use than others
13. As a class classify all of the resources into renewable / non-renewable.
14. Why is energy from the sun/wind renewable?
15. Why is energy from coal non-renewable?
16. Finite vs Infinite some resources are going to run out if not managed properly.
Appendix D. Resource elimination game.
Steps to implement activity:
1. Students write down one item (could be from their classroom) which is made from a
natural resource, stand when ready.
2. Teacher names a natural resource, if the item they chose is made from this natural
resource they need to sit down.
3. Repeat until one student is standing.

Page | 49

Appendix E. Fieldwork Bingo

Purpose:
Icebreaker game that gives a sense of participant knowledge
Time needed:
5- 15 minutes depending on group size
Resources:
One Fieldworkbingo sheet for each participant and a pen or pencil for each participant
Procedure:
-

Participants are to find a person in the room who knows about or has done one of the topics
in one of the squares.

Participants are only allowed to put their name to one square per sheet.

The winner is the first person to gather a different name in each of their squares yells out
Fieldworkbingo!

Can name a water saving plant

Knows the average litres of water

Can name a bio-region of

a Melbourne home uses

Australia

A.

A.

Name:

Name:

Name:

Knows where you would find a

Has been to the RBG Cranbourne

Can name the garden in which we

Red Sand landscape

prior to the fieldwork

did the Vegetation Survey

A.

A.

A.

Name:

Name:

Name:

Can explain what a natural

Understands what renewable is

Has been to the Melbourne RBG

A.

A.

Name:

Name:

resource is
A.

Name:

Page | 50

Appendix F. Think Pair Share

How to implement the activity:
-

Ask the question: What are some of the possible ways you can improve their Waterfootprint and sustainability with water?

Have the students individually think about an answer and write it on a post-it note.

Allow the students to discuss their answer with a partner.

Finally, have the students post their answers on the poster questioned and in teams share
their responses or call on a few students to share their answers with the class.

Appendix G. Hot Potato Activity

Activity Purpose:
Hot Potato is a fast-paced cooperative learning structure that promotes the contribution of a range
of different ideas. It encourages students to explore further or more divergently to create ideas.
How to implement the activity:
-

Each group is given a sheet of paper with a topic to expand

ie. Sustainability, Resources, Conservation, Indigenous, Climate, Environmental, Renewable

The papers are passed around to the next group to read what has already been written and
add extra ideas to the sheet.

The process is repeated until the sheets arrive back at their starting point.

Ensuring groups have a chance to read all contributions

As a class discuss all contributions made

Page | 51