Sustainable Schools: Going Green in your Canteen

This resource integrates the Level 5 and 6 curriculums, focusing on HASS (Geography) and Design and Technologies, to teach students about the origin and sustainability of materials used in products. Through a series of nine 60-minute lessons, students will explore sustainable design by creating a reusable cutlery pouch, comparing renewable materials like rayon with non-renewable ones.

They will engage in the design thinking process to investigate single-use plastics in their school and generate ideas for promoting sustainability within the community. Developed by ForestLearning in collaboration with DATTA Vic and GTAV, the resource supports sustainable school initiatives and utilizes ForestLearning’s ForestVR virtual reality tool. The lessons emphasize the importance of sustainable forests, which provide essential resources, protect the environment, and offer a renewable alternative to materials like polyester and plastics. By understanding the role of forests and participating in hands-on projects, students will learn to advocate for eco-friendly practices and reduce landfill waste.

LESSON OVERVIEW: 

As Australians and global citizens, we all have a part to play in our planet’s future. Choosing more sustainable options when it comes to buying everyday products, such as the clothes we wear, packaging materials, to the energy sources we use every day, can all play a part. Choosing renewable resources such as solar, wind, or wood and wood fibre from trees offers one solution to reach our sustainability targets. In choosing renewable resources over non-renewable resources such as coal, crude oil and gas, we also gain a benefit of using less of these non-renewable resources that work to increase global carbon emissions.

WHAT’S IN THE RESOURCE

• Student Workbook – two formats of pdf available:
  1. Printable version with lines, or
  2. Online digital interactive pdf version that could be used as a student assessment option.

• Teacher Workbook – complete with lesson outcomes and Australian Curriculum links, answers to all questions found within the Student Workbook, curriculum overview and mapping, Forest Glossary, lesson timings, suggested groupings for activites, extension activities, teacher tips, assessment options, references and all links.
• Embeds Ed Tech including ForestVR video experiences.  All Ed Tech is available to view on any device or technology a school / student already owns including laptop, smart board, ipad or VR Headset.
• Multimedia-rich

LESSON SEQUENCE:

• LESSONS 1-2 HASS (Geography) – Sustainable Forests Creating a Sustainable Future
• LESSONS 3-8 Design and Technologies – Sustainable Materials
• LESSON 9 HASS (Geography) & Design and Technologies – Looking Back, Looking Forwards