Teacher Resources | rainfroest

Resources for Teachers

Overview:

This iQuest takes students on a journey to discover how their actions in their local setting can have an impact on the wider environment. Targeted at Grade 6 students, students learn about rainforest facts, linking this to prior knowledge. New knowledge is scaffolded to this, as students develop a wider understanding of the importance of rainforests and threats to their existence. Students are then encouraged to investigate conservation, and to discover ways that their choices can impact the global environment. Consequently, they are motivated to make choices that promote sustainability. The rich task encourages students to be active citizens in the community. They attempt to persuade their peers to make conscious decisions that positively effect the environment. The chances of success are more likely when change is supported by a group with individuals holding similar values. Deforestation and its associated effects are occuring in Australia and around the world, though students may not be aware of this issue. This topic is related to their future. The choices we all make locally will have an impact on future generations.

Initially, students use lower order thinking skills to recall information. As the iQuest progresses, students are required to think more deeply by making predictions and imagining what the world would be like if we do not alter our decision-making and actions now. The final rich task requires students to inform and motivate others.

** The iQuest should be completed sequentially, using the tabs left to right. This will ensure that students are appropriately scaffolded to complete the rich task.

Overall learning outcomes:

Students develop an understanding of rainforests - their importance and threats to their existence.
Students develop an understanding of sustainability.
Students develop an understanding of conservation.
Students develop competency in collaboratively working with peers.

Key Questions:

Throughout this iQuest, students endeavour to answer:

What are the different types of rainforests? Where are rainforests located?
What are the major threats to the existence of rainforests? What are the consequences of these negative actions?
How do our actions at a local level impact the wider environment?
What are the consequences of inaction?
What can we do to help ensure a sustainable future?

Links to AusVELS:

While the main focus is sustainability, the iQuest also addresses many other areas of the curriculum.

Level 6

English

Identify and explain how analytical images like figures, tables, diagrams, maps and graphs contribute to our understanding of verbal information in factual and persuasive texts (ACELA1524)
Analyse how text structures and language featureswork together to meet the purpose of a text (ACELY1711)
Select, navigate and read texts for a range of purposes, applying appropriate text processing strategies and interpreting structural features, for example table of contents, glossary, chapters, headings and subheadings (ACELY1712)
Use comprehension strategies to interpret and analyse information and ideas, comparing content from a variety of textual sources including media and digital texts (ACELY1713)
Investigate how vocabulary choices, including evaluative language can express shades of meaning, feeling and opinion (ACELA1525)
Understand how to use banks of known words, word origins, base words, suffixes and prefixes, morphemes, spelling patterns and generalisations to learn and spell new words, for example technical words and words adopted from other languages (ACELA1526)
Plan, draft and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive texts, choosing and experimenting withtext structures, language features, images and digital resources appropriate to purpose and audience (ACELY1714)
Reread and edit students’ own and others’ work using agreed criteria and explaining editing choices (ACELY1715)
Develop a handwriting style that is legible, fluent and automatic and varies according to audience and purpose (ACELY1716)
Use a range of software, including word processing programs, learning new functions as required tocreate texts (ACELY1717)
Participate in and contribute to discussions, clarifying and interrogating ideas, developing and supporting arguments, sharing and evaluating information, experiences and opinions (ACELY1709)
Use interaction skills, varying conventions of spoken interactions such as voice volume, tone, pitch and pace, according to group size, formality of interaction and needs and expertise of the audience (ACELY1816)
Plan, rehearse and deliver presentations, selecting and sequencing appropriate content and multimodal elements for defined audiences and purposes, making appropriate choices for modality and emphasis (ACELY1710)

Science

The growth and survival of living things are affected by the physical conditions of their environment (ACSSU094)
Sudden geological changes or extreme weather conditions can affect Earth’s surface (ACSSU096)

History- Perspectives and interpretations

Identify points of view in the past and present (ACHHS123)
Use a range of communication forms (oral, graphic, written) and digital technologies(ACHHS125)

The Arts

They experiment with imaginative and innovative ways of generating ideas and manipulating arts elements, principles and/or conventions to explore the potential of ideas.

Students research, improvise, practise and rehearse skills, techniques and processes, using a range of media, materials, equipment and technologies.

Students independently and collaboratively experiment with and apply a range of skills, techniques and processes using a range of media, materials, equipment and technologies to plan, develop, refine, make and present works.

Interpersonal Learning

Building social relationships- At Level 6, students demonstrate, through their interactions in social situations, respect for a diverse range of people and groups. They accept and display empathy for the points of view and feelings of their peers and others. They identify and use a variety of strategies to manage and resolve conflict.

Working in teams- At Level 6, students work effectively in different teams and take on a variety of roles to complete tasks of varying length and complexity. They work cooperatively to allocate tasks and develop timelines. Students accept responsibility for their role and tasks. They explain the benefits of working in a team. They provide feedback to others and evaluate their own and the team’s performance.

Personal Learning

The individual learner- At Level 6, students identify, with support, their preferred learning styles and use strategies that promote learning. They monitor and describe progress in their learning and demonstrate learning habits that address their individual needs. They seek and respond to teacher feedback to develop their content knowledge and understanding.

Managing personal learning- At Level 6, students develop and implement plans to complete short-term and long-term tasks within timeframes set by the teacher, utilising appropriate resources. They undertake some set tasks independently, identifying stages for completion. They describe task progress and achievements, suggesting how outcomes may have been improved. They persist when experiencing difficulty with learning tasks. They seek and use learning support when needed from peers, teachers and other adults. They practise positive self talk. They demonstrate a positive attitude to learning within and outside the classroom.

Thinking Process

Reasoning, processing and inquiry- At Level 6, students develop their own questions for investigation, collect relevant information from a range of sources and make judgments about its worth. They distinguish between fact and opinion. They use the information they collect to develop concepts, solve problems or inform decision making. They develop reasoned arguments using supporting evidence.

Creativity- At Level 6, students use creative thinking strategies to generate imaginative solutions when solving problems. They demonstrate creativity in their thinking in a range of contexts and test the possibilities of concrete and abstract ideas generated by themselves and others.

Reflection, evaluation and metacognition- At Level 6, students use a broad range of thinking processes and tools, and reflect on and evaluate their effectiveness. They articulate their thinking processes. They document changes in their ideas and beliefs over time.

Cross-curriculum priorities:

Sustainability - This iQuest also addresses all elements of the sustainability cross-curriculum priority. Criteria for sustainability can be found here.

Catering for Inclusion:

This multi-layered iQuest takes into consideration various learning styles. Information is presented in a number of formats. Students can read text, look at visuals and listen to audio to help them progress through the iQuest. Activities for students to complete are varied in their nature. There is a hands-on activity (make a model rainforest), writing and drawing tasks, and finally, a task in which students select their preferred method of presentation, thus acknowledging the Multiple Intelligences theory.

Extention activity QUIA Quiz- Ongoing throughout all actvities

Reflective Journal:

Throughout the iQuest, students will be prompted to record their thoughts and responses to questions posed. This journal can be assessed by the teacher to gauge understanding of various concepts. The journal can be used as formative or summative assessment.

Activity Resources:

Activity 1

Resources: Materials for model - cardboard (pieces, rolls etc), coloured paper, scissors, glue, paint, cellophane, paddle pop sticks, other avaliable materials.

Learning outcomes:

Model: Students understand the layers of the rainforests and what animals inhabit them.
Quiz: General understanding of the different types of rainforests and their locations.

Assessment:

Model: Teacher should engage in formative assessment to see whether the students are working towards achieving the learning outcomes, also observing their creativiy, communication and providing assistance when necessary. Teacher may also create a model for assistance.
Quiz: QUIA peer assessment rubric- LINK HERE

Activity 2

Resources: A3 white RECYCLED paper, coloured pencils.

Learning outcomes: Students make predictions regarding further logging of rainforests.

Students identify major threats to rainforests. Understanding the link between actions and consequences.

Assessment: Formative - Teacher notes whether children are making reasonable and logical explanations for their predications.

Activity 3

Resources: Journal book

Learning outcomes: Students using their imagination to predict consequences of inaction.

Students follow procedures to write a creative piece (narrative).

Assessment: Formative - Understanding of inaction to saving rainforests.

Summative - Teacher reads final product to assess writing conventions.

Activity 4

Resources: Journal book, links provided throughout conservation pages.

Learning outcomes: Students navigate websites to locate specific information (aims, objectives and approaches)

Students follow procedures in accordance with information reports.

Students create their own glossary.

Assessment: Formative - Observing website navigation skills to determine if students are retrieving the relevant information.

Summative - Teacher reads final product to assess writing conventions.

Activity 5

Resources: Journal book

Learning outcomes: Students identify possible alternatives to their current lifestyles using the list provided.

Students develop an understanding of sustainability.

Assessment: Formative - Teacher can gauge how well students have understood sustainable initiatives.

Rich Task:

The tasks throughout the iQuest direct students towards completion of the 'Rich Task.' It encompasses all elements of the iQuest, thus making it an ideal summative assessment piece for teachers to gauge students' understanding. The aim of this iQuest is upheld by the task; students are encouraged to investigate how their actions can impact the wider environment and to be active citizens in the community by informing and motivating peers to also take action. Students are given the freedom to choose their presentation method, to suit their learning style. Teachers may choose to organise groups to ensure work is carried out effectively.

A rubric for the assessment of the 'Rich Task' can be found here.

Other Activities:

The following may also be used to compliment the iQuest:

- "Fern Gully" or "The Lorax" movie

- Read "Where the Forest meets the Sea" by Jeannie Baker.

- Debate - students can debate which threat is the worst/most detrimental to rainforests and why.

References:

What:

Introduction about rainforests -

http://www.skwirk.com/p-c_s-1_u-20_t-204_c-683/types-of-rainforests/nsw/hsie/global-environments-rainforests/what-is-a-rainforest-

http://wwf.panda.org/about_our_earth/ecoregions/ecoregion_list/

Tropical Rainforests -