Learning about Sustainability in the Victorian curriculum F-10 Sharon Foster – VCAA Julie Harris - Environment Education Victoria David Speller – Sustainability Victoria

Agenda Introduction – rationale, organising ideas and working with the curriculum About the organisations Exploring the meaning of sustainability Teaching and learning - examples from the curriculum Resources and links

Locating this cross curriculum priority

Introduction Sustainability addresses the ongoing capacity of Earth to maintain all life. Sustainable patterns of living meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. Individual and collective endeavours shared across local and global communities are required. Education for sustainability develops the knowledge, skills, values and world views necessary for people to act in ways that contribute to more sustainable patterns of living. Sustainability education is futures-oriented, focusing on protecting environments and creating a more ecologically and socially just world through informed action. Actions that support more sustainable patterns of living require consideration of environmental, social, cultural and economic systems and their interdependence. Could move this and leave for David and Julie to cover later – need to discuss

Organising Ideas Systems World views Futures explores the interdependent and dynamic nature of systems that support all life on Earth and our collective wellbeing World views enables a diversity of world views on ecosystems, values and social justice to be discussed and recognised when determining individual and community actions for sustainability Futures aimed at building capacities for thinking and acting in ways that are necessary to create a more sustainable future Could add a poll here – eg If you run a current sustainability program does it include explicit coverage of: All 3 concepts 2 concepts only 1 concept only

Mapping against learning areas All learning areas within the Victorian Curriculum F-10 have a potential to contribute to the Sustainability cross-curriculum priority. Each learning area contributes differently to the Sustainability cross-curriculum priority, its key knowledge, concepts and skills. While some areas do not address sustainability directly in their content descriptions, they may still contribute to learning that is essential for understanding sustainability issues by providing the analytical, measurement and persuasive skills needed to advocate effectively for sustainability. The Arts Dance Drama Media Arts Music Visual Arts Visual Communication Design English Health and Physical Education The Humanities Civics and Citizenship Economics and Business Geography History Languages Mathematics Science Technologies Design and Technologies Digital Technologies

Mapping against the Capabilities The capabilities within the Victorian Curriculum F-10 can also play a significant role in addressing Sustainability as a cross curriculum priority. When developing the teaching and learning program, schools need to give the same consideration to the capabilities as they do for the learning areas. For example, exploring possibilities, interrogating points of view, becoming socially aware and applying ethical principles are part of the knowledge and skills of the capabilities and these clearly contribute to creating a more sustainable future. Critical and Creative Thinking Ethical Capability Intercultural Capability Personal and Social Capability

Environment Education Victoria Sustainability Victoria Background Environment Education Victoria (EEV) Membership based Professional Association established 1984 Previously called VAEE Advocacy, Knowledge, Engagement Subject Association for VCE Environmental Science Vision: Active and aware sustainable communities Sustainability Victoria (SV) Sustainability Victoria's statutory objective is to facilitate and promote environmental sustainability in the use of resources. Manages delivery of ResourceSmart Schools across Victoria to government, Catholic and independent primary and secondary schools Increasing focus on curriculum support

Looks like?

When teaching for sustainability What are the learning objectives? Knowledge and understandings Skills and capabilities Attitudes and values Actions and participation

Embedding sustainability in the teaching and learning program Do not re-invent the wheel! Repeat!! Do not re-invent the wheel! Strongest synergies with Geography and Science Design and Technologies offers hands-on, solution focused, positive learning Learning for Sustainability offers some deep thinking opportunities especially in the Ethical Capability and Critical and Creative Thinking Cut text back a little but shouldn’t have effected the intent

Example 1: Food and fibre Learning Area – Design and Technology Strand : Technologies context Sub-strand : Food and fibre Level: 5 and 6 Content Description – Investigate how and why food and fibre are produced in managed environments Code -VCDSTC035

Example 2: Climate Change Learning Area – Science Strand: Scientific Understandings Sub-strand: Earth and Space Sciences Level: 1-2 Content Description Observable changes occur in the sky and landscape; daily and seasonal changes affect everyday life (Code –VCSSU046) Elaborations recording short and longer term patterns of events that occur on Earth and in the sky, for example, the appearance of the moon and stars at night, the weather and the seasons linking changes in the daily weather to the way we modify our behaviour and dress for different conditions, including examples from different cultures investigating how changes in the weather might affect animals such as pets, animals that hibernate, or migratory animals

Teaching and learning resource http://withoneplanet.org.au/teacher-resources Carbon Culture Citizenship Go to With One Planet Page and navigate to Level 1 & 2 Activity.

Example 3: Water Learning Area – Science Strand: Science Understanding Sub-strand: Earth and Space Sciences Level: 7-8 Content Description Water is an important resource that cycles through the environment (Code VCSSU101) Elaborations Consider the role trees in the school ground play in the water cycle in terms of changes of state of water investigating factors that influence the water cycle in nature exploring how human management such as the use of swales and water tanks impacts on the water cycle What examples could you add to these elaborations?

Example 4: Water Learning Area – Economics and business Strand: Economic and business reasoning and interpretation Level: 5-6 Content description Make decisions, identify appropriate actions by considering the advantages and disadvantages, and form conclusions concerning an economics or business issue or event (VCEBE010) Elaborations weighing up options involved in a decision, for example, installing water tanks, comparing the advantages and disadvantages of this option compared with potable water taking action to share their findings with audiences beyond the classroom, such as presenting the case for water tanks at a school assembly, writing a letter to the editor of the local newspaper or their local member of parliament

Curriculum Links F-6 A document created by SV to assist schools to address sustainability across the curriculum for years F-6 http://www.resourcesmartschools.vic.gov.au/home/resources/

Teaching Strategies how to get sustainability to ‘Stick’ Experiential Learning Values Clarification and Analysis Creative thinking Future problem-solving Storytelling Inquiry Learning Science in the community (Citizen science)

Resources and Links http://www.sustainabilityinschools.edu.au/ http://www.eev.vic.edu.au/resources/ https://www.coolaustralia.org/ www.resourcesmartschools.vic.gov.au What good resources do you use? What resources would you like to have to support your teaching and learning program? How can we help you to build sustainability into teaching?

www.take2.vic.gov.au

Julie Harris Environment Education Victoria eo@eev. vic. edu. au www Julie Harris Environment Education Victoria eo@eev.vic.edu.au www.eev.vic.edu.au David Speller Sustainability Victoria David.speller@sustainability.vic.gov.au www.resourcesmartschools.vic.gov.au Sharon Foster, F-10 Curriculum Manager foster.sharon.a@edumail.vic.gov.au 9032 1680 CONTACT US