Quick summary: Students prepare for this activity by reading the Dairy Diaries on the Sustainable Table website. In the classroom they are asked to brainstorm their thoughts about the Dairy Diaries and then create a series of quiz questions to be answered by other students in the class. Finally, students will work in groups to create an infographic explaining the differences between conventional dairy farming and organic/biodynamic dairy farming.
This resource was created in collaboration with Sustainable Table with the aim of empowering young people to use their dollar to vote for a food system that is fair, humane, healthy and good for the environment. To learn more about Sustainable Table, click here.
- Students understand that dairy farming in Australia is a very big business.
- Students recognise some of the positive and negative impacts of dairy farming.
- Students understand how some of the negative impacts can be mitigated through a range of farming practices, including organic and biodynamic farming.
21st century skills:
Australian Curriculum Mapping
Year 7 & 8 Design and Technologies
- Analyse how food and fibre are produced when designing managed environments and how these can become more sustainable (ACTDEK032)
Year 7 English
- Create imaginative, informative and persuasive texts that raise issues, report events and advance opinions, using deliberate language and textual choices, and including digital elements as appropriate (ACELY1736)
Year 8 English
- Plan, draft and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive texts, selecting aspects of subject matter and particular language, visual, and audio features to convey information and ideas (ACELY1725)
General capabilities: Critical and creative thinking, Literacy.
Cross-curriculum priority: Sustainability OI.2, OI.8.
Relevant parts of Year 7 & 8 Design and Technologies achievement standards: Students explain factors that influence the design of products, services and environments to meet present and future needs.
Relevant parts of Year 7 English achievement standards: Students create structured and coherent texts for a range of purposes and audiences.
Relevant parts of Year 8 English achievement standards: Students create texts for different purposes.
Time required: 60 mins
Level of teacher scaffolding: Low – oversee brainstorm and quiz creation.
Resources required: Student Worksheet – one copy per student.Device capable of presenting a website to the class. Internet access, Quiz Sheet (optional).
Keywords: Sustainable Table, dairy, farming, organic, biodynamic, environmental impact.
Cool Australia’s curriculum team continually reviews and refines our resources to be in line with changes to the Australian Curriculum.