Quick summary: The Enviroweek Wild Child Action encourages students to connect with nature for their own health and wellbeing. This resource is structured in three parts, each composed of an individual activity.
Part 1 – Tune In: Students head outside and sketch patterns that they observe in nature.
Part 2 – Act: Students develop their own Wild Child Action that promotes the idea of connecting with nature.
Part 3 – Share: Students share their experiences and inspire others to take action.
Following this lesson plan is an ideal way for your school to take part in Enviroweek. You’ll be joining thousands of amazing teachers in making a difference and creating positive environmental change.
- Students will use their observation skills to sketch natural objects outdoors.
- Students will design a project to connect with nature during a one week period.
- Students will share what they did in their project with the rest of the school community.
Year level: Secondary (Years 7 – 10)
Topic: Enviroweek – Wild Child
Duration of activity:
30 mins planning plus Enviroweek
Dependent on activity undertaken
Resources required: Prior to the ‘Tune In’ activity students discuss and gather drawing materials for an outdoor sketching experience. You may need other resources depending on the Challenge the students choose to do.
Homework and extension opportunities: Students may choose to sketch outdoors either at home or after school.
Safety: Students and teachers should take care to protect themselves when sketching outdoors. Ensure that students don’t handle dangerous insects or damage the natural environment.
Hot Tip: Try to get the whole school taking part in the Wild Child Action for Enviroweek. You may need to seek approval from the School Council or the Principal.
Australian Curriculum content descriptions:
Year 7 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)
Year 8 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)
Years 7 & 8 Visual Arts
- Practise techniques and processes to enhance representation of ideas in their art-making (ACAVAM121)
- Present artwork demonstrating consideration of how the artwork is displayed to enhance the artist’s intention to an audience (ACAVAM122)
Years 7 & 8 Health and Physical Education
- Plan and implement strategies for connecting to natural and built environments to promote the health and wellbeing of their communities (ACPPS078)
Year 9 English
- Create imaginative, informative and persuasive texts that present a point of view and advance or illustrate arguments, including texts that integrate visual, print and/or audio features (ACELY1746)
Year 10 English
- Create sustained texts, including texts that combine specific digital or media content, for imaginative, informative, or persuasive purposes that reflect upon challenging and complex issues (ACELY1756)
Years 9 & 10 Visual Arts
- Manipulate materials, techniques, technologies and processes to develop and represent their own artistic intentions (ACAVAM126)
- Develop and refine techniques and processes to represent ideas and subject matter (ACAVAM127)
- Plan and design artworks that represent artistic intention (ACAVAM128)
- Present ideas for displaying artworks and evaluate displays of artworks (ACAVAM129)
Years 9 & 10 Health and Physical Education
- Plan and evaluate new and creative interventions that promote their own and others’ connection to community and natural and built environments (ACPPS097)
General capabilities: Critical and creative thinking.
Cross-curriculum priorities: Sustainability OI.2.
Cool Australia’s curriculum team continually reviews and refines our resources to be in line with changes to the Australian Curriculum.