Daily choices have big impacts on both personal health and the environment. This lesson empowers students to critically examine these impacts and to develop the communication skills needed for them to have meaningful discussions about sustainability and wellbeing.

Year level

9-10

Duration

60 minutes

Type

In class activity

SEL Competencies

Self-awareness

Self-management

Social awareness

Relationship skills

Responsible decision-making

Learning intention

Students will analyse how everyday choices impact personal and environmental health, while developing their critical thinking and respectful communication skills.

Key outcomes

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

  • demonstrate critical thinking skills by identifying and discussing themes, implications and predictions related to environmental and health topics 

  • apply effective and respectful communication techniques when discussing social and environmental issues 

  • evaluate different perspectives on environmental and health practices, considering both benefits and challenges.

Materials needed

  • Students’ devices

  • Whiteboard 

  • Interactive whiteboard/projector to play videos

  • Sticky notes

  • Student workbooks

Mapped to

Australian Curriculum: Health and Physical Education

  • Plan, rehearse and evaluate options (including CPR and first aid) for managing situations where their own or others' health, safety and wellbeing may be at risk  (ACPPS091)

  • Evaluate situations and propose appropriate emotional responses and then reflect on possible outcomes of different responses (ACPPS094)

  • Critically analyse and apply health information from a range of sources to health decisions and situations (ACPPS095)

  • Plan, implement and critique strategies to enhance health, safety and wellbeing of their communities (ACPPS096)

Australian Curriculum: General Capabilities

  • Critical and Creative Thinking:

    • Analysing, synthesizing, and evaluating reasoning and procedures

  • Personal and Social Capability:

    • Self-awareness

    • Social awareness

    • Social management

  • Ethical Understanding:

    • Exploring values, rights and responsibilities

NSW PDHPE Syllabus

  • Examines and evaluates strategies to manage current and future challenges (PD5-1)

  • Assesses and applies self-management skills to effectively manage complex situations (PD5-9)

  • Critically analyses health information, products and services to promote health, safety, wellbeing and physical activity levels (PD5-6)

  • Plans, implements and critiques strategies to promote health, safety, wellbeing and participation in physical activity in their communities (PD5-7)

Victorian Curriculum: Health and Physical Education

  • Evaluate factors that shape identities, and analyse how individuals impact the identities of others (VCHPEP142)

  • Evaluate health information from a range of sources and apply to health decisions and situations (VCHPEP148)

  • Plan, implement and critique strategies to enhance the health, safety and wellbeing of their communities (VCHPEP149)

Show details

Activity 1

The 3 whys

15 minutes

  1. As a class, watch Light it up (5 minutes). 

  2. Individually, students spend 10 minutes answering the following questions: 

    • Why might this topic matter to me?

    • Why might it matter to people around me (family, friends, city, nation)?

    • Why might it matter to the world?

  3. Quick write: Students summarise the benefits, for their sleep and for the environment, of using candles for lighting.

Activity 2

Cold showers

15 minutes

  1. As a class, watch Chillin4theClimate.

  2. Individually, students write:  

    • a word that captured their attention 

    • a phrase that moved, engaged or provoked them

    • a sentence that was meaningful to them, that they felt captures the core idea of the text. 

  3. As a class, discuss: 

    • What themes emerge? 

    • What implications or predictions can be drawn? 

    • Were there aspects of the text not captured in your choices? 

  4. Discuss: ‘Do cold showers help our mental health or the environment more?’

Activity 3

Effective and respectful communication

15 minutes

  1. As a class, watch Winning the argument.

  2. Give each student three Post-it notes. Ask them to head each note ‘Sounds like’, ‘Looks like’ and ‘Feels like’. Then ask them to write on the notes words that they think answer the following questions:

    • What does good communication sound like? 

    • What does good communication look like? 

    • What does good communication feel like?

  3. On the whiteboard, draw a Y-chart with the labels ‘Looks like’, ‘Sounds like’ and ‘Feels like’.

  4. Ask students to place their Post-it notes in the relevant section. 

  5. From the grouping of words, create a list of tips for communicating about an issue effectively and respectfully. 

  6. Ask students: 

    • How might someone feel if we don’t communicate with them respectfully? 

    • What impact can poor communication have?

Activity 4

Role play: Effective communication

15 minutes

  1. Form students into pairs. 

  2. Ask students to select either Using candles or Taking cold showers as a topic for discussion.

  3. Students choose to be either a ‘pessimist’ (against the issue) or an ‘optimist’ (for the issue).   

  4. Students practise having a respectful conversation about the issue.

Print

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              We acknowledge the traditional owners of Country throughout Australia. We pay our respects to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, and to Elders past and present. We recognise connection to Country as integral to health and wellbeing.

              We acknowledge people with lived experience of mental ill-health and recovery and the experience of people who have been carers, families, or supporters.

              ReachOut values diversity. We are committed to providing a safe, culturally appropriate, and inclusive service for all people, regardless of their ethnicity, faith, disability, sexuality, or gender identity.

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