Sustainability is one of the key cross-curriculum priorities of the Australian Curriculum. The environment is an obvious context for this content. Some teachers may be concerned that this topic is too challenging for their students but it doesn’t have to be. Here are some ideas modelling how to differentiate an environmental unit.
This task is based on the content in chapter 7 of Jblog textbook 3. This unit introduces students to key environmental issues in Japan such as cleaning up Mt Fuji, the Fukushima nuclear power plant disaster and solar panel farm controversy. Students are then directed to consider their own impact on the environment. The following task from the student workbook could be used as the driving question for the unit.
Learning task : In pairs or small groups, choose an environmental issue in your community. What action could you take to help with this issue? Design promotional materials using Japanese (eg poster, flier, videoclip) to promote positive action for your cause.
Extension task: Research how other Japanese communities are grappling with your issue (or similar) in the Japanese context. (Students with prior learning and/or experience, background or who are working at a GT level should be encouraged to use realia in Japanese as part of this research.)
For students who are working at a lower level or who find composing in Japanese intimidating, using a Fake text app may make this more palatable. For example students could use the stimulus on page 86 of the textbook that advertises a river clean-up day. They could then write a series of text messages between two friends planning to attend the event.
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There are various applications out that can help you create fake text messages. I found this one was the easiest to use for me personally: https://ifaketextmessage.com.
There are several more examples of how to create and use fake text messages in our March newsletter. If you missed it, please email me and I can send you through a back issue. You can sign up for our newsletter on the website homepage – just scroll to the bottom of the screen for the sign-up form.
Further reading:
You may also be interested in our post about the Australian Curriculum
