Teaching sequence

10 minutes - Tune in: Resources in the room
20 minutes - Find out: Who is Corey Tutt? What is Deadly Science?
25 minutes - Take action: Social Action
5 minutes - Reflection

Tune in: Resources in the room

Step 1.

Explain that all schools have resources - some more than others. When we say ‘resources’, we’re referring to all of the equipment teachers and students need in order to learn.

Common resources:

books (storybooks, textbooks, writing books etc.)
equipment (science - bunsen burners, test tubes, PE - balls, nets, sports uniforms etc.)
internet access
spaces (theatre, dance space, art rooms, ovals etc.)
writing materials.

Step 2.

Ask students: what resources do you have in your classroom? How many books are there? What types are they? (ie. resources, storybooks etc.). What other resources do you have? Is there maths or science equipment? Sports equipment?

Step 3.

Ask students: What would it mean for them if the school had half the resources they have now? What would it mean for them if they had triple the resources they had now?

Step 4.

Divide the students into 4 teams (an easy way is to give the students a number 1-4).

Allocate each team a classroom resource to investigate:

books (fiction)
resource books (non-fiction)
learning equipment (math or science- or note that if stored elsewhere)
sports (sports equipment).

Undertake a quick count of the resources in the classroom. Ask the students to write the resource and total number found on a sticky note (or recycled paper notes). Start a timer for a 3-minute research. Place the notes on the board at the end of the research and ask the students to share the resource type and numbers found with the other students.

Step 5.

Watch the clip: Corey Tutt - ABC Australian of the Year 2022 - nomination.

Australian of the Year: Corey Tutt, fundraising for science in schools - ABC Australia (youtu.be/G2Fuz4J2XE0)

Step 6.

Revisit the classroom research (sticky notes on the board). Compare this with the remote school that had 15 books (as seen in the film). Lead a quick discussion using these leading questions:

Are all classrooms and schools set up the same way?
Do they all have access to the same resources and equipment?
Why is there a difference?

Find out: Who is Corey Tutt? What is Deadly Science?

Step 1.

As a class, rewatch the clip:

Australian of the Year: Corey Tutt, fundraising for science in schools - ABC Australia (youtu.be/G2Fuz4J2XE0)

Step 2.

Ask these leading questions:

Who is Corey Tutt?
What does he do?
Where does his interest in science come from?
Why is Deadly Science important for remote and regional schools? Indigenous students?
How does access to books and resources help students thrive in science?

Step 3.

Undertake a focused student-led online investigation using the Deadly Science web page:

Use the link to investigate Corey and Deadly Science https://deadlyscience.org.au/

Step 4.

Ask your students to consider and respond to the following questions:

Why did Deadly Science create the science resources program?
How is their organisation providing positive, sustainable science outcomes for communities?
What did they do to design and implement their project?

Take action: Social Action - designing a ‘science for all’ project

Step 1.

Organise students into small collaborative teams. Explain that students will work together to brainstorm ideas to help create a ‘science for all’ project. They are welcome to use paper, marker pens, or digital tools such as Design Squad Maker, Canva or Presi to brainstorm and communicate ideas.

Use the STEM design thinking model to help the students flesh out their ideas. Each group should show their work on each of the following areas:

Define and explore: Who are you going to help? What do they need? (i.e. Is there a group or school?)

Ideate: What will you do? (i.e. run a school book swap, raise funds or set up a book donation booth?)

Prototype and Test: How will you do it? What will you need?

Present: What is the big idea? Please share it with your class group. (ie. hand-drawn poster creation, digital applications: Design Squad maker, Presi or Canva)

Reflection

As an ‘exit ticket’, each group should offer two points of positive feedback on another group’s ‘science enterprise’ idea. This works best if the teacher assigns particular groups to others so no group misses out.

Differentiated Learning

We trust that teachers are the best equipped to know how to cater to the diversity in their classes. At Cool Australia, we incorporate a variety of differentiation strategies into each lesson. Firstly, each lesson in this unit appeals to an array of different learning preferences. Learning activities can be completed in a number of different ways - if a student feels more comfortable speaking rather than writing, there are opportunities to accommodate this. In lessons that feature group work or learning stations, we trust that teachers will use their discretion in knowing how to best organise their students in accordance with positive working relationships and ability. Graphic organisers and scaffolds are often included so students can ‘visually think’ and keep a record of their work. While our lessons are designed to be 55 - 60 minutes long, we trust that teachers will manipulate lessons and segment times according to the needs of their students.

Go further

This is Sponsor X: Meet DeadlyScience - Smartsheet (youtu.be/rVDmj99MaFw)

How does the McLaren Formula 1 Car help Deadly Science and a ‘science for all approach’?

Inquiring question

Why is putting the Deadly Science sticker on important?

How to Design a (Social) Science Enterprise

Go to

Summary

Lesson guides and printables

In this lesson