Teaching sequence

Work through this resource material in the following sequence:

10 minutes

Tune In: Spaces that speak

30 minutes

Find Out: Wellbeing warriors

15 minutes

Take Action: Take 10 outside

5 minutes

Reflection

Learning intentions

Students will:

explore how spending time in biodiverse environments supports emotional well-being
reflect on how biodiversity can support individual and community mental health.

Success criteria

Students can:

explain at least 2 mental health benefits of spending time in biodiverse or natural spaces
design a well-being activity that encourages others to connect with nature in their local area.

Tune In: Spaces that speak

Step 1

Take students outside to 2 different and contrasting locations, such as near a tree and then on a concrete area. In each area, ask students to sit quietly and guide a short 5-senses meditation:

What can you see?
What can you hear, close and far away?
What can you feel (breeze, chair, ground)?
What can you smell?
What can you taste (fresh air, food smells)?

Ask students to reflect on what they noticed through their senses, how the space made them feel, and which space they would rather spend their lunchtime in and why. Encourage students to use evidence from their 5 senses. For example: ‘I prefer the grassy space because I can hear birds rather than traffic, which makes me feel calmer.’

Step 2

As a class, brainstorm what it is that makes a place calming, restorative, or stressful. Record a ‘brainstorm bank’ of vocabulary on the whiteboard from the students' responses.

Some examples are: calm, crowded, noisy, relaxing, open, safe, stressful, peaceful, busy, green, quiet

Step 3

Next, explain to students that often spaces outside in nature allow us to feel calm and relaxed because of the biodiversity that is present. Outline to students that biodiversity is a word we use to describe all the different kinds of living things on Earth, such as plants, animals, fungi, and even tiny organisms you can’t see without a microscope. It’s about variety. For example, think about a rainforest: there are tall trees, colourful birds, insects, frogs, and so many other species all living together. That’s high biodiversity.

Biodiversity is really important because every living thing has a role to play. Bees pollinate flowers so plants can grow food, trees provide oxygen for us to breathe, and predators like owls keep other animal populations balanced. When there’s lots of biodiversity, ecosystems are healthier and stronger, so they can recover more easily from problems like fires, storms, or human impacts.

But when biodiversity is lost (for example, if too many species go extinct), ecosystems become weaker and less able to support life, including human life. Protecting biodiversity means protecting the balance of life on Earth, and making sure future generations can enjoy and rely on nature just like we do today.

Find Out: Wellbeing warriors

Step 1

Divide the class into small groups of 4-5 students. Explain to them that they have been employed as wellbeing warriors, charged with spreading news and current research about the importance of natural environments in supporting mental health and wellbeing.

Allocate 1 of the research or case studies (see resource list in the Teacher Content Information) and a news report planning sheet to each group, and explain the task as outlined below.

Instruct students to read the article or research given to them and identify the main points and interesting facts. Next, invite them to develop a 2-minute news report script. For this activity element, the group members must allocate a newsreader. The remaining group members create freeze frames to support their news report.

Ensure at least 1 group is assigned the case study on First Nations wellbeing, which explores the relationship between Country and wellbeing, to develop cross-cultural breadth and depth in the discussion that will take place in Step 3 of this activity.

Step 2

Students present their 2-minute presentations to each other.

Step 3

Facilitate a discussion with students to identify common vocabulary heard in the presentations and add these to the vocabulary brainstorm list created in the Tune In phase (for example, lower stress, better mood, and more social connections). Highlight how First Nations peoples view nature connection as part of social and emotional wellbeing, and discuss how Country can act as 'medicine' for mental health.

Learning support: Allow groups to orally rehearse their script with a teacher or learning support assistant before performing.

Use voice recording or simple drawings instead of written notes.

Learning extension: After their group news reports, extension students act as an expert panel. The panel sits at the front of the class, and the audience asks follow-up questions about each study or case.

Take Action: Take 10 outside

Step 1

Explain to students that they will be designing a ‘Take 10 Outside’ activity or campaign that encourages their school community to spend more time in biodiverse environments.

Examples may include a walking map of biodiverse spots around the school, posters or digital advertising encouraging short breaks in nature, a class-designed ‘green corner’ for a well-being hub or communicating the advantages of an outdoor classroom space for teachers to hold their lessons.

Step 2

Instruct students to work in pairs to generate a visual representation of their idea, either digitally or on poster paper. Encourage students to think about the colours that represent the message they are trying to convey, the vocabulary they have identified for their brainstorm list, and the usage of a fact or point they heard from the presentations in the ‘Find Out’ stage of this lesson.

Reflection

Step 1

Ask each student to complete a sticky note answering these 2 prompts:

One place in nature that makes me feel calm is…
One way I can connect with nature this week is…

The Mental Health Benefits of Biodiversity

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Summary

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