Episode 32 Questions for discussion 13th November 2018 US Midterm Elections 1. Briefly summarise the BTN US Midterm Elections story. 2. What are the midterm elections? 3. How many seats are in the House of Representatives? 4. How many of these seats went up for re-election? 5. What are the names of the major political parties in the US? 6. What words would you use to describe their campaigns? 7. The midterm elections can decide which party has the power in ____________. 8. Before the midterms President Trump had control over both the houses. True or false? 9. About how many people vote in the US President elections? a. 15% b. 55% c. 90% 10. What do you understand more clearly since watching the BTN story? Write a message about the story and post it in the comments section on the story page. WWF Living Planet Report 1. In pairs, discuss the WWF Living Planet Report story and record the main points of the discussion. 2. Why are scientists calling the period since the mid-1900s The Great Acceleration? 3. What is happening to biodiversity? 4. Biodiversity includes… a. Plants b. Animals c. Bacteria d. All of the above 5. What percentage of the planet’s animals have been lost over the last 40 years? 6. What do humans depend on healthy ecosystems for? 7. What organisation released the report? 8. What does the report say we need to do to help the situation? 9. How did this story make you feel? 10. What did you learn watching the BTN story? Check out the WWF Living Planet Report resource on the Teachers page. Get your class involved in BTN’s Ask A Reporter! This week’s topic is the WWF Living Planet Report. Rubella Vaccination Success 1. Discuss the Rubella Vaccination Success story with another student. ©ABC 2018 2. Which organisation recently announced that the disease rubella has been eliminated in Australia? 3. What happens if pregnant women get rubella? 4. Who discovered the link between rubella and birth defects? 5. How many cases of rubella were documented during the worst outbreak in the 1960s? a. 3 hundred b. 3 thousand c. 3 million 6. When did Australia begin a vaccination program for girls aged 10-14? 7. What does the term ‘herd immunity’ mean? 8. Where else in the world is rubella free? 9. Which regions in the world don’t have very good vaccination programs? 10. What was surprising about this story? Check out the Rubella Vaccination Success resource on the Teachers page. History of Chocolate 1. Retell the BTN History of Chocolate story using your own words. 2. Cacao beans grow underground. True or false? 3. Which ancient civilisations first discovered cacao beans? 4. How did ancient civilisations use cacao beans? Give one example. 5. What did they mix with cacao beans to make the bitter drink ‘xocolatl’? 6. In what century did a Spanish explorer bring the bitter drink ‘xocolatl’ to Spain? a. 1200s b. 1500s c. 1900s 7. Why was the chocolate press invented? 8. What do you need to mix with cacao powder to get solid chocolate? 9. Where was milk chocolate invented? 10. What did you like about the History of Chocolate story? Do the quiz on the BTN website. World Drone Racing Champ 1. Discuss the World Drone Racing Champ story with another student. 2. How old is professional drone racer Rudi Browning? 3. How does Rudi build his drones? 4. Where in China did Rudi recently compete? Find using Google Maps. 5. How many competitors were in the competition? 6. How did Rudi feel competing in the championships? 7. What do you need if you want to start drone racing? 8. What does Rudi say is a good way to learn drone racing? 9. Team Australia came second in the team racing event. True or false? 10. Illustrate an aspect of the World Drone Racing Champ story. Write a message about the story and post it in the comments section on the story page. ©ABC 2018 Episode 32 Teacher Resource 13th November 2018 WWF Living Planet Report 1. In pairs, discuss the WWF Living Planet Report story and record the Students will learn about Australia’s main points of the discussion. natural environment and examine the affect that human impact has on 2. Why are scientists calling the period since the mid-1900s The Great these environments. Acceleration? 3. What is happening to biodiversity? 4. Biodiversity includes… a. Plants b. Animals Science – Year 5 c. Bacteria Living things have structural d. All of the above features and adaptations that help them to survive in their environment. 5. What percentage of the planet’s animals have been lost over the last 40 years? Science – Year 6 6. What do humans depend on healthy ecosystems for? The growth and survival of living things are affected by physical 7. What organisation released the report? conditions of their environment. 8. What does the report say we need to do to help the situation? 9. How did this story make you feel? Science – Year 7 Classification helps organise the 10. What did you learn watching the BTN story? diverse group of organisms. Interactions between organisms, including the effects of human activities can be represented by food chains and food webs. Note Taking Students take notes while watching the BTN WWF Living Planet Report story. After watching the story, students reflect on and organise the information into three categories. What information was...? • Positive • Negative or • Interesting Glossary Students develop a glossary of words and terms that relate to the BTN WWF Living Planet Report story. Below are some words to get them started. Students will add words and meanings to their glossary as they come across unfamiliar words throughout their research. Students may want to consider using pictures and diagrams to illustrate meanings. ©ABC 2018 Biodiversity Living things Ecosystem Conservation Threats to survival Climate Habitat Population Resources KWLH Discuss the BTN WWF Living Planet Report story as a class. Clarify students’ understanding of terms such as threatened or endangered species, conservation, biodiversity and ecosystem. What questions were raised in the discussion (what are the gaps in their knowledge)? The following KWLH organiser provides students with a framework to explore their knowledge on this topic and consider what they would like to know and learn. What do I What do I want What have I How will I know? to know? learnt? find out? Topics of inquiry Students will determine a focus for their inquiry within an area of interest, for example, make a prediction or develop a key research question. Students will develop their own question/s for inquiry, below are some examples. • What are some of the main threats to the survival of wildlife? Choose one animal and research the threats to its survival. • What do you think could be done to help protect the different habitats and animals in Australia? • Why should we protect wildlife biodiversity? Write a persuasive piece of writing explaining your reasons. • What happens when an animal becomes extinct? If one species in the food chain becomes extinct how would it affect the rest of the chain? Choose an endangered species and explore its role in the food chain. • How can we convince people that this is a serious problem? Think of creative ways to raise awareness about the issues raised in the BTN WWF Living Planet Report story. • What might happen if we don’t look after our wildlife? What would the populations of animal species look like in 30 years’ time? Make some predictions. • Who do you think should be responsible for looking after the health of our wildlife? List some of the responsibilities of individuals, communities and the government. Think of ways you can make a difference at home and at school. • How can individuals make a difference and help protect our wildlife? Look at the way individuals like Boyan Slat or Molly Steer have increased awareness about the issue. Watch these BTN stories to learn more about Molly Steer and Boyan Slat. ©ABC 2018 Link Link As a starting point for their research, students can watch the following BTN stories which explore some of the issues. Link Link Understanding biodiversity Hold a class discussion about the information raised in the BTN WWF Living Planet Report story. Create a class mind map with Habitats or Biodiversity in the middle. Use the following questions to guide discussion: • What is an organism? What’s the difference between a plant and an animal? • What do you know about habitats? • What do you know about ecosystems? • Describe some of the habitats around your school and list some of the animals and plants you might find there. • Is there a variety of animals and plants in these habitats? Discuss. • What is biodiversity? • Why is biodiversity important? Assessing the biodiversity around your school Students will investigate native plants and animals found in their local area and present their findings to the school community in an interesting way (students will choose one or more of the following activities). • What plant and animal species are found in your local area? Carry out an assessment of your school’s natural habitat and list the different plants and animals that call it home. • Students will each choose a different species of animal to research and record their findings. Students will share and compare their findings with other students in the class. • Contact a ranger at park near your school to learn more about the local animal and plant species. ©ABC 2018 • Share what you’ve learnt with your school community – run a guided tour or a QR coding system for plants.