Study Guide Overview

Study Guide written & edited by Megan Dredge. Additional writing by Max Schintler. Design by Shane Dunne.

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Main Overview

THE SHOW P3What is Project Planet all about?

THE CREATORS P4Who are the passionate creators of Project Planet?

THE PROJECT PLANET CHAMPION P5Who is leading the charge in saving our earth one school at a time?

THE SCHOOLS P6Where in Australia are our Project Planet Schools?

THE WASTE WARRIORS P7Who are the students leading the way towards a sustainable future?

THE SIDE-KICKS P9Who are the classmates supporting the Waste Warriors?

THE ON-SITE EXPERTS P10Who are the Planet Heroes helping along the way?

THE IDEAL AUDIENCE P11Who specifically will benefit from watching Project Planet?

THE CURRICULUM LINKS P11How does Project Planet link with the curriculum?

NEW SCHOOL RULES P12Five rules you can implement, today!

THE EPISODES P12What is the challenge theme of each episode?

THE LOW-DOWN P13How can you make Project Planet fly in your classroom?

THE KEY TAKE-AWAYS P14What are the big take-homes from the Project Planet series?

THE ADDED-EXTRAS P14What other references and resources will be helpful?

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The Show What is Project Planet all about?Five passionate students have been recruited by Project Planet to lead their schools into a more sustainable future.

Project Planet’s champion, Lawrence Gunatilaka, introduces the five Waste Warriors who will steer their three schools on the individual missions that have been set for them.

At Fremantle College in Western Australia, Waste Warrior Sinon has the mission of reducing food waste. He imagines the possibilities of bringing the school vege patch back to life, with students growing their own food.

At Berry Springs Primary School in the Northern Territory, the focus is on water: a finite and precious resource. Waste Warriors Jenny, Max and Jayden will stop water wastage and promote renewable energies. Jenny, Jayden and Max develop a solar-powered automated irrigation system for the school garden.

And at Taroona High School in Tasmania, Waste Warrior Freida is set the task to break the waste cycle and follow the 5 Rs: to Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Renew and Recycle. Each “R” has a project team with a planned activity to achieve results.

Lawrence calls in on the Waste Warriors every few weeks to see how they’re progressing with their tasks.

And each week, the Warriors are set an extra challenge.

In episode one, it’s to reduce their class landfill to an amount that would fit in a small glass jar; another week it’s to get the message out about an endangered local native species.

Their extra challenges arrive in a purple box and there’s always a USB stick to plug in, with a message revealing this week’s task.

Throughout the series, the Waste Warriors are supported by relevant experts, who come in with advice and practical assistance to help them succeed in their major mission.

There are relevant facts and statistics along the way, as well as interviews with - and reactions from - the Waste Warriors. They have to clean toilets with natural ingredients and use recycled materials to build a watering system. There are experiments and a whole lot of team work as our Waste Warriors set their sights on changing their fellow students’ attitudes. ”It actually feels pretty cool being a Waste Warrior - it’s like being a superhero,” says Jayden from Berry Springs Primary School.

“I think it would be so cool if we could help change people’s minds,” reflects Freida, from Taroona High School.

Sinon from Fremantle College is both realistic and optimistic about this team’s task: “It’s going to take a lot of time and it’s going to take a lot of effort and it’s going to be hard for all of us, but I think we can do it.”

Project Planet: Saving the earth one school at a time.

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THE CREATORSWho are the passionate creators of Project Planet?

Sally Browning – Creator/Executive ProducerSally has 20 years experience in the film and television industry creating television programs for adults and children, a mix of socio-political and personal documentaries and comedy-drama. A mother of one amazing grown-up son, she is passionate about the environment and believes the key to the planet’s future lies in empowering our young adults to take action. She’s a keen scuba diver and adventurer and is committed to protecting our oceans from plastic pollution and says: I believe we all have a responsibility to look after the planet for generations to come.

Renee Kennedy – Executive ProducerRenee has 15 years experience in the film and television industry producing and writing contemporary, historical, science and socio-political documentaries for a range of broadcasters across the world. She is the mother of two young boys, the wife of one slightly larger boy and the managing director of Metamorflix. She is passionate runner and, having grown up in Western Australia, loves the ocean, ancient forests and large open spaces. She is very passionate about the environment and is stoked to co-produce Project Planet because as that old saying goes ‘children ARE the future’.

Charmaine Ingram – Director (NT)Charmaine Ingram is a Yidinji Aboriginal film maker based in Darwin and has a media career spanning ten years. She’s worked as a video journalist and producer for NITV, SBS and ABC and has been writing and directing for several years. Charmaine says she was excited to work on Project Planet because of her love of media and teaching kids. She says,”the Berry Springs Primary School students taught me so much more than I could have imagined about the human effects on the environment”. 

Claire Leeman – Director (WA)Claire Leeman is a West Australian director and shooter with a multi-skilled background. Her documentary work has enabled Claire to quench her thirst for variety, with credits on a diverse range of programs including Filthy Rich and Homeless (SBS), Aussie Gold Hunters (Discovery Channel) and Family Rules (NITV). Claire jumped at the chance to join Project Planet and help spread the word about sustainability, believing that if anyone can be trusted with the job of saving the planet, our kids can. She also hoped she might learn some new tricks for living green…. and she certainly did!!

Jennifer Wells-Scherrer – Director (Tas)Jennifer Wells-Scherrer is committed to telling stories that create change, that raise us all up. She believes filmmaking has this power and has spent the last decade creating social issue and wildlife documentaries, educational and museum content, as well as children’s programming. She loves sharing her awe of the world by exploring, engaging, and informing in ways which we can all connect and grow together.

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Who is leading the charge in saving our earth one school at a time?Lawrence is a new face on ABC ME and he came on board as Project Planet’s Champion because of his love for the environment – “Humans don’t live in isolation. Our lives are tied to everything around us and if we don’t take care of our planet, we’re going to be in big trouble!”

Here are a couple of things you should know about him:• His first name is technically just the letter K• If he could he would eat burgers for every meal• He LOVES taking photos and exploring• His favourite movie as a kid was Disney’s “Robin Hood” (the one with the fox)• His dream is to build his own sustainable house with a decked out vege garden

THE PROJECT PLANET CHAMPION K A LAWRENCE GUNATILAKA

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THE SCHOOLSWhere in Australia are our Project Planet Schools?

Where?About 50km from Darwin, Northern Territory.

What’s nearby?Territory Wildlife Park & Berry Springs Reserve.

How many students?About 200.

School Values?Dignity, Integrity, Respect, Trust.

Where?A southern riverside suburb of greater Hobart, Tasmania.

What’s nearby?The school is located on the Derwent Estuary and has its own foreshore! Pretty cool place to conduct marine science classes!

How many students?About 1000, grades 7-10.

School Values?Innovation, Creativity and Excellence.

Where?Beaconsfield, Perth, in the City of Fremantle.

What’s nearby?The port city of Fremantle is located at the mouth of the beautiful Swan River. Fremantle Harbour is the port of Perth, capital of Western Australia.

How many students?1000+.

School Values?Strength, Respect, Success.

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THE WASTE WARRIORSWho are the students leading the way towards a sustainable future?

Freida

Sinon

“We need more people to care”The most fiercely determined year 8 student you’re likely to meet is on a mission break the waste cycle guided by the 5 Rs [Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Renew, Recycle]. Freida, from Taroona High School in Tasmania, is a natural born leader, able to rally her classmates around a worthy cause: radically slashing their environmental footprint by redirecting waste from landfill.

Having grown up in the stunning bushland surrounding Hobart, Freida is keenly aware of the challenges facing her generation. Inspired by her mum, who she describes as a best friend, Freida puts her analytical and creative mind to work, often combining her passion for art with the team’s mission to reduce their landfill.

She is not afraid to roll up her sleeves and get things done. Leading by example, Freida knows that she and her classmates will need to make some big changes if they are going to complete their mission to reduce waste using the 5 Rs.

Through the series Freida and her team face challenges and setbacks with a can-do attitude. Always thoughtful and articulate, Freida realises that the best teams are made of many parts, and always wants everyone’s voice to be heard. Her enthusiasm is contagious and her directness and honesty shine through in every episode: this mission to help the environment is personal, and it literally means the world to her.

“I want to make the world a sustainable place”Sinon of Fremantle College, Western Australia, loves school and he loves the environment. The only thing that’s got him down about his school is its waste problem. Kind and honest, Sinon is a warm personality and despite the pressures of his big mission to stop food waste, he always has a positive attitude.

An avid gardener and computer game designer, Sinon brings his uniquely diverse skill set to bear on Fremantle College’s mission: designing, creating and maintaining a vegetable garden that will need to literally bear fruits within eight short weeks. He has an analytical and scientific approach to challenges, reflecting his love of math, and is never prepared to underestimate the size of a job ahead.

Sinon is accustomed to helping others - it’s just what he does. Whether it’s helping with the chores around the house, giving his younger sister a hand with her homework, or sharing the computer games he’s made for the world - for free - Sinon embodies the values of generosity and hard work. These traits will be absolutely critical to bringing his school’s mission to a successful conclusion.

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Jenny

Jayden

Max

“Now we’re actually doing it, we’re actually helping the environment!”Jenny is kind and gentle yet is also capable of displaying a wicked sense of humour. Living on the family hay farm, she is used to thinking about the natural world and caring for the environment. Jenny and her family grow lots of fruit, vegetables and herbs and they live by the philosophy of taking only what they need.

Jenny’s ambition is to become a teacher like her mother before her. With such a passionate and thoughtful personality, the next generation of young minds are sure to be in good hands. An eternal optimist, Jenny often brings moments of lightness and humour to the team at Berry Springs, who have a monumental mission ahead of them: to stop water being wasted and promote renewable energies. Her cool head is definitely needed on this warming planet.

“It’s actually pretty cool being a waste warrior, it’s like being a superhero”Endowed with an infectious charisma, Jayden is on a mission to save the flora and fauna of the Top End. Inspired by his dad, a park ranger who Jayden describes as his hero, he is passionate about bringing positive change to endangered species. He loves maths and the outdoors, which makes him a perfect match for the Berry Springs major mission: designing an irrigation system for the school’s vegetable gardens that will help save water AND use renewable energy.

With his commitment to the local rugby squad, Jayden knows all about being a team player. He is not the kind of person to seek the spotlight, and is content to put his head down and work hard to help his friends succeed.

He has a lovely working partnership with Jenny - to the point that it’s difficult to imagine the two of them apart!

“I’d like people to care for our environment like I do.”Max is growing up surrounded by animals on the family property. He has cows, sheep and a donkey called Maggie. Not to mention chickens, a duck and dogs! Accustomed to helping his younger sister clean her room, cleaning up the planet should be a cinch, right?

Although he is not the loudest voice in the room, Max is an incredibly influential presence in the Berry Springs trio of Waste Warriors; he’s almost like a walking encyclopaedia. Ask him a question, say, “how many lights in this room?” and, quicker than you can type it into a Google search bar, you’ve got an answer “22!”

He has a scientific mind, encouraged by his pastime of tinkering with old cars at home, he loves to know how systems and machines function. His research and analytical skills prove invaluable in a team with a complex and daunting build project ahead of them.

THE WASTE WARRIORS

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THE SIDE-KICKSWho are the classmates supporting the Waste Warriors?

There is a fabulous team of passionate and enthusiastic classmates who are helping our Waste Warriors in all things sustainability. Check them out below.

Fremantle College – Back row: Tass, Caitlyn, Chloe, Sydney, Alistair and Kumaru Front row: Rowan, Sinon, Sneh, Hannah and James

Taroona High School – Back row: James, Naomi, Freida, Ellie, Maya, LiamFront row: Alyssa, Viktoriya, Bowie

Berry Springs - Back row: Amber, Sumaiya, Toan and AaronFront row: Max, Ms Harden, Jayden, Jenny, Montana

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THE ON-SITE EXPERTSWho are the Planet Heroes helping along the way?

Molly helps to run the Resource Work Cooperative, a not-for-profit known as the Vinnies of the waste world. The co-op is all about minimising waste, creating local employment, and promoting the reuse of materials. Molly and her team visit the local landfill site (yes that’s the tip!) three times a day to find and scavenge things that can be reused.

Hobbies: Singing, and she sings in a real band.Seriously loves: using her imagination and exploring real places.Intensely dislikes: coriander and plastic.Little known fact: She has been to Antartica. And she is 1/64th native American!Molly’s Waste Wizard Advice: Make it fun.

Link: www.resource.coop/resource-work-cooperative

Carla is a passionate, enthusiastic, and knowledgeable nurturer of gardens. She established Gaia’s Organic Gardens in Perth, Western Australia, where she mentors and empowers others to grow their own food and embrace sustainable living practices.

Hobbies: Drawing and bushwalking.Seriously loves: The environment and nature.Intensely dislikes: Mean people and pollution.Little known fact: She’s also a DJ! Carla’s Garden Guru Advice: Give gardening a go.

Link: http://www.gaiasorganicgardens.com.au/

Dr Jeremy is passionate about all things science and has always had a deep interest in renewable energy. He is an experienced researcher enjoys learning and discovering news things. Dr Jeremy is part of the team at Charles Darwin University in the Centre For Renewable Energy.

Hobbies: Reading and basketball.Weekend fun: Loves exploring his city, Darwin.Seriously loves: Burritos.Intensely dislikes: Helium balloons (and you can ask him for the scientific reasons for that!)Little known fact: Started out studying English and then switched to Science. Dr Jeremy’s Super Scientist Advice: Do what you’re passionate about/Make sure you’re doing something you enjoy.

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THE ON-SITE EXPERTS

Dr Vanessa is a researcher, lecturer, author, speaker, entrepreneur and small business owner with a passion for all things sustainability. She and her project team founded ClimateClever, a cool and innovative online program that helps schools, students and the community to reduce their carbon footprint and help protect the environment.

Hobbies: Bike riding, hiking and camping.Seriously loves: Her job, where she lives, and all vegetables except brussels sprouts.Intensely dislikes: Brussels sprouts, cleaning the bathroom and being stuck in traffic.Little known fact: She is a surfer and a vegetarian! Dr Vanessa’s Climate Clever Creator Advice: Every decision you make has an impact AND you can make a difference.

Link: www.climateclever.org

Image: Jean Paul Horré

THE IDEAL AUDIENCEWHO SPECIFICALLY WILL BENEFIT FROM WATCHING PROJECT PLANET?

Project Planet is positioned to support the learning of students in upper primary and lower secondary. It is all of our responsibility to make a contribution to sustaining our planet. Many students are already familiar with the big sustainable ideas of recycling, saving water and reducing energy consumption. Project Planet presents these ideas in a fun, captivating and easy-to-implement way by making the journey from knowledge to personal responsibility even easier for students, their families, their school and their local community.

HOW DOES PROJECT PLANET LINK WITH THE CURRICULUM?

Sustainability is one the three Cross Curriculum Priorities identified in The Australian Curriculum. The study of sustainability should be included in each area of learning in ways consistent with the goal and subject content of each learning area. This link from ACARA (Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority) outlines ways to integrate the study of Sustainability across various areas of the curriculum (Information for links to specific Australian States can be found in The Added-Extras section at the end of this guide.).

THE CURRICULUM LINKS

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NEW SCHOOL RULESInspired by Project Planet to make changes in your own school? Here are five rules that you can implement today in your school!Refuse first then recycle, reuse and repurpose to reduce your landfill.

Use renewable and clean energy when you can.

Learn about your impact on the environment.

Eat fresh sustainable produce and compost your scraps.

Save water to save the planet.

THE EPISODESWhat is the challenge theme of each episode?Each episode of Project Planet focuses on a major sustainability issue that is facing our planet. From landfill to nude foods to eco-cleaning, we’ll explore the issue and what we can practically do to make a difference.

Episode 1: Mission Dropped / Landfill

Episode 2: Here Come The Experts / Plastic

Episode 3: Making Progress / Chemicals

Episode 4: Challenges / Endangered Species

Episode 5: Think Outside The Box / Renewable Energy

Episode 6: Win Some, Lose Some / Water Wise

Episode 7: Time’s Running Out / Nude Foods

Episode 8: Mission Finale / Good News Story

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THE LOW-DOWNHow can you make Project Planet f ly in your classroom?

1. LEARNThis is about preparation.Watch the episode, read this study guide, and diligently prepare to teach your students.

2. ENGAGEThis is about interaction.When students experience genuine connection with their teacher, they are far more likely to be present and remember their learning.

3. TALKThis is about conversation.Begin each lesson with a conversation, a discussion, a two-way interaction with your class to help them to continue to connect with you as the teacher and also with the content to be taught and learned.

4. TEACHThis is about education.After viewing the episode, be ready to help take your students on the wonderful journey of learning. This is where you get to teach, to provide an environment conducive to student learning.

5. LOOKThis is about observation.Throughout every lesson and also during the viewing of each episode, pay close attention to how your students are responding to the content.

6. LISTENThis is about attention.One of the greatest roles of a teacher is to be a great listener. When students comment or respond to the episode, listen very carefully. Listening well fuels even greater teaching.

7. ENCOURAGEThis is about contribution.Students who actively contribute in the classroom are students who are more likely to be actively learning. And students who receive encouragement are more likely to contribute. So, keep those positive comments flowing!

8. CULTIVATEThis is about consolidation.Life-long learning outworks as life-long change. By intentionally consolidating your students’ learning you are helping them discover and develop a lifestyle of sustainability. Ask questions, invite comments, promote discussions – provide students with many opportunities to express their learning in a variety of ways.

9. THINKThis is about reflection.John Dewey famously said, “We do not learn from experience, we learn from reflecting on experience.” Effective teachers diligently and regularly reflect on their practice. After each lesson take a few moments to think about what worked really well and also to identify a couple of small changes you could make to help your lesson be even better.

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THE KEY TAKE-AWAYS

THE ADDED EXTRAS

What are the important ideas from the Project Planet series?

• We are all responsible for making a meaningful contribution to sustainability.• Everyone can learn how to make small changes in their own lives that will have a big impact on the planet.• We can decrease landfill through clever and thoughtful recycling, refusing things we don’t need, renewing & reusing materials and reducing the amount that we consume.• We can conserve traditional energy sources and use renewable energy power.• We can grow, harvest and eat from sustainable food sources and compost our scraps.• Living sustainably is not only possible, it’s rewarding and fun too!

What Other References and Resources Will Be Helpful?

Australian State Curriculum Links

NSWhttps://education.nsw.gov.au/teaching-and-learning/curriculum/learning-across-the-curriculum/sustainability

https://www.sustainableschoolsnsw.org.au/teach/teaching-sustainability-cross-curriculum-priority

VIChttp://victoriancurriculum.vcaa.vic.edu.au/overview/cross-curriculum-priorities

http://www.sustainability.vic.gov.au/School/Modules/Curriculum

QLDhttp://www.sustainableschools.qld.edu.au/Default.aspx?tabid=114

https://www.qld.gov.au/education/schools/information/programs/pages/curriculum

NThttps://www.aisnt.asn.au/projects/sustainability

https://sustainabilityinschools.edu.au/support-and-resources-nt

WAhttps://k10outline.scsa.wa.edu.au/home/teaching/cross-curriculum-priorities2/sustainability

http://det.wa.edu.au/curriculumsupport/sustainableschools/detcms/portal/

ACThttps://www.actsmart.act.gov.au/what-can-i-do/schools/school-curriculum-resources

https://www.actsmart.act.gov.au/

TAShttp://epa.tas.gov.au/sustainability/resources-for-schools

SAhttps://www.education.sa.gov.au/teaching/projects-and-programs/aussi-sa

https://www.education.sa.gov.au/sites-and-facilities/sustainable-schools-program

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Media Arts & The National Curriculumhttps://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/f-10-curriculum/the-arts/media-arts/

Getting Started In Your Schoolhttps://sustainabilityinschools.edu.au/school

Scootle: A national collection of digital resources aligned with The Australian Curriculumhttp://www.scootle.edu.au/ec/p/home

Australian Association For Environmental Educationhttp://www.aaee.org.au/projects/sustainability-in-schools/

Useful Links from Education For Sustainabilityhttp://www.educationforsustainability.com.au/resources/useful-websites

How To Teach Sustainability In Your Particular Subjecthttps://sustainabilityinschools.edu.au/in-your-subject

Cool Australia – Links for Primary Teachershttps://www.coolaustralia.org/unit/clean-australia-primary-curriculum/

Cool Australia – Links for Secondary Teachershttps://www.coolaustralia.org/unit/clean-australia-secondary-curriculum/

VIDEO: Behind The News: Recyclinghttp://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s4759796.htm

BOOK: The Everything Green Classroom Book by Tessa HillARTICLE: Reduce Your Waste http://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2018-05-05/reduce-your-waste-with-these-changes/9691210

THE ADDED EXTRASOther Helpful Links:

Other Resources: