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The children understand humans are using resources faster than the earth can produce them and this is untenable.
Catastrophic themes were cited such as:
- being too hot
- expecting dead wildlife
- no trees; no oxygen

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HOW DO THESE FINDINGS STACK UP AGAINST THE WIDER GROUP?
Looking wider across 5

Over 4 consecutive days between 7-21 May, Educator teams at every Primary OSHCare site across Sydney lead discussions about sustainability, ensuring children got the opportunity to contribute ideas and to tease out thoughts. Using a visual guide – what we love, dislike and

The following graphs summarise and rank the main ideas children articulated and were able to describe.



Like the previous discussion topic, our children said their ideal future featured good health, clean and green themes, good habits (walking) and choices (such as recycling and solar) and once again, any reference to technology was noticeably absent.


Outcomes:
From the discussion, we encouraged children to move towards action with the formulation of a concept or completed project that represented their sustainable future in some way. The project was to be collaborative, using the discussion and idea generation sessions to orient their thinking towards a solution. Through the process, groups brainstormed interesting ideas, built a common language and returned to the drawing board several times.
With the assistance of their Educators, the children kept their mind on the outcome, tossing around ideas and building prototypes. They were encouraged to combine thinking, feeling and doing to create a great project.

This fun and gentle plunge into creative problem solving using group dynamics, a collection of skills, diverse discussion approaches, and brainstorming techniques have applications across many aspects of the student’s life. While this project aimed to tease out the child’s understanding of climate and enviro matters, it also has aimed to instill creative problem-solving techniques in the group.
Educators used a variety of communication techniques to maximise idea generation and problem-solving.

What the children said:
Projects: By the end of term, 61% of our

All children had the opportunity to lead discussion, contribute ideas, tease out thoughts, document and participate creatively. By then end of the project creative ideas included:
- Enviro Aware: Community recycle, reduce & reuse
- Share Me App: Community Upcycling
- Fairy Lanterns: An illuminating look at light pollution
- Rethink/Repurpose: Floating fountains & wiggly worms
- Video for the Environment: Elderly Chooks take the spotlight
- Eco Cutlery: Natures Alternative
- Sort & Survive: Recycled Recycling
- Reclaiming the Road: Our Car Free Future
- Sustainability Spin: The “clean it, sort it, resuse it, choose it” board game challenge
- Sustainable Cities = Better Future: Cityscape diorama
- Materials Matter: wise choices improve the world
- Package Free Food: Community Garden Project
- Recycled Ropes: Skip fit and save the planet
- Sea of trash: putting a stop to marine debris
- Stop, Look & Sort: how we recycle
- YES World!
- Dear Prime Minister… lobbying for real change
Links to the Quality Areas and My Time, Our Place
While all
Quality Area 3:
My Time, Our Place:
Outcome 1: CHILDREN HAVE A STRONG SENSE OF IDENTITY
Element: Children developed knowledgeable and confident self-identities through celebrating and sharing their contributions and achievements with others
Outcome 2: CHILDREN ARE CONNECTED WITH AND CONTRIBUTE TO THEIR WORLD
Element: Children displayed both
Outcome 4: CHILDREN ARE CONFIDENT AND INVOLVED LEARNERS
Element: Children resource their own learning through connecting with people, place and natural and processed materials. This was reflected by manipulating resources to investigate, take part, assemble invent and construct.
REFERENCES
Blog Post http://www.primaryoshcare.com.au/chatterbox/rubbish-sorted-now-what
Web Page http://www.primaryoshcare.com.au/sustainability
Getting Students to generate ideas: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLpZ6RZHyoM
Getting Students to generate ideas: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLpZ6RZHyoM
