Seaweed, methane emissions and cow burps: What's the connection?

Secondary

Australian Curriculum General Capability: Numeracy

Australian Curriculum General Capability: Literacy

Cooperative Learning Activity

1. Form groups of 3 - 5 students. Read the following article from The Conversation 13 October 2016

2. Take note of all the statistics within this article.

Discuss with a partner. What did you find the most interesting? Share with the group.

3. Describe the chemical process of the effect of seaweed on methane production.

4. What is the vision for the future of seaweed farming? What impact will it have on livestock farming?

5. Read the following from The Conversation 13 March 2024 and discuss as a group, developments in 8 years.

Lumpy Skin Disease: What's to tell?

Secondary

Australian Curriculum General Capability: Literacy

Cooperative Learning Activity

1. Form groups of 3 - 5 students. You will take on ONE of the following roles:

• Politican
• Livestock Farmer
• Vet
• Biosecurity Officer
• Professor of Veterinary Science

Once you have decided on your role, read the following article with this role in mind and the questions to answer:

• What is the disease?
• How did/does it effect our trade?
• Prevention?
• Preparation strategies?
• Vision for the future? What can be done?

2. Read and examine the following article from The Conversation 5 March 2024

3. Present your ideas, suggestions, and actions to the group under the main heading:

"What's to tell?"

Creepy Crawly Cuisine (taken directly from Kids News 24 September 2018 - Local Copy)

Primary

Australian Curriculum General Capability: Literacy

Cooperative Learning Activity

Time: Allow 15 minutes

Students

1. As a pair, read the following article - Insects are the latest ingredient crawling onto Australian menus (Local Copy)

2. Some people may need a lot of convincing before they are ready to order a serving of insects from the menu. Can you, individually, use alliteration (the repetition of the same consonant sound at the beginning of the words) to help make insects seem like a more appealing meal?

Make a list of as many creative dish names as you can that use alliteration

Examples: Crunchy cricket canapes with carrot coulis; Worcestershire worms on wilted wombok; etc.

3. Swop with your partner!

4. Imagine you are out to dinner with someone you know, and they don’t like the idea of ordering insects.

Write down some facts that you (as a pair) could tell them that could help change their mind.

5. After reading the article, together highlight as many wow words or ambitious pieces of vocabulary that you can find in yellow.



6. Discuss the meanings of these words and see if you can use them orally in another sentence.

7. Read what the CSIRO researchers think about the protein industry....

The Conversation 19 April 2022

8. HAVE YOUR SAY: Would you eat a crunchy insect sandwich in your lunchbox? Or have you ever tried an unusual meal such as snails or crocodile? Tell us about it.
  
No one-word answers. Use full sentences to explain your thinking.