Year 10 Economics/Science Lesson Plan 1

Tom Mattessi

AusVELS Curriculum Learning Area: Humanities - Economics, Progression Point 9.5

Student Learning Aims (using Blooms Taxonomy and e5 pedagogy)

- To recall which materials are used in making robots, and where they can be sourced.
- To describe and demonstrate how the exchange rate works, using examples.
- To predict and discover which industries are most affected by exchange rate fluctuations.
- To analyse real life case studies of Australian companies in Asia.
- To apply exchange rate knowledge to robot construction, hypothesise about exchange rate strategies and advise team where to buy
materials and how exchange rate will affect costs and sales to other countries.

ICT Applications

- In this class, students will use the XE App on their mobile phones, an app which gives real-time foreign exchange rates.
- Students will also use polleverywhere. Polleverywhere is a real-time anonymous polling application that can be used to guide a
democratic classroom and for students to give feedback to the teacher.

Cross Curriculum Priority: Asia and Australias engagement with Asia.

*NOTE: In the previous class, students learnt about materials used for robot construction.





1. ENGAGE (foster positive relationships; elicit prior knowledge; connect to past learning experiences; develop shared
expectations)



2. EXPLORE (generate and investigate questions and develop ideas; identify conceptions and challenge misconceptions; present
challenging tasks)

Activity Goal Time Grouping Focus Anticipated Probs
A quick review of last class to check
recall of materials used to make a robot
and where these materials can be
sourced. Statement of learning outcomes
and expectations for this lesson.
To quickly review last
lesson, and to set
pathway for this
lesson
10 m





Teacher to
class




Include and engage all
students and make
students aware of how last
class and this class will be
connected.
Lack of recall of last class.

Students have previously downloaded
the XE app (using phones or ipads).
Students (in pairs) now use the app to
compare the Australian dollar with
another currency over the last year. The
task is to report back to the class with
relevant information about the exchange
rate, namely peak, trough and
fluctuations. Information is reported
back through polleverywhere and shown
on the projector.
To start using the app
and polleverywhere to
communicate, and to
begin to understand
exchange rates
10 m Pairs Using polleverywhere
quickly and help students
understand how exchange
rates work
May be some confusion
about how exchange
rates actually work.
Activity Goal Time Grouping Focus Anticipated Probs
Now in groups of 4, students are now
given a brainstorming task: to discuss
which industries and products are
affected by exchange rate fluctuations,
After learning how to
understand foreign
exchange rates,
students can now
15m Groups of 4 To make sure each group is
generating ideas, by going
around to groups and
assisting.
Could be some struggles
with ideas.



3. EXPLAIN (provide opportunities for students to demonstrate current level of understanding; explicitly teach relevant knowledge
and skills; content represented in multiple ways; assist students to represent their ideas.)





and to give examples. inquire into which
situations the rates
become relevant.
Activity Goal Time Grouping Focus Anticipated Probs
At the conclusion of this task, groups
enter their responses through
polleverywhere, leading to a class
discussion, which can measure the depth
of understanding of students.
To test students level
of understanding,
clarify questions.
15 m Teacher to
class
Also emphasise the value
of writing clear
information for
polleverywhere.
Will polleverywhere be
too slow?
The next task involves real life case
studies of Australian companies that
have been significantly affected by
exchange rate fluctuations when dealing
with Asia.

The goal of this task is
to confirm and further
clarify understanding
from previous activity,
and to extend on the
ideas previously
discussed.
15m Groups of 3 * Each group will study a
different case, meaning that
students showing advanced
understanding will be
assigned more difficult
cases, and students
struggling with
understanding can be
assigned a slightly easier
case.
Different students will
read and analyse at
different speeds.
4. ELABORATE (students identify and definite relationships between concepts; generate principles and rules; support students to
create and support hypotheses;



5. EVALUATE (formally record students progress against learning goals; provide feedback and assist students to evaluate progress
and achievements; support students to reflect on learning process; identify future learning goals.)

Activity Goal Time Grouping Focus Anticipated Probs
After brainstorming ideas and studying
cases, students can now develop theories
about how to use exchange rates to
benefit their robot business. They have
prior knowledge about robot materials
and know that most of the materials are
sourced in different parts of Asia. They
also know that if their robot is to be
profitable it needs to be exported. Going
back to their robot building groups,
students will develop theories and
speculate about how to make their robot
cost-efficient.

To apply the
knowledge of
exchange rates and
materials and
exchange rate
strategies and develop
their own strategy
relevant to their
project
15
mins
Groups of 4 Give a clear instruction -
three strategies that are
directly related to the
materials that they will
need.
* The teacher encourages
advanced students to create
detailed and specific
strategies. The teacher
assists lower level students
to develop practical ideas.
It might be hard to think
of good strategies, but the
case studies gave
examples.
Activity Goal Time Grouping Focus Anticipated Probs
The teacher monitors the exchange rate
strategies of each group, provides
feedback and evaluates the progress of
each group. (Formative Assessment)
To monitor the
understanding of each
group
10
mins
Groups of 4 To think of how to deal
with exchange rates in
advance, and prevent
losses for their company
Quite demanding subject
matter
The teacher identifies how students will
use todays knowledge in future classes.
To connect this class
with future classes
5
mins
Teacher to
class



Sources:

Industry Groups welcome falling Australian dollar
http://www.smh.com.au/business/industry-groups-welcome-falling-australian-dollar-20140915-10h8n5.html

List grows of companies hardest hit by falling Australian dollar
http://www.smh.com.au/business/list-grows-of-companies-hardest-hit-by-falling-australian-dollar-20141007-10rf1b.html

B2B Manufacturing confidence and exchange rates
http://www.roymorgan.com/findings/b2b-manufacturing-confidence-and-exchange-rates-april-2013-201306062257

Australian international education sector braces for a long hard recovery
http://monitor.icef.com/2012/10/australian-international-education-sector-braces-for-a-long-hard-recovery/