2015 World’s Biggest Classroom
Our World
FOOTPRINT
FREE
Sustainable Living
& Ethical Art
and more sustainable future. For a number of years now
architects have considered ways to employ natural heating
and cooling to reduce power consumption, use water
more efficiently and apply materials that minimize
environmental impact. With global warming and urban
overcrowding now a fact of life, 21st-century designers
must also consider the additional layer of whether homes
are adaptable and resilient to the environmental and
demographic changes that lie ahead.
The arts are uniquely placed to explain these issues of
climate change and other environmental challenges, and
to motivate people to work towards solutions and to adopt
more sustainable lifestyles. Many organisations already
use art and design to raise awareness of ecological
concerns and to get consumers thinking about nature and
sustainability. They can assist us to move towards more
sustainable lifestyles by communicating
science in simple language, building community capacity, creating empathy for the natural environment and
motivating people
to live sustainably.
Albert Einstein
“The environment is
everything that isn't me.”
The visual arts, however, do not always produce the
prettiest of pictures themselves. There are lashings of toxic
pigments, solvents, petrochemicals, formaldehyde and
other ecologically destructive materials used to create
works so they will last for centuries.
‘Sustainability’ has overtaken ‘social networking’ as the
new buzz word of the day. An increasing number of
courses, conferences, think tanks, exhibitions, and articles
have been devoted to the subject over the past few years.
Defined in various ways, sustainability is commonly
understood as a process or state that can be maintained
at a certain level indefinitely. It relates to how long human
(ecological) systems can be expected to be usefully
productive.
The Brundtland Commission (the World Commission on
Environment and Development) has put a more flexible,
future-oriented spin on the concept by defining
sustainable development as “meeting the needs of the
present without compromising the ability of future
generations to meet their own needs.”
Innovations in technology, practices and materials are
pushing architecture and home design towards a smarter
Perhaps what we need are more artists to move from
making work that carries significant ecological messages to
actually reducing their own artwork’s footprint. How much
art can the world exhibit? Should artworks of the future be
transient and biodegradable? Imagine footprint-free art!
Resources
About | Inhabitat Sustainable Design
Innovation, Eco Architecture, Green
Building
 Design marketing products to promote a
footprint free lifestyle.
 Create an ethical artwork with an environmental theme.
 Design a footprint free 21 century home,
school or community space.
st
CONTACT DETAILS
Sandra Copeman
Sponsorship Unit
Level 1, 1 Oxford Street
Darlinghurst NSW 2010
M 0467 797 203
E [email protected]
2015 World’s Biggest Classroom
Our World
GOING
GLOBAL
Global Citizenship &
Intercultural Understanding
The 2015 Schools Spectacular theme, ‘This is Our World’,
reflects young people’s global connections and their
capacity to engage with and shape the world of the future.
A world in which they will live as global citizens.
Global citizenship involves connecting with different places,
people and cultures within Australia and across the rest of
the world. It involves viewing other countries and cultures ,
through the lens of our own experiences, backgrounds and
communities. The focus of these connections is on exploring what links us, the equality of those relationships, and
how we can learn from, as well as about them.
But what defines our culture? Many people assume that a
country’s culture is just heritage, arts, food, family life,
social etiquette, festivals and rituals. What we see and
touch is only a small part of a culture. Cultures can actually
be regarded as icebergs with 7/8 hidden below the surface.
The more we interconnect with people from other cultures
and different ways of life, the more we realise that how a
culture is interpreted and reflected by a person, goes
beyond learned cultural knowledge and behaviours. It is a
combination of these mixed with unique personalities, life
experiences and elements of human nature. In essence,
there are as many versions of a culture as there are
members of it.
With globalisation, culture is no longer fixed and is now
fluid and constantly in motion. This makes it difficult to
define any culture in only one way. No matter what culture
a person is part of, one thing is for certain, it will change
over time. Preserving yet adapting culture appears to have
become key in our 21st-century interconnected world with
its many ethnically diverse societies, a myriad of riches to
be celebrated and problems to be solved.
Martin Luther King
"Before you finish eating
breakfast this morning
you've depended on
more than half the world"
In achieving global citizenship, we may immediately think
of participating in big schemes to right the world’s wrongs
but perhaps it is in our everyday approach to life that this
goal is truly achievable. Maybe the first stepping stone
toward global caring is to work on the fundamentals of
diversity, respect for others, building communities and
developing skills that promote empathy, dialogue, and
respect for diverse opinions.
As global citizens, we are lucky enough to live on a planet
of diverse cultures, environments, and perspectives. To
make globalism work we all need to engage actively with
the world both within and beyond our own borders, and
work together to make it a more just and connected place.
Resources
http://en.unesco
.org/
 Design a poster and slogan to promote crosscultural awareness or global citizenship.
 Create an artwork representing all thefacets that
define your own culture.
 Devise a multimedia presentation, highlighting the
work of people and/or groups who act as ‘global
carers’ addressing worldwide problems and
working towards positive change.
CONTACT DETAILS
Sandra Copeman
Sponsorship Unit
Level 1, 1 Oxford Street
Darlinghurst NSW 2010
M 0467 797 203
E [email protected]
2015 World’s Biggest Classroom
Think of:
Our World
ILLUMINATE
International Year of Light
& Light Technologies

laser communications connecting the world

the sensory lighting revolution transforming homes,
businesses and the built environment and new
products that save resources

light in art; from the old masters to holograms and
laser beams on cityscapes

Australian telescopes probing the secrets of the
universe

the challenges of light pollution in large cities where
inefficient public lighting wastes energy and causes
‘light pollution’ making it impossible to appreciate
the beauty of the night sky

solar power delivering energy on the go; enabling
water transport on farms, and small self-sustaining
lights in remote communities

Smartphone science that detects the visible/nearinfrared spectrum.
Stephen Hawking
“Look up at the stars and not
down at your feet. Try to make
sense of what you see, and
wonder about what makes the
universe exist. Be curious.”
Light is an imperative cross-cutting discipline of science in
the 21st century. It has revolutionised medicine, opened
up international communication via the Internet, and
continues to be central to linking cultural, economic and
political aspects of the global society.
Why celebrate light? In 1915, the theory of General
Relativity developed by Albert Einstein demonstrated how
light was at the centre of the very structure of space and
time. The science and applications of light have since
created revolutionary, but often unseen, technologies that
directly improve the quality of life worldwide.
Light-based technology is also a major economic driver
with the potential to revolutionise the 21st century just as
electronics did in the 20th century. The United Nations,
therefore, declared 2015 the International Year of Light
and Light-based Technologies.
Through a mix of science, art, culture and education the
Year of Light aims to highlight the importance of light and
optical technologies and their role in our lives. Light and
light-based technologies promote sustainable development
and provide solutions to global challenges in energy,
education, agriculture and health.
From synchrotron light to sunlight, from photosynthesis to
the stars, and from Instagram to smart lighting; it is
undeniable that light in all its forms has a profound effect
on us all. Why not celebrate it?
Resources
www.light2015.org
www.light2015.org.
au
 Create a multimedia presentation outlining the
critical role light plays in our everyday lives.
 Design an artwork using light or light
technology as your stimulus.
 Create a science fair-style project about the
light technology that fascinates you the most.
CONTACT DETAILS
Sandra Copeman
Sponsorship Unit
Level 1, 1 Oxford Street
Darlinghurst NSW 2010
M 0467 797 203
E [email protected]
2015 World’s Biggest Classroom
Our World
INNOVATE
21st Century Design &
Transport Systems
What’s the difference between invention and innovation?
Invention occurs for a reason – somebody is motivated to
do something differently, but their discoveries or
inventions do not become innovations until they change
what people do. The way we build things shapes our lives,
whether appliances and devices, buildings or roads, ports
or railways. Perhaps innovation should be considered to be
human change, with the technology of the day playing any
role from underlying influence to driving force.
Innovations can:

consolidate multiple functions into one tool

save money, time, space or storage

reduce user effort or environmental impact

decrease need for resources and equipment

increase productivity, longevity or customizability

improve communication, provide better service or
empower users.
Innovation is not a destination but an ongoing journey to
the world of tomorrow. Architecture firm Gensler’s award
winning design “London Underline,” is a proposal to turn
the city’s disused underground rail tunnels into a network
of bike and pedestrian paths. Not only would the project
address the problems of overcrowded commuter paths
and disused infrastructure, but the Underline would
harness the kinetic energy of everyone’s footsteps so as to
be completely carbon neutral.
All over the world designers such as these are trying to do
things differently. They think big but start small! They
wonder about problems then research them. They
organise their thoughts and get creative. They experiment,
design new things, make prototypes, listen to feedback
from others, redesign things and put them into action.
The design process usually involves asking a whole lot of
questions about time, cost, safety, processes, function,
appearance and ergonomics.
Steve Jobs
“What a computer is to me
is the most remarkable tool
that we have ever come up
with. It’s the equivalent of a
bicycle for our minds.”
While the design process is unique to each designer and
project, great designers have common qualities. Great
designers have an understanding of the world around
them. They seek out solutions to real problems and try to
make the world a better place. Great designers share their
ideas and work with others to make them real. They are
sensitive to how their creations will be used as well as the
impact a solution may have on the earth. Great designers
focus on how and why something will work, not why it
won't work. They are opportunists, catalysts of change and
creators of experiences. You may be sitting amongst the
great designers of tomorrow in your classroom today.
Resources
www.gensler.com/
news/pressreleases/genslervision-for-disusedlondon-metrolines-wins-london
 Identify an aspect of 21st-century living in need of
innovation. Create a poster or multimedia project
outlining the scope of the issue and including a call
to action for young designers.
 Research an issue or problem and conceptualize
how your project can meet a need. Develop a
concept plan and/or model of your design.
 Design an effective and sustainable mode of
transport or transport system for a rural, metropolitan or inner city precinct. Create a poster or
CONTACT DETAILS
Sandra Copeman
Sponsorship Unit
Level 1, 1 Oxford Street
Darlinghurst NSW 2010
M 0467 797 203
E [email protected]
2015 World’s Biggest Classroom
Our World
LEST WE
FORGET
Anzac Centenary 2014-2018
As we move into the second year of the Anzac Centenary,
many inspiring local and national projects are in motion to
provide Australians with opportunities to explore our own
histories and share in the personal stories of others.
The Research and Adopt A Veteran program is an
opportunity to engage in commemorating the Centenary
of the First World War by researching and adopting an
Australian Imperial Force (AIF) veteran. The process
involves examination of Australia’s involvement in the
First World War, its lasting consequences and impact on
developing Australian identities then and now.
As the war effort gained momentum, communities
changed. In particular, women took on a wide variety of
roles, which altered the face of Australia. The personal
stories uncovered carry as much power as a national
exhibit.
The arts provides a powerful platform through which we
can better understand, remember and reflect on the
accomplishments and sacrifices of Australians in conflicts
and peacekeeping efforts since the First World War.
World travellers have marvelled at the sentiment and
artistry exhibited in the art installation, Blood Swept Lands
and Seas of Red, at the Tower of London. The display
features 888,246 ceramic poppies, a poppy representing
each British fatality during the First World War. The
Australian Government, arts organisations and other levels
of government are also working together to animate a
comprehensive program of commemorative arts and
culture activities across Australia.
Laurence Binyon
"At the going down of the
sun and in the morning
We will remember them.”
In April 2015, Darling Harbour hosted the world premiere
of NoMansLanding, an installation commemorating the
Centenary of Anzac. Inspired by the impossible stand-off of
First World War trench warfare, this creative collaboration
between Australia, the UK and Germany features floating
walkways reminiscent of early 20th Century naval bridges.
Built on the opposing shores of the harbour, it represents a
poignant partnership between historical foes, 100 years on
from the war that reshaped the globe.
Memorials are far more complicated than any monument
might suggest. They are processes involving a collection of
meanings, symbols, emotions, memories and narratives.
No matter the size or scale of the project or whether our
talents lie in investigating local historical facts or knitting
poppies, all Australians can commemorate the Anzac
Centenary in their own personal way.
Resources
lrrpublic.cli.det.nsw.edu.a
u/lrrSecure/Sites/L
RRView/14503/inde
x.htm
 Research a local veteran or family member whose
life was impacted by Australia’s involvement in
WW1.
 Using an image of a local or national landmark,
as your starting point design your own Anzac
Centenary memorial.
 Diarise your family’s or school’s involvement in a
local, state or national or international WW1
Centenary program.
CONTACT DETAILS
Sandra Copeman
Sponsorship Unit
Level 1, 1 Oxford Street
Darlinghurst NSW 2010
M 0467 797 203
E [email protected]
2015 World’s Biggest Classroom
Many more volunteering activities fly unnoticed under the
radar and are carried on quietly in every local community.
Our World
REACH OUT
Volunteering takes many forms and may include physical
work, emotional support, fundraising, advocacy, research
and education for change. There are many reasons why
people choose to volunteer and these may change over
time. Regardless of the activity or reason for becoming
involved, volunteering has a multitude of benefits.
 Volunteering allows you to get involved with new
things and develop technical, social, and academic
skills different to those learned in the classroom.
 Regardless of age, building relationships with people is
crucial. Networking is an amazing benefit of volunteering and provides access to a breadth of knowledge and
professional skills from co-volunteers.
Volunteering, Fundraising &
Community Action
William Shakespeare
"The meaning of life is to
find your gift. The purpose
of life is to give it away."
 Volunteer work reflects many positive character traits
that potential employers and admissions officers want
to see. It often takes you outside your comfort zone,
uncovers unknown talents and allows you to meet a
wide variety of people from all walks of life.
 Volunteering may not involve glamorous jobs, but it
offers beneficial and uplifting experiences. While no
monetary compensation is received, many claim the
work and experiences gained is worth way more than
any potential earnings from another line of work.
While the world is a magnificent place, it is not perfect, and
many people, animals, places, and communities need help.
Governments and professional organisations try to meet
everyone’s needs, but it is impossible for them to achieve
this all the time.
Ordinary people often fill this gap by reaching out to
connect with a person, group, community or cause that
needs their support. Working together, these volunteers
make a difference that lasts a lifetime. They offer the gift of
time to help, teach, build, grow, protect, listen, advocate,
learn and inspire. They expect no pay yet the value of their
work is priceless. They plant seeds of hope in countless
lives and make the world a better place for us all.
The word ‘volunteer’ usually conjures images of high
profile events in extreme conditions such as firefighting in
rural areas or building orphanages in third world countries.
Volunteering won’t necessarily raise your marks, but it will
give you a plethora of other things, like experiences, skills,
connections, a voice and most importantly, an expanded
worldview!
Resources
http://www.vol
unteering.nsw.g
ov.au/
 Design a piece of street art to encourage people to
put down their technology and volunteer their
time, money or resources to help others.
 Create a photo story about your own or your
school’s volunteering and/or fundraising activities.
 Make a multimedia presentation highlighting the
work of a local volunteering hero or group that has
impacted on your own, school or community life.
CONTACT DETAILS
Sandra Copeman
Sponsorship Unit
Level 1, 1 Oxford Street
Darlinghurst NSW 2010
M 0467 797 203
E [email protected]
2015 World’s Biggest Classroom
Our World
READ ALL
ABOUT IT!
The School Magazine ...
99 years and counting
As one of the very first issues of The School Magazine
declared: A Magazine means a storehouse;… There will be
stories of all lands and seas, of our own Australia, of the
mother country, of the regions of tropical suns and of ice
and snow … And whence come all these treasures? The editors write some of the articles specially for you, and search
everywhere for what will give you pleasure and perhaps a
little wisdom too.
Although The School Magazine started small, it grew. Over
the years, it has never skipped a beat, not even during
World War II or the Depression era. Particularly during the
early days, when many school libraries were limited, the
magazines' arrival at schools inspired cheers.
Next year our familiar literary friend, The School Magazine,
celebrates its centenary—100 years of reading adventures
for both knowledge and enjoyment!
Jackie French
‘Stories tell us who we are.
They teach us empathy so
we understand who others
are. They give us the
power to imagine and
create the future.’
To find out more about the magazine, visit their website—
http://theschoolmagazine.com.au/—or just open one of
their magazines, dive in and get lost in a world of wonderful words.
What is The School Magazine? It is Australia's most loved
and longest-running literary magazine for children. For
generations, it has been introducing young readers to a
world of words.
Why do we read magazines? The motivation is the same as
most of our reading adventures. We read them to further
our knowledge and enjoyment. Sometimes, the learning is
part of a school lesson, or sometimes it’s just our need to
discover something new. Other times, we read solely for
pleasure, and experience the pure joy of being taken on a
journey. We can unearth anything that humans have experienced, accomplished, thought, discovered or invented.
Back in 1916, as the world grappled with the horrors
of World War I, the New South Wales Department of
Education had a brave and brilliant idea: why not give
primary school children their own free high-quality literary
magazine? So while war-related hardships abounded, Australian
children, in fact, gained something remarkable: their very
own magazines to read and to treasure.
 Design a cover for Countdown, Blast Off, Orbit or
Touchdown using a text from the magazine as your
stimulus.
 Create a poster using words and pictures detailing
your class’s reading adventures to celebrate next
year’s centenary of The School Magazine.
 Create a play, comic or story as a sound byte with
sound effects or movie with subtitles that is inspired by something you have discovered in The
School Magazine.
CONTACT DETAILS
Sandra Copeman
Sponsorship Unit
Level 1, 1 Oxford Street
Darlinghurst NSW 2010
M 0467 797 203
E [email protected]
2015 World’s Biggest Classroom
Our World
WORLD OF
SPORT
Representative Sport
& Sporting Exchanges
Student athletes from across Australia and the Pacific
region are gearing up for the 9th Pacific School Games
which will take place in Adelaide during November, 2015!
It is expected to attract 4000 primary and secondary
student competitors, aged from 10 to 19. The 2015 PSG
program comprises a mixture of individual and team
events. The Games will also build on the tradition of past
Pacific School Games by fostering friendship and
understanding among cultures. It provides opportunities to
integrate with athletes from other sports and other countries, regions or schools at both sporting and social events.
While the Olympic Games is the number one sporting
event in the world, events such as the Pacific School
Games give young athletes the chance to enjoy a broader
sporting experience and to learn how to handle the
responsibility of representing their country or state .
Australian captain Mile Jedinak, who led the Socceroos in
the AFC Asian Cup final against the Korean Republic, also
plays in the high-profile English Premier League. He is
watched by millions of people around the world every time
he runs onto the field yet he feels there is no greater thrill
a player can have than playing for their country. Before
leading Australia onto the field he shared his views about
leading a national team. “It is the country of my birth. This
is where I grew up. You're representing an entire nation,
not just a club. You always have to have that at the back of
your mind: it's an honour, and it should not be given to you
for the sake of it. It is something you have to earn. You
know that it should never be taken for granted.”
While we hear athletes talk about personal challenges and
goals for improvement, it’s usually as a side comment or
personal reflection. It never gets in the way of the main
focus: to represent their country, the people of the
country, the fans and the grassroots athletes, players and
systems they came up through.
Mile Jedinak
“It is the country of my birth.
This is where I grew up.
You're representing an
entire nation not just a club.“
Representing your state or country is every young sportsperson’s dream or is it? As we all have varied sporting skills
and interests, for many just participating in an event,
achieving our personal best or representing our team,
class, school or region is reward enough in itself. One thing
we know for sure is what an honour and privilege it is for
New South Wales students to be a part of the 2015 Pacific
School Games. To walk on with your team, to represent
your state or country, is an honour. You are a competitor,
and win or lose you will forge bonds and memories that
will last a lifetime.
Resources
 Create a poster promoting New South Wales
reps at the Pacific School Games.
 With words and pictures communicate the
positive outcomes of participating in individual,
team sports, and/or sporting exchanges.
 As a sports journalist create a photo story
about your chosen sport or school sporting
activities, athletes or coaches.
www.pacificscho
olgames.edu.au/
CONTACT DETAILS
Sandra Copeman
Sponsorship Unit
Level 1, 1 Oxford Street
Darlinghurst NSW 2010
M 0467 797 203
E [email protected]