Understanding Traffic Problems

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Curriculum Alignment

Australian Curriculum – Year 5 (Social Sciences and Humanities – Geography and Civics)

• ACHASSK113: The influence of people, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, on the environmental characteristics of Australian places.
• ACHASSK120: The environmental and human causes of changes to a place, and how these affect the location and management of spaces within them.

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Lesson Objectives

By the end of this session, students will be able to:

1. Identify the causes of traffic jams and explain their impact on daily life in Australian urban settings.
2. Understand how traffic contributes to air and noise pollution, and the effect of pollutants such as Carbon monoxide, Sulphur dioxide, Nitrogen oxides, Hydrocarbons, and Carbon dioxide.
3. Link traffic-related pollution with health issues such as asthma and its effect on individuals and communities, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations.
4. Discuss the role of urban planning and personal choices in reducing traffic problems and accidents.

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Time Breakdown (46 minutes)

1. Introduction (5 minutes)

Activity Objective: Engage students with real-world contexts for the lesson.

1. Begin with a short discussion: “Think about your journey to school or to the shops. Have you ever been stuck in traffic? How did it feel?”
2. Share a quick relatable fact: "Did you know that Australians spend more than 4 years of their lives sitting in traffic on average?"
3. Pose the essential question: “Why do you think traffic is such a problem in big cities like Sydney, Melbourne, or Brisbane?”

2. Causes of Traffic (10 minutes)

Activity: Group Brainstorm and Mapping Exercise

1. Divide the class into two small groups (3 students each). Provide each group with a large sheet of butcher’s paper and markers.
2. Task: Brainstorm the main causes of traffic jams in Australian cities. Examples:
   • Too many vehicles on the road.
   • Poor urban planning.
   • Accidents on highways.
   • Weather conditions.
   • Public transport delays.
3. Have groups share their brainstorm results, and as a class, group their answers into categories on the whiteboard (e.g., “Human Causes” vs “Environmental Causes”).

Teacher Prompt: “Are these issues the same across all parts of Australia, or do they differ between cities and rural areas?”

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3. Pollution and Traffic (15 minutes)

Activity 1 (7 minutes): Exploring Air and Noise Pollution

1. On the board, write:
   • Carbon monoxide (CO)
   • Sulphur dioxide (SO₂)
   • Nitrogen oxides (NOₓ)
   • Hydrocarbons
   • Carbon dioxide (CO₂)
2. Briefly explain each pollutant in student-friendly terms:
   • Carbon monoxide: “A gas from car engines; it’s odourless but very harmful to our lungs.”
   • Sulphur dioxide: “Comes from burning fuel in cars or factories; causes acid rain and affects breathing.”
   • Nitrogen oxides: “From cars and power stations; can make the air smoggy.”
   • Hydrocarbons: “Released when fuel doesn’t burn properly; it forms chemicals that harm plants and animals.”
   • Carbon dioxide: “Released by cars, traps heat in the Earth’s atmosphere and causes climate change.”
3. Show students images of smoggy streets or busy traffic in Australian cities as a visual aid.
4. Pose a quick question to think critically: “How do these pollutants affect our health and the health of animals?”

Activity 2 (8 minutes): Link to Noise Pollution

1. Use this example to highlight noise pollution: Play 2 short contrasting audio clips—
   • Clip 1: A birdsong or quiet bush setting.
   • Clip 2: Traffic noise with honking and loud engines.
2. Discuss:
   • “How does traffic noise affect our mood and concentration?”
   • “How might this affect those living close to freeways or airports?”

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4. Traffic, Accidents, and Asthma (10 minutes)

Activity 1 (5 minutes): Small Group Role Play

1. Divide the class again into two groups of 3. Assign each a role:
   • Group A: A family living near a busy road.
   • Group B: A doctor explaining how air pollution triggers asthma attacks.
2. Provide a brief set of role prompts:
   • Family: Discuss the challenges faced due to traffic, noise, and air pollution.
   • Doctor: Explain how pollutants like CO and NOₓ lead to health issues, especially asthma.
3. Have each group ‘perform’ in front of the class briefly.

Activity 2 (5 minutes): Real-Life Discussion Questions
Ask students:

• “Why is asthma now more common in children in urban areas than in the past?”
• “What can local councils or governments do to reduce these risks?”

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5. Solutions and Reflection (6 minutes)

Activity: Personal Connection Activity

1. Discuss as a class how they can personally help reduce traffic and pollution. Examples:
   • Walking or biking more often.
   • Encouraging parents to carpool.
   • Using public transport.
   • Writing letters to the local council for better bike lanes or public transport improvements.
2. Group Reflection Question:
   • “How do you think Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities might have managed travel in the past without creating pollution?”
3. Brainstorm sustainable ideas: “If you were designing a city, how would you make it less reliant on cars to reduce traffic and pollution?”

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Assessment

Formative: Teacher observes participation in group discussions and role-plays, and checks contributions to the ideas brainstorms.
Summative: Each student writes a 3-sentence response to:

• “What is one step we can take to reduce traffic problems in our community, and why is it important?”

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Resources Needed

1. Whiteboard and markers.
2. Butcher’s paper and markers.
3. Audio clips of birdsong and traffic noise.
4. Printed diagrams or images showing air pollutants and their sources.
5. Brief scripts for the role-play activity.

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Extension Ideas for Early Finishers

• Have students design a poster advocating for reducing reliance on cars to reduce pollution and accidents.
• Assign students a research topic: Explore one Australian city with a significant traffic issue and write 3 facts about it.

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This lesson encourages hands-on, thoughtful discussions and provides real-world context to learning. It also integrates geography, civics, and health science concepts, ensuring students make connections between traffic, pollution, and human well-being.