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Home > Consulting > Big Ideas > Sample Links & Strategies - Systems

Broken Bay Big Ideas Project

Sample Big Idea: Systems

For the purpose of identifying the kinds of links that can make Big Ideas more Real, Rich & Relevant, the following links were chosen to help define "Systems" and then explore natural and man-made systems that affect us. Additional background on the rationale for links like these and such strategies as "Learning to Look," "Samplers," and "WebQuests" is available in the document: Curriculum Guidelines & Strategies for The Big Ideas Project (2.5 mg pdf)

Primary

Learning to Look

• Body systems: animated trip through the Visible Human, Skeletal and other Body systems
• Circulatory system: Simple animation of the heart and a more detailed look at the centre of the circulatory system. Compare this to the Four-Stroke Engine
• Solar System: Animation of Our Solar System (Inner Planets Only) and A Better version. Why is this called a "Solar System?"

Middle

Learning to Look

System - defined

Man-made Systems

• List of countries by system of government and Australia's System of Government
• The Four Stroke Engine and another version from NASA
• Languages - Use Morse Code or learn about Bytes and how they create The Alphabet in Binary Code (you can also get creative yourself - it's digitalicious!)

Natural Systems

• Definitions of Habitat on the Web can get you started to explore Australia's Ecosystems and then Investigate an Ecosystem.
• Simple animation of the heart and a more detailed view
• Learn about Weather Systems and view an illustration of how depressions work. Then explore the typical weather map patterns for Australia

Big Question: Choose one system and explain how the parts work together to make up the whole.

Secondary

Definitions & Overviews

• Australia's Political System
• Ecosystem
• Globalisation
• Themes from The Merchants of Cool

WebQuest Group Actions

Using the links above (and others you might find), describe all the systems that affect your life. Then divide them into the following categories:

• Those that you can participate in
• Those that you have no control over
• Those that you are a major actor in

Common Resources

• A hotlist of Thinking Scaffold Links
• Sample Learning to Look Activity posted on the myinternet training site
• "My China" as a model for the Subject Sampler
• Exemplary WebQuest: Freedom Fighter or Terrorist?
• Group Process / Action Plan for a WebQuest: "Crool Zone"
• The 2nd10 Steps