Materials

Futures wheel template, either photocopied for students or drawn on whiteboard / large sheet of paper for them to copy

The activity

• 1. Brainstorm with the class about the drier climate predicted for Australia. What will the climate be like in your area in 10 / 15 / 20 years time?
• Use the Think, pair, share approach for the next steps.
• 2. Ask students to work alone at first and to think about the implications of a drier climate for them. Encourage them to think of positive as well as negative consequences, to think creatively and 'outside the square'. Further brainstorming with the whole class may help start the thinking. Questions and prompts might include:
• • Will their favourite sports be affected? How?
  • They will probably be working in 10 to 15 years. What effects might a drier climate have on their proposed career? On the world of work generally?
  • As consumers, what are the implications for the availability and processes of food production? How will the local environment / industry / community be affected?
  • What innovations and new technology might be developed in response to the drier climate?
• 3. Students then work with a partner to share and expand their ideas. If students are not familiar with using a futures wheel, explain the process and ask students to consider their ideas as a chain of consequences or implications, and work in pairs to create a futures wheel for two different consequences.
• 4. The pairs of students then combine to form groups of four. They share, discuss, add to and refine their futures wheels to present to the rest of the class. Suggest to groups that they combine their ideas and prepare a 'final draft' for sharing with the class.
• 5. Each group presents their futures wheels which may be further refined following input and sharing with others.

next» Futures Thinking: Planning for a Drier Climate - Part 3