News & Events

ForestLearning is thrilled to announce that its years 5-6 cross-curricular resource, “Sustainable Schools: Going Green in Your Canteen”, has received a ‘Highly Commended’ award in the Primary School Geography Resource F-6 category at the Australian Geography Teachers’ Association (AGTA) Awards, held at the AGTA24 Conference in Darwin this October. 

The AGTA Awards, presented every two years, celebrate high-quality resources that support geography education in Australian schools. Recognising outstanding contributions to the field, AGTA commends publishers and developers who create engaging, relevant, and impactful products for teachers and students nationwide.
  

The ForestLearning Sustainable Schools resource, developed in collaboration with the Geography Teachers Association of Victoria (GTAV) and the Design and Technologies Teachers Association Victoria (DATTAVic), received praise for its innovation and practical application in teaching sustainability. 

The ‘Sustainable Schools: Going Green in Your Canteen’ unit introduces students to sustainability by exploring renewable resources and sustainable forestry. Across 9 lessons, students explore the origins and spatial distribution of forests, understanding how wood-based materials can replace single-use plastics with eco-friendly alternatives. Through hands-on projects, such as designing a reusable cutlery pouch made from rayon—a renewable fabric sourced from wood fibre — students apply sustainable design thinking. This approach not only teaches sustainability but also fosters an appreciation for renewable wood products and sustainable forestry’s role in climate solutions. 

According to the AGTA award citation, this resource earned high marks in several areas: 

• Significance: Recognised for its meaningful contribution to enhancing geography education in Australia. 

• Usefulness and Appropriateness: Praised for its practical application and value within geographical education. 

• Content and Design: Commended for its engaging presentation and well-structured teacher and student booklets, which bring sustainability to life through hands-on activities. 

AGTA Judges noted: “This is a highly commended resource with both teacher and student booklets. Activities are colourfully and clearly presented and enable practical application of aspects of sustainability.” 

Beth Welden, Program Manager at ForestLearning, expressed her appreciation: “It’s an honour to be recognised by AGTA for our contribution to geography education. We are deeply grateful to GTAV, DATTAVic, forest industry experts, and the dedicated educators who contributed to this resource.” 

She added, “This commendation inspires us to keep developing resources that empower students to tackle sustainability challenges and take meaningful action for a better future.” 

 By teaching students about renewable resources and sustainable practices, Sustainable Schools: Going Green in Your Canteen not only supports important learning outcomes but also builds understanding of how forestry and wood-based materials contribute to sustainability.
 

 ForestLearning is dedicated to providing teachers with resources that inspire the next generation to appreciate sustainable practices and the value of renewable materials in creating a more sustainable future. 

Get the Resource: Download Sustainable Schools: Going Green in Your Canteen for free and bring sustainability to life in your classroom!