Growing Smarter: Exploring Australian Sugarcane Production | Year 9-10

This five-lesson unit explores the Australian sugarcane industry and the technologies and innovations that enhance sustainable sugarcane production in Australia. 

Teachers can use these activities to support their pedagogical methods within the classroom. This resource contains the following;

• Teacher-focused lesson guides to assist with delivering a range of engaging activities, providing active links to media clips and source materials.
• Resource and equipment lists to support planning and organisation, and link to any relevant industry materials and information.
• Worksheets/activities for instant lesson planning and student engagement.
• Answers for teacher and student guidance.

Each lesson has curriculum alignment to:

• Version 9 of the Australian curriculum 
• New South Wales Agriculture Technology 7–10 Syllabus (2019)

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LESSON ONE | Introduction to the Australian Sugarcane Industry

Throughout this lesson, students will analyse the role of the sugarcane industry in Australia’s economy, culture and society as they explore the paddock-to-packet journey of sugarcane. Students will explain the interactions between Australia’s sugarcane sector and the wider community as they explore the diversity of careers involved in the supply chain through direct employment and the businesses that the sugar industry relies on for production. Students will investigate the diverse uses of sugarcane as well as sugarcane value-added products and describe the function of these products in domestic and international markets.

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LESSON TWO | Growing Sugarcane

During this lesson, students will develop an understanding of the needs of sugarcane crops as they observe, explain and evaluate a range of management decisions implemented on sugarcane farms to improve the profitability, productivity and sustainability of production. Students will consider the need for specialised plant breeding in the industry and will use hands-on materials to create a model of a sugarcane crop as they develop an understanding of the impacts of planting density on sugarcane growth.

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LESSON THREE | Rotational Cropping and Soil Health in Sugarcane Production

Throughout this lesson, students will investigate the importance of soil health and explore responsible soil management practices in sugarcane production. Students will investigate and analyse soil quality indicators and will evaluate current agricultural methods utilised by sugarcane growers to enhance the sustainability and productivity of their enterprise.

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LESSON FOUR | Sustainability in the Sugarcane Industry

Throughout this lesson, students will explore the sustainability challenges faced by Australia’s sugarcane growers and develop an understanding around the ways that innovations in emerging technologies and management practices are supporting growers to improve the sustainability, productivity, profitability, and social responsibility of their enterprises.

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LESSON FIVE | Pests and Diseases in Sugarcane

Throughout this lesson, students will explore biosecurity measures implemented when growing sugarcane to reduce the risk of weeds, pests and diseases having widespread impacts on the industry. Students will investigate, explain and evaluate the recommended management practices for sugarcane growers around managing biosecurity threats as they develop their understanding of the six sugarcane biosecurity zones.

Developed in collaboration with CANEGROWERS.

Thanks to: 

• Bundaberg CANEGROWERS
• Mackay Sugar
• Sugar Research Australia
• Sunshine Sugar

For content and images supplied for use in this resource.