Education resources

Year 9 & 10 educational resources

DonateLife, in partnership with Cool.org, an online provider of education resources, has developed nine lessons about organ and tissue donation, aimed at Year 9 and 10 students. All lessons are aligned with the Australian curriculum and have been reviewed by a child and adolescent psychologist. 

Each lesson has its own unique angle, including a range of activities and information presented through video, media clippings, research papers and other forms of engaging content.

Available lessons

The concept of altruism is explored and connected to organ and tissue donation. Myth-busting activities help the students understand more about the topic and counter any misinformation. Students then create a visual aide to help others learn about organ and tissue donation.

Students are asked to consider what groups they belong to and what values these groups share. They then investigate two case studies of civic engagement around the issue of organ donation and use what they have learnt to develop their own poster to engage a target community group.

This lesson investigates the ways donation and transplantation have developed and improved over time. Students are asked to consider the careers involved in organ and tissue donation and transplantation and the potential for innovation. They will then develop presentations for their peers on future possibilities for transplantation.

Time and its meaning are considered by the students. They then link organ and tissue donation to the concept of giving more time to others and write their own creative or persuasive text about time.

Stories about Australians who have received an organ or tissue donation are watched by the students, who then create their own story about the impact of organ and tissue donation.

Students are asked to consider their own opinions about organ and tissue donation. They then think through common concerns or beliefs and how they and others feel about them. Students then plan how to have a conversation with friends and family that lets them know their donation wishes.

Two popular songs that inspire community spirit and celebrate the ways we can give back to our community are compared by the students. Students then write their own lyrics or create a music video to inspire social change.

Students consider a variety of promotions for organ and tissue donation and their possible effects on audiences. They will explore possible reasons for low rates of donor registration among young Australians, then create an innovative campaign that relates to young people and encourages them to take action.

Students will learn about the difference between opt-in and opt-out consent models and identify the strengths and weaknesses in the different approach to content. They will use their prior knowledge, reading and class discussions to participate in a devil’s advocate debate on the consent models.

View all lessons

Access to the lessons is through the Cool.org website. Please note you will need to create a free account with Cool.org to have access to the lessons. The account has absolutely no costs associated with it, but once registered you will have access to all of Cool.org’s education resources, including professional development opportunities, as well as receive their newsletter updates as new content becomes available.

Additional resources

Many of the lessons include links to relevant videos. For quick access to these videos and more, head to our DonateLife YouTube page.

We have organ or tissue transplant recipients, donor families and DonateLife staff members who are willing to speak to students and bring the subject of organ and tissue donation to life.

There’s nothing quite like hearing a real-life story about how organ donation has saved a life, helped a family cope with the death of their loved one or what it means to work in this sector.

Contact your DonateLife state agency if you think hosting a guest speaker would work for your class.

Social media tile - One minute to register (JPG)

Social media tile - Register to be an organ donor (JPG)

Social media tile - Let's talk organ donation (JPG) 

Poster - It only takes a minute (PDF)

Poster - Register to be a donor (PDF) 

Our community resource library has posters, flyers and other useful content you can use around the classroom and social media tiles you could encourage the school to use to alert the school community that organ and tissue donation is being taught at your school.

We are aware that organ and tissue donation can be a sensitive topic and you might like to alert your students' parents to the topic being taught in your classroom. 

We have prepared some draft words you could use to prepare an email to school parents. 

This term we’re investigating organ and tissue donation and the importance of registering your organ and tissue donation decision (yes or no) once you turn 16.

The lesson has been prepared by Cool Australia in partnership with DonateLife and tested by a child psychologist.

I wanted to let you know in case your child raises the topic with you or if this subject might raise concerns for your child. Further information about organ and tissue donation is available at donatelife.gov.au if you would like to know more.

Getting your school involved

Getting involved with a DonateLife event is an easy way to help bring the organ and tissue donation lessons to life for your students.

There are three main events you could choose to take part in each year, giving the students something fun to do, while also raising awareness in your school community about DonateLife.

Held at the beginning of April each year, the Gift of Life Walk encourages schools to take students on a 5k walk, whether that be multiple times around the school oval, or on a route near the school. It’s a double bonus to take part in the walk as the students get to be active, while learning a bit more about a sensitive topic. If you register your school when registrations open you’ll be sent some free shirts and caps for the students to wear!

Find out more about the Gift of Life Walk. 

DonateLife Week is the national awareness raising week for organ and tissue donation. During the week you could host a morning tea and sell cute heart-shaped biscuits (monies raised could be donated to your local children’s hospital or favourite charity); ask your local DonateLife agency to send in a guest speaker to speak at assembly; run a ‘design a DonateLife poster’ competition or hold a poetry or writing competition.

Jersey Day was started by Nathan Gremmo’s family to honour the 13-year-old who donated his organs following an accident. It’s easy to take part in the day, just tell your students to wear their favourite sports jersey, then take some photos and post them to your school social pages tagging #donatelife. 

Find out more about Jersey Day. 

If you would like to speak to someone from DonateLife about the content of these lessons, would like further information or to provide feedback, please get in contact with us at communications@donatelife.gov.au.

We want all Australians to talk about organ and tissue donation. If you want to be a donor, make sure you tell your family and friends.

Registering is easy and only takes one minute. All you need is your phone, Medicare card and one minute to register.

It doesn’t matter how old you are, your medical history, your lifestyle, what country you’re from or how healthy you are — you can still register as an organ and tissue donor.

The Organ and Tissue Authority acknowledges the traditional owners of country throughout Australia, and their continuing connection to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to them and their cultures, and to elders both past and present.

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