Lesson Plan

Where do your shoes and clothes come from?

Clothing manufacturing in the Asian Region

Year level: 9

Australian Curriculum Learning area: Business/Economics and Geography

Learning Intention
In this lesson, students investigate the ways people work and how businesses use
outsourced labour to manufacture clothing and shoes in the global economy.

Link to Australian Curriculum Standards
Business and Economics
Australia as an economy and its place within the broader Asia and global economy (ACHEK038)
Present reasoned arguments and evidence-based conclusions (ACHES048)

Geography (Unit 2: Geographies of Interconnections)
The ways that places and people are interconnected with other places through trade in goods and services
(ACHGK067)

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for creating
In Economics and Business, students develop ICT capability when they access and use digital technologies as an
investigative and creative tool. They locate, evaluate, research, plan, share and display data and/or information. Using
digital technologies, students create, communicate and present economics and business data and information for a
variety of reasons and audiences.

Cross-curriculum priority: Asia and Australia's engagement with Asia

OI.2 Interrelationships between humans and the diverse environments in Asia shape the region and have global
implications.
OI.7 Australians play a significant role in social, cultural, political and economic developments in the Asia region.

General capability: Intercultural understanding

Students are involved in learning about and engaging with diverse cultures in ways that recognize commonalities and
differences, create connections with others and cultivate mutual respect. In Economics and Business, students develop
an understanding and appreciation of the different ways other countries respond to economic and business issues and
events. They consider the effects of decisions made by consumers, producers, businesses and governments in Australia
on other countries, and the way decisions in other countries affect the Australian economy.



Process

Part 1: Engage and Explore

Have students bring in a picture/take a photograph of themselves wearing casual
clothes/ what they might wear on a typical weekend.
Using photo editor Picasa, have students label where each item of clothing and
shoes were manufactured.
Link labels to Google Maps.

Think pair share: Where in the world was most of your clothing manufactured? How many
countries are from the Asian region? What other products do you have at home that you
can think of that are manufactured in the Asia region?

Group feedback: Create a brainstorm on the board with student responses.

Part 2: Elaborate and Explain
Watch the 'Fashion Factories' episode from ABC Behind the news.
Group discussion and brainstorm of key issues presented in the video.

Mini Research Report:
Have students work in pairs or small groups. Students create and present a mini research
report using an ICT application such as Corkulous or Notability, or alternatively a graphic
organizer. In this task students will draw on group discussion and engage in further
research on the internet.

Suggested websites:
Shop Ethical: Your Consumer Guide
http://www.ethical.org.au

What are sweatshop goods?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/newsid_4600000/newsid_4603800/4603845.stm

Products of Slavery
http://www.productsofslavery.org

Oxfam, Labor Rights: Behind the Seams
https://www.oxfam.org.au/category/blogs/behind-the-seams/

In their report, students need to address the following:
Explain why shoe and clothing companies outsource their labour to countries in the
Asia region.
Define the issues concerning the working conditions in some shoe and
clothing factories in the Asia region.
Identify the impact of the demand for better working conditions on the final costs of
clothes to the consumer.
Explain how some Australian businesses have responded to the impact of the poor
conditions experienced by factory workers.

Group Feedback. Students present their reports to the class and engage in peer
feedback.


Part 3: Evaluate
Group Discussion

In pairs, students discuss: What factors influence consumer choice when making shoe or
clothing purchases. Is it price, fashion, advertising, friends, family, or where it was made?
How has this activity made you think about the clothes and shoes you wear? Have them
feedback and explain their answers.

As a consuer what could ou possibl do to help the woring conditions of those who
ae our clothes and shoes?


Assessment / Feedback
Formative assessment
Students are required to draw on their prior knowledge and understanding of where and
how their own clothes are manufactured. Students discuss together and express, explain,
and relate new information, forming and justifying their new knowledge and points of
view.



Resources and Materials

Picasa: photo editing tool
http://picasa.google.com.au

Google Maps
https://www.google.com.au/maps/preview

Fashion Factories Video
http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s3749317.htm

Possible ICT applications Ss can use:
-Corkulous
-Notability
-Thinglink
-Tellagami
-Inkflow

Websites:
Shop Ethical: Your Consumer Guide
http://www.ethical.org.au

What are sweatshop goods?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/newsid_4600000/newsid_4603800/4603845.stm

Products of Slavery
http://www.productsofslavery.org

Oxfam, Labor Rights: behind the seams
https://www.oxfam.org.au/category/blogs/behind-the-seams/

Sweatshops and Third World Living Standards: Are the Jobs Worth the Sweat?
http://www.independent.org/pdf/working_papers/53_sweatshop.pdf

* This lesson assumes students will have access to Ipads/laptops and internet