STTOP – A Fresh Way to Teach Sustainability in HaSS

Introduction

HAA is excited to be working with STTOP (Stay Tuned To Our Planet) to support teachers in bringing sustainability and environmental understanding into HaSS classrooms in a positive, engaging way. STTOP is a free, 28‑episode online series and education program designed to help young people explore environmental and climate issues without fear, overwhelm or doom‑scrolling. Each short episode blends storytelling, science, and practical action, making it ideal for primary and secondary students. The program is Australian, classroom‑ready, and aligns strongly with the sustainability focus embedded across the HaSS curriculum.

Some popular podcast episodes from STTOP.

How to Use It in the Classroom

Teachers can use STTOP episodes as lesson starters, inquiry prompts, or part of a broader sustainability unit. Each episode introduces a key environmental idea, from waste to biodiversity to energy, in a way that encourages curiosity and solutions‑focused thinking. Students can watch an episode, discuss the key message, and then explore how the issue connects to their own community or local environment. The program also includes supporting materials that help teachers build inquiry questions, guide reflection, and connect learning to real‑world action.

Five practical tips, tricks and ideas for the classroom

• Use an episode as a weekly “Sustainability Starter” to spark discussion
• Pair episodes with local case studies to make learning place‑based
• Have students create a “STTOP Action Journal” to track small changes they try
• Use a think‑pair‑share routine to unpack each episode’s key message
• Invite students to design a poster or infographic summarising one episode’s theme

Australian Curriculum Connections

• AC9HG7K02 – Interconnections between people, places and environments
• AC9HG7K03 – Causes, impacts and responses to environmental changes
• AC9HG8K04 – Strategies to enhance the sustainability of places
• AC9HS6S04 – Use digital and spatial technologies to represent data and information
• AC9HG9S04 – Propose actions to respond to geographical challenges