T1 Science

ST2-1WS-S questions, plans and conducts scientific investigations, collects and summarises data and communicates using scientific representations

ST2-2DP-T selects and uses materials, tools and equipment to develop solutions for a need or opportunity

ST2-4LW-S compares features and characteristics of living and non-living things

Learning content: compares features and characteristics of living and non-living things

Working in groups, you will participate in 4 work stations where you will experience some of the tasks that scientists do.  The work stations are:

• fruit basket

• potatoes

• shells

• butcher's paper  

Your teacher will give you instructions for each work station.

NOTE - Evolution is described as change from one species to another. Adaptation is when an animal changes to suit the environment , which is what we believe to be true.

When you have finished, discuss what kind of thinking you needed to do at each of the stations, and see how this connects to what scientists do in their jobs.

Learning content: compares features and characteristics of living and non-living things

Learning content: compares features and characteristics of living and non-living things

Last week we learnt about the two big groups that all living creatures are divided into: vertebrates and invertebrates.  In this lesson we are going to go a bit further in identifying different vertebrates.  Vertebrates can be classified into different groups depending on different features and different abilities they have.

Did you know that there are around 9 million different species of living creatures in the world?  It makes sense that scientists want to be able to look at the similarities between the different living creatures.

You will now work in groups to discover different characteristics of all the different vertebrate groups.  Make notes of the main characteristics of your group of animals so that you can explain it to the whole class afterwards.

Birds

Reptiles

Amphibians

Fish

Complete these two pages in your project booklet.

Learning content: compares features and characteristics of living and non-living things

In this lesson we are going to learn how to use a flow-chart to help us work out which group an animal belongs to.

With a partner, look at the animals shown, and then follow the questions on the flow chart to see how this chart can help you identify which animal group they belong to.

Now that you have had some practice using the flow chart above, your task is to create your own flow-chart, showing the path that you would take to classify one of the endangered animals that we are looking at this term.  You will find a page in your project booklet to draw your chart on.

Learning content: compares features and characteristics of living and non-living things

Learning content:  

compares features and characteristics of living and non-living things

defines problems with a view to developing solutions

How have our 5 animals had to adapt in order to survive in their changing habitat?

You now have the opportunity to start exploring about some of the different animals - you won't get time to do all of them, so make sure you start with the one that interests you most.  Record your thinking in your workbook on the animal adaptations pages.

Use the videos or websites below to learn more about each animal.

If there is time at the end of the lesson maybe one person could share what they have learnt about each of the animals.

Learning content:  

compares features and characteristics of living and non-living things

defines problems with a view to developing solutions

Task Two

Watch the videos below and work out what kinds of changes in the environment are threatening the survival of animals in our world.

Can you make connections between what is threatening the different living things?

Can you think of anything else that might endanger the lives of different creatures?

Learning content:  

compares features and characteristics of living and non-living things

defines problems with a view to developing solutions

Task One

Your teacher will read you a book that reminds you about how animals get their food, and how the food chain is very important for the survival of all living things.  Either Pass The Energy Please by B McKinney or Who Eats What? by P Lauber.

Task Three

You will randomly select an animal.  Your task is to research your animal and to work out its food chain.

You need to record the food chain in your workbook.

Learning content:  

compares features and characteristics of living and non-living things

defines problems with a view to developing solutions

Lesson One

20 min - ALL YEAR 3 TOGETHER - Discuss the following questions with a partner. Food chain picture click here.

• What do you think would happen if all the plants in the world died? 

• What would happen if all the sharks in the ocean disappeared?

• Discuss the problem of missing links in food chain/effects (video to begin). Ecosystem balance discussed

What can we learn from our discussions?  Share with the whole class.

40 min: OWN ROOMS: RESEARCH A FOOD CHAIN - use the questions below to help you draw a food chain (questions to be shown on the class screen). Google search the questions and you can write the answers in your TOPIC BOOK.  Have all the information ready to draw a food chain in your TOPIC BOOK and label it, in the next lesson!

Animals to research, choose one: Polar Bear, Lion, Golden Eagle.

1. Is your animal a herbivore or a carnivore?

2. What does your animal eat?

3. What plant is eaten by the herbivore in your food chain?

4. What animal eats your animal? (Predator)

5. What is the animal at the top of your food chain (apex)?

6. Are there any animals that eat the apex animal?

7. What decomposers eat the animal at the top of the food chain?

8. What would happen if one part of the food chain was reduced?

9. What would happen if one part of the food chain over-produced? (eg. plagues of rats in grain silos of Western NSW - Video here...

Lesson 3

(90 min) 

• 45 min - MAKE A FOOD CHAIN FROM PRODUCER TO DECOMPOSER on your researched animal.

Your task is to choose one of the endangered animals and create a food chain from producer to decomposer.

 Then choose one of the ideas below and create your own visual representation of your animal's food chain. (Your teacher will supply materials for you to use)

Learning content:  

compares features and characteristics of living and non-living things

defines problems with a view to developing solutions

(45 min) A FOOD WEB

What happens when part of the food web changes? Discuss the situation below...

What caused the Australian rat plague?

There was plenty of grain in the paddocks and in storage for the mice to eat, as well as fewer predators, which died during the drought - falcons, owls, kites, kestrels, hawks, kookaburras, foxes, feral cats and snakes. In 2021,  regional New South Wales had a particularly mild, moist summer that allowed the mice to keep breeding throughout summer and into autumn.  MOUSE PLAGUE VIDEO  click here  (only need to watch to 2min 30sec.)

The ecosystem changed: the environment experienced more rain and temperatures were mild (not hot). Also, the predators were not around to keep the population down

 Your task: Draw a food web to include the food chain you have just completed  FOOD WEB VIDEO click here.  (it will have more detail than the food chain) including all possible food sources (see workbook page ‘Food Web’). You can Google to search for all possible food sources and include them your drawing of the web.

Animals don't only eat one food - most of them eat lots of different things.  That makes it more difficult to represent.

Have a look at the example below.  Ask a partner questions from this food web.

See if you can develop a food web for a different one of the 5 endangered animals that we are looking at this term.

40 min - food web assessment.

Learning content:  

compares features and characteristics of living and non-living things

defines problems with a view to developing solutions

COMBINED CLASSES introduction - today we will choose which animal to study. You will choose your top 3 animals and your teacher will let you know which one you will study. You must choose which animal you think should be saved. This might be based on which animal you think is the most at risk or which animal you think you can make a difference for. Endangered animal research choice selector 

OWN CLASS -  we will:

1. Choose our top 3 animals

2. Spend 10 minutes revising the terminology of a food web and examine the picture below

3. Complete the food chain assessment (20 minutes) 

What is threatening our Australian animals?

You have selected one of the 5 endangered Australian animals that we are studying this term (your teacher will let you know which one). You will research it this week and work on a plan for a sanctuary next week. 

It is your job to research and find out everything that is threatening the survival of this animal.  You will need to record this in your workbook.

You are encouraged to use Worldbook, Britannica online and KidRex for your research, or the links below.

You will need to prepare a 1 minute presentation to share with your class about what you have learned.  You will share this presentation in Lesson 3.

You can click on the pictures below to help you with information for your research.

RESEARCH ROOMS:   3I (Glossy Black Cockatoo/Koala),   3C (Rock Wallaby/Murray Cod),   3P (HB Turtle)

Once you have made your choice, you must explain to the class why you made that choice. You should try and convince the class that the animal you have chosen is the one that needs the most urgent help!  To help do this you will need to share the evidence that you have collected as to why this animal should be saved. 

Complete research and produce a Keynote presentation, which must include:

• A description of the animal 

• An image of the animal 

• What classification the animal is

• What habitat the animal needs

• What food source the animal needs 

• What is threatening the animal

• Its predators

SEARCH WORDS to add to your animal search - diet, food web, predators, habitat

At 30 minutes before the end of the day, students present to the class. Groups are spread amongst two rooms so that each of the five endangered animal Keynote presentations are given.

Learning content:  

defines problems with a view to developing solutions

questions, plans and conducts scientific investigations, collects and summarises data and communicates using scientific representations

 30 min - Plan items necessary for sanctuary and research - use scrap paper for ideas then use PBL book for design - see SANCTUARY DESIGN page.

Before designing your conservation sanctuary in groups, you must plan what it will look like and what it will contain.

The purpose of the sanctuary is to protect your chosen animal and provide a safe space for them to breed and have their numbers increased before returning them to the wild. The sanctuary must be a copy of the preferred habitat of the animals as much as possible.

PBL Task considerations to think about before the next lesson...

• • make a list of all the possible foods the animal might eat

  • list all elements of the environment that it might need to create a home where it would feel secure for breeding

  • list all potential predators.  

  • the sanctuary needs to be of a good size, and realistic for in the wild, to help prepare the animals ultimately to be released into the wild.  

• (30 min) Team to discuss and make list of items and brainstorm what to include in sanctuary needed to build the model. Research, make notes and also complete Sanctuary Design in the workbook.  Teacher to provide material sheet for students to take home and bring materials in ready for W8.  Materials sheet for sanctuary

• (30 min) Students to start collecting items from school and placing into boxes bags, to add to what they bring in from home. (EXTENSION - interview group members with Q&A to explain what they have done and why, and also ideas for laws to protect their animal - differentiation)

Learning content:  

defines problems with a view to developing solutions

questions, plans and conducts scientific investigations, collects and summarises data and communicates using scientific representations

Now you have brought in your materials, it is time to begin to create the conservation sanctuary

Remember to make the conservation space as lifelike as possible.

Where possible, use actual materials which would be present in real life e.g. grass, sticks, and leaves.

Make a sign for your sanctuary with some rules to help keep your animal safe and ensure its breeding successfully.

Learning content:  

defines problems with a view to developing solutions

questions, plans and conducts scientific investigations, collects and summarises data and communicates using scientific representations

Continue creating the conservation sanctuary you began last lesson and show in the Year 3 combined display.

Remember to make the conservation space as lifelike as possible.

Where possible, use actual materials which would be present in real life e.g. grass, sticks, and leaves.

Make a sign for your sanctuary with some rules to help keep your animal safe and ensure its breeding successfully.

Learning content:  

defines problems with a view to developing solutions

questions, plans and conducts scientific investigations, collects and summarises data and communicates using scientific representations

Task One

Create the government policy that is needed to protect your endangered animal when it is released back into the wild.

 What rules or government policy should be put into place in order to help protect these animals.  

You will need to create an advertisement poster to educate everyone about the new policy. 

Task Two

Prepare a presentation for the rest of the class.  You must include:

1. What animal you chose and why you chose it

2. A description about the animal

3. The sanctuary you designed and why you designed it that way

4. The items you used to make the sanctuary and why you chose them

5. The government policy you suggest and why it should be introduced.

Your presentation can be a talk, a demonstration of your model and can include Keynote slides.

Learning content:  

defines problems with a view to developing solutions

questions, plans and conducts scientific investigations, collects and summarises data and communicates using scientific representations

Your group will showcase your sanctuary to the rest of the class.