Embedded Files
Learning intention: To understand that rainforest environments support different animal life
Learning intention: To understand that rainforest environments support different animal life
Success criteria:
I can identify animals that live in Illawarra subtropical rainforest and in my school grounds and how they form part of the ecosystem.
I can research an animal that lives in Illawarra's tropical rainforests.
I can compare the native animals of Illawarra subtropical rainforest and Borneo rainforests.
Lesson content
Lesson content
Types of environments
Inquiry question: How does the environment support the lives of people and other living things?
Earth's Environment
GE2-1 Examines features and charactersistics of places and environments
GE2-2 Describes the ways people, places and environments interact
GE2-3 Examines differing perceptions about the management of places and environments
GE2-4 Acquires and communicates geographical information using geographical tools for inquiry
Lesson description
Lesson description
Lesson three explores the animals that live in Illawarra and Borneo's rainforests. Students complete a 'bioblitz' of the fauna in the school environment using 'Seek by iNaturalist' (if can add app to iPads, doesn't require student login or wifi to use) and a bird survey of the school environment to see if any rainforest birds live in their area. They then undertake a research project on an Illawarra rainforest animal of their choice.
Outdoor learning component: Bioblitz and surveying birds in school grounds
Estimated time
Estimated time
60 minutes
Supporting materials required
Supporting materials required
Interactive whiteboard
Lead pencil
Illawarra Birders publication on birds of Illawarra (only page on common forest birds needed for bird survey) - one per pair of students
Access to school grounds for bird survey
Device to research animal of Borneo rainforest (individual or in pairs)
Seek by iNaturalist (child's version of iNaturalist that doesn't require login and gives instant classification)
Workbook, paper, or device to record research on Illawarra animal
Comparing native animals of Illawarra and Borneo
Comparing native animals of Illawarra and Borneo
We've discovered differences between Indonesia and Australia, and that rainforests in Borneo are tropical and rainforests in the Illawarra are sub-tropical. You will now research more about the animals that live in each of these rainforests, and how they form part of the ecosystem.
The rainforest provides for animals
The rainforest provides for animals
Animals of Illawarra
Animals of Illawarra
Rainforests, including the sub tropical rainforest of Illawarra, support a great diversity of fauna (animals). Different animals occur in different regions, depending on the climate, flora (plants) and evolution of animals in that region.
About Illawarra's rainforests
About Illawarra's rainforests
Video by Minnamurra Rainforest - NPWS
Here are some examples of animals found in the Illawarra subtropical rainforest
Here are some examples of animals found in the Illawarra subtropical rainforest
Highlands forest skink
Highlands forest skink
These are less reptiles living in rainforest environments (due to low light conditions). Highlands forest skink are the most common.
Common ringtail possum
Common ringtail possum
A nocturnal animal, spends a lot of time in trees. It has also adapted to suburban environments.
Chocolate wattled bat
Chocolate wattled bat
Weighs up to 11 grams and forearm of 42 millimeters. It is insectivorous.
Swamp wallaby
Swamp wallaby
Lives on the scrubby outskirts of rainforest. It prefers to browse on shrubs and bushes rather than grass.
Striped marsh frog
Striped marsh frog
Common in the rainforest, but also along the east coast of Australia. Makes a 'knock' call like a hammer hitting wood.
Blue triangle butterfly
Blue triangle butterfly
Butterflies are among the most prominent of insect fauna. This species prefers to use rainforest trees as a larval food source.
Springtails
Springtails
Springtails have an important role in ecosystems: as ecosystem “cleaners” they recycle dead material called detritus, and they feed on microbes, such as bacteria and fungi. They are mostly found in the moist leaf litter.
How many have you spotted?
How many have you spotted?
On your fingers, show how many of these animals you have seen around.
Perhaps you haven't noticed these specific animals, but you have seen a different kind of skink, possum or bat?
Tell the person next to you where you have seen these animals, or similar animals. (Think, pair, share)
Illawarra rainforest birds
Illawarra rainforest birds
Iconic species of rainforest bird in Illawarra subtropical rainforest include:
Tawny frogmouth
Tawny frogmouth
A nocturnal bird that looks similar to an owl, but with a pointed beak.
Superb Lyrebird
Superb Lyrebird
Very significant bird to the region, particularly to Dharawal people. The male has a lyre shaped feather arrangement.
Green catbird
Green catbird
You would probably hear this bird before seeing it, with its cat-like call!
Laughing kookaburra
Laughing kookaburra
Iconic Australian bird, found in rainforest as well as more coastal and suburban areas. Being in the kingfisher family, it is particularly located near water.
Golden whistler
Golden whistler
The male is a beautiful yellow colour, but the female is a dull brown.
Rainbow lorikeet
Rainbow lorikeet
One of the brightly coloured parrots of eastern Australia. It also exists in coastal bush and woodland areas and feeds on fruit, pollen and nectar.
Eastern whipbird
Eastern whipbird
You would probably hear this bird before seeing it. The male makes a whip-crack sounding call, and he female replies with a sharp choo-choo sound.
Wonga pigeon
Wonga pigeon
It can be distinguised from a feral pigeon by its white apron. It forages on forest floors, making well-worn tracks.
How many have you spotted?
How many have you spotted?
On your fingers, show how many of these birds you have seen around.
Tell the person next to you where you have seen these birds, or similar birds. (Think, pair, share)
Bioblitz - using Seek by iNaturalist
Bioblitz - using Seek by iNaturalist
Before stepping outside, students are introduced to the ‘Seek by iNaturalist’ app in classroom using Seek by iNaturalist user guide. This app will allow students to conduct a ‘bioblitz’ of the school grounds (a snapshot of the animals that can be found there). Depending on access to devices, the bioblitz could be conducted in pairs or small groups.
Use Seek by iNaturalist app to complete Bioblitz of animals in allocated time (eg half hour). The purpose is to capture a snapshot of the fauna (animals) found at the school site.
Amphibians
Reptiles
Arachnids
Birds
Insects
Mollusks
Mammals
Think about where you find most of the animals. Are they mostly in cleared areas or in areas with more vegetation?
You are also encouraged to start collecting snippets of sounds of any animals you hear in the school environment (excluding people) for next lesson’s soundscape.
Surveying forest birds of Illawarra
Surveying forest birds of Illawarra
Below is a page from an Illawarra Birders publication, showing some of the common forest and woodlands birds of Illawarra.
Click on the image or this link to view the whole file.
In pairs, conduct a survey to see which birds you can identify in your local school environment. If you identify a bird, keep a tally of the number you see in the space under the description.
On the sheet, also note some metadata (information about the data) including: date of survey, location of survey, time and duration of survey. This means that you will be able to compare your data over time.
Reflective journal task
Reflective journal task
Sketch the animal that you found most interested in finding during the bioblitz or bird identification activity. Also draw the animal's habitat (the area surrounding where you found it).
Describe what makes it interesting to you. Perhaps you have noticed them before somewhere else?
Perhaps this is the first time you have seen them and you never noticed before that they were there?
Maybe you have seen them on the tv or in a book or heard them talked about before?
Animals of the Bornean rainforest
Animals of the Bornean rainforest
Now lets look at some of the animal of the Bornean rainforest.
Wildlife of Borneo
Wildlife of Borneo
'Borneo Wildlife Highlights', by Sticky Rice Travel
Watch the video to observe the types of animals that live in Borneo's rainforests.
Consider:
What are the main differences that you notice between the animals in Borneo compared to the animals in Illawarra's rainforests?
What are some similarities between the animals in Borneo compared to the animals in Illawarra's rainforests?
Tarsier
Tarsier
Orang Utan
Orang Utan
Hornbill
Hornbill
Illawarra Rainforest Animal Research
Illawarra Rainforest Animal Research
Choose an animal that lives in the Illawarra Rainforest. If you can, choose one that you also observed in your school environment.
Do your research using the Australian Museum animal fact sheets https://australian.museum/learn/animals/ (or scan the QR code to access instantly). Click on the type of anima (eg bird, frog), and then scroll down to the 'search all fact sheets' red link.
Using a blank piece of paper or google slide, draw or insert a picture of your animal at the centre of the page.
Add a title 'Illawarra Rainforest Animal Research - your animal's name'
Think about the ways that the animal interacts with vegetation or animals. For example, does it live or take shelter in a particular part of the tree? Does it feed on nectar, fruit or seeds produced by the tree? Does it eat other rainforest animals including insects? Write each interaction in a new text box and make a title for each one.
Make another text box in another colour and write the heading 'Why are they important?'
Similarities and Differences
Similarities and Differences
What do the animals of Illawarra and Borneo have in common?
What are the main differences that you notice between animals of Borneo and Illawarra?
Think, pair, share
Persausive writing: Real estate listing
Persausive writing: Real estate listing
You will write in the role of an estate agent trying to sell a location to an animal.
Think about the needs of the animal and how a space within the school grounds would be most suitable for them.
To develop vocabulary, explore local realty listings and collate the persuasive language words that students could embed in their own writing. This could be done as a whole class and pair activity using devices.
What types of visuals used (eg outside house, inside house, backyard, aerial / birds eye view, perhaps an oblique (diagonal view from the air).
Use the planning sheet to brainstorm ideas.
Use iPads to take photos of the location you are selling, making sure they include an effective variety. If the location is a tall tree, they could use a screenshot of Google maps as the aerial. If the location is low, perhaps you could take their own aerial shot.
Compose the text on Google Slides (or another suitable app that integrates text and images), utilising the bank of persuasive language collected from looking at real estate listings.
Page updated
Report abuse