Southern Diversity: Teacher Notes

Pre and Post Visit Activities

1 Animals are our Friends!
Brainstorm the many ways in which we depend on animals. Start with domestic or farm animals, then move on to consider native Australian animals. Think widely for this exercise: Domestic animals (eg. sheep, chickens) and native animals Animals that live on land and animals that live in the sea Mammals, birds, insects Food, Clothing Decomposers Pollinators (eg. birds and insects) European and Aboriginal uses Aesthetic and spiritual values Hopefully you will realise that native animals (and not just the cuddly ones) are valuable, and that Australias biodiversity should be urgently protected.

2 Compost Animals
Use magnifiers and microscopes to examine a variety of soil and compost samples. Be sure to include samples of rich, damp compost, which should contain a great variety of insect and other invertebrate decomposers. Which of your samples contains the most animals? What are they all doing? Try to identify some by consulting a suitable reference. The Gould League sells a Compost Creatures poster and other material on this topic for teachers and students. (Telephone: (03) 9532 0909).

3 Bioinformatics Website
Visit Museum Victorias Bioinformatics website: http://www.museumvictoria.com.au/bioinformatics/ This will give you access to Museum Victorias databases on many of Victorias animals. From the front page, open Student Projects and choose A Report on the Butterflies (or snakes, frogs, mammals or lizards) of your District. Follow the step-bystep process to create a report on these animals in your district. Additional projects on Victorias butterflies are available at: http://flyingcolours.museum.vic.gov.au/

4 Whales
Revise what you know about whales as preparation for visiting the Blue Whale skeleton at Melbourne Museum. Pace out the length of a Blue Whale in the school corridor or playground (up to 33.58 metres), and compare their weight (up to 130 tonnes) with objects that the students know (3,500 students or 28 elephants).

5 Victorias Environments
Discuss the localities of Victoria that have been visited by class members. What was the climate and vegetation like in these areas? Obtain simple rainfall, altitude and vegetation maps of Victoria. Mark the localities that have been discussed on the maps. Discuss the climatic and vegetation characteristics of the various regions of Victoria. What sorts of adaptations would you expect animals in these regions to have made?
Simple rainfall, altitude and vegetation maps are available at: http://flyaqis.mov.vic.gov.au/cgi-bin/bio_tryfirst

6 Terrestrial Environments
Prepare a short report on one of the following environments that are featured in Southern Diversity: The Mallee The Australian Alps River Red Gum country (eg. the Barmah Forest) The notes in Section 3 of this kit will be useful. What are the main characteristics of this environment, what animals live there, what needs to be done to protect the environment?
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Southern Diversity: Teacher Notes

7 River Red Gum

Prepare a poster to show some of the things that live in a River Red Gum forest. Use the internet and the notes in Section 3 of this kit.

8 Web-based Activities
There are lots of good student activities related to Australias animals and biodiversity located on the following websites: The Backyard Birdwatch from the ABC Science Unit: http://www2.abc.net.au/science/birds/default.htm ABC TVs Australian animals site for lower primary students: http://www.abc.net.au/schoolstv/animals/default.htm Gould League Food Webs: http://www.gould.edu.au/foodwebs/index.html

9 DSE Resources
The Department of Sustainability and Environment has published two books of student activities related to Victorias biodiversity. These are: Victorias Biodiversity: Education Resource Book 1 (Science & SOSE CSF levels 3-4), 1999 Victorias Biodiversity: Education Resource Book 2 (Science & SOSE CSF levels 5-6), 1999 Other resource material related to biodiversity is also available. Contact: NRE Information Centre 8 Nicholson Street East Melbourne, 3002 Phone: (03) 9637 8150

10 Threatened Species
Adopt one of Australias threatened species (or one for each class member theres plenty for everyone). Research the animal (or plant), and produce a poster or report indicating its present status, the threats it is facing, and what can be done to improve the prospects of its survival. Reference material is available from: The Gould League (Endangered Species Kit, Edge of Extinction) The Department of Sustainability and Environments website http://www.dse.vic.gov.au/dse/index.htm . Proceed: DSE Home > Plants and Animals > Native Plants and Animals > Threatened Species & Communities > Threatened Species Fact Sheets.

11 Introduced Species
Many exotic plants and animals have been introduced into Australia and become pests over the last 200 years. As a class, make a list of those you can think of. Dont forget the introduction of marine plants and animals. Each class member should choose one species for further research and the production of a short report. Include a description of the plant or animal, and the history and impact of its introduction to Australia. The Department of Sustainability and Environment is a very good source of information: http://www.dse.vic.gov.au/dse/index.htm . Proceed: Front Page > Plants and Animals > Pest Plants and Animals. The Gould League has published Feral Peril (16 A4 pages) for junior students.

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Southern Diversity: Teacher Notes

12 Excursions
Healesville Sanctuary Badger Creek Road Healesville 3777 Phone: (03) 5957 2800 Melbourne Zoo Elliott Avenue Parkville 3052 Phone: (03) 9285 9355 Royal Botanic Gardens Birdwood Ave. South Yarra 3141 Phone: (03) 9252 2358

13 Mass Extinctions
Use the Internet and your library to research the largest mass extinctions of the past. What were the causes and consequences of these events? What types of animals became extinct? Are we currently experiencing a sixth extinction, brought about by human exploitation? The five big mass extinctions recognised by palaeontologists are: The Ordovician Extinction, 434 million years ago The Devonian Extinction, 354 million years ago The Permian Extinction, 251 million years ago The Triassic Extinction, 205 million years ago The Cretaceous Extinction, 65 million years ago

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Southern Diversity: Teacher Notes

14 Classification Exercises
A list of animals in the Southern Diversity exhibition is printed below. (a) Divide the items in the list (or a sample of them) between class members. Use reference books, websites and dictionaries to find brief descriptions (and, if possible, pictures) of each type of animal. Put each item and its description onto an index card. (b) Try to arrange the cards into groups. (Use Bluetak and a large piece of blank wall!) The groups can be determined by class members, but should be kept fairly simple. Two or three groups are probably enough to begin with: eg. big/small; land/ sea dwellers; swimmers/walkers/fliers. (c) For more senior students (Levels 4 and above), try to arrange the items according to a hierarchy. If a few additional categories are needed, these could be written on index cards and used. Start with very general terms (eg. marine/terrestrial, vertebrate/ invertebrate) and proceed downwards to the more specific. (d) For students at Levels 5 and above, revise the system of scientific classification for Kingdom Animalia. Choose a sample from the index cards prepared above, add the level of classification (Phylum, Order, etc.) for each term where this is possible, and place each card in its hierarchical position. If the class is very keen, try to do this for all items!

Animals in the Southern Diversity Exhibition

Ants Basket Stars Bats Beetles Birds Brittle Stars Brooch shells Bugs Butterflies Centipedes Cephalopods Cockroaches Cowrie shells Crabs Crayfish (freshwater) Crickets

Crustacea Cuttlefish Damselflies Dragon flies Dragon lizards Echinoderms Feather Stars Fish: freshwater Fish: marine Flies Frogs Gastropods Geckos Goannas Grasshoppers Heart Urchins

Honeyeaters Insects Invertebrates Land snails Legless lizards Lizards Mammals Marsupials Monotremes Moths Octopuses Parrots Placentals Possums Reptiles Sand Dollars

Scorpions Sea Cucumbers Sea Stars Sea Urchins Skinks Slaters Snakes Spiders Sponges Squid Stick insects Stoneflies Vertebrates Volutes Wasps

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Southern Diversity: Teacher Notes

15 Animal Adaptations
The animals below are all in the Southern Diversity exhibition. They are adapted to their environments in quite unique ways. Photocopy this page, cut out each animal name in the left-hand column and each description in the right-hand column. Mix them up, and see if you can paste them back correctly on a blank sheet of paper.

Animal

Animal Adaptation

1 Cricket 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Dung Beetle Galah Greater Glider Honeyeater Huntsman Spider Malleefowl Marsupial Mole Masking Crab

Has large hind legs for jumping Uses its back legs to roll dung into balls Has a hooked beak for cracking seeds Has membranes of skin from its front to its back legs Uses its long tongue to drink nectar from flowers Catches its prey by running after it Incubates eggs in a large mound of compost Has no eyes, lives underground Camouflages itself by planting seaweed on its back Lives in tunnels under the snow Has big, flat feet for moving in sandy country Is protected by a covering of large spines Can shed its tail if being chased Uses its torpedo shape and jet propulsion to swim swiftly Is camouflaged as a stick Can absorb water through its skin; lives in arid regions Uses venom to immobilise and kill its prey

10 Mountain Pygmy Possum 11 Red Kangaroo 12 Sea Urchin 13 Skink 14 Squid 15 Stick Insect 16 Thorny Devil 17 Tiger Snake

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Southern Diversity: Teacher Notes

Teaching Resources
Biodiversity in the Victorian Curriculum
Victorian Government policies have been developed at several levels to promote the conservation and the inclusion of biodiversity as a component of the school curriculum: The Department of Sustainability and Environment has developed a Biodiversity Strategy which emphasises that maintaining and enhancing our biological heritage is essential for our economic, cultural, social and spiritual well-being. http://www.dse.vic.gov.au/dse/index.htm The Department of Education and Trainings current Environmental Education policy emphasises the importance of an aesthetic appreciation of environments and an understanding of the operation of natural systems. http://www.sofweb.vic. edu.au/enviro/ssm/policy.htm The Victorian Curriculum and Standards Framework II has incorporated the study of biodiversity into several key learning areas. Specific references are outlined in the table below http://www.sofweb.vic.edu.au/curric/csf.htm. Biodiversity in the Victorian Curriculum and Standards Framework II

CSF II Learning Outcome

1 and 2 3.1

Details of Learning Outcomes (LO) and suggested Learning Activities (LA)

Science LO: Describe, and identify simple patterns in the natural world. Biological ScienceLiving Together: past, present and future LO: Describe environmental factors that affect the survival of living things. LA: Prepare a poster to show the living things that find shelter in a tree, pond or compost heap. LO: Identify relationships between living things which help them survive in their habitat. Indicators: Draw simple food chains. LA: Compare living things from different places and relate differences in their structures to conditions in their habitat. LO: Explain the biological basis of classification of organisms into major groups. Indicators: Identify patterns of similarities and differences between a range of living things. Define the major characteristics used in the 5-Kingdom system of classification. LA: Report on the work of a taxonomist in an herbarium or museum and why such work is important. LO: Describe interactions between living things and between living things and their non-living surroundings. LA: Investigate the relationship between pollinators, for example, birds and insects, and flowering plants. LO: Evaluate theories concerning evolution of organisms. LA: Discuss possible explanations for the evolution of Australias indigenous flora and fauna.

4.1

5.1

5.2

6.2

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Southern Diversity: Teacher Notes

CSF II Learning Outcome

6.6 Extension

Details of Learning Outcomes (LO) and suggested Learning Activities (LA)

Biological ScienceLiving Together: past, present and future LO: Relate concepts of adaptation, biodiversity and evolution to the survival of species Indicators: Explain the significance of adaptations of organisms in relation to their survival, Evaluate theories about the causes of extinction of particular species, Draw conclusions about the consequences of reducing biodiversity. LA: Present arguments, based on scientific evidence, for protection and preservation of parts of the biosphere. Investigate the rate of extinction of Australian animals or plants since European settlement and suggest causes and implications of this. Summarise the relationships between adaptations, evolution, selection pressures, environmental factors and extinction, by drawing a concept map. Studies of Society and Environment: Geography LO: Explain how natural processes and human activities change environments. Indicators: Describe natural processes which change environments, using geographical media such as photographs, maps, satellite images, bioinformatic web sites. LO: Develop a comprehensive strategy to resolve an issue related to the use and management of a natural or human environment. Indicators: Use a range of geographical media to describe the environment.

5.1

6.4

Biodiversity and VELS For approaches to teaching about biodiversity using the Victorian Essential Learning Standards (VELS), see http://vels.vcaa.vic.edu.au/essential/discipline/science/index.html The study of biodiversity can be included as part of the Science domain, especially the Science Knowledge and Understanding dimension. It also has relevance to the Thinking domainreasoning, processing data, and reflecting on and evaluating Big Ideas. Working in teams, part of the Interpersonal Development domain, can also be emphasized. Biodiversity and the VCE The content of Southern Diversity is relevant to parts of Biology Units 1 and 4, Geography Unit 1, Environmental Science Units 1 and 3, and Outdoor and Environmental Studies Unit 1.

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Southern Diversity: Teacher Notes

Further Reading
The Department of Sustainability and Environment has published several education resource books on Victorias biodiversity. Contact: DSE Information Centre 8 Nicholson Street East Melbourne, 3002 Phone: (03) 9637 8150 The Gould League produces and stocks a wide range of references on Australian animals and biodiversity for students of all levels. A catalogue is available. Contact: The Gould League PO Box 117 Moorabbin 3189 Phone: (03) 9532 0909 Discovery Centre at Melbourne Museum has a range of reference books related to Australian animals and biodiversity. These are available for use by teachers and senior students when visiting the museum. ACMI has video resources for loan: http://www.acmi.net.au/lending.htm Environment Australia distributes booklets, fact sheets, posters and stickers on biodiversity: http://www.environment.gov.au/ A comprehensive list of references on biodiversity and the animal groups exhibited in Southern Diversity is available from: Melbourne Museum Education Service. Email: mmeducation@museum.vic.gov.au

Websites to Visit
Biodiversity
Museum Victorias Bioinformatics site (Victorias butterflies, snakes and frogs): http://museumvictoria.com.au/bioinformatics/ Community Biodiversity Network One Stop Shop of Australian Biodiversity Links: http://nccnsw.org.au/member/cbn/ The Environment Portal (Australian Government): http://www.environment.gov.au/ The Biodiversity Centre: http://www.defenders.org/bio-cont.html The Nature Conservation Council of NSW: http://www.nccnsw.org.au/news/media/allmember/byorg_index.html Environment Australias Biodiversity Guide: http://www.biodiversity.environment.gov.au/biocon/biodiversity.pdf Victorian Department of Sustainability and Environment: http://www.dse.vic.gov.au/dse/index.htm Department of Environment and Heritage: http://www.deh.gov.au/biodiversity/index.html http://www.deh.gov.au/education/publications/biodiversity/ The Australian Museum: http://www.austmus.gov.au/biodiversity/ CSIRO Biodiversity: http://www.biodiversity.csiro.au/

Endangered Species
Environment Australia: http://www.biodiversity.environment.gov.au/threaten/index.htm

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Southern Diversity: Teacher Notes

Frogs
Victorian Frog Group: http://www.frogs.org.au/ Frogs from the Queensland Museum: http://www.Qmuseum.qld.gov.au/nature/hottopic/frogs.html

Birds
Birds: our environmental indicators: http://eelink.umich.edu/Curriculum/toc.html The Life of Birds (Sir David Attenborough): http://www.pbs.org/lifeofbirds/ Backyard Birdwatch: ABC Science http://www2.abc.net.au/science/birds/query.htm

Mammals
Healesville Sanctuary Animal Search: http://www.zoo.org.au/visiting.cfm?zoo_id=2 Wildlife Australia: Classification of Marsupials: http://www.australianwildlife.com.au/features/marsupials.htm

Australian Ecosystems
Australian ecosystems: http://www.gullivermedia.com.au/eco.html Rainforest-Australia: http://rainforest-australia.com/

National Parks
Victorian National Parks Association: includes information on the Alps, marine parks, sustainable fisheries and Wilsons Promontory: http://www.vnpa.org.au/ NSW National Parks and Wildlife Childrens Corner: http://www.npws.nsw.gov.au/news/children/

Environmental Education
Victorian Association for Environmental Education Inc.: http://www.vaee.vic.edu.au/ Department of Education and Training: Environmental Websites: http://www.sofweb.vic.edu.au/sose/ee/envirwebs.htm Gould League: http://www.gould.edu.au Earth Alive: http://www.tnd.com.au/cbn/contents.htm World Wildlife Federation: http://www.wwf.org.au/

Classification
University of California: http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/alllife/threedomains.html Wildlife Australia: Classification of Marsupials: http://www.australianwildlife.com.au/features/marsupials.htm

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