Educational Resource: Learning About Living Things Year 1 Science

Educational Resource: Learning About Living Things Year 1 Science

Information for Teachers Introduction Links to the Australian Curriculum Year 1 Content Descriptions This educational resource will assist teachers to maximise learning opportunities for their students whilst visiting the Territory Wildlife Park. The resource consists of activities linked to the Australian Curriculum under the learning area of science. The curriculum content descriptions for this resource are listed below. Science Understanding: Biological Sciences Living things have a variety of external features (ACSSU017) Living things live in different places where their needs are met (ACSSU211) Science Inquiry Skills: Evaluating Compare observations with those of others (ACSIS213) Communicating Represent and communicate observations and ideas in a variety of ways (ACSIS029) Page 1

Information for Teachers Classroom Activities Curriculum reference: ACSSU017 ACSIS213 ACSIS029 Take the class into the school yard and look for living things to observe. This activity encourages students to use their senses to make observations and to identify common features of plants and animals. 1. As a group identify a living thing and have a class discussion about it s features. 2. Ask students to identify 3 living things individually and write a list of the features that they can see. 3. For each feature identified, encourage students to brainstorm the purpose of that feature for the organism (e.g. legs for moving, proboscis for feeding, etc). 4. Back in the classroom have a discussion about the observations made by each of the students to help identify similarities and differences in their observations. Choose one species and draw it on the board. Have each student come and contribute their observation. Get the link! ~Set up bugs in your classroom: Bugs Alive - A guide to Keeping Australian Invertebrates CSIRO Publishing http://www.publish.csiro.au/pid/5871. htm ~ How to build your own worm farm http://www.planetkids.biz/documents/how_to_ Build_Your_Own_Worm_Farm.pdf ~Making wildlife habitat at home http://www.nwf.org/how-to-help/garden-for-wildlife/create-a-habitat.aspx Page 2

Information for Teachers Useful Links Get the link! ~ABC Bugs Developed by Peapod Labs LLC, this app takes children on a fun journey into the extraordinary world of bugs. https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ abc-bugs/id660789586?mt=8 ~ABC Wildlife Developed by Peapod Labs LLC, this app teaches children new words through sight sound and touch. https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ abc-wildlife/id379192277?mt=8 ~QuestaGame This app allows kids to join real outdoor quests and experience and record the excitement of wildlife. http//portal.questagame.com Page 3

Before Your Excursion Life at the Wildlife Park (Year 1) Curriculum reference: ACSSU017 As a class, go out into the school yard and look for a living thing... ~Draw the living thing and label some of it s features. My living thing: Black butcherbird My living thing: large beak wings long toes black colour Fun Fact! We can use our senses (sight, smell, touch, hearing and taste) to learn about the FEATURES of plants and animals. Page 4

Before Your Excursion Life at the Wildlife Park (Year 1) Curriculum reference: ACSSU211 ACSIS213 Have a class discussion about what makes the Wildlife Park a good home to the plants and animals that live there... ~Before visiting the Monsoon Forest, make a list of some things that you expect to see in the box below. Why do you think the plants and animals are happy living in the Monsoon Forest? Some things I expect to see in the Monsoon Forest: 1...... 2...... 3...... Fun Fact! Living things live in different places where their needs are met. HABITAT = HOME for plants and animals. Page 5

At the Wildlife Park Life at the Wildlife Park (Year 1) Curriculum reference: ACSSU017 ACSIS213 ACSIS029 Explore the Wildlife Park and find something living... ~Find a living thing and draw what it looks like in the box below. Thinking Cap: Have a look at your classmates drawings... ~How are they the same? Investigate......the environment using your senses (sight, smell, touch, hearing and taste). ~How are they different? Page 6

At the Wildlife Park Life at the Wildlife Park (Year 1) Curriculum reference: ACSSU017 When you visit the Wildlife Park try to find a butterfly... ~Can you label the parts of a butterfly? Match the label with the correct body part. The first one has been done for you. Eyes Antennae Body Wings Fun Fact! At the Territory Wildlife Park we feed invertebrates to lots of our animals every day to keep them happy and healthy! Page 7

At the Wildlife Park Life at the Wildlife Park (Year 1) Curriculum reference: ACSSU211 Freshwater crocodile Praying mantis Can you find these animals at the wildlife park? Red-collared lorikeet Black butcherbird ~For each animal you see, write down one thing that it needs in it s environment. Living thing: What it needs in it s environment: 1. Praying mantis Trees and plants to hide in 2. 3. 4. Page 8

At the Wildlife Park Life at the Wildlife Park (Year 1) Curriculum reference: ACSSU211 Explore the Monsoon Forest and see which things call the forest home... ~Put a tick in the bubbles of the things that you find in the Monsoon Forest ~Fill the empty bubbles with the names of some other things that you can see in the forest. Birds Water Plants and Trees Insects Page 9

Nature Notes! Curriculum reference: ACSIS029 Use the space below to record your observations while visiting the Wildlife Park. Page 10

Drawing Corner! Curriculum reference: ACSIS029 Use the space below to record your observations through drawing while visiting the Wildlife Park. Pheasant Coucal (Centropus phasianinus) Page 11

Colour Corner!

Park Map In the event of an emergency Please muster at the nearest train station And await assistance from Park staff. The Oolloo Sandbar Whiprays OUT IN Legend Walking path Road Open only during show times CAMP WOOLLYBUTT Picnic Area