CURRICULUM RESOURCES
Year 1 | Biological sciences | Schoolyard safari | NEW – fully aligned to the Australian Curriculum
The world is teeming with animal life. Even the most unexpected places can host a diverse range of creatures. As humans, we share our wonderful planet with many other animals. Taking the time to really look at another species can provide a window into the similarities and differences among living beings, and can help us to appreciate how we are all part of a single, gloriously complex ecological system.
The Schoolyard safari unit is an ideal way to link science with literacy in the classroom. By observing the features and behaviour of small animals, students glimpse the diversity of animal life. Students explore small animals leading to a better understanding of how their adaptations help them survive in their habitats. Through investigations, students learn how animals move, feed and protect themselves.
This unit was officially launched by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Education, 24th April 2008
It is usually easier to find small invertebrates in warmer seasons.
Unit at a glance (PDF)
Safety! Snail warning
Equipment lists (PDF)
Alignment with the Australian Curriculum: Science (PDF)
Alignment with the Australian Curriculum: English and Maths (PDF)
Indigenous curriculum links (PDF)
Indigenous Perspectives framework (PDF)
Indigenous Perspectives Teaching and learning guide
Factual and narrative texts
Useful websites
Other
A variety of snails, slugs and planarians are suitable intermediate hosts of the rat lungworm, Angiostrongylus cantonensis. Human infection occurs following ingestion of raw snails, slugs or planarians, something young toddlers particularly are prone to do. Another possible source of human infection is through ingestion of improperly washed vegetables such as lettuce.
When snails or slugs are used in the classroom it is imperative that close attention be paid to student hygiene.
It is recommended that the following safety procedures be followed during Schoolyard safari:
- wear gloves when handling any biological material
- always wash hands with soap and water after handling any biological material (particularly snails, slugs, and any vegetation such as vegetables or leaf litter), even after wearing gloves
- when handling snails or slugs, keep hands away from the mouth, and
- clarify with students that they should never encourage, or dare anyone to eat raw snails or slugs.
Factual texts:
Ants
Barraclough, Sue (Creepy creatures series, Harcourt Education, 2005, 24pp)
ISBN 0 431 93260 3
Earthworms
Barraclough, Sue (Creepy creatures series, Harcourt Education, 2005, 24pp)
ISBN 0 431 93258 1
Snails
Hughes, Monica (Creepy creatures series, Harcourt Education, 2005, 24pp)
ISBN 1 4109 0651 5
Ants up close
Birch, Robin (Minibeasts up close series, Harcourt Education, 2005, 32pp)
ISBN 1 74070 189 5
Snails up close
Pyers, Greg (Minibeasts up close series, Harcourt Education, 2005, 32pp)
ISBN 1 74070 233 6
What animal is it?
Riley, Peter (Ways into science series, Franklin Watts, 2003, 30pp)
ISBN 0 7496 4737 X
Where things live
Riley, Peter (Ways into science series, Franklin Watts, 2003, 30pp)
ISBN 0 7496 4736 1
Narrative texts:
Uno’s garden
Base, Graeme (Penguin, 2006)
ISBN 0 670 04191 2
When Uno arrives in the forest one beautiful day, there are many fascinating and extraordinary animals and plants there to greet him. In time, the forest begins to change as a little local village becomes a town and then becomes a city. Soon, Uno realises that the animals and plants have started to disappear.
The mixed-up chameleon
Carle, Eric (Puffin Books, 1975)
ISBN 0 14 050642-X
A bored chameleon wishes it could be like other animals and experiments with changing body parts. This humourous tale foregrounds the physical features of various animals and encourages discussion about they way physical features support the habitats in which animals can live.
The hidden forest
Baker, Jeannie (Walker Books, 2000)
ISBN 0 7445 7876 0
Looking for his lost fish trap, Ben thinks that he sees something dark moving under the water. Is it a creature or only his imagination? He dives in to see – and discovers a wonderful hidden forest, full of amazing creatures.
One hungry spider
Baker, Jeannie (Scholastic Australia, 1988)
ISBN 1 86504 657 4
This counting book journeys with a hungry spider and its web. It explores the small creatures that a spider may encounter in its web, what it eats and who its predators are.
Verdi
Cannon, Janell (Koala Books 2000)
ISBN 0 86461 303 2
Verdi, the little tree snake, does not want to grow up big and green. After all, the big green adult snakes seem so dull, lazy and boring. Verdi wants to keep his bright yellow skin and sporty stripes. But as he grows up, Verdi discovers that he can still have fun and keep his youthful zest for life!
Green air
Morris, Jill (Greater Glider Productions, 1996)
ISBN 0 947304 30 4
Silus the platypus frog lives in the green air of a small remnant rainforest in south-eastern Queensland, Australia. When heavy rain swells in the creek where Silus lives, he is washed out to face the dangers of the world outside the forest.
Leaf litter
Tonkin, Rachel (Harper Collins, 2006)
ISBN 0 2071 9822 5
Leaf litter explores the complexities of the hidden world found within a small patch of leaf litter under a single tree. Dripping with detail, the double spread pages and life size depictions of the animals include a flap to lift, and underneath further aspects of leaf litter can be found.
General websites:
CSIRO Entomology
Fact sheets about many different insects.
Australian Museum Online
Classification information and fact sheets for students.
Bugwise
A program designed to enable schools, Landcare Groups and land managers to get involved in ecological research.
Worm websites:
Cathy's crawly composters
Information, facts and games about worms and composting.
Worm world
Simple, detailed information about worms and their habitat.
Snail websites:
Kiddy house snail info
Information for students on the life history of land and water snails.
Ant websites:
Ant trail activity
An activity provided by the weekly CSIRO newsletter 'Science by email'.
Insects 4 kids
Index site with websites and books for students interested in ants.
The amazing world of ants
Lots of information, and links to pictures of ants.
Australian ants online
Comprehensive information on Australian ants by CSIRO.
Smart board activities:
Variation in living things
The application consists of two sorting activities and one writing frame: Sorting plants and animals into distinct sets; sorting animals by own criteria; and recognising and explaining similarities and differences in living things.
Habitats
The activity consists of a sorting activity, a writing frame to support work on identifying similarities and differences and an identification activity.
BBC schools habitats activity
Interactive flash activity on which animals belong in which habitat.
Guidelines for the care and use of animals in Tasmanian schools
Only applies to vertebrates (and possibly cephalopods such as octopi).
Queensland government animal ethics guidelines
Includes a section titled 'Species-Specific Information' with a lot of useful information on specific animals, such as cats, dogs, rats, and guinea pigs.
Victorian Government schools reference guide
The reference to the use of animals in schools will be updated over the coming months.
Animals in schools: Animal welfare guidelines for teachers
Applicable for New South Wales.
Government of South Australia's animal ethics guidelines
Northern Territory government animal welfare home
Includes a link to the Animal Welfare Act.
RELN preferred worm sellers list (DOC)