Question: How can the plants around my school enhance

student learning in my lessons?

Answer: In countless ways..

Kwongan Kids is committed to finding new ways of using the unique aspects of Western Australian

Flora to strengthen pedagogy. We teach in Perth, possibly the most bio-diverse city on the planet!

Surely there is something to learn from what floral ecology was here before us, how it survives here

and what it survives alongside. There are proven educational benefits to developing local eco-literacy

within students. Furthermore a study of our native plants is often a study of the

significant indigenous history of the region and may also contribute to aspects of conservation in a

globally recognised biodiversity hotspot.

But where do we start? How do we know what has been here for millions of years and what has not?

A good start is to first group the plants into groups or families. This resource simply links some

common plant families and groups found around your school to Western Australian Curriculum

Content Descriptors. For more detailed information on how these links are may be made and the

plants around your school can enhance your lessons contact

Kwongan Kids: admin@kwongankids.com

Common Native Plants and Groups found in Schools in the Perth Region

1. The Banksia Family

(Proteaceae) Adaptations to nutrient

poor soils / Coevolution of

species (birds)

2. Grass Trees

(Xanthorrhoeaceae) Indigenous food, Cultural,

Medicinal and

Social significance

10. Sundews

(Droseraceae) Adaptations for low

nutrient soils / Carnivorous

plants / Indigenous food

11. Triggerplants

(Stylidaceae) Unique adaptations for

Pollination

3. Heather Family

(Ericaceae) Symbiosis (native bees/

Adaptations for Pollination /

Sensory Observations

4. Selected Monocots,

Herbs and Sedges Evolution / Coevolution of

species / Indigenous

Traditional food, cultural,

spiritual and medicinal

8. Pea Plants

(Fabaceae: Faboideae) Coevolution of Species /

Human use of Plants (1080,

Introduced mammal spe-

cies / Indigenous food /

Adaptations to low nutrient

soils

12. Wattles

(Fabaceae: Mimosoideae) Evolution and Speciation /

Soil Nutrition / Nitrogen

Cycle / Indigenous Food /

Symbiosis (parasitism) 6. Orchids

(Orchidaceae) Adaptations for Pollination /

Symbiosis (mutualism) /

Evolution / Coevolution

5. The Myrtle Family

(Myrtaceae) Habitats and ecosystems /

Sensory observations /

Indigenous cultural and

medicinal significance

7. Parasitic Plants

(Loranthaceae) Indigenous spiritual and

cultural significance / Ad-

aptations / Symbiosis

(parasitism)

9. Sheoaks

(Casuarinaceae) Adaptations, Sexual

Dimorphism in plants

13. Weeds of the Perth

Region Global biomes and climates.

Sustainability / Sustainable

Ecosystems and Invasive

species

14. Zamia

(Zamiaceae) Ancient, distinct

evolution / Indigenous

food

Western Australian Curriculum content descriptor links to some common native plants found in the Perth region and Links to

Science and Humanities and Social Sciences (HASS) learning areas. (Pre-Primary –Year 4)

Pre-Primary Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4

SCI HASS SCI HASS SCI HASS SCI HASS SCI HASS Living th

ings h

ave b

asic n

ee

ds,

inclu

din

g foo

d an

d w

ate

r(AC

SSU0

02

)

Particip

ate

in gu

ide

d in

vestig

ation

s and

make

o

bse

rvation

s usin

g the

sen

ses (A

CSIS0

11

)

The

rep

rese

ntatio

n o

f familiar p

laces, su

ch as sch

oo

ls,

parks an

d lake

s on

a picto

rial map

(AC

HG

K0

01

)

The

reaso

ns so

me

place

s are sp

ecial to

pe

op

le an

d h

ow

th

ey can

be

loo

ked

afte

r, inclu

din

g Ab

origin

al and

Torre

s Strait Islan

de

r Pe

op

les' p

laces o

f significan

ce (A

CH

GK

00

4)

Living th

ings h

ave a

variety

of e

xtern

al fea

ture

s

(AC

SSU0

17

)

Living th

ings live

in d

iffere

nt p

laces w

he

re th

eir n

ee

ds are

me

t (AC

SSU2

11

)

Ob

servab

le ch

ange

s occu

r in th

e sky

and

land

scape

(A

CSSU

01

9)

The

na

tural, m

anage

d an

d co

nstru

cted

featu

res o

f place

s,

the

ir loca

tion

on

a p

ictorial m

ap, h

ow

the

y may

chan

ge

ove

r time

(e.g. e

rosio

n, re

vege

tate

d are

as, p

lante

d cro

ps,

ne

w b

uild

ings) an

d h

ow

the

y can b

e care

d fo

r (A

CH

GK

00

5)

Living th

ings gro

w, ch

ange

and

have

offsp

ring sim

ilar to

the

mse

lves (A

CSSU

03

0)

Scien

ce in

volve

s ob

servin

g, askin

g qu

estio

ns ab

ou

t, and

de

scribin

g chan

ges in

, ob

jects an

d e

ven

ts (AC

SHE0

34

)

The

ways in

wh

ich A

bo

riginal an

d To

rres Strait Islan

de

r

Pe

op

les m

aintain

con

ne

ction

s to th

eir C

ou

ntry/P

lace

(AC

HG

K0

11

)

The

histo

ry of a

significan

t pe

rson

, bu

ildin

g, site o

r part

of th

e n

atu

ral en

viron

me

nt in

the

local co

mm

un

ity and

wh

at it reve

als abo

ut th

e p

ast (A

CH

HK

04

4)

Living th

ings can

be

grou

pe

d o

n th

e b

asis of o

bse

rvable

featu

res an

d can

be

distin

guish

ed

from

no

n-livin

g thin

gs (A

CSSU

04

4)

Place

s are b

oth

similar an

d d

iffere

nt Th

e lo

cation

of

Au

stralian state

s, territo

ries, cap

ital cities an

d m

ajo

r

regio

nal ce

ntre

s of W

este

rn A

ustralia

and

the

locatio

n

and

ide

ntifyin

g attrib

ute

s of A

ustralia's m

ajor n

atural

featu

res (A

CH

GK

01

4)

Living th

ings h

ave life

cycles (A

CSSU

07

2)

Living th

ings d

ep

en

d o

n e

ach o

the

r and

the

en

viron

me

nt

to su

rvive (A

CSSU

07

3)

The

imp

ortan

ce o

f en

viron

me

nts to

anim

als and

pe

op

le,

and

diffe

ren

t view

s on

ho

w th

ey can

be

pro

tecte

d

(AC

HG

K0

22

)

Ab

origin

al and

Torre

s Strait Island

er P

eo

ple

s' ways o

f livin

g we

re ad

apte

d to

availab

le re

sou

rces an

d th

eir

con

ne

ction

to C

ou

ntry/P

lace h

as in

flue

nce

d th

eir vie

ws

on

the

sustain

able

use

of th

ese

reso

urce

s, be

fore

and

afte

r colo

nisa

tion

(AC

HG

K0

23

)

The

dive

rsity an

d lo

nge

vity o

f Au

stralia's first pe

op

les

and

the

ways th

ey are

con

ne

cted

to C

ou

ntry/P

lace)

and

the

ir pre

con

tact ways o

f life (A

CH

HK

07

7)

Banksia Family

Grass Trees

Heathers

Monocots and Herbs

Myrtle Family

Orchids

Parasitic Plants

Peas

Sheoaks

Sundews

Triggerplants

Wattles

Weeds

Zamia

Kwongan Kids 2016 www.kwongankids.com

Western Australian Curriculum content descriptor links to some common native plants found in the Perth region and Links to

Science and Humanities and Social Sciences (HASS) learning areas. (Year 5 –Year 10)

Year 5 Year 6 Year 7 Year 8 Year 9 Year 10

SCI HASS SCI SCI HASS SCI HASS SCI HASS SCI HASS Living th

ings h

ave stru

ctural fe

ature

s and

adap

tatio

ns

that h

elp

the

m to

survive

in th

eir e

nviro

nm

en

t (A

CSSU

04

3)

The

way p

eo

ple

alter th

e e

nviro

nm

en

tal ch

aracteristics

of A

ustralian

place

s (e.g. ve

geta

tion

clearan

ce, fe

ncin

g,

urb

an d

eve

lop

me

nt, d

rainage

, irrigation

, farmin

g, fore

st p

lanta

tion

s, min

ing) (A

CH

GK

02

7)

Featu

res o

f en

viron

me

nts (e

.g. clima

te, lan

dfo

rms,

vege

tation

) influ

en

ce h

um

an activitie

s and

the

bu

ilt

featu

res o

f place

s (AC

HG

K0

28

)

The

grow

th an

d su

rvival of livin

g

thin

gs are a

ffecte

d b

y ph

ysical

con

ditio

ns o

f the

ir en

viron

me

nt

(AC

SSU0

94

)

Cla

ssificatio

n h

elp

s organ

ise th

e d

iverse

grou

p o

f

organ

isms (A

CSSU

11

1)

Inte

raction

s be

twe

en

organ

isms can

be

de

scribe

d in

term

s of fo

od

chain

s an

d fo

od

we

bs; h

um

an activity can

affe

ct the

se in

teractio

ns (A

CSSU

11

2)

The

qu

antity an

d variab

ility of A

ustra

lia's wa

ter

reso

urce

s com

pare

d w

ith th

ose

in o

the

r con

tine

nts

(AC

HG

K0

39

)

The

imp

ortan

ce o

f con

servin

g the

rem

ains o

f the

an

cien

t past, in

clud

ing th

e h

eritage

of A

bo

riginal an

d

Torre

s Strait Islan

de

r Pe

op

les (A

CD

SEH1

48

)

Mu

lti-cellu

lar organ

isms co

ntain

system

s of o

rgans

carrying o

ut sp

ecialise

d fu

nctio

ns th

at e

nab

le th

em

to

survive

and

rep

rod

uce

(AC

SSU1

50

)

The

diffe

ren

t type

s of lan

dscap

es in

Au

stralia

and

the

ir d

istinctive

land

form

featu

res (e

.g. coa

stal, riverin

e, arid

,

mo

un

tain) (A

CH

GK

04

8)

The

spiritu

al, cultu

ral and

aesth

etic v

alue

of lan

dscap

es

and

land

form

s for p

eo

ple

, inclu

din

g Ab

origin

al and

To

rres Stra

it Island

er P

eo

ple

s

(AC

HG

K0

49

)

The

geo

graph

ical pro

cesse

s that p

rod

uce

land

form

s, in

clud

ing a case

stud

y of o

ne

type

of lan

dfo

rm, su

ch as

mo

un

tains, vo

lcano

es, rive

rine

or co

astal land

form

s (A

CH

GK

05

0)

Ecosyste

ms co

nsist o

f com

mu

nitie

s of in

terd

ep

en

de

nt

organ

isms an

d ab

iotic co

mp

on

en

ts of th

e e

nviro

nm

en

t; m

atter an

d e

ne

rgy flow

thro

ugh

the

se sy

stem

s

(AC

SSU1

76

)

The

way th

e w

ork e

nviro

nm

en

t is chan

ging in

con

tem

po

rary Au

stralia and

the

imp

lication

for cu

rren

t an

d fu

ture

wo

rk (AC

HE

K0

42

)

The

distrib

utio

n an

d ch

aracteristics o

f bio

me

s as regio

ns

with

distin

ctive clim

ates, so

ils, vege

tation

and

pro

du

ctivity (AC

HG

K0

60

)

The

the

ory o

f evo

lutio

n b

y na

tural se

lectio

n e

xplain

s the

dive

rsity of livin

g thin

gs and

is sup

po

rted

by scie

ntific

evid

en

ce (A

CSSU

18

5)

The

hu

man

-ind

uce

d e

nviro

nm

en

tal chan

ges th

at

challe

nge

sustain

ability

(e.g. w

ate

r and

atm

osp

he

ric p

ollu

tion

, de

gradatio

n o

f land

, inlan

d an

d co

astal aqu

atic

en

viron

me

nts) (A

CH

GK

07

0)

The

en

viron

me

ntal w

orld

view

s of p

eo

ple

and

the

ir im

plica

tion

s for e

nviro

nm

en

tal man

agem

en

t (AC

HG

K0

71

)

Banksia Family

Grass Trees

Heathers

Monocots and Herbs

Myrtle Family

Orchids

Parasitic Plants

Peas

Sheoaks

Sundews

Triggerplants

Wattles

Weeds

Zamia

Kwongan Kids 2016 www.kwongankids.com

Western Australian Curriculum content descriptor links to some common native plants found in the Perth region and Links to Senior Secondary Subjects

Aboriginal and Intercultural Studies Biology Integrated Science

Year 11 Year 12 Year 11 Year 12 Year 11

Un

it 1: th

e re

lation

ship

Ind

igen

ou

s Pe

op

les in

Au

stralia an

d o

the

r cou

ntrie

s have

with

the

e

nviro

nm

en

t.

Cu

ltural p

ersp

ective

s: variation

s in p

erspectives a

bo

ut

pe

op

le, eve

nts, exp

erien

ces, beliefs an

d valu

es

Place

and

be

lon

ging

: Ab

origin

al sp

iritual lin

ks with

places

as told

thro

ug

h th

e D

reamin

gs, Ab

origin

al Pe

op

les’ diverse

adap

tation

s to th

e e

nviro

nm

en

t, Ab

origin

al Pe

op

les’

imp

acts on

the

na

tural e

nviro

nm

ent, trad

ition

al land

an

d

sea man

agem

ent p

ractices, inclu

din

g the

uses o

f fire,

Un

it 4: h

eritage

and

cultu

ral ide

ntity in

the

con

text o

f

Au

stralia.

Cu

ltura

l pe

rspe

ctives: th

e im

po

rtance

of A

bo

riginal

custo

mary law

, significan

t sites, son

g-lin

es, and

the

passin

g o

n o

f kno

wle

dge

Un

it 1: Eco

system

s and

Bio

dive

rsity

un

derstan

d h

ow

classification

help

s to o

rganise

,

analyse a

nd

com

mu

nicate

data

abo

ut b

iod

iversity, u

nd

erstand

that eco

system

diversity an

d d

ynam

ics can

be

describ

ed

an

d co

mp

ared w

ith referen

ce to b

iotic

and

abio

tic com

po

ne

nts a

nd

their in

teraction

s,

un

derstan

d h

ow

the

ories a

nd

mo

dels h

ave d

evelop

ed

base

d o

n evid

en

ce fro

m m

ultip

le discip

lines; an

d th

e

uses an

d lim

itation

s of b

iolo

gical kno

wle

dge

in a

range

o

f con

texts, u

se science in

qu

iry skills to d

esign,

con

du

ct, evaluate a

nd

com

mu

nicate

investigatio

ns in

to

bio

diversity an

d flo

ws o

f matter an

d en

ergy in a ran

ge

of eco

system

s, evaluate

, with

referen

ce to

emp

irical evid

en

ce, claims ab

ou

t relation

ship

s betw

een

an

d

with

in sp

ecies, diversity o

f an

d w

ithin

ecosystem

s, an

d

energy an

d m

atter flow

s, com

mu

nicate

bio

logical

un

derstan

din

g usin

g qu

alitative an

d q

ua

ntitative

represen

tation

s in a

pp

rop

riate m

od

es an

d ge

nres.

Un

it 3: C

on

tinu

ity o

f Spe

cies

un

derstan

d th

e pro

cesses and

mech

an

isms th

at

explain

ho

w life

on

Earth h

as persisted

, chan

ged

and

d

iversified o

ver the

last 3

.5 b

illion

years U

nit 4

: Survivin

g in a

Ch

angin

g Enviro

nm

en

t u

nd

erstand

the m

ech

an

isms b

y wh

ich p

lants an

d

anim

als use

ho

meo

stasis to co

ntro

l their in

ternal

enviro

nm

ent in

a chan

ging extern

al enviro

nm

en

t,

un

derstan

d th

e ways in

wh

ich in

fectio

n, tra

nsm

ission

an

d sp

read

of d

isease occu

r in vecto

r-bo

rne d

iseases

Un

it 2: B

iod

iversity an

d C

on

servatio

n

con

du

ct investigatio

ns, in

clud

ing so

il samp

ling an

d

analysis, w

ater testing an

d eco

logical su

rveying, safely,

com

pe

ten

tly an

d m

etho

dically fo

r the

collectio

n o

f valid

and

reliable

data

, bio

diversity ch

an

ges natu

rally o

ver time

and

varies du

e to

differen

ces in lo

cation

,

hu

man

po

pu

lation

grow

th is th

e m

ain d

river of th

e

pressu

res o

n b

iod

iversity, with

increase

d d

em

an

d o

n

resou

rces to m

eet req

uire

me

nts fo

r survival,

bio

diversity is th

reaten

ed th

rou

gh d

eterioratio

n o

f

hab

itat qu

ality, the

declin

e in

repro

du

ction

and

survival

of p

lant an

d a

nim

al specie

s is affected

by: in

vasive

species an

d p

atho

gen

s, pressu

res from

stock a

nim

als, p

ollu

tion

by ch

emical a

nd

/or so

lid w

aste, ch

ange

d

hyd

rolo

gy cause

d b

y over-extractio

n, n

utrien

t loa

din

g an

d ch

an

ges to lo

cal climate

, mo

nito

ring o

f ecosyste

ms

pro

vide

s info

rmatio

n o

n th

e n

um

ber an

d d

istribu

tion

o

f spe

cies; data fo

r an

alysing e

cosyste

ms are

derived

from

surveyin

g techn

iqu

es

Banksia Family

Grass Trees

Heathers

Monocots and Herbs

Myrtle Family

Orchids

Parasitic Plants

Peas

Sheoaks

Sundews

Triggerplants

Wattles

Weeds

Zamia

Kwongan Kids 2016 www.kwongankids.com