Unit 1: Planting an Idea: Ecosystems - SEED Home · Biodiversity Unit 1: Planting an Idea:...

Biodiversity Unit 1: Planting an Idea: Ecosystems VELS 3&4 of 30Created by Alpine Shire, Indigo Shire and the Rural City of Wangaratta August 2009

Unit 1: Planting an Idea: Ecosystems

Level 3 & 4 (Grade 3 -6)

*REMEMBER to download the Plant Information Sheets located on the SEED website (http://www.necma.vic.gov.au/ResourceLibrary/ForSchools/topic.aspx?tpk=20&lvl=2 )

Unit OverviewStudents will gain an understanding of how individual plants contribute to overall biodiversity. The idea of ecosystems and the interdependence of all components are explored. This is used to demonstrate the far-reaching benefits of revegetation activities. This Unit can be used to complement planting or other environmental activities your school is involved with such as National Tree Day, Arbor Week or the Regent Honeyeater Project.

BackgroundBalanced and healthy ecosystems are vital to sustaining life of all kinds, including ours. Trees and plants are the backbones of many ecosystems, providing oxygen, erosion control, shade, shelter, habitat for animals and water filtration. On top of this, there are innumerable human benefits including aesthetic and recreational values. Sadly, much of our native forest has been cleared and damaged. About 90% of native vegetation in the eastern temperate zone has been removed since European settlement (Bush Heritage Australia, 2009).

The importance of understanding and protecting remaining native vegetation is so vital. Additionally, we must try to replace some of what has been lost. It is not only plant communities which have been degraded, but all the components of the ecosystem which are connected to them – animals (from large mammals through to invertebrates), water bodies, landscape formations, air quality etc. Australia has a startling history of extinctions. In just over 200 years, 18 species of mammal have become extinct – about half of all worldwide extinctions (ABS, 2007). There continues to be extremely high numbers of species at risk throughout the country. One of the major threats is lack of habitat vegetation.

Bloom’s Taxonomy Activity Duration PageKey Words and Definitions 2

Tuning In & Finding Out Habitats are Homes Part1: 45mPart 2: 45m

3-7

Tuning In & Finding Out What do Plants do? Part 1: 45mPart 2: 45mPart 3: 45m

8-13

Sorting Out Native Plants Part 1: 45mPart 2: 45mPart 3: 45m

14-16

Taking Action Planting it outPlant Information Sheets*

Part1: 45mPart 2: 1-2hrPart 3: 45mPart 4: 1-4hrPart 5: 45m

17-23

Conclusions What if? 1 hour 24VELS links 25-30

Did you know?

Australia has 2,836 threatened ecosystems, the highest number occurring in south and eastern Australia. Nearly half of these are forest or woodland with shrubby or grassy understorey

(Australian Natural Resources Atlas 2009).

http://www.necma.vic.gov.au/resourcelibrary/forschools/topic.aspx?tpk=20&lvl=2)


Keyword & DefinitionsThe following keywords and definitions will be explored throughout this unit. In order for students to become familiar with the terminology, the keywords and their definitions can be used as ‘words of the week’. Have students write out the keywords and definitions and put them up in the classroom or write them on the board for easy reference.

Word DefinitionAspect Outlook of a site or the direction it is exposed to e.g. northern aspectBacteria Simple organisms which reproduce quickly, inhabit other organisms and may

be able to cause disease.Biodiversity The variety of all living things. ’Bio” – from ‘Biology’ the study of living things

and ‘Diversity’ – variety of lifeCarnivore An organism which eats animal products.Community The region occupied by a number of people or organisms.Common Name The casual way an organism is referred to, like a nickname. E.g. Silver

Wattle.Consumers Organisms which eat other organisms.Decomposers Organisms which break down dead organisms or waste, returning nutrients to

the soil.Ecosystem The interaction of a community of organisms and their environment.Endemic Native organisms that occur naturally in a specific area and nowhere else.Energy The ability to work or move an object.Fungi A group of organisms that are similar to plants but do not photosynthesise.

Instead they feed on organic matter, often growing on dead organisms. They include mushrooms, moulds and yeasts.

Ground cover The lowest layer of vegetation – low growing; spreading plants which cover the forest floor.

Habitat The area or environment where an organism or community lives.Herbivore An organism which eats only plant material.Introduced Those organisms that did not originally occur in a country or region - were

brought there by people.Native/Indigenous Living or growing naturally in a particular country or region.Nutrients Substances in the environment which animals and plants need to grow and

survive.Organism A living thing, e.g. animals, plants, bacteria, fungi etc.Omnivore An organism which is able to eat both plant material and animal products.Overstorey Highest layer of vegetation in an ecosystem, usually formed by the trees.Pest An organism that causes major destruction of other things and organisms.Photosynthesis Process occurring in green plants and some organisms which uses sunlight

to turn Carbon Dioxide into carbohydrates (food).Primary consumer An animal which eats plants in an ecosystem.Producer An organism which can make its own food.Rare/threatened species

A species which has become very uncommon and could disappear if it is not helped or protected.

Revegetation Planting to replace or enhance degraded native vegetation.Secondary consumer An animal that eats other animals in an ecosystem.Shrub A woody plant, smaller than a tree with several branches growing from the

base.Species A specific kind of organism which can breed with others the same.Scientific name The ‘real’, technically correct name for an organism – always in two words

with the first letter of the first word capitalised and all put in italics or underlined. E.g. Acacia dealbata.

Understorey Plants (usually shrubs) growing between trees under the overstorey.Vegetation The plants of an area or region.Weed A plant growing in an area where it does not normally occur and is unwanted

by people or native organisms.


Activity One: Habitats are homes...

Overview:Students will begin to understand what a habitat and an ecosystem are through relating them to their own lives and experiences. The connections between things and people in their world will be compared to connections in the natural world.

Duration: Part 1: 45min Part 2: 45min

Equipment: A quarter of an A4 piece of paper for each student.

A large piece of cardboard or butchers paper.

Textas, coloured pencils.

Blue tack.

Laminated (optional) copies of Activity Sheet 1.1 (page 6)

Laminated (optional) and cut out the label cards on Activity Sheet 1.2 (page 67)

Workbooks

A printed copy of Answer Sheet 1.1 (page 8)

Access to the internet, keyword list or books to search for term definitions.

Activity:

Part 1: My Habitat, Our Ecosystem1. Explain to your students that they are going to be studying a unit on ecosystems. To discover what an

ecosystem is, they are going to think about their own life.

2. Ask them all to close their eyes and imagine their home. Have them think about the specific things they need in their home, where these are and what they look like.

3. Ask the students now to open their eyes and draw their home on the piece of paper in front of them, including all those things they need in it. The heading for their pictures is “My Habitat”

4. When they are finished, ask the students to tell you what the most important things were that they needed in their home, and write the list on the board.

5. Explain that a home for an animal or plant is very similar. They have a list of things they need around them too. Many would be similar to what the students need – e.g. food, resting place, water. We call their homes habitats.

6. Have the students bring their pictures up to you.

7. Stick the pictures onto the butchers paper/cardboard, arranging them into a town type structure. Ask the class to tell you what else you would need to make a complete town like the one they live in. E.g. Roads, schools, shops, hospitals. Draw these features in.

8. Discuss with the students how all the features in the town are connected. Who and what places do the students interact with and rely on day to day?

People live in their homes which provide shelter and a safe place to sleep.


People move between homes and other places in the town to get food, play, interact with other people and go to school or work.

Many people work in jobs or do other things that help other people or help the town.

So the people in the town rely on each other to survive. Explain to the students that this is how it works in natural areas too.

9. If a group of peoples’ homes is called a town, ask the students what they think a group of habitats would be called. The best word is for it is ‘ecosystem’, where all the different plant and animals also need each otherand work together to survive. Write ‘Our Ecosystem’ above the town your class created.

Part 2: Silent Card Shuffle1. Inform students that they will now further explore what an ecosystem is by having a look at an example of a

real one. Many of the forests in the north-east are called Box-Ironbark woodland ecosystems.

2. Divide the students into groups of two or three. Give each group a set of the four word cards from Activity Sheet 1.2. Explain to them that these are words for different pieces of natural ecosystems.

3. Give the students access to internet, dictionaries, or the keyword list to find definitions for each of the terms. Ask each group to write down the definitions that they found.

4. Give each group a copy of Activity Sheet 1.1. Ask them to read it and identify any words which are unfamiliar. Have them research those words as well and write down the definitions.

5. As a class, discuss the definitions and redevelop them into the best and most understandable statements for each term. Write these on the board, and have the students copy them into their books.

6. Explain that the diagram shows the way that energy and nutrients travel through an ecosystem. For example, plants and animals gain energy and nutrients from their food. And when they die, they decompose to return nutrients back into the soil.

7. Explain to your students that they will now place the cards into the blue boxes on Activity Sheet 1.1 where they think they should go. Ask them to be completely silent while they do this, but to work with the others in their group.

8. When you are satisfied the students have had enough time, discuss as a class where the cards would go and why. Display Answer Sheet 1.1 on the board or in a central location.

9. Ask the students if they can think of any other important things the plants and animals might need which are not on the diagram (i.e. Water, soil, air to breathe). Explain that an ecosystem is so complicated that we can’t fit everything in it onto a piece of paper. Talk about everything being connected and relying on each other in an ecosystem. This is similar to all the components in our towns from the first part of the activity. It shows that all of it, even the little things, are important.


Activity Sheet 1.1 Simple Woodland Ecosystem

Photo: Peter ChewPhoto: Peter Chew

Heat energy leaves

ecosystem

KEY

Energy Nutrients

Photosynthesis

Nutrients for decomposers

Sun’s energyenters

ecosystem

Photo: Jan Osmotherly

Photo: Duncan Fraser

Photo: Margaret Moir


Photo: Peter Chew

Photo: Clare Snow

Photo: F.A.U..N.A.

Photo: High Country Conservation Center

(carnivores)

(fungi, worms, bacteria etc.)

(herbivores)

(plants)


Activity Sheet 1.2

SECONDARYCONSUMERS

PRODUCERS PRIMARYCONSUMERS

DECOMPOSERS

PRODUCERS

PRODUCERS

PRODUCERS

PRODUCERS

PRODUCERS

PRODUCERS

SECONDARYCONSUMERS

SECONDARYCONSUMERS

SECONDARYCONSUMERS

SECONDARYCONSUMERS

SECONDARYCONSUMERS

DECOMPOSERS

DECOMPOSERS

DECOMPOSERS

DECOMPOSERS

DECOMPOSERS

DECOMPOSERS

PRIMARYCONSUMERS

PRIMARYCONSUMERS

PRIMARYCONSUMERS

PRIMARYCONSUMERS

PRIMARYCONSUMERS

PRIMARYCONSUMERS

SECONDARYCONSUMERS


Answer Sheet 1.1Simple Woodland Ecosystem

Photosynthesis

Nutrients for decomposers

Heat energy leaves

ecosystem

KEY

Energy Nutrients

Sun’s energyenters

ecosystem

PRODUCERS

(plants)PRIMARY

CONSUMERS(herbivores)

DECOMPOSERS

(fungi, worms, bacteria etc.)SECONDARY

CONSUMERS(carnivores)


Photo: Jan OsmotherlyPhoto: Margaret MoirPhoto: Clare Snow


Photo: Peter Chew Photo: F.A.U..N.A.

Photo: High Country Conservation Center


Activity Two: What do Plants do?

Overview:Students will begin to gain an understanding of how a plant functions and why they are an important component of most ecosystems. They will learn some new plant associated words and use these in an activity to help them retain these.

Duration: Part 1:45min Part 2: 45min Part 3: 45min

Equipment: Copies of Activity Sheet 2.1 (page 11), 2.2 (page 13) and 2.3 (page 14)

Pencils

Activity:

Part 1: Functions of a Plant1. Divide the students into small groups of 3 or 4.

2. Give each group a copy of the Activity Sheet 2.1 (Teacher to use Activity Sheet 2.1 Answer sheet p12).

3. Brainstorming session - ask someone from each group to read out one function from the Activity Sheet 2.1. Expand and discuss the points, asking the students what they think each one means, and who or what else might benefit from each of the functions.

4. After brainstorm - have each group record these benefits in the boxes provided on Activity Sheet 2.1. (Note: Answer Sheet 2.1 has some general suggestions for these, but the students may come up with many other and more specific ideas.)

5. Each group then shares their answers with the class.

Part 2: Plant Alpha Ladders1. Keep the students in the same groups as Part 1.

2. Give each group a copy of Activity Sheet 2.2 Alpha Ladder (page 13).

3. As a group fill in the Alpha ladder with a plant feature, function or name for each letter of the alphabet.

4. They can use words from Activity Sheet 2.1 or other words they know about plants.

5. Use internet search or plant books to assist with their blank spots

6. You could also score their results – for every correct answer they receive a point. For every name they have that no other group has they get 1 point. For every blank space they lose a point.


Part 3: Plant Word Search

1. Draw a simple grid on the board. Using a few words, demonstrate how to build a word search. E.g. Finding common letters in the words and writing them into the grid with those letters overlapping. You may like to use the example provided on Activity Sheet 2.3. After all words are written into the grid, the empty spaces are filled in with random letters.

2. Distribute a copy of Activity Sheet 2.3. Have each group use their Alpha Ladder list of words to create a word search.

3. When students are finished, make copies of the word searches. You may like to use them in the school newsletter or other publications.

4. Have each group pass a copy of their word search to another group to do the puzzle.

Example Activity Sheet 2.3:

Word search example

S D E E F V F N D P RA S P L A N T M A J IR H Y E C A W R A Q WK G R A S S B C E K DH D E F R E Y Y O E JK O N L P E Q E T Y H

PLANTLEAFTREE

GRASS


Activity Sheet 2.1:

Functions of a Plant

Who/what else benefits from this?









Answer Sheet 2.1:

Functions of a Plant


Insects, reptiles andbirds


InsectsHuman

construction


All animals including people!


All living things as it helps reduce global

warming


FungiStabilises soilKeeps salty

ground waterlow


Things that eat plants. (herbivores)


Birds, mammals,

insects,


Birds, mammals,

insects,


Activity Sheet 2.2:

TOPIC: Plants

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ


Activity Sheet 2.3:

Plant Word Search


Activity Three: Native Plants

Overview:Students will begin to understand the importance of native plants and how we decide which plants to use for revegetation.

Duration: Part 1:45min Part 2: 45min Part 3: 45min

Equipment: Poster sized cardboard

Textas, pencils, pens

Access to the internet or library

Four copies of an aerial image of your school grounds (could be from Google Earth, or contact SEED for assistance [email protected]).

Clipboards

Compass

Activity Sheet 3.1 (page 16)

Plant Information Sheets (downloaded from(http://www.necma.vic.gov.au/ResourceLibrary/ForSchools/topic.aspx?tpk=20&lvl=2 )

Activity:

Part 1: Plant Posters 1. Inform students that now you will look at the different types of indigenous plants in your local area. You will

be learning about the difference of understorey and overstorey. You are also learning about how each plant provides different habitats. Explain to the students that:

A native plant is originally from Australia (not brought from overseas).

An indigenous plant means that it is native to the local area.

An endemic plant is a native plant which occurs naturally in a specific area and nowhere else. E.g. the Ovens Wattle is native to Australia but endemic to the Ovens River.

Introduced plants were brought here from overseas. Often these plants become environmental weeds – pest plants which become out of control and take over whole areas.

Using the Plant Information Sheets (downloaded from SEED website) assign each student a plant to study (more than 1 student can study the same plant).

If you want a wider selection or more area specific list of native plants, you may like to use the DSE revegetation plant lists at: http://www.dse.vic.gov.au/DSE/nrence.nsf/LinkView/930190EB424F8B64CA25732C001F0364544ABC860B2506F7CA257004002550CC


http://www.dse.vic.gov.au/dse/nrence.nsf/linkview/930190eb424f8b64ca25732c001f0364544abc860b


2. Each student is then going to create a poster about their plant. Features they need to research and have on their poster include:

scientific name

common name

locations where it is found (suggest a map for this)

what it looks like (photos or drawings would be good)

what type of environment it likes (climate, soil type, wet or dry etc.)

whether it is found in the low, middle or high parts of the forest (groundcover, understorey or overstorey)

if it is rare/threatened

whether it is endemic to your local area

good and bad features

animals that use it.

Access to the internet or library to research can also help. A local Landcare person, parent, Environment Officer from Local or State government may also be able assist.

3. Display the posters around the classroom.

Part 2: Venn Diagram1. Now your students have a good understanding of your local plants this activity asks them to identify the

benefits of understorey and overstorey.

* Understorey: Plants (usually shrubs) growing between trees under the overstorey

* Overstorey: Highest layer of vegetation in an ecosystem, usually formed by the trees

2. Draw the Venn Diagram on the board or use your smartboard. Ask students to brain storm their ideas about the benefits of overstorey and understorey and write these to one side of the diagram. Then ask the students to place their answers in the circles remembering to put answers that are true for both overstorey and understorey in the middle where the circles overlap. (You could use 3-way Venn diagram if you wanted to include groundcover species as well).

3. If they need encouraging ask them to walk around the room and look at the posters for clues.


Activity Sheet 3.1:Venn Diagram – Benefits of Native Indigenous Plants:

Understorey plants Overstorey plants


Activity Four: Planting it out

Overview:In this activity, students will have a hands-on experience of revegetation. They will learn how to plant a tree (or shrub or grass), some names of indigenous species and will be able to watch the effects of their activities over time.

Prior to starting this activity please make contact with your local Council or Department of Sustainability and Environment Biodiversity Officer or Regent Honeyeater Officer to find out if they are able to provide support. They may be able to support your school as part of National Tree Day (July) or Arbor Week (May). For further information about National Tree Day, visit Planet Ark website -http://treeday.planetark.org/.

From this point on in the Unit the activities strongly align with just VELS 4, therefore VELS 3 students will need extra support. As part of this activity you need to organise plants, site preparation and correct time of year prior to starting the activity.

Duration: Part 1: 45min Part 2: 1-2hrs Part 3: 45min Part 4: 1-4 hours (depending on travel to site) Part 5: 45min

Equipment: Copies of Activity Sheet 4.1 (page 20)– one for each student. Laminated (optional) copies of Activity Sheet 4.2 (page 21)– one per student. Laminated (optional) and cut out copies of the cards from Activity Sheet 4.3 (page 22) – one

set per student. Plants, tree planting equipment (As part of Arbor Week or National Tree Day, your school

may be eligible to receive plants and assistance through your local council). Protective clothing – enclosed shoes, long sleeves and pants, sun hat, gloves. Laminated (optional) set of the Plant Species Sheets (down load from

(http://www.necma.vic.gov.au/ResourceLibrary/ForSchools/topic.aspx?tpk=20&lvl=2) Copies of Activity Sheet 4.4 (page 23) - one for each student. Access to the internet to watch the Planet Ark ‘planting for survival video’ (only necessary if

you don’t have the assistance of someone to demonstrate planting to your students). Tape measure or ruler. Tags to label plants. Camera (optional).

Activity:Part 1: Densities

1. Explain to your students that when we revegetate, we are trying to re-create an ecosystem as it used to be before it was changed by people. One of the things we try to do is put back the right numbers of different plants.

2. Have your students complete the mathematical exercises on Activity Sheet 4.1.

3. Inform the class that the numbers are not exact; we can only estimate the proportions of plants which would naturally grow in an area.

http://treeday.planetark.org/.



Part 2: Vegetation Plan1. Choose an area on your school ground or in your local community that would be suitable for

native revegetation. (Your local Landcare Group or Local Council may be able to assist you with finding a suitable location).

2. Explain to your students that they are going to investigate and draw up a vegetation plan for this area. Nominate different roles for each student (e.g. speaker, scribe, scientist, time keeper etc)

3. Divide the students into four groups and, provide each group with a clipboard and a copy of the aerial image of this area.

4. Have each group study their aerial map to identify the sections of your nominated area (they may be weedy or empty areas) or where additional native plants could be planted. Emphasise that in some cases the plants that are already there may be the best ones to have in that place and should therefore remain undisturbed.

5. For each identified area, each group should note the soil type (sand, clay, gravel), climate (sheltered, open, shady) and aspect of the site. Ask them also to consider the other uses for this area (playground, river health, walking track, cattle etc),

6. Ask each group to then choose 5-10 native plants that would be suitable to plant at this site, including ground covers, understorey, over storey. Students can look on their plant posters for ideas; find a native plant guide in the library, or use web resources like the DSE revegetation lists. You may like to invite a local bush regeneration specialist (from Council, the CMA, DSE, Landcare etc.) to speak to the class.

7. Ask the speaker of each to group to explain their revegetation plan to the class. They are to outline the areas they thought could be possible planting sites, the plants they chose for revegetating the site, and why they chose those particular plants (their reasons may be biological, aesthetic, providing a practical purpose e.g. to provide shade for lunch areas or reduce traffic noise, as a teaching learning centre for reading or science, or for a bush tucker garden).

Part 3: Pre-planting Plan1. Inform your students that you will soon be taking part in a planting (revegetation) activity with

native plants. Remind them of the different benefits of native plants, as they have explored in previous activities.

2. Explain that there is much more to ‘revegetation’ than simply putting a plant in the ground. If the plants are going to survive, we need to plan carefully and plant correctly. Before planting, the site needs to be prepared, and after planting, the plants need to be looked after.

3. Distribute copies of Activity Sheet 4.2, and the cards from Activity Sheet 4.3 to each student, or group the students if you prefer.

4. Have the students arrange the cards in the order they think they need to happen for a successful planting process. While they are working, draw an outline of the flowchart on the board.

5. When you are satisfied that they have had enough time, ask for suggestions from the class for where each should go and work together to fill in the flow chart on the board until everyone is happy it is in the right order.

6. Coordinate a discussion on who would be responsible for each of the steps in the flow chart. I.e. Council staff, students, teachers, school gardener etc. This will vary depending on whether you will be planting on a school site or council/public land.


Part 4: Let’s go Planting1. Organise your planting day, giving your students plenty of notice. Find out from your local

council if they will have someone available to demonstrate good planting technique to your students. You could also try contacting local Landcare groups and invite a member to assist. If not, arrange for the students to watch the ‘Planting for Survival’ video available at this link: http://treeday.planetark.org/teachers/planting-for-survival.cfm

2. The day before it may be beneficial to refresh the students’ memories by bringing out the work they produced earlier – posters, word searches, the ‘ecosystem’ map. Explain to them that they will be planting locally native plants and emphasise the topics they identified in their Venn diagrams as to why that is a good thing.

3. Find out from the council etc. which species they will be providing. Take along to the planting day the relevant plant information sheets (http://www.necma.vic.gov.au/ResourceLibrary/ForSchools/topic.aspx?tpk=20&lvl=2 ). Use these on the day to teach the students a little about the species that they are planting.

4. Plant away! Get your hands dirty! Take photographs before and after planting if you have access to a camera.

Part 5: Planting Progress

1. After planting, provide each student with a copy of Activity Sheet 4.4.

2. Have them write the species name of one of their plants on the top of it, and mark that plant as one they planted.

3. Ask the students to make the measurements and observations described and write them in the first column.

4. If possible, revisit the site every 3 months and have the students record the progress of their plant. If they do not think that their plant is healthy, ask them why they think that is, and to try to identify solutions. Inform those responsible if maintenance is not being carried out. If the site is on school property, or easily accessible, visit as often as possible and check and maintain the plants with your students – removing weeds, removing guards when they have outgrown them etc.

5. After the last visit, have them predict what they think their plant will be like in 5 years time. They can write or draw their response.

6. Take photos at each visit, and they can visually compare how the site is changing.

http://treeday.planetark.org/teachers/planting-for-survival.cfm

http://www.necma.vic.gov.au/resourcelibrary/forschools/topic.aspx?tpk=20&lvl=2).


Activity Sheet 4.1:Plant densities

The amount of plants we put into a certain sized site depends on what type of ecosystem we are trying to recreate.

For example, a Grassy Woodland ecosystem which were once common in the North East, might have

15% trees 40% shrubs 45% ground covers

Question 1 If your school has 100 plants to revegetate a Grassy Woodland, how many should be:

Trees?

Shrubs?

Ground covers?

However, a Box-Ironbark ecosystem might have

30% trees 50% shrubs

20% ground covers

Question 2 If your school has 150 plants to revegetate a Box-Ironbark ecosystem, how many should be:

Trees?

Shrubs?

Ground covers?

We need to give plants enough space to grow to their mature size. Some smaller plants, although they are not going to grow up much, may grow out a lot, so we need to think about this.

For example, in a Grassy Woodland, we might plant approximately 8 ground covers per m2

3 shrubs per 10m2

Question 3 If we had a site 6m2, how many ground covers would we plant?

Question 4 If we had a site 30m2, how many shrubs would we plant?


Activity Sheet 4.2:Flow Chart


Activity Sheet 4.3

Choose a site for replanting.

Think about who/what uses the site, does it need more plants, will plants

survive here.

Choose plants for the site.

Local native plants are best. Thinkabout how tall they will grow, how wet /shady/ windy the site is, what plants were originally there. A native plant

expert should always be asked.

Prepare the site.

If the site is weedy, the weeds need to be removed. Depending on what the

soil is like, it may need to be loosened or watered. Put up any fences needed

to keep pest animals away.

Make holes for the plants.

Not too deep and not too shallow.

Put the plants into the holes and fill them in.

Make sure that all of the roots are covered with soil.

Put guards around the plants if needed.

To protect from animals and wind.

Water the plants.

Make sure they have plenty to drink and help them grow in their new

home.

Mulch if needed.

Laying mulch around the plants helps to stop weeds from growing and keeps

the soil moist.

Come back often to check on the plants.

Remove any weeds, water them if needed, take the guards off when they

don’t need them anymore.


Activity Sheet 4.4: Consequences and Sequence ChartTopic: Planting Progress

Immediate – What is it like now?

Short Term – In 3 months Medium Term – In 6 months Future - Long Term – What do you think it will be like in

5 years?

Asp

ect

1:

Hei

ght

of

Tree

(cm

)

Asp

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2:

Wid

th o

f Tr

unk

(cm

)

Asp

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3:

Num

ber

of

bran

ches

(e

xten

ding

fr

om t

runk

)

Asp

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4:

Gene

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Go

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Biodiversity Unit 1 Planting an Idea: Ecosystems VELS 3 of 30Created by Alpine Shire, Indigo Shire and the Rural City of Wangaratta, 2009

Activity Five: What if?

Overview:Students will reflect back on the Unit, and draw from their new knowledge to explore a hypothetical situation.

Duration: Part 1: 45min Part 2: 45min

Equipment: Workbooks and pens/ pencils

Activity:Part 1: PMI

1. Tell students you want them to think about all the things they have learnt about plants and ecosystems.

2. Write in large letters on the board ‘WHAT IF THERE WERE NO TREES IN.... (insert the name of your town)?’

3. Go around the class and ask for a response from each student – one thing that would be different about your town if there were no trees.

4. Write the responses in a PMI (Plus, Minus, Interesting) table (see example below).

5. When everyone has given a response, discuss with the students whether it would be a nice place to live.

6. Assuming that they agreed it wouldn’t be (!), coordinate a discussion with the students on what we should do to make sure that the world always has trees and healthy ecosystems.

+ Plus - Minus ? Interesting E.g. No limbs will fall during a

storm, my pet cat will not get stuck up a tree

E.g. No shade. No homes for animals

E.g. Would we lose soil if there are no trees? Would we be a desert?

Part 2: Create

1. Give students 30-45 minutes to creatively write or draw how life would be in your town if there were no trees. Ask them to include 2-3 things that they have learnt about ecosystems


BIODIVERSITY UNIT 1: PLANTING AN IDEA: ECOSYSTEMS

LEVEL 3 & 4: VELS LINKS

Activity Description of Activity

Links to VELS 3(DOMAIN: Dimensions) Links to VELS 4(DOMAIN: Dimensions)

1. Habitats are Homes

Part 1 Habitats are

homes

HUMANITIES: Humanities Knowledge and Understanding

From direct observation or observation of a variety of media, describe the human and physical characteristics of their local area and other parts of Victoria

SCIENCE: Science, Knowledge and Understanding

Identify how these features operate together to form systems which support living things to survive in their environments

SCIENCE: Knowledge and Understanding Students identify and explain the relationships that exist

within and between food chains in the environment

Part 2 Silent Card

Shuffle


Identify and describe the structural features of living things, including plants and animals


Identify forms of energy and energy transformations in the

everyday world

SCIENCE: Knowledge and Understanding

Students identify and explain the relationships that exist within and between food chains in the environment

They use everyday examples to illustrate the transforming of energy

2. What do Plants do?

Part 1 Functions of a

plant




Identify forms of energy and energy transformations in the everyday world

INTERPERSONAL DEVELOPMENT: Building social relationships Students support each other by sharing ideas and materials,

offering assistance, giving appropriate feedback and acknowledging individual differences.



THINKING: Reasoning, Processing and Inquiry They use the information they collect to develop concepts,

solve problems or inform decision making They develop reasoned arguments using supporting

evidence




Part 2Plant Alpha Ladders SCIENCE: Science, Knowledge and Understanding


INTERPERSONAL DEVELOPMENT: Working in Teams

Students cooperate with each other in teams for agreed purposes, taking roles and following guidelines established within the task

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY: ICT for communicating

They locate information on an intranet, and use a recommended search engine and limited key words to locate information from websites They develop and apply simple criteria to evaluate the value of the located information

INFORMATION AND COMMUNCATIONS TECHNOLOGY: ICT for communicating Using recommended search engines, students refine their

search strategies to locate information quickly

Part 3

Plant Word Search

PERSONAL LEARNING: Managing personal learning

They complete short tasks by planning and allocating appropriate time and resources

THINKING: Reasoning, Process and Enquiry

They apply thinking strategies to organise information and concepts in a variety of contexts, including problem solving activities


Students undertake set tasks independently, identifying stages for completion

THINKING: Reasoning, Processing and Inquiry Students develop their own questions for investigation,

collect relevant information form a range of sources and make judgments about its worth

3. Native vs Introduced

Part 11. Plant posters


Use appropriate scientific vocabulary to describe and explain observations and investigations


Describe natural physical and biological conditions, and human influences in the environment, which affect the survival of living things

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY: ICT for communicating

They locate information on an intranet, and use a

INFORMATION AND COMMUNCATIONS TECHNOLOGY: ICT for communicating Students use email, websites and frequently asked question

facilities to acquire from, or share information with, peers and known and unknown experts

Using recommended search engines, students refine their search strategies to locate information quickly

THINKING: Reasoning, Processing and Inquiry

Students develop their own questions for investigation, collect relevant information form a range of sources and make judgments about its worth




recommended search engine and limited key words to locate information from websites

They develop and apply simple criteria to evaluate the value of the located information


They complete short tasks by planning and allocating appropriate time and resources

They undertake some multi-step, extended tasks independently

THINKING: Reasoning, Processing and InquiryStudents collect information from a range of sources to answer their own and others’ questions

ENGLISH: Reading

Students use several strategies to locate, select and record key information from texts

They distinguish between fact and opinionCOMMUNICATIONS: Presenting

Students summarise and organise ideas and information, logically and clearly in a range of presentations

Part 2

Venn Diagram

THINKING: Reasoning, processing and inquiry

Students apply thinking strategies to organise information and concepts in a variety of contexts, including problem solving activities

They provide reasons for their conclusions

SCIENCE: Science Knowledge and Understanding

Students use appropriate scientific vocabulary to describe and explain observations and investigations

They identify and describe the structural features of living things, including plants and animals

MATHEMATICS: Structure

They use lists, Venn diagrams and grids to show the possible combinations of two attributes

THINKING: Reasoning, Processing and Inquiry

Students use the information they collect to develop concepts, solve problems or inform decision making

They develop reasoned arguments using supporting evidence

4. Planting it Out Part 1Densities

MATHEMATICS: Measurement, Chance and Data Students estimate and measure length and area, using

appropriate instruments

MATHEMATICS: Measurement, Chance and Data Students use metric units to estimate and measure length

and area




Working Mathematically

Students recognise the mathematical structure of problems and use appropriate strategies to find solutions

Working Mathematically: Students recognise and investigate the use of mathematics

in real situations

Part 2 Vegetation

Plan

HUMANITIES: Humanity skills Draw simple maps and plans of familiar environments

observing basic mapping conventions

SCIENCE: Science Knowledge and Understanding:

Students use appropriate scientific vocabulary to describe and explain observations and investigations

They identify and describe the structural features of living things, including plants and animals

MATHEMATICS: Measurement, Chance and Data They recognise and use different units of measurement

including informal (for example, paces), formal (for example, centimetres) and standard metric measures (for example, metre) in appropriate contexts

Working Mathematically Students recognise the mathematical structure of problems

and use appropriate strategies to find solutions

THINKING: Reasoning and Processing and Inquiry: Students collect information from a range of sources to

answer their own and others’ questions They apply thinking strategies to organise information and

concepts in a variety of contexts, including problem solving activities

DESIGN, CREATIVITY AND TECHNOLOGY: Investigating and Designing Students, individually and in teams, generate ideas based on

a design brief, demonstrating understanding that designs may need to meet a range of different requirements

PERSONAL LEARNING: The Individual Learner Students cooperate with others in teams for agreed

HUMANITIES – GEOGRAPHY: Geospatial Skills

Students draw sketch maps of their neighbourhood using simple mapping conventions such as title, scale, north point and legend

SCIENCE: Knowledge and Understanding

Students identify and explain the relationships that exist within and between food chains in the environment

MATHEMATICS: Measurement Chance and Data Students use metric units to estimate and measure length

and area

Working Mathematically: Students recognise and investigate the use of mathematics

in real situations

THINKING: Reasoning and Processing and Inquiry:

Students use the information they collect to develop concepts, solve problems or inform decision making

They develop reasoned arguments using supporting evidence

DESIGN, CREATIVITY AND TECHNOLOGY: Investigating and Designing Students contribute to the development of design briefs that

include some limitations and specifications. Individually and in teams, they use a range of methods to research and collect data in response to design briefs

COMMUNICATION: Listening, Viewing and Responding

Students ask clarifying questions about ideas and information they listen to and view

They develop interpretations of the content and provide reasons for them




purposes, taking roles and following guidelines established within the task Presenting:

Students summarise and organise ideas and information, logically and clearly in a range of presentations

INTERPERSONAL DEVELOPMENT: Working in Teams

Students work effectively in different teams and take on a variety of roles to complete tasks of varying length and complexity

They work cooperatively to allocate tasks and develop timelines

Part 3 Pre-planting

Plan

HUMANITIES: Humanities Skills Develop simple timelines to show events in sequence

INTERPERSONAL DEVELOPMENT: Working in Teams Students demonstrate respect for others and exhibit

appropriate behaviour for maintaining friendships with other people


purposes, taking roles and following guidelines established within the task

COMMUNICATION: Presenting Students summarise and organise ideas and information,

logically and clearly

INTERPERSONAL DEVELOPMENT: Working in Teams Students work cooperatively to allocate tasks and develop

timelines

PERSONAL LEARNING: Managing Personal Learning Student undertake some set tasks independently, identifying

stages for completion

Part 4 Planting

MATHEMATICS: Measurement, chance and data Students estimate and measure length and area, using

appropriate instruments.

Working Mathematically Students apply number skills to everyday contexts They recognise the mathematical structure of problems and

use appropriate strategies to find solutions

INTERPERSONAL DEVELOPMENT: Working in Teams Students cooperate with others in teams for agreed

purposes, taking roles and following guidelines established within the task


MATHEMATICS: Measurement, chance and data Students use metric units to estimate and measure length

and area

Working Mathematically Students recognise and investigate the use of mathematics

in real situations

INTERPERSONAL DEVELOPMENT: Working in Teams Students work effectively in different teams and take on a

variety of roles to complete tasks of varying length and complexity

They work cooperatively to allocate tasks and develop timelines




purposed, taking roles and following guidelines established with the task

Part 5Planting Progress

SCIENCE: Science at Work Select and use simple measuring equipment, use a range of

appropriate methods to record observations, and comment on trends

THINKING: Reasoning, Processing and InquiryStudents provide reasons for their conclusions

SCIENCE: Science at Work Students approach data collection systematically, and

analyse data qualitatively in terms of errors of measurement

THINKING: Reasoning, Processing and Inquiry Students use the information they collect to develop

concepts, solve problems or inform decision making They develop reasoned arguments using supporting

evidence

5. What if? Part 1 PMI

THINKING: Reflection, evaluation and metacognition They identify and provide reasons for their point of view, and

justify changes in their thinking

SCIENCE: Knowledge and Understanding Use appropriate scientific vocabulary to describe and explain

observations and investigations Identify how features of living things operate together to form

systems which support survival in their environments Describe natural physical and biological conditions, and

human influences in the environment, which affect the survival of livings things



THINKING: Reflection, Evaluation and Metacognition Students document changes in their beliefs over time

6. Part 2 Create

THINKING: Creativity Students apply creative ideas in practical ways and test the

possibilities of ideas they generate They use open-ended questioning and integrate available

information to explore ideas

CIVICS AND CITIZENSHIP: Civic Knowledge and Understanding They explain why protection and care for the natural and built

environment is important

THINKING: Creativity Students use creative thinking strategies to generate

imaginative solutions when solving problems They demonstrate creativity in their thinking in a range of

contexts

Unit 1: Planting an Idea: Ecosystems - SEED Home · Biodiversity Unit 1: Planting an Idea:...

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