Natural Links in Cardinia

This program links to different types of vegetation in Geography, exploring planet Earth as a complex environment that relies on delicate links and sophisticated relationships between living and non-living elements. It gives students the opportunity to classify natural objects and organisms while exploring the interconnectedness and importance of a balanced environment. Students learn about human impacts and create actions for the school to support positive change.  

This 3 hour program has 4 modules:

Module 1: Habitats and Survival (Mini Beasts, Plants and Birds)
Discover what birds and animals need to survive, then explore the Cardinia Creek and nearby wetlands to examine how the plants and animals are interconnected, along with the impact weeds and wastewater can have on the ecosystem.  Students learn how to take data and develop a graph to show how many different species of birds, insects and animals they find! 

Module 2: Classification
Explores the characteristics and differences between living, previously living and non-living elements within a habitat through a hands-on classification activity. We will also explore the classification of plants and weeds.

Module 3: Human Impacts
This module identifies and demonstrates the impact humans have on our river systems, waterways and oceans as well as the impact weeds have on our environment. We discuss the various weed control or management tools – and learn about the upstream and downstream of weeds.  

Module 4: Helping Habitats
By role-playing animals that are typically found in urban wetland habitats, students get to explore animal needs, and the impact humans have on their ability to survive. Students use the animals’ perspectives to think of positive changes that we can all make, to support local habitats such as creeks, lakes and parks to be healthy – as healthy habitats help reduce the impacts of climate change, give us great places to visit and provide a home to many precious local native plants and animals. Students also discuss how natural links are affected and/or disrupted by human activities and decide actions they can adopt to minimise their impact on the environment.

This program ends with a Call to Action
Students will lead a discussion about how natural links are affected and/or disrupted by human activities and derive actions they can adopt to minimise their impact on the environment.

Certificate and Conservation Code to reinforce learnings
Post event, schools will be issued a Certificate of Participation and Conservation Code for each class which students are encouraged to sign and hang in the classroom as a reminder of their learnings and their commitment to protect the environment. We will also provide an array of free resources so lessons can continue in the classroom.

INCLUSIONS, NOTES, TERMS and CONDITIONS

Programs are open to schools located in and around Cardinia Creek. Sessions offered are subject to availability and budget. Each group must not exceed 30 students. You can book as many students from your school as you like, however, all excursions must be delivered by Friday, June 27. Transport can be arranged if required, however it is hoped that most schools can manage their own to allow maximum student participation from across the region.

Equipment supplied by Gould League: Workbooks/Worksheets along with all tools and equipment required for activities including fieldwork data collection.

Equipment needed by the school: First aid kit, insect repellant, sun screen and PPE including hand sanitiser to kill viruses, bacteria and other micro organisations. 

Students needs to bring: Their own snacks, water and lunch, sunscreen, a clipboard, pencil, and a copy of the Gould League worksheet/workbook (usually sent 14 days prior to excursion so copies can be made for students); bag to take away your rubbish.

Restrictions/Limitations: This Gould League program does not operate on days with a Fire danger rating of Extreme or Catastrophic. On rare occasions, programs may be postponed due to extreme weather predictions involving wind/storms. In both cases, these programs will be rescheduled at the earliest convenience of both parties.

CURRICULUM LINKS

Science Understanding: Science as a Human Endeavour
Science knowledge helps people to understand the effects of their actions (VCSSU056)
Science Understanding: Biological Science
Different living things have different life cycles and depend on each other and the environment to survive (VCSSU058)
– investigating the roles of living things in a habitat, for example, producers, consumers or decomposers
– making and recording observations of living things as they develop through their life cycles, for example, insects, birds, frogs and flowering plants
– recognising that environmental factors can affect life cycles, for example, fire and seed germination
– predicting the effects when living things in feeding relationships are removed or die out in an area
Science Understanding: Earth and Space Science
Earth’s surface changes over time as a result of natural processes and human activity (VCSSU062)
– considering the effect of events such as floods and extreme weather on landscapes
– exploring a local area that has changed as a result of natural processes, for example, an eroded gully, sand dunes or river banks
Science Inquiry Skills: Recording and Processing 
Use a range of methods including tables and column graphs to represent data and to identify patterns and trends (VCSIS069)
– identifying and discussing numerical and visual patterns in data collected from students’ investigations and other sources
– using provided tables to organise materials and objects based on observable properties
Science Inquiry Skills | Communicating 
Represent and communicate observations, ideas and findings to show patterns and relationships using formal and informal scientific language (VCSIS072)
– using simple explanations and arguments, reports or graphical representations to communicate ideas to other students
– communicating with other students carrying out similar investigations to share experiences and improve investigation skills 
Geographical Knowledge | Diversity and Significance of Places and Environments 
Types of natural vegetation and the significance of vegetation to the environment, the importance of environments to animals and people, and different views on how they can be protected; the use and management of natural resources and waste, and different views on how to do this sustainably (VCGGK082)
– exploring how vegetation produces the oxygen all land animals (including people) breathe, protects land from erosion by water or wind, retains rainfall, provides habitat for animals, shelters crops and livestock, provides shade for people, cools urban places, produces medicines, wood and fibre, and can make places appear more attractive
– describing how natural processes can break down and recycle some wastes safely. For example, through composting or purifying water as it moves through the environment
Critical – Reasoning 
Identify and use ‘If, then…’ and ‘what if…’ reasoning (VCCCTR016)
– using the sentence starter ‘What if…’ to explore possible consequences
– using ‘what if…’ or ‘imagine that…’ to find examples to explore the strength of suggestions
– identifying how ‘if, then…’ reasoning can be used to move from separate pieces of information to a conclusion, for example reasoning from historical sources (i) If a First Fleet convict in the colony were found guilty of a crime then they were punished; and (ii) this convict was found guilty of being disrespectful; to (iii) inferring the convict went on to be punished
English: Literacy 
Plan, rehearse and deliver presentations incorporating learned content and taking into account the particular audiences and purposes such as informative, persuasive and imaginative, including multimodal elements (VCELY308)reporting on a topic in an organised manner, providing relevant facts and descriptive detail to enhance audience understanding, and beginning to refer to reliable sources to support claims.
Drama: Explore and Express Ideas 
Explore ideas and narrative structures through roles and situations and use empathy in their own improvisations and devised drama (VCADRE025)
– exploring and experiencing a range of roles and situations that they initiate and develop
– making improvisations that explore issues and ideas using empathy
– using elements of drama such as voice, movement, situation, time and place, and tension and the principles of stories to shape improvisations to communicate their intentions as drama makers

The Victorian Curriculum F-10 content elements are © VCAA, reproduced by permission. Victorian Curriculum F-10 elements accurate at time of publication. The VCAA does not endorse or make any warranties regarding this resource. The Victorian Curriculum  F-10 and related content can be accessed directly at the VCAA website.