Educational Resource: Living Things Grow and Change Year 2 Science

Educational Resource: Living Things Grow and Change Year 2 Science

Information for Teachers Introduction Links to the Australian Curriculum Year 2 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 grow, change and have offspring similar to themselves (ACSSU030) Science Inquiry Skills: Evaluating Compare observations with those of others (ACSIS041) Communicating Represent and communicate observations and ideas in a variety of ways (ACSIC042) Page 1

Information for Teachers Classroom Activities Curriculum reference: ACSSU030 ACSIS042 Make a special home for invertebrates in the school yard to allow the students to observe changes to the animal and it s environment over time. 1. Have your class create a sheltered home for invertebrates by collecting rocks and leaves. Have the students check this spot in a week to see if any invertebrates are living there. Ask students to record what they see and have a class discussion about the observations that were made. 2. As a class, set up some flowering plants in the garden and see which butterflies come to visit. Take photos to document the butterflies and use wildlife apps to help the students identify which butterflies they have seen. 3. Make a worm farm! Follow the links below for instructions on making your very own worm farm. As a group the class can collect leftover food scraps from the canteen to help feed the worms. Have the students observe and record the worms as they care for them. Ask the students to make predictions about what the worms need to stay alive. 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 teaches children with 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

Living Things Grow and Change (year 2) Before Your Excursion Curriculum reference: ACSSU030 Have a class discussion about how living things change during their life... Fun Fact! A LIFE CYCLE describes the stages that a living thing goes through during it s life. An animal may look different when it is at different stages of its life cycle. ~Can you name some living things that have a life cycle? Write them down in the space below. Butterfly 1... 2... 3... Thinking Cap: Does the Saltwater Crocodile change during it s life? How? Page 4

Living Things Grow and Change (year 2) Before Your Excursion Curriculum reference: ACSIS041 ACSIC042 As a class go out into the school yard and look for a living thing... ~Draw what it looks like in the box below. Thinking Cap: Have a look at your classmates drawings... ~How are they the same? ~How are they different? Fun Fact! When we use our senses (sight, smell, touch, hearing and taste) to notice something, this is called an OBSERVATION - this is what science is all about! Page 5

Living Things Grow and Change (year 2) At the Wildlife Park Curriculum reference: ACSSU030 Living things grow and change throughout their lives... ~Try to find a butterfly at the Wildlife Park and think about it s life cycle. Did it always look the way it looks now? ~Have a look at the butterfly life cycle below and try to put it in order. One has been done for you. Egg 1 2 3 Pupae Caterpillar Butterfly 4 Thinking Cap: How does a bird start it s life? How does it change? Page 6

At the Wildlife Park Living Things Grow and Change (year 2) Curriculum reference: ACSSU030 Go to the Aquarium and observe the Saltwater Crocodile... ~How do you think the crocodile changes throughout it s life? ~Below is the life cycle of a crocodile but it is jumbled up. See if you can draw lines to link the words, numbers and pictures in the correct order. 1 2 3 Juvenile Egg Adult Page 7

At the Wildlife Park Living Things Grow and Change (year 2) Curriculum reference: ACSSU030 Have a look for the animals in the pictures that live at the Wildlife Park. Some of these animals began life as an egg and some did not... ~See if you can sort the animals below into the two categories by drawing a line to link the picture with the correct category. Started life as an EGG DID NOT start life as an EGG Page 8

Nature Notes! Curriculum reference: ACSIS042 Use the space below to record your observations while visiting the Wildlife Park. Page 9

Nature Notes! Curriculum reference: ACSIS042 Use the space below to record your observations while visiting the Wildlife Park. Page 10

Drawing Corner! Curriculum reference: ACSIS042 Use the space below to record your observations through drawing while visiting the Wildlife Park. Black Flying Fox (Pteropus aleco) 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