Background

Pollination is an essential ecological function. Without pollinators, the human race and all of Earth’s terrestrial ecosystems would not survive. Over 80 percent of the world’s flowering plants require a pollinator to reproduce. Animals that assist plants in their reproduction as pollinators include species of bats, butterflies, moths, flies, birds, beetles, ants and bees.

Background

Too many threatened species are on the brink of extinction due to a range of threats. A lesser recognised but very real threat to these species, is that many people do not know they exist, or how they can help. We think the only thing more unjust than wildlife extinction, is the loss of a species that no one knew was in trouble.

This program provides the opportunity for students to learn about a threatened Australian animal and share this with their class in a hands-on and engaging manner.

Background

Life cycles are a series of stages through which living things grow, change, reproduce and eventually die. The various stages are always represented in a circle as it is continuous. The focus for this program will be on animal life cycles.

Prior Knowledge

No prior knowledge is required.

Key Learning Question

How can we use Sphero Bolts to show the various stages of an animal’s life cycle?

Learning Intentions

In this program students will:

Background

Plants and animals have adaptations to help them survive in an environment. These adaptations help them survive seasonal changes and predation.

Prior Knowledge

No prior knowledge is required.

This can be a pre-visit, post-visit or a stand-alone activity.

Key Learning Question

What adaptations do animals have that help them to survive in their environment?

Learning Intentions

In this program students will:

Background

A life cycle depicts the changes a living thing goes through during its life. In some cases, this process is slow and gradual but in others the process is quick. Mayflies have the shortest life cycle on Earth. Their life only lasts 24 hours, but some species only last a few hours.

Prior Knowledge

No prior knowledge is required.

This is a stand-alone Outreach program and should not be booked in conjunction with the onsite program ‘Life cycles’ as it covers some of the same content.

Background

For tens of thousands of years, indigenous people had no access to shops so everything they needed was acquired from their environment, from food to tools and clothing. A great deal of time was taken gathering indigenous plants and preparing food and tools for their use. Learning to use resources sustainably was imperative for their survival.

Prior Knowledge

No prior knowledge is required. This can be a pre-visit, post-visit or a stand-alone activity.

Background

Animals have a variety of amazing adaptations which help them to survive in their environment. Students will investigate various structural adaptations of vertebrates and invertebrates under a microscope, to gain a greater understanding of the importance of these features to their survival.

Prior Knowledge

No prior knowledge is required. This can be a pre-visit, post-visit or a stand alone activity.

Background

Dinosaurs lived between 245 and 66 million years ago, during the Mesozic Era, and their remains have been found on every continent on Earth. Despite their abundance elsewhere, less discoveries have been made in Australia because of the geology. Australia has been subject to 30 million years of erosion and weathering, therefore paleontologists have smaller areas of suitable exposed rocks to look at when searching for fossils.

Background

Australia is famous for its unique and diverse vertebrate animals. Scientists group animals into classes according to their features. One of the main characteristics that is used to distinguish one class of animals from another is the type of skin covering. Mammals have hair or fur, birds have feathers, reptiles have dry scales, amphibians have soft, moist skin, and fish have wet, slimy scales. This program focuses on the features of various Australian vertebrates and how their coverings and other adaptations help them to survive.

Background

Megabugs are big (mega) bugs that existed on Earth during the Carboniferous period, from about 359 million to 300 million years ago. There were dragonflies three times the size of today’s largest species and centipedes 2m long. Scientists believe it was the higher level of oxygen, due to the vast lowland swamp forests that existed during that time, and the lack of decomposers that contributed to arthropods being much larger than today.