Activity Introduction
Quick summary: In this lesson, students will look at parasitic insect species and their lifecycle in all their gory glory. Students begin by looking at the Bush Blitz program before being introduced to some of the species uncovered through Bush Blitz. Students then work collaboratively to investigate some of these species in detail before participating in a game around these species.
Although this lesson can be taught by itself, it forms the seventh lesson of a unit of eight lessons that can be delivered in sequence to take your students through a complete backyard sustainability project.
Learning intentions:
- Students understand the purpose of a bush blitz
- Students understand the features of a bush blitz species
- Students understand the role of parasites
- Students ask questions, from big to small, to identify a species.
21st century skills:
Australian Curriculum Mapping
Content descriptions:
Year 5 English
- Clarify understanding of content as it unfolds in formal and informal situations, connecting ideas to students’ own experiences and present and justify a point of view (ACELY1699)
- Plan, rehearse and deliver presentations for defined audiences and purposes incorporating accurate and sequenced content and multimodal elements (ACELY1700)
Year 5 Science
- Living things have structural features and adaptations that help them to survive in their environment (ACSSU043)
- Communicate ideas, explanations and processes using scientific representations in a variety of ways, including multi-modal texts (ACSIS093)
Year 6 English
- Make connections between students’ own experiences and those of characters and events represented in texts drawn from different historical, social and cultural contexts (ACELT1613)
Year 6 Science
- The growth and survival of living things are affected by physical conditions of their environment (ACSSU094)
- Communicate ideas, explanations and processes using scientific representations in a variety of ways, including multi-modal texts (ACSIS110)
Syllabus outcomes: EN3-8D, EN3-1A, ST3-10LW, ST3-4WS, ST3-11LW.
General capabilities: Literacy, Critical and Creative Thinking.
Cross-curriculum priority: Sustainability OI.2.
Relevant parts of Year 5 English achievement standards: Students contribute actively to class and group discussions, taking into account other perspectives.
Relevant parts of Year 5 Science achievement standards: Students analyse how the form of living things enables them to function in their environments, and communicate their ideas and findings using multimodal texts.
Relevant parts of Year 6 English achievement standards: Students contribute actively to class and group discussions, using a variety of strategies for effect.
Relevant parts of Year 6 Science achievement standards: Students describe and predict the effect of environmental changes on individual living things. Students communicate ideas, methods and findings.
Topic: Biodiversity, Sustainability.
This lesson is part of the wider unit of work Backyard Bush Blitz – Years 5 & 6.
Time required: 120 mins.
Level of teacher scaffolding: Medium – facilitate class discussion and demonstrate/ model game and questioning.
Resources required:
- A3 images of Bush Blitz species (access here or here)
- Clothes pegs
- Headband Game
- Image cards of Bush Blitz species (access here – printed out so that each student has one card)
- Bush Blitz Slides
Related professional development: Teach Science Inquiry in the Primary Classroom.
Keywords: Game, terminology, adaptations, species, Bush Blitz, parasite, disguise, insects, game,
Bush Blitz is Australia’s largest nature discovery program, with the Bush Blitz TeachLive component delivered by Earthwatch Australia, who kindly provided the images in these lessons. Thank you to the Ian Potter Foundation, John T Reid Charitable Trusts and The Myer Foundation for generously supporting the development of these lessons.
Cool Australia’s curriculum team continually reviews and refines our resources to be in line with changes to the Australian Curriculum.
Teacher Preparation
