Activity Introduction
Quick summary: In this activity children are asked to investigate what different features different animals have and why they have these features. Younger children are asked to look at different animals and the sounds they make, where they live and what features they have. Older children are asked to identify a range of different animal features – such as paws, whiskers and feathers – and are asked to compare the features of animals with the features of people. Children are then asked to imagine which animal features would be most useful for humans and why.
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EYLF Learning Outcome |
Elaborations |
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Outcome 2: Children are connected with and contribute to their world |
3. Children become socially responsible and show respect for the environment |
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Outcome 4: Children are involved and confident learners |
1. Children develop dispositions for learning such as curiosity, cooperation, confidence, creativity, commitment, enthusiasm, persistence, imagination and reflexivity 2. Children develop a range of skills and processes such as problem solving, enquiry, experimentation, hypothesising, researching and investigating 3. Children transfer and adapt what they have learned from one context to another |
Equipment needed: A range of animal toys or images (try to choose animals with relatively different features and ensure you have one for each child). Animal ears template. Build a bug house instruction sheet. Build a nesting box guides: How to make a nesting box, Nesting box construction guide and Nesting box size guide.
Other resources:
- Cool Australia Biodiversity Digital Library
- Forests fact sheet
- Cool Australia Biodiversity video (see below)
Cool Australia Presents Biodiversity from Cool Australia on Vimeo.
The team at Cool Australia continually reviews and refines our Early Learning resources in line with expert advice and current educational practices.
Background information: