Unit: Investigating Invertebrates – Lower Primary

Many of us get the heebie-jeebies about invertebrates, especially the creepy-crawly ones. Maybe that’s because there are so many of them. But fear not, the earth is not in danger of being overrun by invertebrates. Instead, they are actually vital to the healthy functioning of almost every aspect of our natural environment. They work as pollinators and as decomposers, they enrich and aerate the soil, and they are a critical part of the food chain, serving as a source of food for all sorts of animals.

The great thing about invertebrates from a learning perspective is that because they are so varied and because they are everywhere – including all over your schoolyard, home gardens and even in the classroom – they are an excellent way to get students engaging with the natural world around them.

In these lessons, students will look at, observe, draw and describe the invertebrates they find in their own backyards and schoolyards. They will connect to the environment around them, take action to care for invertebrates and their habitats, and share their learning with their communities.

These lessons have been developed with generous support from the Ian Potter Foundation, John T Reid Charitable Trusts and The Myer Foundation.