Introduction using these resources Welcome to Victoria’s Biodiversity-Resources for Teachers. These student activities are adapted from two education resource books published by the Department of Natural Resources and Environment in 1999. More up-to-date information on these and a wide range of topics relating to environmental sustainability can be found by searching DSE’s web site: www.dse.vic.gov.au Curriculum applicability The activities are easily adapted for the Victorian Essential Learning Standards (VELS) and VCE Geography, Biology and Environmental Science and Outdoor and Environmental Studies. Resource 1 student activities relate to VELS Levels 4 and 5 Resource 2 student activities relate to VELS Levels 5 & 6 Using these resources Most of these student activities require the use of: Ecosystem Images and Info Vegetation Maps pre 1950 and now (or extant) and other information about biodiversity. (links are provided within the activities) Acknowledgements The Ecosystem Images were designed and produced by Roxanne Oakley, o2 Design Published by the Victorian Government Department of Sustainability and Environment Melbourne, April 2009 © The State of Victoria Department of Sustainability and Environment 2009 This publication is copyright. No part may be reproduced by any process except in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968. Authorised by the Victorian Government, 8 Nicholson Street, East Melbourne. ISBN 978-1-74208-993-5 (Biodiversity Education Resource Book 1) ISBN 978-1-74208-992-8 (Biodiversity Education Resource Book 2) For more information contact the DSE Customer Service Centre 136 186 Disclaimer This publication may be of assistance to you but the State of Victoria and its employees do not guarantee that the publication is without flaw of any kind or is wholly appropriate for your particular purposes and therefore disclaims all liability for any error, loss or other consequence which may arise from you relying on any information in this publication. Accessibility If you would like to receive this publication in an accessible format, such as large print or audio, please telephone 136 186, 1800 122 969 (TTY), or email [email protected] Victoria’s Biodiversity – Education Resource 2 Student Activity Sheet MarineVictoria’s and EcosystemsCostal Ecosystems Advance Preparation ÆÆMake an overhead of Table 1: Ecosystem Features. 1 ThisThis activity activity introduces introduces students students to toVictoria’s the major least knownecosystems ecosystems. in Victoria, It compares their environmental the different types of livingmarine conditions and coastal and environments some of the plantsin Victoria, and and theiranimals rich diversity that live of in plant these and different animal ecosystems. life. Suited to Activities groupSuited work. to group work. 1. Distribute a different Ecosystem Image and Info to each small group to investigate. 2. Each group examines the image and reads the description Materials page of their assigned ecosystem. They copy Table 1 and list in it the main physical characteristics and environmental ÆÆ Class Set of Victoria’s Biodiversity: Ecosystems conditions of their ecosystem, and the plant and animal Images and Info species mentioned in the text. ÆÆ Table 1: Ecosystem Features 3. Students use additional references such as plant and animal ÆÆ Native plant and animal reference materials field guides to find out more about the characteristic species mentioned in the description page: what they look like; special features that help them survive in that Background ecosystem. 4. Each group makes a short presentation to the class on: Victoria’s Biodiversity: Ecosystem Images and Info describe the major types of ecosystems that occur in Victoria, and some of ÆÆenvironmental conditions in their ecosystem, the plants and animals that live in them. ÆÆhow the living conditions in that ecosystem affect the They group Victoria’s ecosystems as: ways of life of plants and wildlife, ÆÆwhere each of these ecosystems occur in Victoria, Natural Ecosystems: ÆÆsome characteristic species found in it. ÆÆThe Alps 5. Compile a class version of Table 1 to summarise all the ÆÆGrasslands ecosystems. ÆÆHeathlands 6. Identify which ecosystems occur: ÆÆThe Mallee a) near your school, ÆÆDry Forests and Woodlands b) in your region. ÆÆWet Forests and Rainforests ÆÆInland Waters and Wetlands 7. How do people use these different ecosystems? ÆÆThe Coast; ÆÆRelate this to the living conditions and locations of the ecosystems. ÆÆMarine Environments (For simplicity you could initially use only the Intertidal Rocky Shores of the 5 marine habitat images. See Activity 3 Marine and Coastal Ecosystems for further investigation of See Also marine ecosystems). ÆÆActivity 2: Characteristic Species. Human-created Ecosystems: ÆÆ Living Areas ÆÆAgricultural Areas Table 1: Ecosystem Features. Ecosystem Name Main Physical Features of Main Environmental Living Some Characteristic Species the Ecosystem Conditions of the Ecosystem e.g. Alpine. Mountain areas above 1500 Snow covered for 4 months of Snow Gum woodland. metres. the year. Bogong Moth. © The State of Victoria Department of Sustainability and Environment 2009 This publication is copyright. No part may be reproduced by any process except in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968. Victoria’s Biodiversity – Education Resource 2 Student Activity Sheet Characteristic species Materials ÆÆClass Class set set of of Marine Victoria’s and Biodiversity: Coastal Ecosystem Ecosystem Im- This activity helps students become familiar with some 2 agesImages; and Info; characteristic species found in each of Victoria’s eco- systems. Suited to group work/pairs. ÆÆMarine Ecosystem Ecosystems Sampler Artwork; Species List; ÆÆTable General 1: Marine posters and of CoastalVictoria’s Ecosystems; native plants and animals; ÆÆMarine and coastal reference books, internet, CD/ ÆÆ DVD.Native plant and animal references such as: Advance Preparation books, CD/DVD, videos. 1. Pin up the posters around the room and set up the refer- ences for student access. 2. Blank out the ecosystem heading names on the Ecosystem Sampler Species List then copy the list for student use. Activities 1. Distribute a set of Ecosystem Images to each pair or small group of students. 2. Explain that the plants and animals illustrated in the images are only some of the native species found in each ecosystem. Some species occur in more than one ecosystem. Their task is to identify as many as possible of the characteristic plants and animals for each ecosystem – i.e. the ones that are most unique to that ecosystem or rarely found anywhere else. 3. Using this reference and their own knowledge, students compile a list of characteristic species for each of the ecosystems (or assign different ecosystems to different groups). Ecosystem Species List 4. Distribute the Ecosystem Species List for students to fill in the correct ecosystem heading for each list of plants and animals. 5. Assign different ecosystems to different students or small groups. 6. Set up the reference materials or assign a homework task for students to locate plants and animals illustrations of the species listed in their assigned ecosystem. Students also Weedy Seadragon. research what these plants or animals needs to survive and any special adaptations they have to help them survive in Marine Ecosystems. that environment. 7. Display ecosystem posters on the walls. 8. One ecosystem at a time, students report on their research, pinning up an illustration of the species around the relevant ecosystem poster. 9. Summarize as a class some of the main plants and animals in each ecosystem. © The State of Victoria Department of Sustainability and Environment 2009 This publication is copyright. No part may be reproduced by any process except in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968. Activity #2 Ecosystem Sampler Species List Alps Dry Forests and Intertidal Rocky Shores Pelagic (open sea) Snow Gum Woodlands seaweeds such as Neptune’s plankton Bogong Moth box trees Necklace, Sea Lettuce, Bull Kelp shrimps Baw Baw Frog ironbark trees crabs jellyfish Alpine Water Skink mistletoe seastars squid Mountain Pygmy-possum wattle shrubs shrimps octopus Flame Robin Brush-tailed Phascogale barnacles eels sphagnum Sugar Glider sea snails such as limpets, dog fish such as Silver Trevally, winkles, top shells, elephant Squirrel Glider Barracouta, Jack Mackerel, snails, warreners, abalone pilchards and anchovies Grassland echidna Eastern Barred Bandicoot anemones whales such as Southern Right Swift Parrot Striped Legless Lizard and Humpback Grey-crowned Babbler Subtidal Rocky Reefs Bush Stone-curlew Dolphins such as Bottlenose Bandy Bandy seaweeds such as Bubble Kelp, and Common kangaroos Leather Kelp, Sargassum, Giant Little Penguin native grasses Wet Forests and Kelp Australian Fur Seal orchids sponges Rainforests sea lion daisies Alpine Ash corals peas Blackwood feather stars Living Areas Blanket-leaf crabs Common Brushtail Possum Heathland Lilly-pilly octopus Fruit Bat Common Correa Mountain Ash sea urchins Crimson Rosella banksias Messmate abalone Crimson Bottlebrush hakeas Musk Daisy-bush lobsters honey-myrtles Myrtle Beech fish such as wrasse, sweep, Agricultural Areas grass-trees leatherjackets, Old Wife, Port Stringybark kangaroos native heaths Jackson Shark tree-ferns legless lizards Dunnart Leadbeater’s Possum Seagrass Beds Eltham Copper Butterfly Heath Rat Laughing Kookaburra Spot-tailed Quoll seagrass plants such