8/14/2019 1.5 Leaf Litter Search

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We like

take away 

containers - they 

make great 

collection trays! 

Spiders are best 

left on their webs

and avoided if on

the ground or a

dark place

Activity 1.5: Leaf litter search

Class organisation: small group work

EquipmentPaint brushes or paddle pop sticks

Shallow plastic tubs or trays for collection

Magnifying glasses, if available

Bug ID sheets, e.g. What’s in you backyard?  

Quadrats – pencils or sticks, string in 4m lengths

Learning sequence

Step 1: Discuss and establish a code of caring, for example:

•

Search carefully and be gentle• No more than one bug in each container 

• Beware! Some bugs sting and bite

• Respect the animals; return creatures to where they were found.

Step 2: Discuss and explain the use of the equipment.

Ask students where minibeasts might be found?

• One option is that you can mark out the playground using quadrats.

Place four sticks or penicils in the ground to form arectangle 1m by 1m and wrap the string around to

form a square.

Assign each small group a different quadrat.

• Alternatively, allow groups to search within any specified area.

Note: If there is not an area within the school grounds where a leaf litter search can be carried out,

try going to a local park. If this is not possible a pile of leaves from the local park or a garden can

be brought in and searched in low trays for macro invertebrates.

Step 3 - Search selected areas of the playground

• Refer back to code of caring

• Look under branches, logs, leaf litter, rocks etc.

• Scrape and brush back topsoil with paint brushes or paddle

pop sticks

Step 4 - Identify what creatures are found where.Complete the Leaf Litter report.

Step 5 - Compare creatures found with those in leaf shake.

8/14/2019 1.5 Leaf Litter Search

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Drawing conclusions

• Where were most of the animals found?

• What do these animals need? Why are they found in particular places?

• What would encourage more bugs into the school yard?

Display the class’ findings

There are several ways this could be done. Try:

• a chart with a sticker for every bug found, producing a bar chart

• tallying

• a picture of the area searched and drawing of the bugs found around the outside.

Use with arrows to show areas where they were found.

References

Australian Museum (nd) What's in your backyard? available at

http://www.amonline.net.au/biodiversity/backyard/backyard.htm

Patrick, T. (nd) Backyard bugs guide. Double Helix Club, CSIRO. available at

http://up2meforkids.com.au/pdfs/backyard%20bugs%20guide.pdf