Reading like a Writer Project

FoxStage 3

Developed by Michele Mawer DET Literacy Consultant Northern Sydney Region and Gaye Braiding, Field of Mars Environmental Education Centre

Stage 3 Year 5 Michele Mawer/Gaye Braiding KLA: English Feral Animals/Fox by Margaret Wild

Focus: Impact of introduced species on Australian fauna and flora

Concept: Invasion

Key question: How do introduced animals pose a threat to biodiversity in our area?

Key ideas: All living things interact with other living things and their environments. An understanding of the interactions between living things and between living things and their environment assists in taking actions

to conserve both those living things and their environment. Introduced species impact on indigenous flora and fauna with consequent effects on the environment. Narrative is a powerful means of communicating concepts, ideas and beliefs to an audience in a way that can entertain, persuade,

inform and challenge. Written text is constructed by an author with a purpose and audience in mind with meaning created through word choices, structure

and the conventions of language.Outcomes/Assessment: Creates a narrative about the impact of introduced animals on native species using a real world local environmental context. The narrative is to include an animal(s) introduced to the local area eg foxes, cats and the native species under threat eg bandicoots, possums, the blue wren. Is there a possible solution to the threatened survival of these native animals? Does the narrative carry an environmental message?Foundation statements: Talking and Listening Reading WritingStudents communicate effectively, using considered spoken language to entertain, inform and influence audiences for an increasing range of purposes. They work productively and independently, in pairs or groups to deliver effective oral presentations using various skills and strategies. Students listen attentively to gather specific information and ideas …Students independently read and view an extensive range of complex texts and visual images using a comprehensive range of skills and strategies. They respond to themes and issues within texts, recognise point of view and justify interpretations by referring to their own knowledge and experience.Students write well-structured and well-presented …factual texts for a wide range of purposes and audiences, dealing with complex topics, ideas, issues and language features.KLA links: Science and Technology Living Things LT S3.3 Identifies, describes and evaluates the interactions between living things and their effects on the environment.Environmental Education Students will develop knowledge and understandings about:

the nature and function of ecosystems and how they are interrelated (K1) the impact of people on environments (K2)

and skills in: identifying and assessing environmental problems (S2)

communicating environmental problems to others (S3)Rationale

In order to create a narrative with a message about the impact of introduced animals on our native species, students will undertake activities to build their background knowledge of biodiversity and threatened indigenous species. The narrative will follow on from the intensive literary study of Fox by Margaret Wild where students have studied the language and structure used by the author to create meaning. Fox is powerful because it uses animals as characters to communicate a message but keeps the animal characteristics.Just as the bushfire was a threat to the survival of Magpie and Dog in Fox, how do introduced animals threaten the survival of native species? The narrative is to have a local context, featuring animals native to the local area that are under threat by introduced species.Pre-testing: Brainstorm and list invasive animal species introduced to Australia, possible reasons for their introduction and subsequent impact on indigenous plants and animals and their environments.Outcomes Content/Ideas Teaching Strategies

Learning ActivitiesResources Assessment QT

SciTechLT S3.3 Identifies, describes and evaluates the interactions between living things and their effects on the environment.

INV S3.7 Conducts their own investigations and makes judgements based on the results of observing, questioning, planning, predicting, testing, collecting, recording and analysing data, and drawing conclusions.

LT S3.3 All living things interact with other living things and their environments.

What is biodiversity and why is it important?Introduce the concept of biodiversity using the Ecogeeks Biodiversity video. Students list the reasons biodiversity is important to them.

Biodiversity at schoolTake the students for a walk around local bushland, planted areas in local parks and/or the school grounds to observe the biodiversity in these areas. If a diversity of plants and animal habitats is present, then there will be a diversity of animals in the area. Use either the Habitat Scorecard (WS6, p56) from the Earth Alive Resource Book or Healthy Habitats Worksheet (Worksheet 4) from the Biodiversity for Kids Kit to rate the biodiversity in the area. If groups of students score different areas, comparisons can be made. While walking around these areas, take note of any animals living in or visiting the area. Animal evidence

EcoGeeks Biodiveristy video - http://www.thewildclassroom.com/home/ecogeeksvideos/biodiversity.html

Earth Alive Resource Book - http://www.fieldofmar-e.schools.nsw.edu.au/page7/files/EarthAlive%20Book%202009.pdf

Biodiversity for Kids kit - http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/edresources/TeachersKitBiodiversity.htm

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includes scratchings, droppings, holes, webs, nests, etc. Use digital cameras to take photos of examples of plants used by animals, animal habitats and animals seen in the area. This provides a visual record and can be used for creating food chains and food webs later on.

LT S3.3 All living things interact with other living things and their environments.

Native Australian animalsFor students to understand the concept of introduced and feral animals, it is important that they have knowledge of native Australian animals. List the native Australian animals and introduced animals in Fox by Margaret Wild.Show the students images of a variety of Australian animals and ask them to name them. The ABC’s Our Animals website provides a good overview, although it is directed at lower primary.Sort the photos of animals taken on the walk around the school and/or local area into native and introduced.

Aussie Animals Quiz Use the Aussie Animals – Who Wants to be a Millionaire quiz from the Field of Mars EEC website to review some facts about Australian animals.

Fox by Margaret Wild Photos of Australian animals - http://www.ozanimals.com/thumbnails/Mammal/0.htmlOur Animals - http://www.abc.net.au/schoolstv/animals/default.htmAussie Animals – Who Wants to be a Millionaire? - http://www.fieldofmar-e.schools.nsw.edu.au/page7/page7.htmlAustralian Animals Quiz - http://www.funtrivia.com/flashquiz/index.cfm?qid=110229

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LT S3.3 An understanding of the interactions between living things and between living things and their environment assists in taking actions to conserve both those living things and their environment.

Ecosystems and HabitatsIn order to understand the impacts of feral and introduced animals on native Australian fauna, the students need to understand the basic needs of animals – air, food, water, shelter - and relationships between species.In Margaret Wild’s Fox, the bushfire destroys the animals’ food and shelter. As a class, look for potential food sources and habitats that provide shelter in the

Fox by Margaret Wild

illustrations in Fox.

The Australian Museum’s interactive Habitats Activity can be used by students to build understanding of a variety of ecosystems, habitats and the animals that live within. Students place animals into their correct habitat. The concept of threats to habitats can also be introduced through this activity.

Food chains and food websTo develop an understanding of food webs, use the Gould League’s interactive Food Web Creator.

Interactions in your school groundsRecall findings from the earlier Biodiversity at School observations. Ask students to identify food sources they observed, eg, flowers, leaves, grasses, seeds, worms, lizards. Discuss what animals may use those food sources.Divide the students into groups to investigate interactions in planted areas of the school playground. Each group investigates one habitat: trees, shrubs, grasses/ground covers, leaf litter/logs, or creek/pond.The students use the collection methods outlined below to collect and record animals in their specific habitat.

Invertebrates can be collected into specimen containers or bug jars using a small brush.

For safety reasons, the students should not touch any animals with their hands.

The Australian Museum’s Bugwise Invertebrate Identification Guide can be used to identify terrestrial animals and Streamwatch Waterbug

Habitats Activity Zone http://www.faunanet.gov.au/wos/activities.cfm#habitats

Food Web Creator - http://www.gould.edu.au/foodwebs/kids_web.htm

Bugwise Invertebrate Identification Guide - http://www.bugwise.net.au/guide/

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Guide for pond animals. Once recorded, the animals need to be released.

Trees – look at the trunk and bark. Conduct a tree shake of low-hanging branches. Shake a branch onto an old sheet, taking care not to break the branch. Invertebrates will fall onto the sheet for observation and/or collection. Also look for evidence of vertebrate animals, eg, birds, possums, lizards using the tree.Shrubs – conduct a leaf shake of branches. (See above - trees.) Grasses/ground covers (in gardens, not mown grass) – use sweep nets (butterfly nets) to sweep though the grasses and ground covers. Shake out contents of net onto an old sheet for observation/collection. Also look around the base of the plants for lizards, etc.Leaf litter and logs – carefully roll over logs and collect animals living underneath. Use a trowel to scrape up a scoop of leaf litter and spread it in a tote tray. Collect and record invertebrates.Pond – use dip nets or plastic tea-strainers to collect invertebrates. Place them into ice-cube trays for closer observation. Identify them using the Streamwatch Water Bug Guide.

Local food chains and food websAfter the investigation, model the construction of a food chain, eg, wattle leaf leaf hopperpreying mantisbutcher bird; rotting logslatergarden skinkkookaburra. The students then create food chains of some of the animals they found, linking them together in feeding relationships. As a class, create food webs from the combined findings of the class. Photos taken earlier and bug

Streamwatch Waterbug Guide - http://www.streamwatch.org.au/cms/resources/manual_pdfs/BugGuide.pdf

Assessment strategyTo demonstrate their understanding of interactions between species.The teacher:

•analyses students’ knowledge of interactions and food chains. Assessment criteriaThe student:

•provides evidence of deep understanding of feeding interactions between species through the construction of food chains.

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images could be used in the foodweb construction. •suggests feeding interactions in the class construction of a food web.This criteria relates to outcomes LTS3.3, INVS3.7

LT S3.3 All living things interact with other living things and their environments.

Feral and introduced animals in AustraliaList feral and introduced animals that impact native Australian wildlife. Discuss how and why these animals were introduced and what impacts they have had on biodiversity.Although in Margaret Wild’s Fox, Magpie and Fox assist each other in surviving the bushfire, these animals normally have a predator/prey relationship. Foxes are introduced animals and were brought to Australia by the British in 1845 for sport. They rapidly spread across the Australian mainland, hunting small native mammals and severely depleting their populations. In some cases, the fox has contributed to the extinction of species, eg, the Lesser Bilby.The students research the impacts of feral and introduced animals on biodiversity using the links provided on the Field of Mars EEC website. Students summarise their information on the Eradicate a Feral Animal summary sheet. It should be noted that impacts are not always direct. For example, rabbits have reduced Greater Bilby populations. The rabbits eat grasses and small shrubs down to their roots, killing them, resulting in no vegetation. Bilbies eat invertebrates living in the grasses. Therefore if the grass goes, the bilbies’ food source also vanishes and bilbies die out.

Feral animals in Australia - http://www.kidcyber.com.au/topics/ferals.htm

Pest animals - http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/pestsweeds/pestanimals.htm

Eradicate a Feral Animal summary sheet http://www.cap.nsw.edu.au/bb_site_intro/stage3_Modules/ferals/feral_animals_summary.htm.

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LT S3.3 An understanding of the interactions between living things and between living things and their environment assists in taking actions to conserve both those living things and their environment.LT S3.3 Technological advances have costs and benefits for living things and the environment.

Threats to biodiversityRead the students an article from the local newspaper or bushcare newsletter about a local biodiversity threat, eg, the Blue Gum High Forest under threat in Wahroonga. The students create Mindmaps to show a range of threats to Australian biodiversity, for example, feral and introduced animals, weeds, pesticides, agricultural techniques, habitat loss, pesticides, pollution. As a class, discuss ways in which these threats could be reduced or eradicated. The students create a Consequences Chart of the flow-on effect of proposed solutions. (Eg, fox baiting programs have resulted in an increase in native animals such as brush turkeys, wallabies and bandicoots but have also resulted in an increase in rabbit populations.) Students could debate topics, hold mock interviews or role-play stakeholder meetings relating to managing biodiversity threats.

What’s on in Lane Cove NP - http://users.bigpond.net.au/folcnp/Events/OnInThePark.htm#news

Invasive species in Australia fact sheet- http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/invasive/publications/pubs/invasive.pdfInvasive species fact sheet - http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/invasive/publications/pubs/loose.pdfThreats to Wildlife - http://www.qm.qld.gov.au/features/endangered/threats.asp

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LT S3.3 An understanding of the interactions between living things and between living things and their environment assists in taking actions to conserve both those living things and their environment.LT S3.3 Technological advances have costs and benefits for living things and

Local biodiversity threatsWalk around your school or local area and identify threats to biodiversity and their impact on biodiversity. These can be listed on the Biodiversity Threats Worksheet (WS8, p58) from the Earth Alive Resource book. Threats may include introduced or domestic animals such as cats and dogs, foxes, pigeons, Indian mynas, weeds, dumped rubbish and pollution. Also look for management strategies, for example, pollution traps on drains, fox-baiting programs, “Dumping Prohibited” signs.

Earth Alive Resource Book - http://www.fieldofmar-e.schools.nsw.edu.au/page7/files/EarthAlive%20Book%202009.pdf

Assessment strategyTo demonstrate their understanding and application of issues, the students could debate topics relating to biodiversity threats and issues.The teacher:

the environment.

Students use local newspapers (available online) as a source to further research local biodiversity threats. Local council environment officers or bush care members could be invited to talk to the class about issues affecting local biodiversity and their solutions to these issues.

In pairs, students research a local biodiversity threat and write a newspaper article on the issue, its impacts and proposed or possible solutions. The students should consider the broad-ranging impacts of proposed solutions. For example, prohibiting dogs in natural areas is often seen as unfair by dog owners as they like to walk their dogs there.

Local newspapers (often available online)Local councils newslettersLocal council personnel or bushcare volunteers

•analyses students’ knowledge of threats to biodiversity Assessment criteriaThe student:

•provides evidence of deep understanding of a biodiversity treat or issue and its impact on biodiversity•suggests ways in which threats can be managedThis criteria relates tooutcomes LTS3.3, INVS3.7

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LT S3.3 All living things interact with other living things and their environments.LT S3.3 An understanding of the interactions between living things and between living things and their environment assists in taking actions to conserve both those living things and their environment.

Summative taskFollowing an intensive book study of Fox by Margaret Wild and knowledge about introduced animal species and the threat to biodiversity, students (as a class, group or individually) are to write a narrative using a real world environmental context.

The narrative is to include introduced animals in the local area that pose a threat and the native animal species of the local area that are impacted. Just as the bushfire was a threat to the survival of Magpie and Dog in Fox, how is the survival of local native species under threat from introduced animals such as the cat or fox?

Assessment strategyTo demonstrate their understanding and application of issues, the students write a narrative. The teacher:

•analyses students’ knowledge of local predator/prey introduced animal/native

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LT S3.3 Technological advances have costs and benefits for living things and the environment.

Is there a possible solution to this problem?

Students can enrich the language and structure of their stories by studying the literary techniques and devices employed by Margaret Wild in Fox.

Students can select the communication mode to present their narrative eg play, PowerPoint, big book, storyboard, slideshow, podcast, poetry, flip chart.

animal threat Assessment criteriaThe student:

•provides evidence of deep understanding of a specific predator/prey introduced animal/native animal threat •suggests ways in which the threats can be managedThis criteria relates to outcomes LTS3.3, INVS3.7

Quality teaching model: dimensions and element

Intellectual quality Quality learning environment

Significance

Elements

Deep knowledge DK

Deep understanding DU

Problematic knowledge PK

Higher-order thinking HOT

Metalanguage M

Substantive SCCommunication

Explicit quality criteria EQT

Engagement E

High expectations HE

Social support SS

Students’ self regulation SR

Student direction SD

Background knowledge BK

Cultural knowledge CU

Knowledge integration KI

Inclusivity I

Connectedness C

Narrative N