GEOGRAPHY
Through exploration of their own school grounds, students learn about managed, constructed and natural features, the importance of their special natural places and how they can care for them.
Students will be able to:
- identify managed, constructed and natural features of their school.
- observe the plants and animals in their natural spaces.
- understand how their school is special and how to care for it.
Overview of day
Through the story My Patch, and using examples from local areas, students apply inquiry skills to explore the features of places and how they can be represented.
Students are invited to explore special places within their school grounds or in a natural area close to the school. They identify features of 'their patch', how it is used, how people are connected to places and how special places can be cared for. Students apply their geographical knowledge and skills to a real-life situation and have opportunities to record, represent and communicate their observations (including construction of a pictorial map or drawing a field sketch) during the investigation of their patch. Students finish with a deeper understanding of their patch and how to care for it.
SCIENCE
Students undertake scientific inquiry of the plants and animals within the natural habitats of their school grounds.
Students will be able to:
- identify plants and animals in their 'patch'.
- practise scientific inquiry techniques.
Overview of day
Through the story My Patch, and using examples from Bunyaville Conservation Park, students apply science inquiry skills to explore animal and plant habitats.
Students are invited to conduct their own investigation into the plants and animals living in the school grounds or a natural place nearby. During the investigation, students have opportunities to record and communicate their observations applying their science inquiry skills.
At the beginning of the program, students will develop an inquiry question and predictions for the scientific investigation of their grounds. Using their senses, students will collaboratively make observations and collect data about animals, plants and habitats in their schoolgrounds. They will then be provided with an opportunity to reflect on the outcomes of their investigation, considering whether their predictions were similar to their observations and how and why to care for their patch.