Year 4
Full day program
9.15am–2.30pm
Big idea
Explore natural processes and human activity that cause weathering and erosion in a local area of the Earth's surface.
Curriculum links
Science and HASS (Geography) - see matrix for more details.
Program overview
The Here Today, Gone Tomorrow program supports students in their understanding of how erosion occurs, by providing them with a real-life opportunity to explore erosion resulting from the action of natural processes and human activity in the Bunyaville Conservation Park.
During their Bunyaville experience, students participate in 3 activities that enable them to apply the knowledge they have gained in the classroom to identify where and why erosion is occurring within the Park, to offer solutions to the Park's erosion problems and to take practical action in controlling erosion within the Bunyaville Conservation Park picnic area. These activities are described below:
Earthwalk
A forest walk led by a Bunyaville Environmental Education Centre teacher, immerses the students in the forest and connects their classroom learning to a local natural place. Earthwalk activities are tailored to the specific curriculum needs of the visiting teacher and provide students with opportunities to apply science inquiry skills and higher order thinking in a real world context. Typically, students explore areas of the forest looking for evidence of erosion, discussing natural and human causes for its occurrence and investigate the impacts of erosion on the forest ecosystem.
Investigating Earth's Strata
Students are guided by their classroom teacher to an erosion site in the Park to conduct a hands-on investigation into how rocks break down to produce soil in the Bunyaville Conservation Park, through the production of ochres. Students use the ochre rocks to make an Earth Cake and discuss the importance of vegetation in preventing soil loss in the environment.
Earthcare
Students are engaged in hands-on activities, including the removal of environmental weeds, planting of local, native plant species and mulching and watering of previously revegetated areas. This authentic activity helps students understand how such measures can be used to control erosion around waterways and natural sites in the local area.
For this program you will need to refer to the relevant Curriculum Activity Risk Assessments.