LI: Recall what you already know about Australian flora and fauna.

In your book create a title page about our new unit: Feathers, Fur and Flora of Australia. You need to include the title and draw examples of Australian animals and plants.

On your next page record the learning intention and write your answers neatly below it. You could write them as a mind map, list or in sentences. You can include things such as names of Australian flora (plants) and fauna (animals), what they look like, what they eat, where they live and anything else you already know about them.

Fig. 1: Did you know that some of Australia's flora and fauna are shown on the Australian Coat of Arms?

LI: Identify and record the meanings of these words

Collect the worksheet called "Language Sort". On this page is a selection of special words that we will be using in this unit.

Cut out the boxes and match the words with their meanings. Use your levels of self help to check you have them all correct then show your teacher.

In your book rule up a new page and write the learning intention. Underneath neatly glue in the words with their correct meanings.

Fig. 2: The thylacine or Tasmanian Tiger is extinct.

LI: Locate and name Australia's states, territories and major environmental characteristics.

Collect a blank map and an atlas.

Using the atlas identify and accurately label the names of Australia's states and territories. Next use your coloured pencils to colour in the approximate areas of desert, mountains and forest.

Fold it in half and glue it in your book. Remember to label the page with "Map of Australia."

Show this to your teacher once completed.

Fig.3: Map of Australia.

LI: Learn about the floral emblem of each state and territory of Australia.

Using an iPad to research, record  the following for each state and territory of Australia in your book.

1) Name the state or territory and their floral emblem.

2) Draw and colour their floral emblem.

3) Write a brief description about their floral emblem covering what it looks like and where it is found. This could be done as a map of the state/territory with the distribution coloured in.

4) Record when it was decided that it would become that state/territory's official emblem.

A great place to start is Floral Emblems of Australia from the Australian National Botanic Gardens website.

Fig.4: The waratah is a state flower.

LI: Write the procedure for growing alfalfa sprouts.

You are going to write a procedure for how to investigate what plants need to grow healthily. 

Using the resource below, write the procedure in your own words. When you have finished, check it with the one text model in class, then a buddy. Lastly show it to your teacher.

The resource How to grow Alfalfa Sprouts  is from the website WikiHow. It shows several ways to grow alfalfa sprouts. We are doing the first version.

Fig. 5: Alfalfa Sprouts.

LI: Investigate what plants require to grow healthily.

In your book you are going to write out a scientific experiment. Include:

* Title (what you're doing)

* Your hypothesis (what you aim to prove or disprove)

* Your predictions (of what will happen in the experiment)

* The procedure of how you are going to conduct your experiment and what you will be observing.

Leave room for writing your observations, results and conclusions. (About one page should do.)

In your group you will have two tests going. One will be your control test (everything happens to it like normal) and the other will be your experiment.

You will have a choice of investigating what will happen to your sprouts if they have no light, no water or dirty (polluted) water.

The resource Planning Your Investigation is from the website Love My Science. It covers the steps to set out a scientific experiment.

Fig. 6: Plan and Predict.

LI: Learn about the range of environments where plants survive and how they've adapted. 

With your class watch each of the short videos. Share with a buddy some of the ways that plants have adapted to survive.

Remember to look for colour choices, leaf size, height and method of growing.

Pitcher Plants

Jungle - stranger and tall growth

Tundra - Snowbells

Sunlight need - Water lillies

Desert plants - fast life and seeds

Desert plants - water and heat

Fig. 7: Spines help prevent water loss by reducing air flow close to the cactus and providing some shade.

LI: Learn about the range of environments where plants survive and how they've adapted. 

The website Biology of Plants was created in 2009 by the Missouri Botanical Garden. Look at Plant Adaptations and choose four environments.

Record in your book five adaptations for each environment that plants have made to survive and thrive. 

Fig. 8: Flowers of the alpine snowbell flourish during a short growing season by forming buds in late summer and keeping them dormant through the cold winter.

LI: Investigate what plants require to grow healthily.

Look at  the observations of your science experiment. Each day your should have added to your observations. It is now time to write up your results and conclusions for both your control group and your experiment.

Writing Your Results

Your results can now to turned into a column graph showing daily growth of your alfalfa sprouts - both the control and the experiment. Your observations on colour and appearance can also be placed into a table if you wish. 

Writing Your Conclusion

From your results, draw conclusions about what plants need to grow healthily.

Write a paragraph to explain why your control grew better than your experiment. Don't forget to write what plants need to grow healthily!

Fig. 9: What do plants need?

LI: Design a plant that can survive and thrive in a particular environment.

Today you are going to design a plant that suits a particular environment. It is really important to think about the types of adaptations your plant will need to overcome any obstacles it will face.

Choose an environment from the list below

            desert             wetland          grassland          forest          tundra           sea shore

Using a lead pencil draw the outline of your plant. It should take up most of a page in your book.

Next think about the adaptations your plant will have. How will it get enough water and sunlight to survive? How will it keep warm or cool? Add your adaptations.

Colour in your plant. Will those colours help attract insects or predators? Will it help or hinder the absorption of sunlight?

Label your adaptations and write a short caption (that's a sentence) underneath the label about how they help your plant.

Show a buddy and see if they think your plant will survive based on what you have on your page. If they think it will, show your teacher. Otherwise head back to your desk and think what else you could add to help your plant survive.

Fig. 10: What plants can survive on the seashore?

LI: Create a piece of artwork displaying the beauty of Australian flora.

Create a piece of artwork showing what you have learnt about Australian flora.

Negotiate with your teacher for the supplies you would like to use.

Your creation will be placed on display either around the classroom or in meet and greet for everyone to enjoy. 

Fig. 11: The pin-cushion hakea is an example of Australian flora.

LI: Name and explain what is Megafauna.

We are now leaving flora behind and will begin to look at fauna. First we are going to look at Australia’s extinct Megafauna. So what is “Megafauna”?

Megafauna is the special name we give to the animals that used to exist in Australia thousands of years ago. You might be wondering about their prefix “mega”. Well, that’s because they were MASSIVE!!!!

As a class we are going to make a list of Megafauna that was native to Australia. Use your iPad or books from the library to name as many as you can.

Watch the special video with the class and add to this list.

LI: Understanding human impact on the environment.

In your book, write down two examples of Megafauna.

You also need to include two characteristics they have in common.

Write your answers to the following two questions in your book:-

1. What do you think happened to them?
2. Why do you think that?

With the class watch the video. Afterwards write a paragraph on the impact humans had on Australian Megafauna. Share your work with a buddy.

LI: Write an imaginative recount of a day in the life of either

* an Aborigine that encounters Megafauna

or

* an Australian Megafauna of your choice.

When you are planning your work think about the sort of activities your Megafauna will be doing, how they would view the world around them, where they would be located, what they would be eating and what type of dangers they would face. How will you include this information in your recount? Be creative!

Once you have completed your recount check you have included everything you need for quality work.

Fig. 14: Diprotodon optatum - giant marsupial

LI: Recognise that animals are classified (grouped) according to similarities.

Now we are going to start looking at the animals we have in Australia today.

Did you know that scientists group animals based on the things they have in common with one another? It's true! But before we name the groups let's see how you go sorting and classifying the animals yourself.

Scientists look for things such as fur, skin or scales, whether they lay eggs or have live young and even where they live when classifying living things. What will you use?

In your team sort the pictures into what you consider appropriate groups. Afterwards your teacher will have you share your reasons for classifying the pictures with your peers.

Fig. 15: Koala and Joey

LI: Identify what a marsupial is and give examples.

Look at the  website, Mammals of Australia; it outlines examples and characteristic of marsupials.

Once you have watched, it write a definition about what an animal has to have in order to be an Australian marsupial and give three examples.

These similarities and differences are what help scientists classify (that means sort).

Fig. 16: Wallaby joey in its mother's pouch.

LI: Identify what is a monotreme and give examples.

Watch the Youtube clip on Monotremes - Egg Laying Mammals

Once you have watched it write a definition about what an animal has to have in order to be an Australian monotreme and give two examples.

These similarities and differences are what help scientists classify (that means sort).

Fig. 17: Short-beaked echidna from Tasmania.

LI: Identify what is a placental mammal and give examples.

Watch the Youtube clip on placental mammals.

Once you have watched it write a definition about what an animal has to have in order to be an Australian placental mammal and give three examples.

These similarities and differences are what help scientists classify (that means sort).

LI: Recall the differences between mammals and (their sub classifications) of monotremes, placentals and marsupials.

Read over your book responses from the last few lessons and share your knowledge with a buddy.

Turn your book sideways and create this table. Choose six Australian mammals and complete the table. Make sure you include at least one example of a monotreme, a placental mammal and a marsupial.

Show your teacher once you are done.

DO NOT RULE THE LINE UNDERNEATH UNTIL YOU COMPLETE YOUR EXAMPLE AS YOU MAY NEED MORE ROOM!

Fig. 19: Platypus

We will be going to the Botanic Gardens for an excursion to explore what native plants have in common in different areas of Australia. 

Fig. 20: Welcome to the Australian National Botanic Gardens!

LI: Write an imaginary recount about the day in the life of a native animal.

Listen to the story, Diary of a Wombat by Jackie French.

You are now going to write your own animal recount from the perspective of an Australian native animal. You cannot use a wombat.

Before you start you have two jobs to do.

1) Record your LI in your book.

2) Write a list of 15 technical words you will use in your writing. E.g. names of body parts, names of food, type of activities the animal would do. 

Fig. 21: Wombat

LI: Identify how much we rely on the natural world for our survival.

What would happen if we didn’t have any plants in our world?

What if there were no animals other than humans?

How would these circumstances change things for us?

What would we eat? How would we build our homes?

Imagine you are in a world where either plants or animals do not exist. Write a page on what life would be like. This could be as a narrative, an information report, a recount or a piece of descriptive writing.  

Fig. 22: Humans need plants and animals to survive.

LI:  Create a poster about Australian frogs.

Galoomp went the little green frog one day. Galoomp went the little green frog.

What do YOU know about frogs? Sure you’ve heard the song, watched Kermit the Frog and probably heard the rippit sound at night after rain.

But what do you ACTUALLY know about them?

Your job today is to create a poster about Australia frogs. Quality work will use bright accurate pictures and clear sentences that explain facts clearly.

You will need to include:

* a frog’s lifecycle

* three cool facts about Australian frogs

* why frogs are important to their environment

* why frogs are disappearing

When you finish have a buddy check that you have included all the information. Then show your teacher.

Fig. 23: The Leaf Green Tree Frog

LI: Identify environmental issues affecting frogs and how we can help.

Listen to the story your teacher will read to you. You are going to be discussing several questions about the book. To help you prepare look back at your poster about Australian frogs. 

Fig. 24: Lester and Clyde

LI: Identify the negative way humans are impacting on wombats in the wild.

Listen to Hairy Nose Itchy Butt by Elizabeth Frankel and Garry Duncan. There are two stories in this book. One is about a hairy nose wombat with a very itchy butt. The other is told through pictures and shows what humans are doing to our natural world.

Before you read, record the Learning Intention in your book.

While the teacher reads the book, list the ways that humans have negatively impacted on Australian wildlife.

After reading, have a discussion in a small group and write a response to the book.

Fig. 25: Hairy Nose Itchy Butt

LI: Create your own duel story about a native animal.

In your book rule up a new page and record your Learning Intention. 

Hairy Nose Itchy Butt is a great story because it tells two stories. Your task is to pick a different Australian animal (not a wombat) and write a short story about that animal facing a problem and overcoming it. The illustrations you create however will tell a different story of how human actions are impacting on its life. 

For example, in the text the words tell us that the wombat's favourite scratching tree is gone but not why. In the illustration though we can see that the trees were chopped down and taken away on a truck. 

You will need to plan out your story in your book before publishing it on paper. Your teacher may have further instructions for you so it's a good idea to check with them first. 

Fig. 26: Think about other animals you could write about such as the frill-necked lizard.

LI: Recognise the cause and effect of human choices on the natural world. 

Today your teacher is going to show you several images of Australian animals. In these photographs you are going to see how we as humans have a negative impact on our animals. Sometimes it is due to making mistakes but often these things occur because we choose to let them as a society. 

As you look at each of these pictures record and share your thoughts about the following:-

* what can you see in the picture?

* how does it make you feel?

* why/how did this happen?

* could this have been prevented? 

* why wasn't it prevented?

* does the animal deserve it?

Afterwards you are going to draw a cause and effect chart in your book (see above). Pick two causes from the list below and write three effects our choices have on animals.

* feed a sandwich to a kangaroo

* give white bread to a duck

* driving at dusk and hitting an animal

* drop rubbish on the playground

* leave our fishing line when it gets caught in the pond

* feeding ice cream or chocolate to an emu

* leaving your family cat out at night 

* taking your dog into a reserve without a lease

Fig. 27: the Australian Blue-Billed Duck

LI: Identify ways to care for native animals.

Complete the worksheet on caring for native animals. You may need to discuss this with your classmates or research on an iPad. Your workbook should also have lots of ideas in it by now too.

Fig. 28: The Australian Kookaburra

LI: Create a collage on Australian flora and fauna to show your learning.

Collect an A3 piece of paper.

You are going to design a poster similar to the first lesson in the unit. On your poster you are going to create a collage (that’s lots of pictures) about the different animals and plants you learnt about this term. On the back you need to write your learning intention and as much information as you can fit about each plant and animal.

There should not be any white spaces on the collage side of your work. This will take some time and should be your best work.

When you finish, write your name clearly on the front and back so that everyone can identify your amazing work. Hand it to your teacher and they will display it in the unit.

Look at an example of a mural at Wellers State School in Queensland.  

Fig. 29: Aboriginal mural at Winterfold Primary School, Beaconsfield.

LI: Give feedback about the unit.

Now that you have completed the unit we want to hear your feedback. Please look over what you have learnt this term through Feathers, Fur and Flora of Australia then answer the following:

a) What was your favourite activity? Why?

b) What was your least favourite activity? Why?

c) What would you have done differently?

d) Is there anything else on the topic you would have liked to learn about?

e) Any other comments?

Hand your book to your teacher for marking when you finish.

Fig. 30: Australian Magpie