Mount Compass School Swamp Excursion Guide

Mount Compass School Swamp
Excursion Guide
Primary Years - High School Years
Mount Compass School Swamp
Excursion Guide
The Fleurieu Swamps are a unique, endangered type of wetland.
They are rich in biodiversity, and as such a great place to visit with
students.
This guide provides activities for teachers and students to try at
the newly upgraded Mount Compass School Swamp.
Most activities are also easily adapted for any natural outdoor area.
See the accompanying Teacher Resource Pack for background
information, introductory lessons, follow up activities and ways to
take action, curriculum links and resources.
For more information, or to discuss opportunities for your school,
contact your local NRM Education Coordinator:
Jodie Sommerville
NRM Education Coordinator
Natural Resources Centre
6 Catherine St
Strathalbyn SA 5343
Phone 08 8536 5624
Mobile 0422 624 721
Email jodie.sommerville2@sa.gov.au
Angela Breeding
NRM Education Project Officer
Natural Resources Centre
crn Mann & Walker St
Mount Barker SA 5253
Phone 08 8391 7514
Mobile 0409 179 973
Email angela.breeding@sa.gov.au
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Contents
Fleurieu Swamps
Page 4-5
The Role of Swamps
Page 6
Types of Fleurieu Swamps
Page 7
Fauna of the Fleurieu Swamps
Page 8
Flora of the Fleurieu Swamps
Page 9
The Mount Compass School Swamp
Page 10
Taking Care of our Swamps
Page 11
Activities
Page 12-28
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Fleurieu Swamps
Found only on the Fleurieu Peninsula this unique
habitat is home to many plants and animals that
are endemic to the swamps.
A swamp by definition is a type of
wetland, but differs from what is
traditionally considered a ‘wetland’
as it typically doesn’t have open
bodies of water, but is characterised
by a boggy peat soil, shrubby
vegetation, and doesn’t dry out.
Swamps are most easily identified
by looking at the vegetation
community.
These swamps provide food, water
and shelter for a wide variety of
plants and animals, including many
threatened species such as the
Mount Lofty Ranges southern emuwren. The swamps also play an
important role in improving water
flow and quality.
Each swamp in the Fleurieu Swamps
system is unique with its own mix
of water cycles, landforms, wetting
and drying patterns, and vegetation,
all influenced by the underlying rock
and soil types.
Less than 4% of swamps
remain - we need to value
and protect what remains
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Fleurieu Swamps
The Fleurieu Swamps are unlike
any other swamps in Australia.
Unfortunately, the swamps have
reduced in size, number and
condition due to threats such as land
clearance, draining and overgrazing.
Therefore, the Fleurieu Peninsula
Swamps have been declared a
critically endangered ecosystem by
the Australian Government and are
protected by legislation.
Fleurieu Swamps Distribution
Mt Compass Swamp
Legend
Deep Creek Conservation Park
Privately owned swamps
Swamps in National Parks and reserves
§
5
2.5
0
5
10
Other government owned swamps
National parks and reserves
Kilometers
Mount Compass School Swamp Excursion Guide
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The role of swamps
Natural water filters
Swamps and their plants act as a
filter to trap sediments and nutrients
from fertilisers and pesticides. As
water flows through, sediments are
left, bacteria break down organic
material, and water plants release
oxygen into the water. Oxygen is
necessary in water for fish and
helpful bacteria to live. Higher
quality water leaves the swamp
and flows down the Nangkita and
Tookayerta creeks towards Lake
Alexandrina.
Year-round water
Like giant sponges, swamps control
the effects of floods by absorbing
rainfall and runoff, and then slowly
releasing it during dry periods.
A refuge for threatened species
Although rare themselves, Fleurieu
swamps are home to many
threatened plants and animals.
Several threatened species,
including the yellow-footed
antechinus, yellow-bellied water
skink and endangered Mount Lofty
Ranges southern emu-wren, use
the fragments of habitat as a last
refuge. The wren relies on the
swamp vegetation for foraging and
nesting.
Of the approximately 170 native
plant species that grow in the
Fleurieu Swamps, almost half are
classified as under threat. These
plants are so rare that they could be
faced with extinction if we do not
manage our swamps well.
Right: The birds and bats that live in swamps can
be particularly useful in controlling insect pests
in nearby farm land, improving the overall health
of farms.
Image courtesy of Martin Stokes.
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Types of Fleurieu Swamps
There are two types of swamps on the Fleurieu Peninsula.
Perched wetlands
Wetlands are considered perched
when they occur in drainage lines
over clayey weathered basement,
which can attain a thickness of
up to 30 m. As a result, very little
water makes its way down to the
watertable. Most water runs off into
creeks and rivers.
Permian sand wetlands
Wetlands underlain by Permian
Sands usually occur in the lowest
parts of the landscape in valleys and
depressions where they are in direct
contact with the regional watertable
aquifer. Because of the sandy soils,
there is very little surface runoff and
groundwater provides almost all of
the wetland water requirements.
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Fauna of the Fleurieu Swamps
The Fleurieu Swamps provide
habitat for a variety of animals,
including many birds. You should be
able to hear several species as they
search for food. In areas where
most native vegetation has been
cleared, swamps provide a refuge
for many small birds, mammals,
frogs and fish.
Animals seen at Mount Compass
include Australian swamp rats,
brown tree frogs, eastern water
skinks, superb fairy wrens, and New
Holland honeyeaters.
The Mount Lofty Ranges southern
emu-wren is a small shy bird
that lives in the Mount Compass
swamp. Southern emu-wrens are
very rare. Much of their habitat
has been destroyed by land
clearance. You may detect their
presence by their high frequency
chirping calls.
What’s in a name?
Where does the name ‘emu-wren’
come from? Look at their long
stick-like tail. The six feathers
resemble emu feathers, and
enable them to be distinguished
from other wren species.
Native swamp rats build tunnel-like runways in
the dense vegetation at the swamp edge.
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Flora of the Fleurieu Swamps
A healthy swamp usually has many
different types of plants that grow
at varying heights. The different
plants provide a range of habitats
for animals; for example, the dense
older vegetation is a great hiding
spot for small creatures. Different
plants also indicate the different
levels of wet and dry.
The Fleurieu Peninsula swamps
contain at least 170 native plant
species. Almost half are either
rare or threatened. The swamps
are home to species that are
classified as Endangered or Critically
Endangered: the Fleurieu leek
orchid, the Fleurieu guinea flower,
Mount Compass oakbush, bat’s-wing
fern, white beauty spider-orchid and
the Osborns eyebright.
Almost half of all swamp
plants are either rare or
threatened.
Soft twig-rush Baumea rubiginosa
This native can thrive in low nutrient areas.
Scrambling coral fern Gleichenia microphylla
This fern ‘scrambles’ over other plants with
thickets growing up to 3 metres high. Common in
swampy areas.
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The Mount Compass School Swamp
The Mount Compass School Swamp
is a freshwater swamp dominated
by dense shrubby vegetation,
and forms part of the Fleurieu
Peninsula Swamps. The Fleurieu
Peninsula Swamps are a unique
and endangered ecosystem that
provides habitat for many animals
and plants. It also plays an
important role in improving water
quality and flow.
The boardwalk
The 500 m boardwalk provides safe,
easy access to the swamp. The
boardwalk meanders through the
shrub vegetation, over both wet and
dry areas.
The boardwalk was upgraded in
2013, thanks to funding from State
NRM Program Community Grants,
the SA Murray-Darling Basin Natural
Resource Management Board and
the Australian Government, and
coordination by the Goolwa to
Wellington Local Action Planning
Association.
The Mount Compass School Swamp boardwalk
Map data is compiled from a variety of sources and hence its accuracy is variable.
Compiled:
Generated at:
Datum:
Projection:
AW Region - 2007 and Arid Lands - 2007 Imagery (Copyright © JAXA) cannot be used for
commercial purposes
Copyright © Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources 2014. All Rights Reserved. All
works and information displayed are subject to Copyright. For the reproduction or publication beyond
that permitted by the Copyright Act 1968 (Cwlth) written permission must be sought from the
Department. Although every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information displayed,
the Department, its agents, officers and employees make no representations, either express or implied,
that the information displayed is accurate or fit for any purpose and expressly disclaims all liability for
loss or damage arising from reliance upon the information displayed.
0
90
4-Feb-2014
www.naturemaps.sa.gov.au
Geocentric Datum of Australia, 1994
Lambert Conformal Conic
Metres
Mount Compass School Swamp Excursion Guide
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Taking care of our swamps
The Fleurieu Peninsula swamps
used to cover a larger area and
many joined together to form large
patches of habitat for plants and
animals. Unfortunately the swamps
have been reduced to small,
disconnected areas or ‘fragments’.
Many of the swamps are no longer
pristine environments as weeds and
pest animals have moved in.
This habitat loss is due to
overgrazing, draining swamps,
clearing vegetation, pollution
(such as fertilisers, pesticides
and herbicides), weeds and pest
animals, and land development.
While the Fleurieu Swamps are
now protected by state and federal
legislation, meaning activities such
as draining swamps are prohibited,
some of these threats, such as
weeds, still harm the swamps.
What is being done to protect the
swamps?
Many groups and land managers
are working together to look after
the Fleurieu Swamps. Conservation
activities include:
•
Controlling weeds and pest
animals such as foxes
•
Building fences to keep out sheep
and cattle
•
Revegetating with native plants
•
Making swamps wildlife
sanctuaries or protecting them
with a Heritage Agreement
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Activities
Photo Points
Human Impacts
The Mount Compass School Swamp has several
photo points set up. Students can contribute
to monitoring changes at the swamp by taking
photos and sending them to the Goolwa
to Wellington Local Action Planning (LAP)
Association. Students can also set up their own
photo points at school or in a local area (ask for
permission first).
Students imagine what the local area used to
look like, identify what human activities have
caused changes, and predict what changes might
occur in the future.
Frogs
Students learn about frogs in the local area and
play a game to learn about frog mating calls.
Plant ID
Students use the Plants of the Fleurieu Peninsula
Swamps booklet to identify plants and learn
about their features.
Bird Watching
Students use bird identification charts or books
to identify local bird species.
Water Monitoring
Students carry out scientific tests to test water
quality and make predictions about the results.
Geocaching
A geocache is a hidden container housing a
log book, pen or pencil and (if there is room)
trinkets for people to exchange. Officially they
are registered on the geocaching website
(www.geocaching.com).
Students learn about geocaching, then find
caches e.g. at the Mount Compass School Swamp.
Habitat Game
Students play a game that shows the concept and
impact of habitat fragmentation and reduction.
Students discuss the causes of habitat loss and
ways to protect and rehabilitate habitats.
Magic Spot
Students take time out in a natural setting to sit,
watch, smell, listen, think and look. They can
participate in creative activities if they wish.
Mount Compass School Swamp Excursion Guide
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Setting up photo points
The Mount Compass School Swamp has several photo points set up.
Students can contribute to monitoring changes at the swamp by taking
photos and sending them to the Goolwa to Wellington Local Action
Planning (LAP) Association. Students can also set up their own photo
points at school or in a local area (ask for permission first).
Big idea: Changes to the environment can be monitored by setting up
photo points and comparing photos over time.
Year levels: 4-10
Learning areas: Science, Geography
At the Mount Compass School Swamp
Take photos at the photo points found in the swamp. Send your photos to the GWLAP. Compare your
photos to previous photos (these will gradually be available from the GWLAP).
Questions for years 4-7
Questions for years 8-10
What difference do you see?
What difference do you see?
What similarities do you see?
What similarities do you see?
What has caused these changes?
What has caused these changes?
How do you think the photos will look in 20
years? Why?
What impact do you think these changes have on
living things?
What could be done to ensure the changes are
positive?
How do you think the photos will look in 20
years? Why?
What could be done to ensure the changes are
positive?
Mount Compass School Swamp Excursion Guide
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Frogs
Students learn about frogs in the local area and play a game to learn
about frog mating calls.
Big idea: Frogs are an important part of the environment and can
indicate if the environment is healthy or not.
Year levels: 4-10
Learning areas: Science
At the Mount Compass School Swamp or local area
Discuss the threats to frogs and identify any you can see in the area:
• Vegetation clearance
• Pollution
• Habitat fragmentation
• Pest animals – Gambusia (mosquito fish), cats and dogs, cane toads
Play the Frog Mating Game: Each student receives a card with a picture of either a male or female
frog and their mating call. If you haven’t already, download the ‘Frog Croakers’ app and listen to the
different mating calls. The students with the male frog cards stand together (representing the frogs
in a pond, swamp or creek), while the female frogs are scattered in the area around them. The males
make their frog calls and the females find a male of their species with the loudest call (deeper, more
resonant calls represent stronger males). Any frogs who don’t find a mate are out of the game. Swap
cards and repeat several times.
Questions for years 4-7
Questions for years 8-10
What are the threats to frogs?
What are the threats to frogs?
Can you see any of those threats in this area?
Can you see any of those threats in this area?
What happened during the Frog Mating Game?
What happened during the Frog Mating Game?
What happened to the frogs who couldn’t find a
mate?
What happened to the frogs who couldn’t find a
mate?
What would happen if frogs disappeared from
this area?
What would happen if frogs disappeared from
this area?
Frogs are known as ‘bio-indicators’. What does
this mean? What other plants and animals might
be bio-indicators?
Frog Mating Game cards
Print copies of the following page to ensure there are enough cards for each student. Cut out cards
(each card has image and accompanying text) and distribute to students.
Mount Compass School Swamp Excursion Guide
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MALE
FEMALE
Southern Bell Frog
Southern Bell Frog
Call: Long modulated
growl followed by a
series of short grunts
Call: Long modulated
growl followed by a
series of short grunts
MALE
FEMALE
Banjo Frog
Banjo Frog
Call: A single musical
“bonk”
Call: A single musical
“bonk”
MALE
FEMALE
Spotted Grass Frog
Spotted Grass Frog
Call: Rapid “uk-ukukuk”
Call: Rapid “uk-ukukuk”
MALE
FEMALE
Common Froglet
Common Froglet
Call: Like a rattle, 3-5
notes of “uck, uck,
uck, uck -----------uck,
uck, uck”
Call: Like a rattle, 3-5
notes of “uck, uck,
uck, uck -----------uck,
uck, uck”
MALE
FEMALE
Brown Tree Frog
Brown Tree Frog
Call: A loud high
pitched “weep-eepeep” of 10 to 20 notes
Call: A loud high
pitched “weep-eepeep” of 10 to 20 notes
MALE
FEMALE
Painted Frog
Painted Frog
Call: A series of echoes
“tok, tok, tok, tok”
Call: A series of echoes
“tok, tok, tok, tok”
MALE
FEMALE
Bibron’s Toadlet
Bibron’s Toadlet
Call: A short grating,
upwardly inflecting
“ark”
Call: A short grating,
upwardly inflecting
“ark”
All frog images courtesy of Steve Walker.
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Plant identification
Students use the Plants of the Fleurieu Peninsula Swamps booklet, the
Mount Compass Swamp plant identification chart or a plant ID book to
identify plants and map where they grow.
Big idea: Plants grow in different areas within an ecosystem due to
various factors.
Year levels: 4-10
Learning areas: Science
At the Mount Compass School Swamp or local area
Identify common plants using the Mount Compass Swamp plant identification chart or a plant
identification book. Using a map of the area, mark where the different plant communities are found
and where large individual species are growing.
Questions for years 4-7
Questions for years 8-10
What plants live here?
What plants live here?
Where do the plants in our ID chart/book live?
Where do the plants in our ID chart/book live?
Why do certain plants live in certain areas? e.g.
wet areas, dry areas, hilly areas
Why do certain plants live in certain areas? e.g.
wet areas, dry areas, hilly areas
How have plants adapted to live in this area?
Mount Compass School Swamp Excursion Guide
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Swamp Plant Identification Chart
Scientific name: Gleichenia microphylla
Common name: Coral fern
Forms dense mounds
Scientific name: Blechnum minus
Common name: Soft water-fern
Forms clumps
Scientific name: Acacia retinodes
Common names: Swamp wattle, silver wattle
Tall shrubs or small trees up to 8 m high
Scientific name: Phragmites australis
Common names: Common reed, bamboo reed
These reeds can cover huge areas
Scientific name: Leptospermum
Common name: Tea-tree
Tall shrub, up to 5 m high
© M. Fagg, Australian
National Bot. Gardens
Scientific name: Acacia longifolia
Common name: Sydney golden wattle
WEED species. Grows very quickly
Scientific name: Viminaria juncea
Common names: Golden spray, native broom
Less than 1 m to 5 m high
Scientific name: Gahnia sieberiana
Common name: Red-fruit saw-sedge
Leaves are sharp and will cut you
Mount Compass School Swamp Excursion Guide
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Mt Compass Swamp Plant Map
Map the vegetation of the Mount Compass School Swamp by drawing and shading areas of different
vegetation types (e.g. patches of tea-trees).
Mark Viminaria and Gahnia plants by writing a ‘V’ for Viminaria and a ‘G’ for Gahnia plants.
Map data is compiled from a variety of sources and hence its accuracy is variable.
AW Region - 2007 and Arid Lands - 2007 Imagery (Copyright © JAXA) cannot be used for
commercial purposes
Copyright © Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources 2014. All Rights Reserved. All
works and information displayed are subject to Copyright. For the reproduction or publication beyond
Mount Compass School
Compiled:
Generated at:
Swamp
Excursion
Datum:
Projection:
4-Feb-2014
www.naturemaps.sa.gov.au
Guide
18 1994
Geocentric Datum of Australia,
Lambert Conformal Conic
Bird watching
Students use bird identification charts or books to identify local bird
species.
Big idea: Birds have features which help them survive in their
environment.
Year levels: 4-10
Learning areas: Science
At the Mount Compass School Swamp or local area
Using a bird identification book or the Fleurieu Swamps Bird ID Chart, explore the area in pairs or
small groups to spot birds. Sitting quietly in one spot may be more conducive to spotting shy birds.
Students record the birds they find.
Ask students to look at the features of the birds they found and think about where they saw the
birds. Answer the questions below and discuss how structure is related to function e.g. shape of beak
indicates what food the bird would eat.
Questions for years 4-7
Questions for years 8-10
What birds did you see?
What birds did you see?
Where did you see the birds? e.g. in a tree, a
shrub, in grass, on water, flying
Where did you see the birds? e.g. in a tree, a
shrub, in grass, on water, flying
Look at the features of the bird (it’s beak, feet,
wings, feathers, etc). Based on these things:
Look at the features of the bird (it’s beak, feet,
wings, feathers, etc). Based on these things:
• Where do you think this bird lives?
• What do you think it eats?
• How does it avoid predators?
Why are birds important?
• Where do you think this bird lives?
• What do you think it eats? What eats it?
• How does it avoid predators?
Why are birds important?
What would happen if you removed the flowers
from this area? Or the tall trees?
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Water monitoring
Students carry out scientific tests to test water quality and make
predictions about the results.
Big idea: By testing and observing water samples, we can learn about
water quality and make predictions about the results.
Year levels: 4-10
Learning areas: Science, Geography, Maths
At the Mount Compass School Swamp or local area
Students make predictions about the water quality at a local waterbody.
• Will the data be in the good, average or bad range?
• Why do you think this? What things might affect the water quality?
Following the instructions in the Waterwatch Resource Pack on the Natural Resources SAMDB website,
collect water sample and test water quality factors: salinity, turbidity, pH, nitrates and phosphates.
Each student/pair/group collects data. Collate data. Reflect on results and draw conclusions.
Note: to collect, identify and record macroinvertebrates see the ‘Critters Galore’ resource
available from the Natural Resources SAMDB website.
Questions for years 4-7
Questions for years 8-10
• Are the results in the good, average or bad
range?
• Are the results in the good, average or bad
range?
• Why do you think we got these results? What
things can affect water quality?
• Why do you think we got these results? What
things can affect water quality?
• What impacts does water quality have on
other things like plants, animals and people?
• What impacts does water quality have on
other things like plants, animals and people?
• What can we do to improve water quality?
• What can we do to improve water quality?
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Human impacts
Students imagine what the local area used to look like, identify what
human activities have caused changes, and predict what changes might
occur in the future.
Big idea: Human activities affect the natural environment in both
positive and negative ways.
Year levels: 4-10
Learning areas: Science, Geography, History
At the Mount Compass School Swamp or local area
Ask students to imagine what they think this area looked like 200 years ago and 50 years ago: Close
your eyes. Notice the sounds around you. Listen for the sounds of animals and of plants moving
in the breeze. What can you feel on your skin? Is there a cool breeze, warm sun, leaves tickling
your legs? What can you smell? Is it a pleasant smell? Now imagine that as we stand here, we are
suddenly transported back in time. It is now 50 years ago. What do you see? What do you hear, and
feel, and smell? Is it the same or different to the year 2014? Think about what is different and what
might have caused these changes. We are travelling back in time again, this time to 200 years ago.
What do you notice now? What do you see, hear, feel and smell? How different is it to 2014? How
different is it to 50 years ago? Now open your eyes, and record your thoughts.
Students record their ideas by writing or drawing.
Discuss students’ ideas and ask them to identify the difference between now, 50 years ago and 200
years ago.
Students explore the area and record the human activities and their impacts that they can see.
Discuss their findings.
Ask students to predict what the area might look like in 50 years time. Discuss their predictions and
why they think them.
Mount Compass School Swamp Excursion Guide
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Questions for years 4-7
Questions for years 8-10
• What do you think this area looked like 200
years ago? What about 50 years ago?
• What do you think this area looked like 200
years ago? What about 50 years ago?
• What do you think caused the changes
between 200 and 50 years ago?
• What do you think caused the changes
between 200 and 50 years ago?
• What human activities can you identify that
might be affecting this area now?
• What human activities can you identify that
might be affecting this area now?
• What impacts are they having on the living
and non-living things here?
• What impacts are they having on the living
and non-living things here?
• Are these good or bad impacts?
• Are these good or bad impacts? Consider
social and economic impacts, not just
environmental impacts.
• What do you think this area will look like in
50 years?
• Why do you think it will look like this? What
human activities will continue, stop, change
or start that might affect this area?
• What can you do that might affect this area?
• What do you think this area will look like in
50 years?
• Why do you think it will look like this? What
human activities will continue, stop, change
or start that might affect this area?
• What can you do that might affect this area?
• What activities are humans currently doing to
improve this area?
• What happens when necessary human
activities such as farming conflict with
the needs of the environment? Should the
environment or humans be given priority?
Mount Compass School Swamp Excursion Guide
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Geocaching
A geocache is a hidden container housing a log book, pen or pencil and
(if there is room) trinkets for people to exchange. Officially they are
registered on the geocaching website (www.geocaching.com).
Students learn about geocaching, then find caches e.g. at the Mount
Compass School Swamp.
Big idea: Geocaching (placing and finding hidden containers) connects us
to our local area.
Year levels: 4-10
Learning areas: Information Technology, Geography, Maths, Health and Physical Education (draft)
At the Mount Compass School Swamp or local area with geocaches
nearby
Using the Geocaching app or a GPS, find caches in the area. Bring trinkets to swap - consider making
trinkets beforehand (don’t include anything that can identify individuals).
Questions for years 4-7
Questions for years 8-10
What did you notice while you were looking for
the geocaches?
What did you notice while you were looking for
the geocaches?
Can geocaching help the environment? Can it
hurt it?
What are the benefits of geocaching? Social,
physical, mental, etc.
How can we make sure we don’t harm the
environment when we’re geocaching?
What are the environmental impacts of
geocaching - good and bad?
What do you know about this area? What makes
it important?
How can we prevent or rectify the negative
impacts?
At each geocache location, what makes this a
good spot to hide a geocache?
What do you know about this area? What makes
it important?
At each geocache location, what makes this a
good spot to hide a geocache?
How has geocaching affected the way people
connect with places?
Mount Compass School Swamp Excursion Guide
23
Habitat game
Students play a game that shows the concept and impact of habitat
fragmentation and reduction. Students discuss the causes of habitat loss
and ways to protect and rehabilitate habitats.
Big idea: The fragmentation and reduction in size of habitats has
negative impacts on native animals.
Year levels: 4-10
Learning areas: Science, Geography
At the Mount Compass School Swamp or local area
Lay out several large sheets, towels, drop cloths or use ropes or string to mark patches that
represent habitats. To begin with, large areas should be shown, with corridors between sections.
Tell students that they are native animals (students can pick animals or you can assign animals
native to the area). Ask if students know what we call places where animals and plants live
(‘habitat’). Explain that the areas marked on the ground represent their animals’ habitat. Each
student selects a patch as their home. Each ‘patch’ can only hold five students. On your instruction,
students move from patches of habitat, pretending to look for food, shelter, mates, water, etc.
They can use the corridors or open space to move around. They cannot spend more than 5 seconds
in one patch.
When you yell ‘Habitat!’ all students must stand within their patch of habitat. Any students left
outside the habitat after three seconds are out of the game (they have perished because they
couldn’t find a safe place to live). This represents the local area about 300 years ago - there were
plenty of resources and places to live.
Fold over the sheets or move the ropes to reduce the size of habitat available. Remove a corridor.
Explain that this represents settlers moving to the area and cutting down trees. Play the game
again. Discuss the changes (e.g. more students can’t find habitat in time).
Reduce the size of the habitats again (some habitats will no longer be connected to others - this
represents ‘habitat fragmentation’). More land is cleared to build towns, roads, farms, etc, swamps
are drained and filled. Feral animals are introduced. Pick two students to be a fox and a cat (you
can use sashes to identify them). Play the game again, but this time, any students outside the
patches of habitat or corridors can be caught by the fox and cat as they move around. Students
caught are out of the game. Ask what the students noticed this time. Discuss the role of corridors
that join the patches together.
Reduce the size of habitats again (patches should be very small now, with few or no corridors
joining the patches). This represents the landscape today - only small patches of native habitat
remain. Play the game again. What happened? Discuss the questions below.
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Questions for years 4-7
Questions for years 8-10
Why can you only have a certain number of
animals in each patch?
Why can you only have a certain number of
animals in each patch?
Why did the habitat disappear or get smaller?
Why did the habitat disappear or get smaller?
What happened to the animals caught outside
the habitat?
What happened to the animals caught outside
the habitat?
Why do animals need big patches of habitat?
Why do animals need big patches of habitat?
How do corridors between the patches of habitat How do corridors between the patches of habitat
help animals?
help animals?
What are people doing to increase the size of
habitats now?
What are people doing to increase the size of
habitats now?
What can you do personally to help look after
habitats?
What can you do personally to help look after
habitats?
Is it better to have a few large patches of
habitat or lots of small patches? Why?
Why is conserving habitat important to humans?
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Magic Spot
Students take time out in a natural setting to sit, watch, smell, listen,
think and look. They can participate in creative activities if they wish.
Big idea: Being still and quiet in nature allows us to reflect, recharge and
connect with nature.
Year levels: 4-10
Learning areas: Health and PE, The Arts, English
At the Mount Compass School Swamp or local area
Ask students to find their own special spot in a natural area where they are comfortable and not
distracted by others. Students sit, stand or lay in their ‘magic spot’ for a period of time. They
may write or draw as a way to capture their thoughts. They may look at, smell, and touch their
surroundings, but must remain quiet. At the end, students regroup and reflect on their experiences.
Questions for years 4-7
Questions for years 8-10
How did you feel in your magic spot?
How did you feel in your magic spot?
How do you feel now?
How do you feel now?
What did you see, hear, smell, touch?
What did you see, hear, smell, touch?
What did you think about in your magic spot?
What did you think about in your magic spot?
Did you write or draw something? Share your
work if you would like.
Did you write or draw something? Share your
work if you would like.
Would you have a similar experience in a built
environment?
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Connecting with nature
Any of these activities can be undertaken in a school yard and or
any outdoor area as nature is all around. Connecting with nature is
developing the senses to appreciate your surroundings. Repeating
activities in a number of locations across time enhances the learning and
makes the link that everything is connected.
Big idea: Connecting with nature encourages appreciation of local areas
and a desire to look after these places.
Year levels: 4-10
Learning areas: Health and PE, The Arts, English, Geography
Nature’s Carpet
Sit or lay on any area that acts as nature’s carpet (lawn, leaf litter under trees, moss area, etc).
Explore the area by touch, sight, smell, sound. Use a magnifying glass if available.
Discuss the texture, sounds, living things, diversity and the complexity of the carpet.
Why is the carpet important? How does the carpet change over time?
Nature’s Window
Either have some cardboard picture frames prepared or have students use their two hands to make a
frame.
Each student or pair places the frame on the ground or holds it up at eye level. Explore what is in the
‘picture’. Students show other students their picture and talk or write about what they see.
Nature’s Cinema
Find a place where students can sit down so they don’t touch or talk to each other. Being quiet,
watch the ‘cinema’. The movement of wind blowing across grass, birds in flight, etc make the
cinema. If there is no wind movement it becomes a static picture and the activity can be repeated at
other locations. You are encouraging observation.
Nature’s Symphony
Away from each other and being quiet, students hear the music in nature: wind in trees, faint
breeze, bird song, human activity, etc. Even silence is part of the music.
Alternatively find some smooth-barked trees and have students put their ear to the trunk and hit the
trunk in different places and hear the music.
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Nature’s Words
Students find a space away from each other and be quiet. Ask students to look around and use words
and phrases to describe what they see, hear, feel, how they are inspired, etc by their surroundings.
You might have each person come up with three words or phrases and after collecting them turn
them into a group poem or piece of prose.
Nature’s Patterns
Ask students to think of shapes and repeated patterns. Define the search area and provide some
recording material (paper, pencils, camera, etc) and have students search for different shapes and
patterns: squares, triangles, cylinders, parallel lines, etc. Patterns might be found in pine cones,
tree trunks, leaves, whorls, flowers, etc.
Nature’s Rainbow
Have a series of paint chips (available at hardware stores) and give students several different
colours. Have them find objects in nature that are the same colour. Arrange the paint chips and the
matching objects in rainbow order and take a photo.
Sensory Walk
Lay a rope on a course that goes over, under, around natural objects (trees, shrubs, large rocks).
Blindfold students who must complete the course by holding onto the rope and slowly moving along
it using other senses. If clothing is not an issue it may go through muddy, wet areas but prior thought
needs to be given to the potential route.
How did you feel? What objects do you think you went over, under, around? What other things did you
feel, smell, hear?
Mini Trail
Using large colourful pins mark out a mini trail on an interesting tree (3-4 points only, 5-10 cm apart)
and have students explore the trail. Students should look very closely at the surface and feel the trail
with their hands. Use magnifying glasses if available.
Alternatively in a small area place 3-4 numbered stakes at points of interest and do the same thing.
Wow!
Make a big deal of a cloud pattern, sunrise, sunset, bird sound, etc. Ask “Did you hear/see that?”,
“Wow, how great is that?”. Students take turns pointing out other things that make them go ‘Wow!’
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