TASK 4: LEARNING OBJECT
The Night of the Bilby is a learning object that offers students the opportunity to explore a species within its habitat. This learning object is in the form of an interactive game first that requires students to observe the Bilby within it's natural habitat and it then instructs them to feed it, shelter it and keep it out of harms way from predators. The night of the Bilby is targeted at grade one students, and covers the Australian Curriculum's year one 'scientific understanding' achievement strand for Biology. This section requires students to understand and explore "Living things that live in different places where their needs are met" (ACSSU211)
Activity involving the learning object:
The Night of the Bilby learning object could be incorporated into a unit of work exploring Australian animals, their appearances, their natural habitats and finally the things that they need in order to survive. The Australian Curriculum's scientific understandings for grade one students explains that students are required to understand that Living things have a variety of external features(ACSSU017) so incorporating the Bilbies appearance and practices is beneficial in gaining a complete understanding of the animal .The unit would progress to focus specifically on endangered Australian animals. As a class we could focus on a different endangered animal each lesson and explore the reasoning behind it's risks of becoming extinct and what the animal needs in order to survive. For the Bilby lesson we could begin by discussing what kind of animals Bilbies are (marsupial's) and their habitats (the desert). We could then brainstorm and estimate what they may eat, where they sleep at night and which predators frequent their habitats. After a class discussion the students could sit at a computer desk and complete the interactive computer activity (Please click on tab below to see the game). After completing the interactive computer game I could either conduct a reflective class discussion which would involve asking student's about what that they had learnt about the endangered species and their newly found knowledge relating to preventative measures that could be taken in order to keep the animal safe.
Activity involving the learning object:
The Night of the Bilby learning object could be incorporated into a unit of work exploring Australian animals, their appearances, their natural habitats and finally the things that they need in order to survive. The Australian Curriculum's scientific understandings for grade one students explains that students are required to understand that Living things have a variety of external features(ACSSU017) so incorporating the Bilbies appearance and practices is beneficial in gaining a complete understanding of the animal .The unit would progress to focus specifically on endangered Australian animals. As a class we could focus on a different endangered animal each lesson and explore the reasoning behind it's risks of becoming extinct and what the animal needs in order to survive. For the Bilby lesson we could begin by discussing what kind of animals Bilbies are (marsupial's) and their habitats (the desert). We could then brainstorm and estimate what they may eat, where they sleep at night and which predators frequent their habitats. After a class discussion the students could sit at a computer desk and complete the interactive computer activity (Please click on tab below to see the game). After completing the interactive computer game I could either conduct a reflective class discussion which would involve asking student's about what that they had learnt about the endangered species and their newly found knowledge relating to preventative measures that could be taken in order to keep the animal safe.
Other linked Scientific Australian Curriculum outcomes:
Planning and conducting:
Participate in different types of guided investigations to explore and answer questions, such as manipulating materials, testing ideas, and accessing information sources (ACSIS025) - In accessing and exploring the informative computer game.
Processing and evaluating information:
Through discussion, compare observations with predictions (ACSIS212) - Through the introductory class discussion where we predict the potential predators that may endanger the Bilby and then in the reflective discussion where we compare our findings.
Communicating:
Represent and communicate observations and ideas in a variety of ways such as oral and written language, drawing and role play (ACSIS029) - The class discuss this orally through introductory and reflective discussions.
The end of year one achievement standard requires students to successfully explore a range of habitats.
Planning and conducting:
Participate in different types of guided investigations to explore and answer questions, such as manipulating materials, testing ideas, and accessing information sources (ACSIS025) - In accessing and exploring the informative computer game.
Processing and evaluating information:
Through discussion, compare observations with predictions (ACSIS212) - Through the introductory class discussion where we predict the potential predators that may endanger the Bilby and then in the reflective discussion where we compare our findings.
Communicating:
Represent and communicate observations and ideas in a variety of ways such as oral and written language, drawing and role play (ACSIS029) - The class discuss this orally through introductory and reflective discussions.
The end of year one achievement standard requires students to successfully explore a range of habitats.