Teaching Sequence

Work through this resource material in the following sequence:

15 minutes – Part A: Activating Prior Knowledge
15 minutes – Part B: Investigate the Stocky Galaxias
60 minutes – Part C: Real-World Conservation
5 minutes – Reflection

Part A: Activating Prior Knowledge

Step 1.

Ask students to consider the following: How is the survival of the koala is highly dependent upon its environment? You might make this question visible on the board.

Use the following sentence stems to prompt student thinking:

Food source: Koalas eat... eucalyptus leaves
Water source: Koalas... actually get their water from the eucalyptus leaves
Predators: Koalas avoid predators by... climbing eucalyptus trees
Habitat: Koalas actually overheat if not shaded from the sun by a canopy of eucalyptus leaves.

Step 2.

Now ask students to consider how bushfires would impact koalas. A severe bushfire would actually impact all aspects of the koala's lifestyle, as eucalyptus leaves contain highly flammable oils, and burning them would not only destroy the koala's food source but also destroy the habitat it relies on to remain safe.

Optional. Read The Conversation - Scientists find burnt, starving koalas weeks after the bushfires by Romane H. Cristescu and Celine Frere to learn more about the impact of bushfires on koala populations. Warning: This article contains graphic descriptions of koalas in distress and may cause distress in students (and adults!).

Step 3.

Using the Student Worksheet, students should draw a diagram comparing the koala's habitat before and after a bushfire, then label all of the changes explaining the impact on the koala.

Part B: Investigate the Stocky Galaxias

Step 1.

You might like to read and discuss The Conversation - Double trouble: this plucky little fish survived Black Summer, but there’s worse to come by Mark Lintermans as a whole class. Alternatively, students can independently access this article.

Step 2.

Independently, students should use the Student Worksheet to investigate the Stocky Galaxias' dependence upon its habitat in specific areas. Students should then consider elements that are negatively impacting the Stocky Galaxias' habitat and threaten its survival. Finally, students should propose preventative measures to counteract these threats.

All of this information is available in the article, but students will have to read thoroughly and think critically about the information they're gathering.

The answers are provided for you here.

Food Source: Sphagnum moss. The fires have burned this food source, introduced Climbing Galaxias species will compete for what remains, and feral horses drinking on the banks have trampled it with their hooves.
Redirecting or stopping the Snowy 2.0 hydro dam will prevent the Climbing Galaxias migration, and erecting fences will keep livestock away from the stream bank.
Predators: The Snowy 2.0 hydro dam will introduce trout to the stream, which will prey upon the Stocky Galaxias.
Habitat: The bushfires washed a lot of silt and ash into the stream. This makes it hard for the Stocky Galaxias' to breathe and to hide in the crevasses in the bed of the stream.

Step 3.

Students should draw a diagram of the Stocky Galaxias' habitat, then label each element and explain the changes that will impact the species.

Part C: Real-World Conservation

Step 1.

Explain to students that this task requires them to emulate the scientific work of Mark Lintermans by creating a temporary, artificial habitat for a threatened species for the purpose of ensuring their survival and encouraging captive breeding. Students will have to ensure their artificial environments have suitable conditions to sustain a particular species, meaning they will have to thoroughly research all the elements of that species' lifecycle.

Step 2.

Using the List of 119 species that scientists have recommended are in need of immediate intervention, students should independently research a species under threat. Ask students to find information on the unique elements of their habitat, their food source, any predators, and how all of these things have been impacted by bushfires.

Students can be supported in their investigations by creating a different version of the table found on the Student Worksheet and replacing 'stocky galaxias' with their chosen species from the list.

Step 3.

Using a shoebox, students should independently create a diorama of their species' habitat. To do this, tip the box on its side so that the 'top', or where the lid would sit, is now the open 'front' face. Students could use coloured paper to create a collage of flora and landscape elements. For example, shredded green paper would make great grass or ferns, while crumpled blue cellophane could represent a water source. You may wish to encourage students to use recycled materials to create their dioramas to underscore the importance of sustainability in our everyday lives.

Step 4.

Students may need to print off images of their fauna, or they can have a go drawing them on white paper.

Step 5.

Using toothpicks and squares of white paper, students should write labels explaining different elements of the habitat to the audience, including how they contributed to the survival of the species, and how these aspects have been impacted by bushfires or other human interventions.

Reflection

Consider again Mark Linterman's quote: "2020 will go down in history as the year the (stocky galaxias) was saved from fire, then condemned to possible extinction."

Whilst bushfires have had a significant impact on the 119 species, Mark has identified a number of ways in which humans were already pushing many species towards extinction, and will continue to do unless work is done to prevent the loss of species. Ask students to consider how highly they weigh the extinction of a species against society's progress, survival, or comfortable way of life. There are many reasons why the Snowy 2.0 hydro dam was approved, and the plight of the Stocky Galaxias is only a small part of those calculations. In the past, the Thylacine (Tasmanian Tiger) was hunted to extinction due to the way it preyed upon colonist's sheep stock.

Do students think these are acceptable losses in the grand scheme of civilisation?

Differentiated Learning

Extension - Consider taking this project even further.

Create a second diorama to compare and contrast a habitat before and after a bushfire has swept through. The striking visual impact of the differences is a great impetus for social change.

Are there links between the species students have researched? Food chains in the wild are carefully balanced, and whilst a bushfire might not directly affect a species, wiping out its food supply of another species is just as devastating. Curriculum link ACAVAM116 asks students to "Plan the display of artworks to enhance their meaning for an audience". The placement of dioramas so they interact with one another and communicate greater understanding across multiple species requires careful consideration.

Have students use digital tools to film a walkthrough of their artificial habitat, supported with additional images and music, that takes audiences through the beautiful natural environment, and explains the impact of bushfires. Publish this on school sites.

Take a design and technology approach to this lesson. How could these artificial habitats be deployed after a bushfire so that species who have had their entire ecosystem destroyed, like the koalas, can navigate to this safe, temporary accommodation? Maybe by attaching some wheels or drones to a container?

Write a letter to the local newspaper, council, or local member of the government, campaigning for support for the scientist's recommendations on the 119 species. The Snowy 2.0 hydro dam gained government approval despite the known risks to the Stocky Galaxias' - how do students feel about this? Are there other areas humans could be contributing to rescue or reinforce natural habitats?

Visit the zoo, and talk to zookeepers about the huge amount of thinking that goes into designing habitats for their exhibits.

Teacher Reflection

Take this opportunity to reflect on your own teaching:

What did you learn about your teaching practice today?
What worked well?
What didn't work so well?
What would you share?
Where to next?
How are you going to get there?

Beyond the Bushfires - Survival Habitats

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