Climate change and biodiversity in Australia

Climate change and biodiversity in Australia

Lesson 13 of 13 in this unit

  • Secondary
  • Year 9 - 10
  • Science
  • Humanities and Social Sciences
  • Geography
  • Environmental
  • Biodiversity
  • Climate Change
  • ...

Lesson summary

In this activity students explore the positive and negative impacts of climate change on biodiversity. Students work in groups to investigate the impacts on five animals – Yellow-footed Rock-wallaby, Giant Gippsland Earthworm, Common Clownfish, Southern Corroboree Frog and Regent Honeyeater – and create a fact sheet describing the impacts on these animals.

Learning intentions:

Students will...

  • understand that climate change will have both negative and positive impacts on biodiversity
  • recognise that most climate change impacts on biodiversity are negative
  • understand that biodiversity is vulnerable to numerous types of climate change impacts
  • understand that there are actions we can take to help biodiversity cope with the impacts from climate change.

Lesson guides and printables

Lesson Plan
Student Worksheet

Lesson details

Curriculum mapping

Australian curriculum content descriptions:

Year 9 Science:

  • Ecosystems consist of communities of interdependent organisms and abiotic components of the environment; matter and energy flow through these systems (ACSSU176)
  • Critically analyse the validity of information in secondary sources and evaluate the approaches used to solve problems (ACSIS172)
  • Communicate scientific ideas and information for a particular purpose, including constructing evidence-based arguments and using appropriate scientific language, conventions and representations (ACSIS174)

Year 10 Science:

  • Global systems, including the carbon cycle, rely on interactions involving the biosphere, lithosphere, hydrosphere and atmosphere (ACSSU189)
  • Critically analyse the validity of information in secondary sources and evaluate the approaches used to solve problems (ACSIS206)
  • Communicate scientific ideas and information for a particular purpose, including constructing evidence-based arguments and using appropriate scientific language, conventions and representations (ACSIS208)

Year 10 Geography:

  • The human-induced environmental changes that challenge sustainability (ACHGK070)
  • The application of human-environment systems thinking to understanding the causes and likely consequences of the environmental change being investigated (ACHGK073)
  • Present findings, arguments and explanations in a range of appropriate communication forms selected for their effectiveness and to suit audience and purpose, using relevant geographical terminology and digital technologies as appropriate (ACHGS079)
  • Reflect on and evaluate the findings of the inquiry to propose individual and collective action in response to a contemporary geographical challenge, taking account of environmental, economic and social considerations; and explain the predicted outcomes and consequences of their proposal (ACHGS080)

Syllabus outcomes: GE5-2, GE5-3, GE5-8, SC5-7WS, SC5-8WS, SC5-9WS, SC5-14LW, SC5-12ES. 

Time required: This activity can be extended over several sessions

Level of teacher scaffolding: Low – oversee activity, facilitate discussion.

Resources required

  • Internet access, student worksheet
  • Materials for making fact sheet/poster
  • PowerPoint

Additional info

This is an original Cool.org lesson. Facts and figures in these lessons may have changed since this lesson was published. We always endeavour to update our resources in a timely manner, but if you see an error or issue in our resources please get in touch with us.

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