School ground biodiversity survey

Australian curriculum content descriptions:

Year 5 Science:

• With guidance, pose questions to clarify practical problems or inform a scientific investigation, and predict what the findings of an investigation might be (ACSIS231)
• Compare data with predictions and use as evidence in developing explanations (ACSIS218)

Year 5 Mathematics:

• Describe and interpret different data sets in context (ACMSP120)

Year 6 Science:

• With guidance, pose questions to clarify practical problems or inform a scientific investigation, and predict what the findings of an investigation might be (ACSIS232)
• Compare data with predictions and use as evidence in developing explanations (ACSIS221)

Year 6 Mathematics:

• Interpret and compare a range of data displays, including side-by-side column graphs for two categorical variables (ACMSP147)

Syllabus Outcomes: ST3-4WS, ST3-10LW, ST3-11LW.

Time required: 45 mins

Level of teacher scaffolding: Students will need help with collecting and analysing data.

• Activity sheets or tablets, collecting jars or plastic petrie, dishes school ground map
• Optional: binoculars

Safety: reinforce several times that bees must never be caught and must always be avoided. Bees in Australia cause more deaths than all other combined wildlife including sharks, snakes and spiders. Student should also keep their distance from wasps. 

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.