Animals animated incursion | Stage 1 Science and Technology | Field of Mars EEC

Cost, risk assessment and details

Cost	DoE $27 per student – GST free Non-gov $37 per student – GST free, min charge $750 per class Schools outside Greater Sydney – minimum charge $750 per class Program costs may change. Bookings are charged at the cost confirmed when you book.
Risk assessment	Risk management plan
Classes	Maximum 3 classes per day with up to 32 students per class.
School preparation	Schools to provide one extra large learning space, with a screen or projector, for the duration of the day. The space needs to comfortably accommodate all classes. Organise students into groups of two or three.
Welfare	For medical or special needs notify staff prior to program.
Extreme or wet weather	Program may be modified, postponed or cancelled due to predicted extreme temperatures, bush fire danger, heavy rainfall, high winds or dust storms.
Booking policy	Confirm student numbers and classes 7 days in advance.
Cancellation and rescheduling	Cancellation or rescheduling with less than 30 school days’ notice before the booking date – $650 Cancellation with less than 14 school days’ notice before the booking date – full program cost Cancellation due to unsafe weather or fire danger – $0

Activities

Activities may vary depending on student needs, timing and weather.

Introduction

Students begin by exploring what an animation is and how it is created. Through a short discussion and viewing an example, students identify the steps for the day and revise the meaning of external features and habitat.

Invertebrate investigation

In the school garden, students work in small teams to safely search for and collect leaf litter invertebrates. Students discuss where invertebrates are found and make safe choices while using simple field equipment.

Indoors, students use magnifiers and identification charts to observe and identify their collected invertebrates. They select one invertebrate as the main character for their animation.

Animation workshop

Students record their data by composing a short information script using clear, descriptive sentences about their invertebrate’s features and habitat. Students then storyboard scenes to match each sentence, ensuring the sequence is logical and the message is easy to follow.

Students create plasticine models that represent the key features of their chosen invertebrate and can be moved for animation. Students refine models and plan how movement will show behaviours and habitat use.

Animating

Students use iPads and a stand to record narrated stop motion scenes outdoors, taking a sequence of in-focus images to match their script. Students then combine clips in iMovie, add titles where appropriate and share a short movie premiere viewing with peers (time permitting).

Completed animations will be returned to school via Google Drive.

Explore related fact sheets

Use these student-friendly fact sheets before or after your Animals animated incursion to introduce invertebrates, external features, habitats and animal movement before students create stop-motion animations.

• ⁠Invertebrate fact sheets – Explore insects, spiders, worms, molluscs and other small animals found in schoolyard habitats.
• ⁠Insects fact sheet – Learn about insect body parts, life cycles, adaptations and roles in habitats.
• ⁠Phasmid fact sheet – Discover stick insects and leaf insects with camouflage, six legs and plant-eating mouthparts.
• ⁠Spider fact sheet – Learn about spiders, their body features, webs, hunting behaviours and habitats.
• ⁠Ant fact sheet – Explore social insects that live in groups, collect food and help recycle nutrients.
• ⁠Habitat fact sheet – Learn how food, water, shelter and space help living things survive.

Suggested timetable

Time	Activities
9.15 - 11.00	Invertebrate investigation Developing a script, storyboard and props
	Recess
11.30 - 1.00	Creating an animation Editing an animation
	Lunch
1.45 - 2.30	Editing continued (if required)

Times and session duration varies depending on school timetables, location choice and number of classes.

Please include your school's bell times in the notes section of your booking form.

Tier 2 and 3 vocabulary

sequence, plan, collaborate, create, edit, describe, narrate, stop-motion animation, invertebrate, external features, habitat, camouflage, storyboard, scene, setting

Syllabus outcomes and content

Science and Technology K-6 Syllabus (2024)

Investigations of changes provide knowledge and understanding

Outcomes

• Poses questions based on observations and information to investigate cause and effect ST1-PQU-01
• Measures and describes changes in living things, materials, movement, Earth and the sky ST1-SC1-01

Content

Living things change over time

• Collect data about the variety of living things in a local habitat, group them and justify the groupings

Design and digital solutions are created through knowledge and understanding

Outcomes

• Uses technologies and materials to design and make products to address user needs or opportunities ST1-DDT-01

Content

A design process is used to define user needs and create solutions

• Recognise that a design process breaks large projects into manageable, logical steps
• Apply one or more steps of a design process to make a product

Science and Technology K-6 Syllabus © NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) for and on behalf of the Crown in right of the State of New South Wales, 2024