Field of Mars Environmental Education Centre

Experience Engage Enable

Telephone02 9816 1298

Emailfieldofmar-e.school@det.nsw.edu.au

Animals animated incursion program

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Children at a desk

Teacher checklist

Location

Your school
Risk management plan
Cost

2025 DoE $25 per student - GST free

2025 Non-gov school cost $28 per student - GST free, minimum charge $750

Schools are to confirm the number of students and classes at least 7 days prior to attending. Schools will be charged based on the number of students confirmed or number of students who attend on the day (whichever is greater). 
School preparation

Please provide one learning space, with a smart board, for all participating classes for the duration of the day. The space needs to accommodate multiple classes.

Place students into groups of two or three. 
Bring

Students wear hats, sports uniform and reusable name tag.
Supporting resources

Invertebrate fact sheets

Invertebrate Explorer - available free from Apple Books

Animal and plant fact sheets
Parent/carer helpers

3 to 4 parents per class are welcome to attend the middle session. Parent/carers provide additional support during the animation process.
Medical or special needs

Notify Field of Mars staff prior to incursion. 

Students, staff and visitors must not attend if unwell, even with mild symptoms. 
Extreme or wet weather

Days predicted to be above 35ºC, high winds, extreme bush fire danger and dust storms may result in the incursion being modified, postponed or cancelled. 
Cancellations

Cancellations with less than 30 working school days notice will incur a $600 administration fee. 

Cancellations with less than 7 working school days notice will incur the full cost for the program based on the original booking. 

Cancellations due to weather or fire danger are exempt from fees. 

Suggested timetable

Recommended maximum 3 classes per day.

Time

Activity

Commence at 9.15

Morning session

Investigating invertebrates

 

Developing a script, storyboard and props

Middle session

Creating an animation

Afternoon session

 Editing an animation

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Animals animated

Science and technology

Program

Animals animated is an incursion that combines literacy and science, allowing students to create a stop-motion animation using an iPad.

Learning intentions

  • We are learning to describe the life cycle of an invertebrate.
  • We are learning to make a stop-motion animation.

Activities

Invertebrate investigation

Students will work in groups of two or three to collect invertebrates from your school grounds. 

Developing a script, storyboard and props

Students will create a script and storyboard based on invertebrate observations, then make props using plasticine and other resources.

Creating an animation

Students will learn stop motion animation using an iPad app, creating a 20-second animation with 180-220 frames. They will use the school grounds as a natural stage, utilising different areas for each scene.

Editing an animation

Students will use iMovie to compile their animations into one movie. They will add titles and learn how to improve sound.

Completed animations will be returned to school via Google Drive.

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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
  • Describe the changes in a plant as it grows using data and scientific models
  • Describe the changes in an animal as it goes through its life cycle using data and scientific models

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
  • Pose questions and test how materials with different properties contribute to the effectiveness of a product
  • 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

Science and Technology K-10 Syllabus (2017)

Living world

Outcomes

  • observes, questions and collects data to communicate and compare ideas ST1-1WS-S
  • describes observable features of living things and their environments ST1-4LW-S 

Working scientifically

  • explore and answer questions through participation in guided scientific investigations 

  • compare observations with those of others 

  • make safe choices when using materials and equipment

Content

External features of living things

  • describe the external features of a variety of living things 

Living things live in different places

  • identify that living things live in different places that suit their needs 

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, 2017

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Field of Mars Environmental Education Centre

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