Life cycles incursion program

Teacher checklist

Location	Your school
Cost	2025 DoE $16 per student - GST free 2025 Non-gov school cost $20 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).
Risk assessment	Risk management plan
School preparation	Please provide one learning space, with a TV or projector, for all participating classes for the duration of the day. The space needs to accommodate multiple classes.
Bring	Hats, sturdy, closed shoes essential. Students wear reusable name tag. Sports uniform recommended.
Supporting resources	Student activities Invertebrate Explorer - available free from Apple Books Fact sheets
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 for up to six classes

Time	Classes
9.30 - 11.00	Classes A and D
11.30 - 1.00	Classes B and E
1.30 - 3.00	Classes C and F

Learning activities

Students will learn about the features of invertebrates and how they change throughout their life cycle.

Key question

How do animals change during their life cycles?

Fieldwork

Invertebrate hunt

Students will work in small groups to search for and collect invertebrates from leaf litter, gardens and trees in the school or local area using equipment provided by Field of Mars teachers.

Invertebrate identification and life cycles

Collected specimens will be examined using personal magnifiers and identified using ID charts. Some of the collected invertebrates may be magnified onto a TV and features and life cycles will be explored.

Field of Mars EEC staff can photograph any magnified invertebrates and send the images as a link for further examination and study at the request of the classroom teacher.

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

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

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Field of Mars Environmental Education Centre

address Field of Mars Reserve
Pittwater Road
East Ryde NSW 2112

telephone 02 9816 1298

email fieldofmar-e.school@det.nsw.edu.au

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Life cycles incursion program

Teacher checklist

Suggested timetable for up to six classes

Time

Classes

Learning activities

Syllabus outcomes and content

Field of Mars Environmental Education Centre

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