Field of Mars Environmental Education Centre

Experience Engage Enable

Telephone02 9816 1298

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

AR Adaptations incursion program

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Students creating an observational drawing of an invertebrate.
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Teacher checklist

Location

Your school
Risk management plan
Cost

2025 DoE $25 per student - GST free

2024/25 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 If possible provide one extra large learning space, with a smart board, for all participating classes for the duration of the day. The space needs to accommodate multiple classes.
Supporting resources

Invertebrate Explorer - available free from Apple Books

Animal and plant fact sheets
Medical or special needs Notify Field of Mars staff prior to incursion. 
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

 
The suggested timetable is suitable for up to 3 classes. Max 70 students.

Time

Classes 1,2 (and 3)
9.00 - 11.00

Session 1

Adaptations lab
11.30 - 1.00

Session 2

Adaptations content
2.00 - 3.00

Session 3

Adaptations studio

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Learning activities

 
Students will learn about structural and behavioural adaptations of Australian invertebrates by developing an informative AR video.
 
Key question
 
How do the structural and behavioural features of living things support survival?
 
Adaptations lab 
 
Students will work in small groups to search for and collect leaf litter or arboreal invertebrates in the gardens and trees found in the school or local area.
 
Students will be introduced to the concepts of structural and behavioural adaptations through a guided observation of an invertebrate on a large display.
 
Students will use specialised equipment and tools to enhance their observation skills and record their findings in an adaptations journal.
 
Based on their observations, students will use a digital pencil with an iPad to create a digital drawing of their chosen invertebrate, including its structural adaptations, whilst exploring bilateral symmetry.  
 
Adaptations content
 
Students will use their adaptations journal and other resources to develop a script for their informative video that describes the structural and behavioural adaptations of their invertebrate. 
 
Students will be introduced to iMovie and a variety of other AR and animation apps to create video content that will bring their digital drawing to life. 
 
Adaptations studio
 
Students will use a variety of cinematography techniques to edit and refine their adaptations video.
 
Time pending, some of the students’ finished video projects will be played to the group.
 
All videos and digital drawings will be shared via Google drive.
 
 

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Syllabus outcomes and content 

Science and Technology K-6 Syllabus (2024)

Knowledge of our world and beyond inspires sustainable solutions

Outcomes

  • Uses evidence to explain how scientific knowledge can be used to develop sustainable practices ST3-SCI-01
  • Interprets data to support explanations and arguments ST3-DAT-01

Content

Living things may change over millions of years, in response to their environments

  • Observe behavioural and structural adaptations of plants and animals, and suggest how these may help them survive in their environments

Creating written texts in Science and Technology

Outcome

  • Creates written texts to communicate understanding of scientific and technological concepts and processes ST3-CWT-01

Content

Creating written explanations of concepts and processes supports understanding of Science and Technology

  • Use compound and complex sentences and labelled diagrams to create a text that explains a process, concept or investigation
  • Use notetaking, journalling, annotations and labelled images to create a multimodal text that documents the design processes involved in developing a solution

This program supports but does not explicitly teach the following content:

  • Use nominalisations to convey scientific and technological concepts and processes succinctly
  • Use compound and complex sentences and labelled diagrams to create a text that explains a process, concept or investigation

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-6 Syllabus (2017)

Outcome

  • examines how the environment affects the growth, survival and adaptation of living things ST3-4LW-S 

Content

Adaptations of living things

  • describe adaptations as existing structures or behaviours that enable living things to survive in their environment

  • describe the structural and/or behavioural features of some native Australian animals and plants and why they are considered to be adaptations

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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We’d like to acknowledge the Wallumedegal Peoples of the Darug Nation, the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we stand and pay our respects to Elders past and present.

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