Experience Engage Enable
T: Telephone02 9816 1298
| Location | Buffalo Creek Reserve - 117 Pittwater Road, Hunters Hill Wallumedegal Country |
| Bus access | Supply bus driver with Buffalo Creek Reserve bus information. No bus entry into Buffalo Creek Reserve carpark. |
| Cost | DoE $24 per student - GST free Non-gov school cost $34 per student - GST free, minimum charge $600 |
| Risk assessment | |
| Tracks | View the YouTube track overview video. |
| Welfare | Participants will be bushwalking during the day in rugged terrain. This excursion may not be suitable for people who have recently been unwell. Toilets are only available at the beginning and end of the day. |
| Bring | Backpack, clipboards, pencil, pen, medication, plenty of food, water bottle, sunblock, wet weather gear, hat, sports uniform, sturdy shoes. There are no shops near the study site. |
| Student Devices | This program relies on students bringing their own mobile devices for photography and video-making. Please inform us if your school has a no-phone rule. |
| View | |
| Supporting resources |
Teacher resources:
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| Bin access | Bins are only available at the start and the end of the excursion. Students must take responsibility for their own waste at all times. |
| Medical or special needs | Notify Field of Mars staff prior to excursion. Sick students or adults to stay at home. |
| Extreme or wet weather | Days predicted to be above 35ºC, high winds, extreme bush fire danger and dust storms may result in the excursion being modified, postponed or cancelled. |
| Cancellations | Cancellations with less than three school weeks' notice will incur a $500 administration fee. This does not apply to cancellations due to weather, fire danger or COVID-19 restrictions. |
Time |
Activities |
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| 9.45 - 10.15 | Introduction - Planning, toilets, distribute fieldwork equipment | ||
| Class 1 | Class 2 | Class 3 | |
| 10.00 - 10.55 | Site 3 | Site 2 | Site 1 |
| 10.55 - 11.20 | Recess - at site 4 or other site | ||
| 11.20 - 12.15 | Site 1 | Site 3 | Site 2 |
| 12.15 - 1.10 | Site 2 | Site 1 | Site 3 |
| 1.10 - 1.40 | Lunch - at Buffalo Creek Reserve or other site | ||
| 1.40 - 2.00 | Data analysis and problem solving |
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| 2.00 - 2.15 | Conclusion and depart | ||
A day of fieldwork that covers content from Modules 3 and 4 from the NSW NESA syllabus including:
Case studies of two unique animals, their adaptations and population changes due to human impacts
Biotic/abiotic comparison of two sites to provide habitat assessment for the two species
Hands-on ecological survey methods
Analysis of human activities, environmental impacts, management and research priorities
Fieldwork
The fieldwork activities have a strong focus on the syllabus skills for working scientifically.
Sites 1 and 2
Students work in small groups of 3 or 4 and use fieldwork tools to complete a site survey of biotic and abiotic factors. Students will survey biotic factors using methods such as leaf litter invertbrate sampling, identifying scat and tracks, measure leaf litter cover with a quadrat and identifying dominant plant types. To survey abotic factors, students assess soil texture, pH, moisture, colour and temperature, and use , hygrometers, compasses, clinometers, light meters and anemometers to measure light, temp, humidity, slope and aspect at each study site.
Students identify and discuss issues with survey validity and data reliability including examples of different types of error and bias.
In addition to their worksheets Students are inputting their data directly into a shared online spreadhsheet while they are in the bush, this process streamlines data collection, processing and analysis.
Animal case study
Students will investigate the habitat and engage with the adaptations of two threatened species/populations that occur at the site: The long-nosed Bandicoot and the red-crowned Toadlet. Students will use their devices to make a short video about the ecological niche, adaptations and threats for the long-nosed Bandicoot.
Ecosystem dynamics and human impacts
Throughout the day students will identify the relevant human activities and their associated environmental impacts occurring in the ecosystem. They will communicate these with a flowchart building activity.
Students will be coached on how to take the best photos on their own devices that enable them to best identify and communicate information relevant to the syllabus content.
At the conclusion of the day students are encouraged to use the information they have gathered to make an assessment about the two study sites and their suitability as habitat for the long-nosed bandicoot and red-crowned toadlet.
A range of assessment questions and examples are available for teachers who wish to use this as an assessment task.
Biology Stage 6 Syllabus (2017)
Working scientifically
Outcomes
A student:
develops and evaluates questions and hypotheses for scientific investigation BIO11/12-1
designs and evaluates investigations in order to obtain primary and secondary data and information BIO11/12-2
conducts investigations to collect valid and reliable primary and secondary data and information BIO11/12-3
selects and processes appropriate qualitative and quantitative data and information using a range of appropriate media BIO11/12-4
analyses and evaluates primary and secondary data and information BIO11/12-5
analyses ecosystem dynamics and the interrelationships of organisms within the ecosystem BIO11-11
Module 4 Ecosystem Dynamics
Content
Students investigate and determine relationships between biotic and abiotic factors in an ecosystem, including:
the impact of abiotic factors
the impact of biotic factors, including predation, competition and symbiotic relationships
the ecological niches occupied by species
predicting consequences for populations in ecosystems due to predation, competition, symbiosis and disease
measuring populations of organisms using sampling techniques
Students analyse evidence that present-day organisms have evolved from organisms in the past by examining and interpreting a range of secondary sources to evaluate processes, claims and conclusions relating to the evolution of organisms in Australia, for example:
small mammals
Students investigate changes in past ecosystems that may inform our approach to the management of future ecosystems, including:
the role of human-induced selection pressures on the extinction of species
models that humans can use to predict future impacts on biodiversity
the role of changing climate on ecosystems
Students investigate practices used to restore damaged ecosystems, country or place, for example:
mining sites
land degradation
address 220 Pittwater Road, East Ryde NSW 2112
telephone 02 9816 1298
We would like to pay our respects and acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land and also pay respect to Elders both past and present.
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