NSWTR 2024 HR - Flipbook - Page 32
YEAR 3-4 SECTION
STAGE 2 – REAL-WORLD CONNECTIONS
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1. How do you think maths can be used to help
scientists understand species diversity? What sort of
things might scientists need to count or calculate?
2. What is ‘citizen science’ and what do you have to do
to become a citizen scientist?
3. Have a look at some citizen scientist projects related
to species diversity at the Australian Citizen Science
Association website. Choose one project that you
think looks the most interesting and describe its aim
and what you would have to do to help.
4. Become a data scientist in your own school,
backyard or park. Over several days, collect data on
the number of birds at or near your school during
recess or lunch, or along a walk around or near the
school. Design a data table to collect all your data.
Here are some questions to help guide your bird
data collection:
a. How many birds were counted each day?
b. How many birds were counted in total over a
week?
c. How many di昀昀erent species of birds did you see
each day?
d. Were the same species of birds seen every day
over 昀椀ve days?
e. What type of birds are they? Use a bird
identi昀椀cation website (such as this one) to help
昀椀nd the names of the birds you see, or download
an app such as Merlin BirdID or iNaturalist to use
the bird’s photo or song to help identify it.
f. Were the birds alone or in groups? If in groups,
how many birds were in the group?
SAFETY FIRST – REMIND STUDENT TO WEAR
A HAT AND PUT ON SOME SUNSCREEN BEFORE
HEADING OUTDOORS TO BIRD WATCH. ALSO
REMIND THEM NOT TO TOUCH ANY ANIMALS
AND TO FOLLOW TEACHER INSTRUCTIONS.
SPECIES SURVIVAL – MORE THAN JUST SUSTAINABILITY
5. Design, build and start using a bird feeder in a garden
space at school. Count and record the total number of
birds and the number of di昀昀erent species of bird that
use the feeder over a period of time. Did the feeder
encourage more birds into the area? If your classmates
made a di昀昀erent bird feeder, or used di昀昀erent feed,
which was the most popular with the birds?
SAFETY FIRST – ASK STUDENTS TO PREPARE A RISK
ASSESSMENT FOR ANY TOOLS USED TO MAKE THEIR
BIRD FEEDER, E.G. IF USING A SAW ALWAYS CUT OR
SAW AWAY FROM YOURSELF. WEAR GLOVES TO AVOID
SPLINTERS FROM WOODEN MATERIALS.
6. Other than a bird feeder, what other methods could
be used to encourage more species of birds (or
insects) into the school garden or park in order to
increase the species diversity?
7. Start a citizen scientist project by asking friends and
family members to count the number of birds, or to
collect images of birds (or other animals or plants)
for you from a speci昀椀c area. How will you record the
citizen science data that others collect for you? How
much more data can you collect with the help of
others? Why is it generally a good idea for a scientist
to collect as much data as possible?
8. Research a bird sanctuary near you and identify all
the ways it supports the protection and diversity of
bird species. Is there enough space for the bird to
exercise its wings? Is there a successful breeding
program? Does it focus on helping any endangered
species? Does it provide a natural and healthy diet?
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