ECOSYSTEMS AND FIELD STUDY
Yrs 9-12
$13 / student
Learn about the ecological community of interdependent organisms in an aquatic ecosystem.
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EXCURSION INFO
What are the adaptations, features and living needs of the organisms within the ecosystem? How do they interact together and with us? How are they classified? How does the energy flow through these systems? Investigate with fieldwork to collect and analyse data.
Get your students involved in a hands-on, outdoor learning experience where students discover the aquatic, bird, animal and plant life, which live in and around Herdsman’s Lake. We start with a quick lesson on food webs and energy flow, which relate directly to Herdsman Lake’s ecosystem, to create a common understanding.
Biotic sampling - students are outside using scoop-nets to sample macro invertebrates. They’ll be asked to identify, sort and classify their catches, before we put the critters back in the lake.
Abiotic Study - Students then test sites at the lake and drain, for pH, Turbidity, Temperature and Salinity (Electrical Conductivity).
Biotic Study – Next we go for a bird walk to explore the diversity of birds and other creatures around the lake, to develop an overall snapshot of the quality of the lake at that particular time.
We finish with some time in the Wildlife Centre where students can explore our displays.
STUDENT LEARNINGS
By the end of this learning experience, students will have:
Conducted an independent or group investigation of aquatic life at Herdsman Lake
Identified some freshwater macro-invertebrates and discussed their lifecycles, their importance in the wetland food web and described the adaptations that help them survive in their habitat
Explored a Food Chain and learnt about how things depend upon each other to survive
Learnt some ecological terms and concepts
Thought about how their own actions might impact upon this and other wetlands
Had some fun exploring, learning as students experience nature first hand
EXCURSION DETAILS
Duration: 2.5 hours (9.30am-12.00pm or 12.30pm-3.00pm)
Cost: $13 per student (inc GST)
Minimum Charge: $325 (equivalent to 25 students).
Maximum Students: 60
Teachers/parents FREE
Groups are welcome to use facilities for self-guided activities up to 30mins before or after scheduled sessions FREE
FREE education resources
Cancellation Policy
If you need to cancel your environmental program booking, please provide at least 7 days’ notice so we can offer another group the opportunity to visit. Unless there are exceptional circumstances, if you do not provide 7 days’ notice, the minimum booking fee of $150 per class will apply. Schools that do not provide any notice of cancellation and fail to attend on the day, will be charged the full fee, as reflected by their booking for that day.