Royal National Park Environmental Education Centre

Telephone02 9542 1951

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

Invertebrate art

Creative arts, Science and technology

Program overview

Students observe the features of living and preserved invertebrates around school grounds and in the classroom. They create multiple artworks of invertebrates using a range of forms.

Session details

75 minutes. Up to 3 sessions (one class each) per day.

Key syllabus outcomes

  • Students represent the qualities of experiences and things that are interesting or beautiful* by choosing among aspects of subject matter (CA-VAS2.1)
  • Students use the forms to suggest the qualities of subject matter (CA-VAS2.2)
  • Students compare features and characteristics of living and non-living things (ST2-4LW-S)

Learning experiences

Students use methods such as leaf litter surveys and tree shakes to collect invertebrates on school. Back in the classroom, they view the invertebrates up close using magnifying lenses and a digital microscope, and identify them using ID sheets. They also view preserved invertebrates and live phasmids (spiny leaf insects) brought from the environmental education centre. Using all of this as inspiration, they create artworks in various forms, such as: sculptures using clay and/or natural materials; drawings; paintings; scratch art; and digital drawing on iPads. They set up a small gallery to view each other’s works.