A local ecosystem

Stage 4 Science

Three blue soldier crabs held in a clear container of seawater during a hands-on mangrove study.

Students engage in scientific investigations in a local ecosystem, using scientific tools and first-hand observations. They measure and record abiotic and biotic factors, conduct surveys of local species, and create food chains based on their observations.

Site options include

Mangrove trees growing in calm estuarine water at Bonnie Vale, Royal National Park, NSW.

Bonnie Vale

Mangroves

Rainforest canopy with cabbage tree palms and dense foliage at Bola Creek, Royal National Park, NSW.

Bola Creek

Rainforest

Learning activities
  • Measure and record abiotic factors
  • Identify local species and their feeding habits
  • Create local food chains based on observations
  • Observe animals as relevant to the ecosystem, e.g., bird watching, dipnetting for macroinvertebrates, invertebrate search, crab search
  • Consider the impact of introduced species
Syllabus outcomes and content

Science 7-10 Syllabus (2023)

Outcomes
Living systems
  • describes the role, structure and function of a range of living systems and their components SC4-LIV-01
  • identifies questions and makes predictions to guide scientific investigations SC4-WS-02
Content
Ecosystems
  • Identify the components that make up an ecosystem
  • Investigate the interactions of biotic and abiotic factors in an ecosystem
  • Identify how matter and energy are cycled through an ecosystem
  • Create a food web and ecological energy pyramid based on local area observations to describe how matter and energy move through an ecosystem

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