Overview
Good to Grow is a whole day program that helps students develop an understanding of how living things grow, change and have offspring similar to themselves. On the day of their excursion, students meet ‘Bugsy the Entomologist’ who has discovered a ‘new’ insect species. Students take on the role of ‘Entomologists in Training’ to discover more information about the life cycle of Bugsy’s insect.
Students then share their prior knowledge and work as a small group to construct the life cycle of a terrestrial or aquatic insect found in Toohey Forest. Students then investigate Toohey Forest by searching for and collecting insects. They also identify a range of common aquatic animals in a water sample from a local waterway.
Using a large digital microscope outputting to a 60-inch screen, students view and discuss the life cycle stages of both the aquatic and terrestrial animals they have collected, enabling them to view a variety of eggs, larvae/nymphs and adults.
Life cycles are explored further through reading The Masked Hunter then sketching the life cycle stages of a dragonfly, assisted by 3D models. ‘Bugsy the Entomologist’ returns at the end of the day so students can share their learning about how living things grow, change and have offspring similar to themselves. The program concludes with students getting up close and personal with live animals such as stick insects, turtles and lizards with a focus on the life cycle of each animal.
Good to Grow has been assessed as medium risk. A Curriculum Activity Risk Assessment is available on request.
Curriculum Intent
Science
- Living things grow, change and have offspring similar to themselves (ACSSU030)
- Participate in guided investigations to explore and answer questions (ASSIS038)
HASS
- Reflect on learning to propose how to care for places and sites that are important or significant (ACHASSI042)