A unit prepared by Luke Potts, Finley Public School, 2002

An integrated English, Science and Technology unit

English Outcomes

• TS3.1 Communicates effectively for a range of purposes and with a variety of audiences to express well developed, well organised ideas dealing with more challenging topics.
• RS3.5 Reads independently an extensive range of texts with increasing content demands and responds to themes and issues.
• WS3.11 Spells most common words accurately and uses a range of strategies to spell unfamiliar words.
• WS3.12 Produces texts in a fluent and legible style and uses computer technology to present these effectively in a variety of ways.

Science and Technology Outcomes

Living Things

• LT S3.3 Identifies, describes and evaluates the interactions between living things and their effects on the environment.

Earth and it's Surroundings

• ES S3.6 Recognises that the earth is the source of most materials and resources, and describes phenomena and processes, both natural and human, that form and change the Earth over time.

Investigating

• INV S3.7 Conducts their own investigations and makes judgements based on the result of observing, questioning, planning, predicting, testing, collecting, recording and analysing data and drawing conclusions.

Using Technology

• UT S3.9 Evaluates, selects and uses a range of equipment, computer based technology, materials and other resources to meet the requirements and constraints of investigation and design tasks.

Technology Outcomes

• Students will learn basic skills that will form a good foundation for computer use in the future.
• Students will demonstrate simple word processing skills using the appropriate software.

Introductory Activities

• Discuss what is the environment and how we use it
• What is the difference between a built and a natural environment?
• Describe a natural and a built environment
• Explain and describe our local natural environment
• Small group activity &endash; Identify some issues that effect our natural environment and list these in order of most damaging to least damaging (to the environment).
• Small group activity &endash; Discuss possible solutions to these problems.
• Share ideas with the class
• Discuss with students, things they know about rainforests
• Students will complete the following sentences

~ Things that I know about the rainforest are………………

~ Some of the animals that I know that live in the forest are …………

• Introduce the Research Module on Rainforests

Learning Activities

• Students will begin the Research Module on rainforests and will print out and complete the map of Australia with the location of ALL Australian rainforests on it.
• On the same map the students will identify which Australian rainforest they have selected for their expedition.
• Students will then study the climate of the rainforest they are travelling to. Students will need to consider points such as temperature, humidity, hours of sunlight and wind.
• Students will then complete the climatic graph, which can be printed from the Research Module.
• Students will complete the activity about what they will take on their expedition. Students need to decide on 16 items that they will take on the trip. Food is not included in the 16 items.
• Discuss what the students have listed and ask them to justify some of the items they have packed. Ask students to make alterations to the list if they need to. Remind students to re read the TASK they have been set before they make their final choice, and also remind them about where they are going and the climate of that rainforest.
• Students use the "LINKS TO RELATED WEBSITES" to research information about trees and what they do.
• Students print off the sheet "What Trees Do" from the Research Module and complete it as they are doing their research using the "LINKS TO RELATED WEBSITES" link from the Research Module..
• Using the "LINKS TO RELATED WEBSITES", students find information about the several different layers of the rainforest
• Students print off the "Layers of the Rainforest" work sheet from the Research Module and label the different layers.
• Students are given a list of animals and plants that live in the rainforest (list is from work sheet "Rainforest Spaces"), and are asked to find out what layer they live in. Students then transfer the information they have gathered about these animals to the work sheet "Rainforest Spaces" which can be printed directly from the Research Module.
• From the information they have already gathered the students will complete the "Trees Are Habitat" work sheet which can be printed directly from the Research Module.
• Using the "LINKS TO RELATED WEBSITES", students are asked to find examples of food chains and publish two of these examples, using their own drawings, on the work sheet "A Food Chain" which can be printed directly from the Research Module.
• Using the "LINKS TO RELATED WEBSITES", students are to research the effects of human activities in rainforests and explain how these activities effect the natural environment of the rainforest. Students print out and complete the work sheet "Effects Of Human Activities" from the Research Module.

Using all the information they have gathered and all the completed work sheets the students will create a presentation for the Australian Government. The presentation will be in the form of a slide show, video or speech. The presentation will include;

~ Pictures, photographs or diagrams of the rainforest,

~ Pictures, photographs or diagrams of the animals that live there,

~ Pictures, photographs or diagrams of the effects of human activities in rainforests,

~ Information from all the work sheets they have completed,

~ The Student's recommendation to the Government stating if they think laws that should be made to protect our rainforests,

~ A bibliography.

= Tasks used for Assessment