The Earth's environment - Tawny tragedy

Geographical inquiry questions

• How does the enviroment support the lives of people and other living things?
• How can people use places and environments more sustainably? 

Outcomes

• Examines features and characteristics of places and environments GE2-1
• Describes the ways people, places and environments interact GE2-2
• Examines differing perceptions about the management of places and environments GE2-3
• Acquires and communicates geographical information and uses geographical tools for inquiry GE2-4

Content

• Significance of environments
• Perception of environments
• Protection of environments

Cross Curriculum Priorities

• Sustainability

Literacy & Numeracy Learning Progressions

This program supports student learning in various elements of the Literacy and Numeracy Learning Progressions.

Activity 1 - Food

Students investigate the house surrounds and forest to discover if the birds’ food source led to its death. Activities include soil testing and a search for contaminants

Activity 2 - Water

What is lurking in our ponds? Students will dip net for bugs and use scientific equipment to test the quality of the water. Did this water source contribute to the bird’s death?

Activity 3 - Shelter

Students investigate the surrounding bushland to determine whether or not the bird’s habitat contributed to its death. Search and identify feral invaders and conduct a healthy habitat assessment.

Nature Detective Application

The Tawny Tragedy program includes a nature detective component. Students complete the nature detective application form (pre-assessment task) prior to the pre-visit tasks on pages 2-4 of the worksheet.  

After attending the excursion and solving a Tawny Tragedy, students complete a final nature detective task (post-assessment) either on the excursion day at Brewongle or back at school. Their nature detective certificates will then be sent to the school. 

Please read the Police Report in your worksheet to establish the facts of the case and answer the Tawny Tragedy Pre-Visit Questions on your worksheet.

Watch the video below, and use the provided links to answer the Pre-Visit Questions on your worksheet.

After you’ve visited Brewongle and conducted investigations to solve the case, we’d like you to help us save other native animals by completing the Tawny Tragedy Post Visit Activities. These are things you can do at school and at home which will really help protect Tawny Frogmouths and other native animals in their habitat.

Sadly, we have a had a death in our wildlife family here at Brewongle and we need you to help us solve the crime.

We’ve developed a worksheet to help you conduct your investigations:

• Stage 2 SciTech worksheet
• Stage 3 SciTech worksheet 
• Stage 2 Geography worksheet