Endangered birds
1.
2.
3.
Summarise the BtN story.
What did a recent study find about the bird population in Victoria?
A university researcher claims that `we are in the middle of a mass extinction
crisis.’ What do you think that means?
4. Some areas had a ____percent drop in bird numbers.
5. How many fewer birds is this?
6. Name a species of bird that has been affected.
7. What has caused the decline in bird numbers?
8. What are some solutions to the problem?
9. Why is it important to protect species of birds?
10. What do you think should happen next?
Research a threatened or endangered bird species in your local area. What is being done
to protect the species?
ABC 730 Report – Native bird populations declining rapidly
http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2009/s2720637.htm
ABC News – Woodland birds facing extinction: study
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/10/23/2722039.htm
Endangered koalas
1.
2.
3.
4.
Retell the BtN story.
What do some groups want the koala listed as?
How does the committee decide if an animal is endangered or not?
What does the National Koala Foundation say about the number of koalas in
the wild?
5. What is the biggest threat to koalas?
6. Why is it important to monitor the numbers of koalas in the wild?
7. When does the committee make their decision about whether the koala
population is declining?
8. Illustrate an aspect of the story.
9. The koala is an Australian icon. What do you think that means?
10. What do you understand more clearly since watching the BtN story?
Test your knowledge in the koala quiz.
ABC News – Koala considered for endangered list
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/11/10/2738150.htm
ABC 730 Report – Koala population in steep decline
http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2009/s2737795.htm
© ABC 2008
Australian Koala Foundation – Official website
https://www.savethekoala.com/koalasendangered.html
NSW Department of Environment – Koala vulnerable species listing
http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/listings/KoalaVulSpListing.htm
National Geographic – Koalas creature feature
http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/Animals/CreatureFeature/Koala
Wallaby foster parents
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Describe in your own words what the story was about.
What is the wallaby foster program trying to achieve?
What does endangered mean?
How does the program work?
How old are the joeys when they are released?
Where are they being released?
Why did numbers of brush-tailed wallabies decrease?
Why are the wallabies monitored?
Why do you think it is important to protect native animals?
Illustrate an aspect of the BtN story.
Test your knowledge in the wallabies quiz.
Stateline – Surrogate mothers helping save endangered wallaby
http://www.abc.net.au/news/video/2009/10/23/2722915.htm
ABC – Rock wallabies released in Grampians
http://www.abc.net.au/rural/news/content/200910/s2708184.htm
ABC Behind the News – Mammal extinction story
|http://www.abc.net.au/news/btn/story/s2316624.htm
The Marsupial Society of Australia – Kids’ stuff
http://www.marsupialsociety.org/kids.html
© ABC 2008
Tassie Devils
One of Australia’s icons, the Tasmanian Devil has
been placed on the endangered list because of a
disease that’s wiping out the population in the wild.
EPISODE 14
Focus Questions
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Illustrate what you think the main point of the story was.
Why has the Tasmanian Devil been placed on the endangered list?
Describe the reputation of the Tassie Devil.
Why are they described as `vacuums of the forest’?
What is a baby Tassie Devil called?
What were the threats to Tassie Devils during early European settlement?
What is threatening their survival now?
What is being done to help protect the species?
Do you think it is important to protect the Tasmanian Devil? Why?
What else do you think could be done to protect the Tassie Devil from
becoming extinct?
2ND JUNE 2009
Learning Area
Society and
Environment
Key learning
Students will
design a public
education campaign
to help raise
awareness of an
endangered
Australian animal.
Endangered Australian animals
Students will investigate an endangered Australian animal and design a public
education campaign to help raise awareness of the importance of preserving the
species. Begin by clarifying students’ understanding of what threatened,
endangered and extinct means. Discuss with students why we need to protect
species - to ensure biodiversity (biological diversity).
Brainstorm Australian animals that are endangered and record student responses.
Explain to students that they will be designing a public education campaign that
outlines the threats to a particular endangered Australian animal, what is being done
to protect it and what else that could be done to ensure its survival. Discuss how
their research findings can be presented to help raise public awareness. Some
possibilities include:

Short film or animation

Web page

Community service announcement (for television or radio)

Press release
As part of the research process, students will need to `ask an expert’ to help them
gather information. Museums and environmental organisations will be useful
places to contact.
Structure to help guide student research
© ABC 2008
.
Name – Common
and scientific
Type of animal
(mammal, fish,
bird, etc)
Where the animal
is found (include a
map)
Population size
Importance of
species to
biodiversity
Main threat to the
survival of the
species
Strategies to
protect species
Further investigations
Create a cartoon strip that helps raise awareness of the threats to the Tassie Devil
population.
Make up a `What am I’ game based on Australian endangered animals.
Create picture book about an Australian endangered animal for younger students. Put a
copy of the book in your schools resource centre.
 Related Research Links
ABC Stateline – Devil knowledge
http://www.abc.net.au/stateline/tas/content/2006/s2557397.htm
Department of Primary Industries and water – Tasmanian Devil information for
kids
http://www.dpiw.tas.gov.au/inter.nsf/WebPages/EKOE-6EXURG?open
Save the Tasmanian Devil
http://www.tassiedevil.com.au/
Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts
http://www.environment.gov.au/cgibin/sprat/public/publicspecies.pl?taxon_id=299
© ABC 2008
Turtle future
The future of turtles is under threat. Even though
turtles lay lots of eggs, not many make it to
adulthood.
EPISODE 12
19TH MAY 2009
Focus Questions
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
How long does it take for turtle eggs to hatch?
Out of 1000 hatchlings, how many turtles make it to adulthood?
Why is it a dangerous journey for the hatchlings?
How is climate change thought to be affecting turtle populations?
What has Dr Col’s research found about sand temperature and why is it a
problem?
What solution is he experimenting with?
What is Dr David Booth researching on Heron Island?
What were the findings of the research?
What other factors are impacting on turtle hatchling survival?
Think of two or three questions to ask Dr Col or Dr David Booth.
Learning Area
English, Society
and Environment
Key learning
Students will
identify key words
used in the BtN
story and clarify
their meaning.
Turtle future
Pre-viewing activity
Ask students to make some predictions about what the BtN Turtle future story
might be about before the watch the story. They can compare their predictions after
viewing the story. Discuss the similarities and differences.
Watch the BtN Turtle future story again and ask students to record as many key
words as they can. Students then clarify their understanding of the key words by
writing down what they think the word means. Swap definitions with a partner and
ask them to add to or change the definition. Check them using a dictionary or other
source.
Key word
Definition
.
Students can use the key words to:
© ABC 2008

Retell the story using all the key words and as many adjectives as they can

Give an oral report of the BtN story

Write their own sentences

Create a true or false quiz
Further investigations
Create a poster or brochure that explains what factors are threatening some turtle
species’ survival. Include the steps that are being taken by individuals or organisations
to address the problems.
Develop a board game or multimedia game about turtles.
On a map of Australia, show where turtle species are under threat.
 Related Research Links
ABC Catalyst – Turtles
http://www.abc.net.au/catalyst/stories/2544848.htm
ABC Rural – Turtles make tracks
http://www.abc.net.au/rural/content/2008/s2470761.htm
Queensland Government – `Cut the glow to help turtles go’ information
http://www.epa.qld.gov.au/nature_conservation/wildlife/watching_wildlife/turtles/c
ut_the_glow_to_help_turtles_go/
Australian Threatened Species Network – Green turtles
http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/threatened/publications/pubs/tsd06gre
en-turtle.pdf
© ABC 2008
Tassie Tiger
Scientists believe that introducing Thylacine genes
into a mouse embryo may be the first step in cloning
the animal. Could the Tasmanian Tiger be brought
back to life?
Focus Questions
1]
2]
3]
4]
5]
6]
7]
8]
9]
What was the main point of the story?
What is the scientific name for the Tasmanian Tiger and what does it mean?
What do experts say caused the Thylacine to become extinct?
How is it being brought back to life?
What are genes?
Explain what scientists did with the DNA from the Thylacine.
How did they know the DNA was in the mouse?
What do opponents say about these experiments?
Do you believe they should be able to conduct experiments such as these?
Explain your answer.
10] What are some other ethical/moral considerations?
The curly cloning question
Students will be exploring the issue of genetic cloning in relation to the Thylacine.
After viewing the BtN story, students will identify key words and questions about
the topic.
Working individually, students think about what questions they have about cloning
the Thylacine. Then, in groups of 3-4 people, students review and share their
questions with the group.
Using a variety of sources including the Internet, print and relevant organisations,
students find information related to their key questions.
Students then research a particular position or viewpoint relating to the cloning of
the Thylacine through one of the following roles:

Environmentalist (Impact on the environment)

Animal rights campaigner (Ethical issues)

Entrepreneur (Economics, marketing)

Scientist (Implications of successful cloning, what will it achieve?)
Research needs to take a point of view in regard to cloning or anti-cloning. Students
collate the information to prepare their position on the issue and present it in a way
© ABC 2008
EPISODE 13
27TH MAY 2008
Learning Area
Society and
Environment
Key learning
Students will
develop an
understanding of
what cloning is
and the different
viewpoints
The transcript of the BtN story
is available on the story page
of the BtN website
http://abc.net.au/news/btn/
they think will have the most impact. Hold a class vote on whether the Thylacine
should or should not be cloned. Ask students to reflect on how their thinking has
changed.
Assessment Criteria
Research – key questions addressed, a variety of sources used.
Presentation – engaging, appropriate format, identified and described issues clearly,
presented a powerful case for their point of view.
Further investigations
Create a rap or rhyme about the Thylacine.
Role-play an interview with an animal rights campaigner or research scientist.
Develop a board game or multimedia game about the Thylacine.
 Related Research Links
ABC News – Tasmanian Tiger DNA comes alive in mouse
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/05/20/2249778.htm
ABC New in Science – Extinct Thylacine brought back to life
http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2008/05/20/2249769.htm?site=science
BBC News – Tasmanian Tiger DNA resurrected
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7408840.stm
Australia’s Thylacine
http://www.amonline.net.au/thylacine/
The Thylacine Museum
http://www.naturalworlds.org/thylacine/index.htm
Department of Primary Industries and Water – Tasmanian Tiger
http://www.dpiw.tas.gov.au/inter.nsf/WebPages/BHAN-53777B?open
© ABC 2008
Mammal extinction
Australia has a large number of critically endangered
species but environmentalists and zoologists are
working hard to keep them alive.
Focus Questions
1.
2.
What was the main point of the story?
How many Australian mammals have become extinct since European
settlement?
3. What has caused the Brush-tailed rock wallaby to become endangered?
4. How many Australian species are on the verge of extinction?
5. What is having a big impact on native species in Australia?
6. Why do you think it is important to protect native animals?
7. What are zoologists doing to protect species?
8. Why do you think Australia has the highest rate of mammal extinction in the
world?
9. What can be done to protect Australia’s threatened species?
10. How did this story make you feel?
EPISODE 19
29TH JULY 2008
Learning Area
Science, Society
and Environment
Key learning
Students will
develop a deeper
understanding of
Australian mammal
extinction.
Mammal extinction
After watching the BtN story about mammal extinction, ask students to write down
what they think the following key words mean:

Habitat

Threatened species

Endangered

Critically endangered

Vulnerable

Extinct
Ask students to share their definitions with another students and then change or add
to them. They can then use a range of sources to check their understandings.
Students then need to choose a threatened Australian species and research the
following information:

What does the animal eat?

What type of habitat does it need?
© ABC 2008
Expert groups can be a useful
resource for students when
researching the topic.

Where does it live?

What are the threats to its decline?

What can be done to ensure its survival?

What are the impacts when an animal species becomes endangered or extinct?

Why is Australia’s rate of mammal extinction the highest in the world?
Students can present their information in one of the following ways:

Written or oral report

Develop a video or PowerPoint slide presentation

Create a model or poster
Further investigations
Design an enclosure for a threatened species. Students need to consider the animals’
natural habitat. Construct the enclosure using recycled materials.
Students research which threatened species are found in their local area. What is being
done to protect them?
Make a game to teach people about threatened Australian species.
Organise a guest speaker from the zoo or environmental organisation to come and speak
to the class about Australia’s threatened species.
 Related Research Links
ABC 730 Report – Climate change threatens extinction of Australian mammals
http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2007/s2205185.htm
ABC AM – WWF warns of mammal extinction
http://www.abc.net.au/am/content/2008/s2187017.htm
WWF –Australia’s threatened species face extinction
http://wwf.org.au/news/species-face-extinction-due-to-climate-change/
Unique Australian animal website
http://australian-animals.net/
Classification of threatened and extinct species
http://www.kidcyber.com.au/topics/threatened.htm
Children’s BBC – Information about endangered animals
http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/find_out/guides/animals/endangered_animals_w
orld/newsid_1614000/1614414.stm
© ABC 2008
TITLE OF STORY:
FROG FUTURE
Curriculum Outcome Links: Science, Society and
Environment/HSIE
DATE 1/04/08
Student learning outcomes
Students will:
 Develop an understanding of the issues regarding declining frog
populations
 Understand the importance of frogs in ecosystems
 Generate key questions for inquiry and produce an end product
based on their inquiry.
Focus Discussion
1. There is only fifty of the _________________frog left in the wild.
2. How many species of frogs have become extinct in Australia?
3. How many are threatened?
4. What are the reasons for the number of frog species declining?
5. How has human activity impacted on frog species?
6. Why is it important to protect frog species?
7. What are zoos around the world doing to try to solve the problem?
8. Describe the breeding program at St Francis Primary School.
9. What is the program trying to achieve?
10. Describe in your own words what the story was about.
An inquiry based approach
Students will be developing some key questions to investigate why frogs are
an integral part of ecosystems and bio-diversity.
In groups, ask students to come up with a range of possible questions
around the topic of frogs.
Collect the questions from each group and display them. Discuss with
students the criteria for selecting questions for inquiry. Questions that may
be precluded include those which most students already know the answers
to or that may require unavailable resources.
Students should be encouraged to generate their own questions however
some possibilities include:
What are the likely causes of decline in the frog population?
Why are frogs important to the ecosystem?
What are bio-indicators?
© ABC 2008
Ask students to complete the following chart as they go through the inquiry
process. This can be done individually, as a group or a whole class.
What do I
know?
What do I
want to know?
How will I
find out?
What I have
learnt?
Once students have investigated their key questions, they need to think
about how they are going to transform the information into an end product.
Discuss with students what the choices are for presenting the information
they have found. Encourage students to choose a format they may be
unfamiliar with. For example, if they would normally choose to write a
written report, then encourage them to produce an animation. Some
possible end products include:






Mind map
Animation
Model
Oral presentation
Desktop publish
Webquest
Follow-up Suggestions
NATURALISTIC
Create a frog friendly garden or a frog pond at your school. To find out
more go to:
http://www.frogsaustralia.net.au/conservation/creating-habitat.cfm
http://www.museum.wa.gov.au/frogwatch/pages/f-f_gardens.asp
INTERPERSONAL
Research what is being done in your local area to preserve the frog
population. Present your findings to your class.
© ABC 2008
LOGICAL AND MATHEMATICAL
Use the online puzzle maker to create a word search or crossword about
frogs.
http://www.awesomeclipartforkids.com/crossword/crosswordpuzzlemaker.h
tml
VERBAL – LINGUISTIC
Develop an advertisement that promotes the importance of frogs in
ecosystems.
BODILY – KINAESTHETIC
Develop a board game or multimedia game about frogs.
 Related Research Links
Breeding program to save Corroboree frog
http://www.abc.net.au/science/scribblygum/june2004/default.htm
Life cycle of Corroboree frog
http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2007/08/23/2013055.htm?sydney
Information about frogs
http://www.abc.net.au/schoolstv/animals/FROGS.htm
Creating frog habitat
http://www.frogsaustralia.net.au/conservation/creating-habitat.cfm
Information about the Corroboree frog
http://www.frogsaustralia.net.au/frogs/display.cfm?frog_id=74
Learn about frogs|
http://www.museum.wa.gov.au/frogwatch/pages/f-f_gardens.asp
Zoo saving Corroboree frog
http://www.taronga.org.au/taronga-zoo/our-animals/view-bycontinent/australia/corroboree-frog.aspx
Life cycle and reproduction of Corroboree frog
http://www.kidcyber.com.au/topics/frog_corrob2.htm
Facts and games about frogs
http://allaboutfrogs.org/froglnd.shtml
© ABC 2008