Activity
Episode 9
31 March 2015
st
Reef Funding
Key Learning
Students will learn about the importance of the Great Barrier Reef to animals, plants and people
and explore different views on how it can be protected.
The Australian Curriculum
Science / Science Understanding / Biological sciences
Living things have life cycles (ACSSU072) Year 4
Geography / Geographical Knowledge and
Understanding
The importance of environments to animals and people, and
different views on how they can be protected (ACHGK022)
Year 4
Living things, including plants and animals, depend on each
other and the environment to survive (ACSSU073) Year 4
Science / Science as a Human Endeavour / Use
and influence of science
Living things have structural features and adaptations that help
them to survive in their environment (ACSSU043) Year 5
The growth and survival of living things are affected by the
physical conditions of their environment (ACSSU094) Year 6
Interactions between organisms can be described in terms of
food chains and food webs; human activity can affect these
interactions (ACSSU112) Year 7
Science knowledge helps people to understand the effect of
their actions (ACSHE062) Year 4
Scientific knowledge is used to inform personal and
community decisions (ACSHE220) Years 5 & 6
Science understanding influences the development of
practices in areas of human activity such as industry,
agriculture and marine and terrestrial resource management
(ACSHE136) Year 7
Discussion Questions
1. Discuss the Reef Funding story with another student and record the main points of the
discussion.
2. How are some kids at a Queensland school helping the Great Barrier Reef?
3. About how many small reefs and islands make up the Great Barrier Reef?
4. Name one of the threats to the reef.
5. Describe the damage that’s occurring to the Great Barrier Reef.
6. The reef is a World Heritage site. What does that mean?
7. The United Nation’s World Heritage Committee is deciding whether it needs to put the
Great Barrier Reef on the ____ ___________ list.
8. What is the government saying it will do to help protect the reef?
9. Why do the kids say it’s important to help the reef?
10. What do you understand more clearly since watching the Reef Funding story?
©ABC 2015
Activities
Negotiate with students how many activities they complete from each section.
Remember and understand
Students will practice their note-taking while watching
the BtN Reef Funding story. After watching the story,
ask students to reflect and organise the information
into three categories.
What information about the Great Barrier Reef was...?
 Positive
 Negative or
 Interesting
Students may want to watch the story again or
download a copy of the Reef Funding transcript to
assist them with this activity.
Brainstorm a list of words that relate to the BtN Reef Funding story. Use these words to make your
own sentences about the issue. Here are some to get you
started.
 tropical
 global warming
 bad water quality
 over-fishing
 damage
 problem
 Queensland
 coral
 sea plants and animals
 species
 world heritage
 climate change
Ask students to finish one or more of the following incomplete sentences:
 A reef is...
 Reefs produce food and shelter for...
 Reef plants...
 Reef animals...
 The Great Barrier Reef is special because...
 The Great Barrier Reef is in danger because...
 We can protect the Great Barrier Reef by...
©ABC 2015
Apply and analyse
Six Thinking Hats
As a class, use Edward De Bono’s Six Hat Thinking to explore the Great Barrier Reef. Make your
own coloured hat cut-outs and place on the floor.
Students will take it in turns answering questions in relation to what they already know about the
issue, what they have learned from the Reef Funding story and what they want to learn further
about the topic. Ask students the following questions:
 How did the BtN Reef Funding story make you feel?
 How do you feel about the Great Barrier Reef?
 What do you know about the Great Barrier Reef?
 What have you learnt from the story?
 What are some of the positives that you learnt from this
story?
 What are some of the negatives that you learnt from this
story?
 What can we do to help save the Great Barrier Reef?
 What are some solutions to the issues?
 What questions were raised during this activity?
 What do you want to learn further about this topic?

Evaluate and create

Creature Feature
Explain to students that they will imagine they are scientists
exploring the sea life found in the Great Barrier Reef.

Download Creature Feature Template

As a class identify different plants and animals that can
be found in the Great Barrier Reef. For example a
dolphin, dugong, seabirds, sea turtle, sea snake, fish,
molluscs, coral, seagrass or seaweed. Individually,
students will choose an animal or plant from the list to
research further.

Students will create a Creature Feature on their chosen
plant or animal. Students will use a range of sources to
find their information, including the internet,
©ABC 2015
newspapers and books. Students will use the Creature Feature template to organise and
present their information.
o Scientific and common name
o Picture/s
o Describe its habitat. Why does it live here?
o What does it eat?
o Description, for example colour and size.
o What are the threats to its survival?
o Other interesting facts

Create a class fact file book which contains each student’s research.

Students will reflect on the activity, by responding to the following comments:
o Parts of the activity I enjoyed
o Parts of the activity I found challenging
o Parts of the activity I found interesting
Who am I?
Students will make their own Who Am I? game to learn more
about the animals that live in the Great Barrier Reef.
Download Who Am I? Template




Students will research and write 8 clues to correspond
with each animal in the Who Am I? template, with the
first clue being the hardest and the final clue being the
easiest.
Students must include clues about the animal’s
appearance, diet, habitat and threats.
Students will test their game on a partner.
To make this game more of a challenge students can
select a range of animals that live in the Great Barrier
Reef.
 Related Research Links
ABC News – Great Barrier Reef: Government releases Reef 2050 Long-Term Sustainability Plan
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-03-21/government-to-release-great-barrier-reef-sustainabilityreport/6337238
Behind the News – World Heritage
http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s3958277.htm
Behind the News – Reef Warning
http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s3603113.htm
©ABC 2015
Behind the News – Reef Threat
http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s3363010.htm
Australia.gov – The Great Barrier Reef
http://www.australia.gov.au/about-australia/australian-story/great-barrier-reef
Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority – Facts about the Great Barrier Reef
http://www.gbrmpa.gov.au/about-the-reef/facts-about-the-great-barrier-reef
Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority – Threats to the reef
http://www.gbrmpa.gov.au/managing-the-reef/threats-to-the-reef
ABC Splash – Great Barrier Reef
http://splash.abc.net.au/digibook/-/c/617044/great-barrier-reef-under-threat
©ABC 2015