Year 4 Science Endangered Species Marine Turtles

2Year 4 Science — Endangered Species - Marine Turtles - Version 0.2 Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority

Year 4 - Science

Year 4 Australian Science Curriculum Focus Recognising questions that can be investigated scientifically and investigating them

Students investigate the impact of coastal development and climate change on marine turtles.

Students develop an understanding of:• Marine turtle species and features• Life cycles of marine turtles• Threats to marine turtles• Endangered species (categories and classifications)• Solutions to the threats.

Inquiry questions for the unit:• What are the survival needs of marine turtles?• What is the life cycle of a marine turtle?• Why are marine turtles found on the Great Barrier Reef threatened?• What can we do to conserve marine turtles and their habitats?

Endangered Species - Marine Turtles

Year 4 Science – Endangered Species: Marine Turtles - Version 0.2 1 Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority

Year 4 unit overview — Endangered Species – Marine turtles

School name Unit title Duration of unit

Endangered Species - Marine turtles Approximately five weeks. Teachers could extend the investigation to create a term long unit by investigating other endangered species to highlight how science knowledge contributes to people understanding their actions.

Year 4 Level Description – Between Years 3 to 6, students develop their understanding of a range of systems operating at different time and geographic scales. In Year 4, students broaden their understanding of classification and form and function through an exploration of the properties of natural and processed materials. They learn that forces include non-contact forces and begin to appreciate that some interactions result from phenomena that can’t be seen with the naked eye. They begin to appreciate that current systems, such as the Earth’s surface, have characteristics that have resulted from past changes and that living things form part of the systems. They understand that some systems change in predictable ways, such as through cycles. They apply their knowledge to make predictions based on interactions within systems, including those involving the actions of humans. Year 4 Achievement Standard - By the end of Year 4 students pose questions about their world and predict possible outcomes from investigations. They describe how they and others use science to ask questions and make predictions. They record observations and measurements and identify patterns in data, including cause-and-effect relationships. They describe situations where science understanding can influence their own and others’ actions. Students use the properties of materials to explain how objects and materials behave. They identify changes to the observable world and suggest explanations for the motion of objects. They describe how inter-relationships are essential for the survival of living things and identify major changes in the life cycle of a plant or animal.

Unit outline

Year 4 Australian Science Curriculum Focus – Recognising questions that can be investigated scientifically and investigating them.

Students investigate the impact of coastal development and climate change on marine turtles.

Students develop an understanding of:

Marine turtle species and features

Life cycles of marine turtles

Threats to marine turtles

Endangered species (categories and classifications)

Solutions to the threats.

Inquiry questions for the unit:

What are the survival needs of marine turtles?

What is the life cycle of a turtle?

Why are marine turtles found on the Great Barrier Reef threatened?

What can we do to conserve marine turtles and their habitats?

http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Glossary?a=S&t=observable


Teacher Notes:

Unit overview The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) Endangered Species Teaching Unit is a science based Year 4 unit of work. The content descriptors for this unit are from the 2011 Australian Science Curriculum (www.australiancurriculum.edu.au). Following the inquiry based 5Es approach to teaching science, the unit is based on the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) expectations of 1- 2 hours per week of science lessons for Year 4 students. Each lesson is of approximately 45 minutes duration, with some lessons requiring more time to allow further depth of study or time for excursions. The nature of science investigations is to follow the line of student inquiry to promote and encourage students to think like scientists. Teachers may find that students will need or want to complete investigations other than those suggested in the teaching strategies outlined in this unit. Students are to be encouraged to follow their own line of inquiry and in the case where students do this, the teaching strategies and resources outlined in this unit may be used as a guide to supplement the student directed investigations. The overall unit, or the individual lessons, could be extended or shortened to cater for individual classes as deemed necessary by the class teacher. Teachers will need to allow time to prepare for the lessons prior to teaching each lesson.

Aim of the unit The lessons are structured to build students knowledge of Endangered Species. The unit focuses on marine turtles, of which there are six different species found within the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. All six species are threatened. Building students knowledge of marine turtles, why they are threatened and what can be done to protect them, will allow students to then make links with other endangered species. All marine animals are important to the overall health of the Great Barrier Reef ecosystem. Having the knowledge and understanding to apply to protecting species will enable students to make ethical decisions when interacting within the ecosystem of the endangered species. (For more information on endangered species and the Great Barrier Reef see below in ‘Marine Turtle background information’ and also www.gbrmpa.gov.au). Teaching students about endangered species will build their environmental knowledge and encourage their understanding of sustainability and stewardship. The main premise of this unit is climate change, which is one of the Key Focus Areas of the Great Barrier Reef Outlook Report 2009 (see www.gbrmpa.gov.au for more information on the Outlook Report 2009). GBRMPA encourages teachers to follow the main aim of Reef Guardianship – to be stewards of the environment.

http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/

http://www.gbrmpa.gov.au/



Marine Turtle Background Information:

o What species of marine turtle are found in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park?

Six of the world’s seven marine turtles are found in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park: loggerhead turtle, olive ridley turtle, leatherback turtle, hawksbill turtle, flatback turtle and green turtle. All six species are considered threatened which means their population has declined and are still impacted by a range of threats.

o Are they protected?

All six species of marine turtle are protected. This means it is defined as a species that is protected by international, national or state laws, and/or under the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Regulations 1983. Protected species need special management because of recognised threats to their populations.

o What are the threats to marine turtles?

Marine wildlife has always been affected by natural factors such as predators, cyclones and disease. However, over the last 150 years, a new threat has emerged – humans. Human related threats have reduced the abundance and range of many marine species including marine turtles. The greatest concern is that this could lead to population extinctions. Human-related threats to protected species include: Habitat degradation and loss from coastal development Incidental catch in fishing gear, shark control nets and drum lines at popular beaches Boat strike Ingestion of marine debris and entanglement (especially plastics and lost/discarded fishing gear) Harvesting: commercial and Indigenous, and illegal take especially by foreign vessels Depredation on nests by introduced predators (especially pigs and foxes) Declining water quality Climate change.

o What is being done to reduce the risks to marine turtles?

Ascertaining which species are under threat or at risk

Identifying any threats to the survival of the species

Developing and implementing management actions to mitigate threats

Working with industry and management to encourage and refine sustainable fishing practices and the use of bycatch reduction devices such as the Turtle Exclusion Device (TED)

Encouraging and educating Marine Park users to minimise their impact upon the Great Barrier Reef

Educating and encouraging residents and businesses in the catchment to minimise their impact upon the Great Barrier Reef.


Unit Lessons

Engage Lesson 1: Marine turtles

Explore Lesson 2: Exploring what we know about marine turtles

Lesson 3: Exploring marine turtles’ habitats

Explain Lesson 4: Life cycles of marine turtles

Lesson 5: Endangered!

Elaborate Lesson 6: Caught in the net

Lesson 7: Threats?

Evaluate Lesson 8: Report preparation

Lesson 9: Report preparation

Lesson 10: Report preparation


Identify curriculum

Content descriptions to be taught General capabilities and cross-curriculum priorities Science Understandings Science as a Human Endeavour Science Inquiry Skills

Biological Sciences

Living things have life cycles

Living things, including plants and animals, depend on each other and the environment to survive

Use and Influence of Science

Science knowledge helps people to understand the effect of their actions

Questioning and Predicting

With guidance, identify questions in familiar contexts that can be investigated scientifically and predict what might happen based on prior knowledge

Planning and Conducting

Suggest ways to plan and conduct investigations to find answers to questions

Safely use appropriate materials, tools or equipment to make and record observations, using formal measurements and digital technologies as appropriate

Processing and Analysing Data and Information

Use a range of methods including tables and simple column graphs to represent data and to identify patterns and trends

Compare results with predictions, suggesting possible reasons for findings

Evaluating

Reflect on the investigation including whether a test was fair or not

Communicating

Represent and communicate ideas and findings in a variety of ways such as diagrams, physical representations and simple reports

Literacy

Communicate confidently in listening, reading and viewing, writing, speaking and creating print and visual materials

Critical and creative thinking

Observe, question, make predictions and think creatively to solve problems during investigations

Ethical behaviour

Consider human impacts on the environment and other living organisms and evaluate their own and other people’s actions

Personal and social competence

Follow procedures and work both within a group and independently to share and discuss ideas

Sustainability

Investigate human impacts on marine turtle populations and the role we all play to help improve the future for marine turtle populations


Relevant prior curriculum Curriculum working towards

Year 3 of the Australian Science Curriculum outlines that by the end of Year 3, students describe how they can use science investigations to respond to questions and identify where people use science knowledge in their lives. They collect and present data in a way that helps to answer their questions and use their experience to make predictions. Students describe features common to living things. They use their knowledge of the movement of the Earth, materials and the behaviour of heat to suggest explanations for everyday observations.

In Year 5, students are introduced to cause and effect relationships that relate to form and function through an exploration of adaptations of living things. They explore observable phenomena associated with light and begin to appreciate that phenomena have sets of characteristic behaviours. They broaden their classification of matter to include gases and begin to see how matter structures the world around them. Students consider Earth as a component within a solar system and use models for investigating systems at astronomical scales. Students begin to identify stable and dynamic aspects of systems, and learn how to look for patterns and relationships between components of systems. They develop explanations for the patterns they observe.

Links to other learning areas

QSA Year 4 Literacy Indicators (2009) Speaking and Listening

SL4 vi. Describe significant features related to subject matter by replacing commonly used words and everyday terms with more specialised vocabulary to provide specific meaning.

Reading and Viewing

RV4 i. Read and view for personal and learning purposes and select texts to match learning needs and areas of interest. Writing and Designing

WD4 ii. Write about familiar subject matter for known audiences using a variety of text types and use structures such as compare-and-contrast and cause-and-effect to organise information.

WD iv. Write and design texts using a range of strategies to plan, including - generate ideas and selecting an appropriate one - gathering information from personal knowledge and learning experiences, and from sources such as graphics or multimedia texts - completing in a reasonable time frame - organising main ideas and supporting details using storyboards or sequence charts - determining relevance of information for the purpose.

WD4 x. Select words that define and describe concepts using familiar technical language to add detail.


Assessment Make judgements

Describe the assessment Assessment date Student task sheet, links to QSA literacy indicators (2009) and guide to making judgements can be found in the resource section of the unit.

Summative Assessment

Option 1.

Students will provide a report on an endangered species. Students could choose marine turtles, or another endangered species to research. The report will aim to inform and influence the audience about the endangered species and reasons for action. The report will include:

An introduction to the animal, its habitat, needs for survival and life cycle

An explanation of the main reasons the animal is endangered

Recommendations outlining how people can change their behaviour and/or what people can do to help the species survive (this must be linked to their science knowledge of the animal and the reasons it is endangered)

A conclusion summarising the main message of the report

The students could also include graphs showing the decline of a population, images of the animal or images of causes for endangerment.

Option 2.

As an extension to Lesson 6, students design and test a Turtle Exclusion Device (TED). Students will write up their experiment using an investigation planner and explain their results in a scientific report. The investigation and report will include:

Student’s design of a TED

Student’s completed investigation planner

Student’s explanation of results and conclusions about how TEDs can help stop marine turtles from becoming bycatch

Student’s analysis of what people can do to help turtle populations increase.

The summative assessment piece is designed to be produced and presented during the Evaluate stage of the unit when students will have gathered all the knowledge required to successfully address the criteria. This date is to be determined by the class teacher.


Useful Websites

Arkive – lots of video clips of marine turtles and other endangered animals www.arkive.org Eco Kids www.ecokids.ca Euro Turtle – clip on human impacts on marine turtles www.euroturtle.org Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority www.gbrmpa.gov.au Middle School Science Resources www.middleschoolscience.com The Biology Corner www.biologycorner.com Sea Turtle Foundation – good information about marine turtles and getting involved in turtle conservation activities locally. www.seaturtlefoundation.org YouTube Link – Romancing the Bag – a great clip about plastic bag pollution http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzsQwwnqSGo

Department of Environment and Resource Management marine turtle web pages:

http://www.derm.qld.gov.au/wildlife-

ecosystems/wildlife/caring_for_wildlife/marine_strandings.html and the A-Z of animals (look for various turtle species): http://www.derm.qld.gov.au/wildlife-

ecosystems/wildlife/az_of_animals/index.html.

Useful Books

Myrtle’s Battle Against Climate Change, Mariana Fuentes (available free online as a PDF at http://www.coralcoe.org.au/edures/myrtleclimatechange.pdf). This book could be used in conjunction with the unit as a Walking Talking Text.

Chelonia Green – Champion of Turtles, Cristobael Mattingley

The Smallest Turtle, Lynley Dodd

One Tiny Turtle, Nicola Davies (also on DVD)

Into the Sea, Brenda Z. Guiberson

I'll Follow the Moon, Stephanie Lisa Tara

Dugong and Marine Turtle: Teaching Resource and Information Package, Torres

Strait Regional Authority's Land and Sea Management Unit

http://www.nailsma.org.au/publications/resource.html.

http://www.arkive.org/

http://www.ecokids.ca/

http://www.euroturtle.org/


http://www.middleschoolscience.com/

http://www.biologycorner.com/

http://www.seaturtlefoundation.org/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzsQwwnqSGo

http://www.derm.qld.gov.au/wildlife-ecosystems/wildlife/caring_for_wildlife/marine_strandings.html

http://www.derm.qld.gov.au/wildlife-ecosystems/wildlife/caring_for_wildlife/marine_strandings.html

http://www.derm.qld.gov.au/wildlife-ecosystems/wildlife/az_of_animals/index.html

http://www.derm.qld.gov.au/wildlife-ecosystems/wildlife/az_of_animals/index.html

http://www.coralcoe.org.au/edures/myrtleclimatechange.pdf

http://www.nailsma.org.au/publications/resource.html


Teaching and learning Supportive learning environment

Teaching strategies and learning experiences Assessment opportunities

Adjustments for needs of learners

Resources

ENGAGE - To capture interest and discover what we think we know

Lesson 1 – Marine turtles

Suggested Time – 45 minutes

Introduction – Book reading

Choose a book from the library, either fiction or non-fiction, about marine turtles.

Read this to the students and discuss the story line (if fiction) or some of the facts (if non-fiction).

Ask students to share any experiences they have had with marine turtles.

If most students have a story to share, students could write about the experience and illustrate their story to create a display in the classroom.

Investigation – TWHL Chart

Discuss with the students what they think they already know about marine turtles.

Ask students if there is anything they would like to know about marine turtles.

Record students’ responses in the TWLH chart.

T What we think we know about marine turtles

W What we want to

learn about marine turtles

L What we learned

about marine turtles

H How we know

(scientific understandings)

Read the GBRMPA Great Barrier Reef Marine Turtle Identification Sheet (available at www.gbrmpa.gov.au).

Discuss how this information is important to scientists.

View YouTube clips or other Internet clips showing marine turtles in their natural clean habitat. Draw students’ attention to the different types of marine turtles they are viewing, how they move and/or how they breathe.

Allow students to comment on and discuss what they view in the clips.

Start a word wall with students to continuously add to throughout the unit. This should be displayed in a place where students can always add to it

Lesson 1

Diagnostic assessment opportunities:

- use the TWHL chart and discussion to determine students' current knowledge of marine turtles

Section 6 of the Disability Standards for Education (The Standards for Curriculum Development, Accreditation and Delivery) state that education providers, including class teachers, must take reasonable steps to ensure a course/program is designed to allow any student to participate and experience success in learning.

The Disability Standards for Education 2005 (Cwlth) is available from: <www.ag.gov.au> select Human rights and anti-discrimination > Disability standards for education.

ESL Considerations

Teachers should refer to the Learning Place (www.learningplace.com.au), ‘ESL in the Classroom’ for ‘Break it Down, Build it Up’ resources to help restructure the unit according to the ESL needs of the class.

Risk Management

Refer to Department of Education and Training www.education.qld.gov.au

for advice and forms relating

Lesson 1

GBRMPA Great Barrier Reef Marine Turtle Identification Sheet www.gbrmpa.gov.au

YouTube clips of marine turtles moving, breathing, and feeding in their natural environment.


http://www.learningplace.com.au/

http://www.education.qld.gov.au/






Resources

each lesson. It may be done in alphabetical order or on moveable cards so that students can interact with the words and sort them into categories as they progress throughout the unit.

Start a science journal with the students to record their learning and reflections after each science lesson. A science journal is a record of observations, experiences and reflections. It contains a series of dated, chronological entries. It may include written text, drawings, labelled diagrams, photographs, tables and graphs. The science journal can be used as a part of the student assessment.

to risk management during curriculum activities and excursions.

EXPLORE – To have shared, hands-on experiences

Lesson 2 – Exploring what we know about marine turtles

Suggested time – 45 minutes

Introduction – Footage of marine turtles

Show students more YouTube or other Internet clips and/or images of marine turtles. This time show marine turtles in ‘bad’ situations such as stuck in fishing nets, eating plastic or strangled by fishing line.

Discuss with students what they see, what they think, what they feel after viewing the clips and images.

Investigation – Hot Potato

Explain to students they are going to participate in a Hot Potato activity.

o Each group gets a large sheet of paper and must answer the question as best they can (be creative and imaginative) before the time limit is up. The teacher is to set the time limit according to the needs of the class. When the time limit is up, groups rotate the papers around so that each group gets a turn at answering each question.

Divide students into groups of three or four.

Provide each group with a large sheet of paper with one of the following questions. Teachers may change these questions, add more or take some away according to number of groups and to suit the needs of the class. Read the questions out and explain any difficult words, but do not discuss the questions.

o What would happen if marine turtles couldn’t swim?

o What would happen if marine turtles couldn’t dive down?

Lesson 2

Formative assessment opportunities:

- use students’ participation and responses during activities to assess students' ability to apply knowledge to different situations

Lesson 2

YouTube or other clips of marine turtles in their natural environment, including marine turtles in threatening situations such as stuck in nets, eating plastic or strangled by fishing line.

Large paper for Hot Potato Activity, pens.





Resources

o What would happen if marine turtles didn’t have a shell?

o What do marine turtles eat?

o Where do marine turtles eat?

o What eats marine turtles?

o Why are we learning about marine turtles?

When all groups have had an opportunity to answer each question, display each sheet and read though some of the answers.

Discuss some of the answers and ask students to explain some of their answers.

Add any questions students may have about marine turtles to the TWHL chart.

Add new words to the word wall.

Students add their learning and reflections to their science journal.

Lesson 3 – Special relationships


Introduction – Cleaning stations

View video clips from Arkive – www.arkive.org – showing marine turtles at ‘cleaning stations’.

Ask and discuss with the students what the term ‘cleaning stations’ might mean.

Introduce the term 'symbiotic relationship' to the students. Ask if any of them already know what that means.

If not, provide an explanation – when two animals form an association (like a friendship) that benefits both of them.

Identify with students what symbiotic relationship is taking place in the video clips. How does the turtle benefit? How do the fish benefit?

Ask students if they know of any other symbiotic relationships. Record these on a wall chart to remind students what a symbiotic relationship is.

Investigation – Exploring turtle habitats

Explain to the students they are going to find out more about marine turtles and the habitat they live in. To save time in the students' research, each group is going to research one or two questions and then present their

Lesson 3


- use student research to assess students’ developing knowledge of how animals interact and behave in their natural environment.

Lesson 3

Video clips of marine turtles at ‘cleaning stations’ from Arkive www.arkive.org

Books, Internet access, posters, fact sheets for student research.







Resources

findings to the class. This will all be recorded in a retrieval chart.

Break students up into pairs or groups of three. Have a list of questions about marine turtles written on scrap paper and stuck onto a board or wall. Each group can choose one or two questions (depending on how many groups and how many questions the teacher puts up). Read the questions out to clarify unknown words. Suggested questions (teachers could adjust these according to the needs of the class):

o Do all species of turtle eat the same thing? Provide examples of what each species of turtle eats.

o Where do marine turtles live? Do all species of turtle live in the same places? Where does each species live?

o What are the main external features of a turtle? Provide a drawing with labelled body parts.

o Are marine turtles predators or prey, or both? Explain your answer.

o How many species of marine turtle are found in the ocean? How does a scientist identify each different species?

o Are all marine turtles found on the Great Barrier Reef? Which ones are and which ones are not? Where are those that are not found on the Great Barrier Reef found?

o Find an Indigenous Australian traditional story about marine turtles. What Indigenous group does the story belong to? What is the main message in the story?

o Explain the day in the life of a turtle. What does it do all day? Does it eat all day? Does it sleep? Does it hide from predators?

o How long can marine turtles stay underwater? Is it the same length of time for all turtle species? Can some stay underwater longer than others? How often do marine turtles need to breathe?

o What is the largest species of marine turtle? What is the smallest species of marine turtle? Provide two facts about each species.

o Which marine turtle has green fat? Why does it have green fat? Find out four more interesting facts about marine turtles.

o What are a turtle’s survival needs? Choose one or two species of marine turtle and identify what they need for survival.

Groups are then to research their question/s. Provide access to the





Resources

Internet, books, posters, or fact sheets for students to conduct their research.

When students have finished their research, collate all the information and create a retrieval chart for students to refer to throughout the unit.

Each group should share their information, answer questions from the class and participate in any discussions that may come from the research.

If some students finish earlier than others, they could research a specific turtle species, visit the GBRMPA website to find out more about marine turtles, or complete some turtle artwork to add to the class display.



EXPLAIN – To demonstrate what we have learned by exploring

Lesson 4 – Life Cycles


Introduction – YouTube Clips

Discuss with students about life cycles e.g. humans and other animals. You could show a diagram of a human life cycle and ask students to identify what stage they are at in the life cycle. What stage are their parents, grandparents, brothers or sisters at?

Have students identify different stages of chosen life cycles e.g. using pictures, the Internet or books.

View YouTube clips of a marine turtle’s life cycle and ask students to take notes. In their notes students should try to identify the stages of the life cycle and what species of marine turtles are in the clips. They should use their scientific knowledge from previous lessons to identify different species.

Ask students to share their notes. Write down notes on a wall chart for reflection in the investigation.

Investigation – Creating life cycle diagrams

From the information gathered, as a class discuss the life cycle of a marine turtle. Try to come up with a diagram to show the life cycle. If students need more information, have an image ready to show them (many are available off the Internet).

Lesson 4


- use students' participation in research and discussion to assess students’ developing knowledge of life cycles and how animals and humans interact in different ways.

Lesson 4

YouTube clips or video of the marine turtle life cycle (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Rdnd3iZw2g is a good one).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Rdnd3iZw2g







Resources

Once the class has come up with a labelled diagram, discuss each aspect of a turtle’s life and identify the threats marine turtles face in each part of their life. Use the following questions as a guide:

o When they first hatch and need to get down to the ocean, what might stop them from reaching the ocean?

o If they do reach the ocean, what might stop them from growing up?

o If they do grow up, what might stop them from getting back to the beach to breed?

o If they do lay eggs, what might stop the eggs from hatching?

At each phase in the life cycle diagram, write down the students’ thoughts on what threats the students think the marine turtles face.

Discuss with students how they think these threats affect the turtle population.

Ask students to draw a copy of a turtle’s life cycle in their science book or science journal.

Add words to the word wall.


Lesson 5 – Endangered!


Introduction – Reef Beat Poster

Read Poster 1 of the Reef Beat 2009 - Climate Change and the Reef and Poster 7 – Sea Turtles (Climate Change – a cold blooded killer and Gender Bender).

Ask students to comment on the information or if they need certain words or information clarified.

Ask students to reflect on the life cycle chart from the previous lesson.

Discuss with students - How does the information in the Gender Bender paragraph relate to the life cycle? Where would the warmer section of the nest be and the cooler section of the nest? Why would a nest with very high temperature be at risk of failure?

Read the next section of Poster 7– Australia’s treasured marine turtles.

Ask students to comment on the information or if they need certain words

Lesson 5


- students' ability to interpret information and apply their knowledge to the discussion

- use student research to assess students’ developing knowledge of how living things depend on each other and the environment to survive and how science knowledge can be used to assess human impacts on the living things

Lesson 5

Reef Beat 2009 Climate Change and the Reef (Poster 1) and Sea Turtles (Poster 7) (www.gbrmpa.gov.au).

Books, fact sheets, posters, Internet access for research.






Resources

or information clarified.

Read the last section of Poster 7 – Why are all turtle species on the Great Barrier Reef threatened?

Ask students to define what endangered and extinct means. With students, create a definition of each word and display this in the classroom.

Discuss with students if they know of any other animals that are endangered or extinct. Do they know how the animals became extinct or why they are endangered?

Investigation – Endangered Species

Explain to the students that they are going to investigate what is making marine turtles endangered. Using each of the threats outlined on the Reef Beat Poster 7, they are going to research to find out more information.

Split the class up into ten groups. Each group chooses one threat from the list on the Reef Beat Poster 7:

o Climate change

o Coastal development and habitat loss

o Hunting and collecting

o Fishing activities

o Declining water quality

o Boat strikes

o Pollution and marine debris

o Marine dredging and construction

o Feral animals destroying nests and eating eggs

o Disease.

Have books, Internet, 2009 Reef Beat Posters and fact sheets available for each group to do their research.

When each group has found some answers, each group shares their answers with the class. Answers do not need to be long, just a few sentences to explain briefly what the threat is. Some students may even be able to draw on current knowledge to create definitions. Create a retrieval chart with each topic as a heading and put the information under each topic. Students may use this in their final assessment piece.

If a group finishes early, they could choose another topic to research to add more information during sharing time.





Resources

Ask students to comment on whether the threats are mainly natural or man-made? Do they think something can be done to help the marine turtles increase their population?


Students add their learning and reflection to their science journal.

ELABORATE – To build understanding through an investigation

Lesson 6 – Caught in the net


Introduction – View images

Find images on the Internet or in books of marine turtles caught in fishing nets and ghost nets.

Discuss with students why this is a threat to turtle populations.

Explain to students they are going to do their own experiment to see how marine turtles get caught in nets.

Investigation – Bycatch

Define the word "bycatch" for students. Bycatch is when any species of animal caught in fishing nets is not the targeted species. A trawler might be trawling for prawns, but they will also catch marine turtles, sharks, manta rays, stingrays and all sorts of other marine animals. They are all bycatch, as the trawler only wanted to catch prawns.

Follow the procedure in Resource 1 – Procedural Text - Bycatch Experiment.

Use the investigation planner to record results (Resource 2).

Discuss what the experiment is about and give a demonstration. Use Resource 3 – Predict Observe Explain, to generate discussion about how the experiment will be conducted.

Discuss the results with students and conclude how the use of fishing nets affects turtle populations.

Ask students if they can think of a way to stop marine turtles from getting caught in fishing nets.

Show students footage of a Turtle Exclusion Device (TED). Ask students to explain how the device works.

Lesson 6

Summative assessment opportunities:

- discussions can be used to assess students’ ability to use science knowledge to draw conclusions about how humans can affect the living things.

- use students' investigation planners to assess students' science inquiry skills.

- extension activity of designing own TED can be used to assess science inquiry skills and students’ ability to apply science knowledge to understand the effect they can have on the environment.

Lesson 6

Images of marine turtles caught in fishing nets. YouTube and Arkive (www.arkive.org) have clips of marine turtles caught in nets.

Resource 1 – Procedural Text – bycatch experiment.

Equipment for experiment, see equipment list - Resource 1.

Resource 2 – Investigation Planner

Resource 3 – Predict Observe Explain Poster

Footage of a Turtle Exclusion Device (TED). YouTube, other Internet sites, photos.






Resources

Discuss with students the impact the TED will have on turtle populations.



EXTENSION ACTIVITIES:

Have students create their own TED and conduct an experiment similar to the one in Lesson 6 with them to see if they make a difference to marine turtles becoming bycatch (Resource 1 –Extension Activity). This could also be completed as their final assessment piece – see Option 2 on Resource 6 – Task Sheet.

Lesson 7 – Threats


Introduction – YouTube clips

View the two YouTube clips The Animals Save the Planet – Romancing the Bag and Supermarket Bags.

Teachers could also use images of marine turtles eating plastic bags, or images of plastic that has been found in marine turtles’ stomachs. These are available on various Internet sites.

Discuss with students what message the animals are trying to teach the audience. Ask students if they understand why plastic bags in the ocean are such a big threat to marine turtles. Teachers could also show YouTube clips of marine turtles eating jellyfish to help make students make the connection.

Ask students if they can recall other threats to marine turtles.

Investigation – Cause-and-Effect

Play the Turtle Danger Game – Resource 4.

When returning to the classroom, ask students to complete a Cause-and-Effect chart outlining threats to marine turtles (Resource 5).

Cause-and-Effect charts can be done in many different ways (see Resource 5 for some examples). Adjust these to the needs of the class.

If students have not done a Cause-and-Effect chart before, complete one as a class together. Then ask students to complete one on their own.

Link these Cause-and-Effect charts to why marine turtles are an endangered species. Ask students to consider this when they are

Lesson 7


- Cause-and-Effect charts can be used to assess students knowledge of how animals interact in their environment and how science knowledge can be used to draw conclusions and predict how humans affect the environment.

Extension Activities - Option 2 – Resource 6 – Task Sheet

Lesson 7

YouTube clips – The Animals Save the Planet - Romancing the Bag


and Supermarket Bags

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBZdUA8zxJ0.

Images of marine turtles eating plastic bags - No Bag Thanks www.abc.net.au/science/features/bags.

Resource 4 – Turtle Danger Game.

Resource 5 – Cause-and-Effect Chart



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBZdUA8zxJ0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBZdUA8zxJ0

http://www.abc.net.au/science/features/bags

http://www.abc.net.au/science/features/bags





Resources

completing their chart.

When students have completed their own Cause-and-Effect chart, ask them to identify and explain a solution to the cause they identified.

Ask students to share their charts and solutions and display these around the classroom.



EVALUATE – To review and reflect on learning

Lesson 8 – Report or investigation preparation


Introduction – Reflection and begin task

As a class, reflect and record what has been learned in the TWLH chart.

Explain to the students that they are going to begin their final assessment project. Present them with a task sheet (Resource 6 – Option 1 or Option 2).

Read through the task sheet together and identify all the requirements of the task.

Discuss available resources (identify all the work done throughout the unit that will help the students complete the task).

Set out a plan for time management and resource management.

Investigation – Start preparing reports or investigation

Allow students time to research and prepare their reports or investigations.

Students may need scaffolding for different parts of the report writing or investigation; this will depend on the need of the class.

Lesson 9 and Lesson 10 – Continue report or investigation preparation.

Suggested time – How much time students are able to spend preparing their reports and investigations will depend on the needs of the class and the length of time available in the school term.

Lesson 8 – 10


- student reports or investigations can be used to assess students’ knowledge and understanding of science understandings, science as a human endeavour and science inquiry skills

Lesson 8

Resource 6 – Task Sheet.


Use feedback (these are some suggestions, teachers will need to vary this according to the needs of their class)

Ways to monitor learning and assessment

Year 4 teacher:

Initially plan the teaching, learning and assessment needs of all learners and make adjustments to the unit plan as necessary

Use diagnostic and formative assessment opportunities throughout the unit to plan for students learning and assess student knowledge development

Mark presentations and moderate with colleagues to achieve consensus and consistency of teacher judgment

Feedback to students Teachers:

Plan opportunities for conversations to provide ongoing feedback (spoken and written) and encouragement to students on their strengths and areas for improvement

Reflect on and review learning opportunities to individualise learning experiences required

Provide multiple opportunities for students to experience, practise and improve knowledge, processes and skills

Students:

Identify what they can do well and what they need to improve

Provide feedback to a peer on interaction skills and suggest some strategies for improvement (written and spoken feedback)

Reflection on the unit plan At the conclusion of the unit teachers can reflect on the unit for future planning by answering the following questions:

What worked well in this unit?

What was a stumbling block?

How would you refine it?

What trends and gaps in learning have you identified?

How will you build on these learning experiences next term and beyond?


Aim

To find out the effects of bycatch on turtle populations

Equipment

• Small aquarium nets, sieves, tea strainers or homemade simple nets using fine mesh or even dishcloth material.

• Small objects such as rice grains, dried kidney beans, dried peas (these will be the prawns the trawler is trying to catch).

• Larger objects such as dried lima beans, small plastic toys, pen lids (these will be the marine turtles).

• Large long container with water in it such as a tidy tray, aquarium, plastic storage container (this is the ocean). This container should be deep enough and long enough for you to trawl your net through the water to catch your prawns or fish.

• Data table (see below).

Procedure

1. Fill in the investigation planner to plan how you are going to complete your experiment.

2. Put your prawns into the ocean.

3. Decide on how many marine turtles you are going to put into your ocean. Record this number in your data table. Put your marine turtles into your ocean.

4. Use your net to trawl for prawns. Make one pass through the ocean with your net. You should close your eyes when you do this to make the test fair.

5. Record how many prawns and marine turtles you caught in your net.

6. Do not return your prawns or marine turtles to the water.

7. Continue trawling for prawns, each time record how many marine turtles and prawns you catch.

8. When you have caught all the prawns, explain your results in your investigation planner.

Resource 1 – Procedural Text – Bycatch Experiment

Data Table (add extra rows or columns if you decide to record other information)

Trial Number Current turtle population (before you trawl)

Number of prawns caught in the net

Number of marine turtles caught in the net

Number of marine turtles remaining in ocean

12345


Resource 1 – Procedural Text – Bycatch Experiment (cont.)

Extension Activitiesa) Design a net that the trawler could use to still catch prawns but not catch marine turtles. Test your net in your ocean, record your results.________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ b) Investigate what a Turtle Exclusion Device (TED) is. Design your own TED and conduct the bycatch experiment again using your TED. Compare your results with your first bycatch experiment.________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Answer the following questions and discuss your answers with your class. 1. What does bycatch mean?________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 2. Explain how marine turtles and other marine animals are caught as bycatch.________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 3. How can trawling for prawns affect turtle populations?________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 4. How could trawlers change their nets to stop marine turtles from becoming bycatch? Describe or draw a design.________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


Resource 2 – Investigation Planner

Investigation Planner

Name: ........................................................................................................................ Date: ..........................................................................

Title of our Investigation Hypothesis. What do you think will happen? Explain why

To make the test fair what are you going to: Independent Variable

Change?

Dependant Variable

Measure?

Control Variable

Keep the same?

Labelled Diagram

Illustrate how you will set up your investigation.

Equipment

What equipment will you need?

Procedure

How will you complete the investigation? Use dot points.


Resource 2 – Investigation Planner (cont.)Explaining Results When you changed the_________________________________________________what happened?

Why did this happen? Was your hypothesis accurate?

What challenges did you have in doing this investigation? How could you improve this investigation?What would you investigate next?

Fairness? Accuracy?

Teacher Comments:


Resource 3 – Predict Observe Explain Poster

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Resource 4 – Turtle Danger GameTurtle Danger Game – the aim of the game is to assist students in learning that marine turtles face many pressures to survive.

You will need: • A large area to run around• Markers to identify the beach, the sea, a safety strip on the beach side and a safety strip on the sea side (see diagram below)• A whistle.

How to play:• Discuss with students what dangers marine turtles face as they hatch from their eggs and try to get to the sea. Identify five different dangers e.g. wild pigs, people, birds, crabs, cars, lights rubbish etc.• Choose five students to be one of the dangers. The rest of the students are hatchlings. • The hatchlings start on the safety strip on the beach side. When the whistle blows they have to get to the safety strip on the other side of the ocean without getting caught by a danger. If tagged, the hatchling has to sit down out of the game. • Have a second discussion with the students to identify dangers the marine turtles face in the ocean as they are growing up. Identify five different dangers e.g. sharks, fishing nets, boat propellers, crocodiles, oil pollution.• Now that the marine turtles are mature they need to get back to the beach safely to lay eggs and start the cycle again. When the whistle blows the mature marine turtles need to get back to the safety strip on the beach without getting tagged by one of the dangers. If tagged, the mature turtle has to sit down out of the game.• Discuss how many marine turtles survived out of how many were originally hatchlings.• The activity could be adapted by allowing more dangers to see if this affects how many hatchlings or mature marine turtles are caught. This could lead into a discussion about turtle populations on the Great Barrier Reef.


Resource 5 – Cause-and-Effect Chart

C A U S E

What was the event? Who or what caused it?

E F F E C T

What might happen because of the event? What could be the immediate effect?

E F F E C T

What might happen next? What could be the short and/or long-term effects?


Resource 5 – Cause-and-Effect Chart (cont.)

What was the event? Who or what caused it?

What might happen because of the event? What could be the immediate effect?

What might happen next? What could be the short and/or long-term effects?

CAUSE

IMMEDIATE EFFECTS

GRADUAL EFFECTS


Endangered Species – Year 4 Science Report

OPTION 1

Your Task:

You will write a report on an endangered marine species. You can choose which endangered species you would like to research and write about.

In your report you will need to include:

• An introduction to the animal, its habitat, needs for survival and life cycle

• A Cause-and-Effect Chart of the main reasons the animal is endangered

• Suggestions outlining what people can do to help the species survive

• A conclusion summarising the main message of why people need to look after the endangered animal and also look after our environment

• You can also include graphs showing the decline of a population or pictures of the endangered species.

Resource 6 – Student Task Sheet

OPTION 2

Your Task:

You will design and test a Turtle Exclusion Device (TED). You will write up your experiment using an investigation planner and explain your results in a scientific report.

The investigation and report will include:

• Your design of a TED• Your completed investigation planner• Your explanation of results • Your conclusion about how TEDs can help stop marine

turtles from becoming bycatch• Your ideas and explanations about what people can do to

help turtle populations increase.


Year 4 Endangered Species – Marine Turtles – Science Report Name: ______________________________

Purpose of assessment: Students will choose to write a science report on an endangered species on the Great Barrier Reef or design and test a Turtle Exclusion Device (TED) for use

on the Great Barrier Reef, using the format of an investigation planner and explaining the results in a scientific report.

Knowledge and Understanding

Science Understanding Science as a Human Endeavour

Skills

Science Inquiry Skills

Biological Sciences - The lifecycle of the endangered species on the Great Barrier Reef. - What the endangered species needs in its environment to survive. - What threatens the endangered species in its environment.

Use and Influence of Science - Explains how human actions affect the chosen endangered species and how this threat may be mitigated.

Questioning and Predicting - Identifies threats to an endangered species on the Great Barrier Reef. Planning and Conducting - Plans and conducts an investigation on endangered species and reports findings. Processing and Analysing Data and Information - Uses information and data gathered to predict impacts of threats on the chosen endangered species and mitigation strategies.

Evaluating - Reflects upon learning to identify importance of humans taking action to conserve endangered species on the Great Barrier Reef. Communicating - Reports on the endangered species, its environment, current threats and what actions humans should take to increase the population of the species.

The student comprehensively describes the lifecycle of the endangered species and the importance of different stages to the survival of the species. They comprehensively describe the relationship between the species, its environment and what it needs to survive and use scientific information, concepts and relationships to comprehensively describe the current threats to the endangered species.

The student uses scientific knowledge to generate reasoned explanations of how human actions affect the endangered species and proposes reasoned solutions to threats, some of which are complex and in unfamiliar situations.

The student provides a coherent description of the endangered species and the threats that currently affect it. They make reasoned predictions about the impact of threats on the species and the types of mitigation actions that would be most effective in increasing the population of the species.

The student identifies patterns and trends in data and observations to propose reasoned explanations as to why it is important for humans to take action to conserve endangered species on the Great Barrier Reef. Their report is scientifically communicated in a clear and concise manner with ideas, methods, observations and findings displayed in a variety of ways.

The student describes the lifecycle of the endangered species and identifies the different stages of development that are important to its survival. They provide a significant description of the relationship between the species, its environment and what it needs to survive and use scientific information and concepts to describe and identify some of the current threats to the endangered species.

The student uses scientific knowledge to generate explanations of how human actions affect the endangered species and proposes solutions to threats in familiar situations, some of which may be complex.

The student provides a description of the endangered species and identification of the threats that currently affect it. They make plausible predictions about the impact of threats and the type of mitigation actions that would be most effective in increasing the population of the species.

The student identifies patterns and trends in data and observations to propose an explanation as to why it is important for humans to take action to conserve endangered species on the Great Barrier Reef. Their report is communicated effectively with ideas, methods, observations and findings.

The student identifies the different stages of the lifecycle of the endangered species. They provide a partial explanation of the relationship between the species, its environment and what it needs to survive and use some scientific knowledge to partially explain the current threats to the endangered species.

The student uses scientific knowledge to generate partial explanations of how human actions affect the endangered species and proposes partial solutions to these threats

The student states some threats that currently affect the endangered species. They make a statement about the predicted impact of a threat and a type of mitigation action that could be partially effective in increasing the population of the species.

The student identifies an obvious pattern and trend in data and observations between human actions and conservation of an endangered species on the Great Barrier Reef. Ideas, methods and findings of the report are communicated narrowly.


Year 4 Endangered Species – Marine Turtles – Science Report Name: ________________________________

QSA Literacy indicators (2009)

Speaking and Listening

SL4 vi Describe significant features related to subject matter by replacing commonly used words and everyday terms with more specialised

vocabulary to provide specific meaning.

Reading and Viewing

RV4 i. Read and view for personal and learning purposes and select texts to match learning needs and areas of interest.

Writing and Designing

WD4 ii. Write about familiar subject matter for known audiences using a variety of text types and use structures such as compare-and-contrast

and cause-and-effect to organise information.

WD4 iv.

Write and design texts using a range of strategies to plan, including:

• generate ideas and selecting an appropriate one

• gathering information from personal knowledge and learning experiences, and from sources such as graphics or multimedia

texts

• completing in a reasonable time frame

• organising main ideas and supporting details using storyboards or sequence charts

• determining relevance of information for the purpose

WD4 x Select words that define and describe concepts using familiar technical language to add detail.

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Documents

Year 4 Science Endangered Species Marine Turtles