Places are Similar and Different Excursion

Activities are location specific and change depending on the location you choose. Please see drop down to see what activities are offered at each location. Students will participate in up to 4 of the below activity options.

Introduction: The day kicks off with an exciting and engaging presentation, focusing on the importance of different places to people and living things, why people need to protect places, features of different places, how humans can protect places and human connections to places.

Activity 1: Waterworks – Students get their hands all slimy with child friendly craft paint, shampoo, vegetable oil, talcum powder, sunscreen and water. Students will look at ways to protect our waterways sustainably and the importance of our rivers, creeks, beaches and lakes.

Activity 2: Building Bird Houses – Students identify the importance of trees and tree hollows within our national parks as they make bird houses in small groups. At the end of this activity students will place these around the area to attract local wildlife. They’ll be excited to come back after a few weeks and discover what species are living in their specially made habitats. A great way to give back to our wildlife community!.

Activity 3: Bug Catching – Students will have faces camouflaged in child-friendly face paint. Students will be given small clear jars with lid to catch anything creepy crawly they find – spiders not allowed. This activity shows students the biological diversity of environments and what can live in habitats. This activity also focuses on how animals have adapted to live within our cities and built-up urban areas and how humans need to create green spaces for our animals. Students will be able to identify what they have caught as they cross reference their bug to the identification sheets provided.

Activity 4: Bush Habitat Making – Students work together in small teams to create an animal home for possums, wombats, wallabies and the other animals which live in this environment. Students will have their creative side sparked in this activity. Each group will be given a large array of sticks, bark, leaves and branches to make specific animal homes. This activity focuses on the destructive human influence on environments and why we must protect habitats for different species. Students work together in groups and their creative side will be sparked as they create an elaborate animal dwelling/ habitat.

Activity 5: Beach Habitat Making – Students work together in small teams to create an animal home for penguins, crabs, sea birds and other animals which live in this environment. Students will have their creative side sparked in this activity. Each group will be given cardboard boxes and tasked with collecting sticks, sand, stones and shells to make specific animal homes. This activity focuses on the destructive human influence on environments and why we must protect beach habitats for different species. Students work together in groups and their creative side will be sparked as they create an elaborate animal dwelling/ habitat.

Activity 6: Dip Net Fishing – Students will use dip-nets on long-handled poles to catch water-dwelling critters and examine the different species which live in the local environment. They’ll take samples and catch bugs from different areas, and use scientific tools and equipment to determine whether an environment is healthy or unhealthy

Activity 7: Bush Walk – Students will be taken on a bushwalk through the incredible surrounding bushland, exploring the unique features of this scenic area. They’ll get to explore our native bushland and be able to get up close and personal with the flora and fauna that can be found at this level, learning how movements can be observed in nature, for example with wind.

Activity 8: Hand-Reel Fishing – Students will use hand-reels with bait to catch fish and other water-dwelling critters and examine the different species which live in the local environment. They’ll take samples and catch critters from different areas and use scientific tools and equipment to determine whether an environment is healthy or unhealthy.

Activity 9: Crab Catching – Students will be given small clear jars with lids to catch and release crabs in a beautiful wetland environment. Students will be amazed at how many crabs live in this beautiful area. How many will your students find?