Topic: Fighting Extinction (Year 9)

Unit overview:
In this unit, students will be exploring the current status of the endangered
animals on Earth. Through their research and exploration, they will develop a
deeper insight of biodiversity and the structure of ecosystems, and understand
how animals rely on its external environment, habitat, for survival. Destruction to
the natural environment can directly or indirectly threaten them and push them
towards extinction.
An excursion to Healesville Sanctuary and join their Fighting Extinction
Challenge program will help students to gain empirical understanding of the
challenges that the wildlife animals are currently facing.
The unit is consists of one major assessments (two parts) and several minor
tasks. Students will construct a physical model that represent the natural habitat
of a living animal using recycled materials and creating a short video to promote
the theme of Fighting Extinction. The minor tasks along the unit serve to guide
students thinking process and building their content knowledge for constructing
the model and making the video.
Furthermore, this course will equip students with skills in using ICT techniques to
collect, sort and analysis their data. They will also learn to synthesize and
present their ideas using ICT.

AusVLES:
Cross-curriculum priority: Sustainability
OI.1 The biosphere is a dynamic system providing conditions that sustain life on
Earth.
OI.2 All life forms, including human life, are connected through ecosystems on
which they depend for their wellbeing and survival.
OI. 3 Sustainable patterns of living rely on the interdependence of healthy social,
economic and ecological systems.
OI. 4 World views that recognise the dependence of living things on healthy
ecosystems, and value diversity and social justice are essential for achieving
sustainability.
OI. 5 The sustainability of ecological, social and economic systems is achieved
through informed individual and community action that values local and global
equity and fairness across generations into the future.
OI. 6 Actions for a more sustainable future reflect values of care, respect and
responsibility, and require us to explore and understand environments.
OI. 9 Sustainable futures result from actions designed to preserve and/or restore
the quality and uniqueness of environments.
The Humanities - Geography

As students work towards the achievement of Level 10 standards in Geography,

they develop knowledge about the operation of one of the major natural systems
that are part of the biosphere and atmosphere; for example, the hydrologic
cycle, plate tectonics or the weather. Students investigate the interaction of
human activities with the natural environment through a study of issues such as
global warming and climate change, land degradation and desertification, and air
and water pollution. Students develop skills to evaluate the factors contributing
to the development of these issues, identify strategies to address them and
explore ways of managing them.
Students investigate the characteristics of development that occur across the
globe. They use an inquiry-based approach to explore how combinations of
various physical and human factors interact to produce observable and
sometimes predictable patterns at local, regional and global scales. Students
examine global patterns of development, considering classifications used by
United Nation agencies, Non Government Organisations (NGOs) and other
organisations, and evaluating the relevance of such classifications at global,
national, regional and local scales.
Students research at least two development topics and the impact of
globalisation in creating and reducing differences in development levels, for
example, through technology transfers, resource use, and indebtedness.
Examples of development topics include: poverty; the links between food,
hunger and technology; and the social and economic consequences of
development in creating rapidly growing cities, mega cities, informal settlements
and rural depopulation.
Students investigate and learn to evaluate the impact and/or effectiveness of
development-related projects, policies and strategies (such as large-scale water
projects, tourism, the use of foreign aid, social reform and population control) on
physical and human landscapes, locally, nationally and globally. They apply their
knowledge and understanding to provide explanations and justify
recommendations about local, national and global situations related to
development, and their impact on living standards. They reflect on plans of
action and past actions, considering the value positions underlying them,
including a commitment to the principles of sustainability.
Students undertake field investigations in the local area to gather, collate,
analyse and evaluate data relating to the natural environment. They collect
evidence from the fieldwork site to explain and predict the effects of natural
processes and human activities on the environment, including consideration of
the ways people respond to change. Students develop a policy for the
management of a local issue, including consideration of Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander communities. Students apply geographical techniques, including
representation of multi-variable data and complex mapping operations, to
interpret environmental change and research, discriminfate, evaluate and
present arguments using electronic and other formats.

Information and Communications Technology

As students work towards the achievement of Level 10 standards in Information
and Communications Technology, they use complex ICT tools and techniques to

visually represent, model, reframe and refine their thinking to assist in

developing new understanding. For example, they can represent causal
reasoning by using graphic organisers such as cause-and-effect diagrams,
influence diagrams and explore and represent the interdependence between
different components of a situation by using expert systems, spreadsheets and
microworlds. By changing the values of some variable components, students can
visualise the effect of these on the constant components to assist their
understanding.
In addition to recording and evaluating the decisions and actions taken when
developing new understanding and solving problems, students learn to assess
their suitability for new situations and make adaptations where necessary.
Working in real and virtual teams, students collaboratively develop conventions
for storing and presenting information (such as style guides, filenames, file
structure, file access rights) to create information products and solve problems
set in real-world contexts in all areas of the curriculum. They investigate threats
to data security, such as accidental loss (failure to follow file management
procedures), stealing (files from a network), and data corruption by viruses and
hackers. This investigation could focus on the preventative actions taken by
businesses within the local community to protect their data and information.
They apply ICT techniques and privacy law principles to protect individual and
team files from unauthorised access and accidental damage.
Students, individually and in teams, use ICT to make detailed project plans that
sequence tasks to be done, resources needed and timelines for completion. They
annotate these plans to explain changes made during the execution of tasks.
When selecting hardware and software for each task, students consider the
capabilities and limitations of these tools and recognise that their choice is
influenced by the characteristics of the data to be manipulated. Students
consider new or emerging ICT used in workplaces, and how their new capabilities
would change the way students process data and information when developing
information products.
Students consistently apply commonly accepted ict presentation conventions
and use efficient procedures and techniques to solve problems, and create
quality information products that fulfil their purpose. For example, templates,
macros and keyboard shortcuts reduce the time taken to process data and
increase the accuracy of creating solutions and products. Also, using checklists
helps confirm the completeness of products and proofreading assists in detecting
typographical and readability errors.
Students accept and respect differences in others approaches to using ICT for
solving problems and designing products, and respect cultural diversity among
users of ICT; for example, using icons on a website to indicate functions such as
print and mail, which are universally recognised, and using symbols that are not
offensive to different cultures. Students use ICT techniques to make their
information products accessible to a wide audience, taking into account special
needs. For example, providing options to view a website in different font sizes
assists visually impaired people, and transcripts of audio material assist the
hearing impaired.

Students develop criteria to evaluate their own and others work and use them to
assess quality and the extent to which the purpose is fulfilled. For example,
students compare the quality of their website with a commercial one, taking into
account the knowledge and skills typical of professional website designers.
Students build on skills developed in previous levels to share ideas with the
teacher and others through a range of electronic communication means such as
email, contributing to forums, SMS messaging, and interacting with websites
such as Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page), which allow viewers
to make modifications to the content. Students expand their skills in locating
information on websites by using general and specialised directories. They refine
their searching techniques to get more precise results by using within suitable
search engines, proximity operators, which specify where one term in a
document must appear in relation to another term. They develop knowledge and
understanding about the ethical use of ICT through practical experience,
observation of their own and others behaviour, and by researching strategies for
protecting vulnerable users from accessing or receiving unwanted information
from the Internet.

Science

Multi-cellular organisms rely on coordinated and interdependent internal

systems to respond to changes to their environment (ACSSU175)
Ecosystems consist of communities of interdependent organisms and
abiotic components of the environment; matter and energy flow through
these systems (ACSSU176)
Scientific understanding, including models and theories, are contestable
and are refined over time through a process of review by the scientific
community (ACSHE157)
The values and needs of contemporary society can influence the focus of
scientific research (ACSHE228)
Plan, select and use appropriate investigation methods, including field
work and laboratory experimentation, to collect reliable data; assess risk
and address ethical issues associated with these methods (ACSIS165)
Analyse patterns and trends in data, including describing relationships
between variables and identifying inconsistencies (ACSIS169)
Evaluate conclusions, including identifying sources of uncertainty and
possible alternative explanations, and describe specific ways to improve
the quality of the data (ACSIS171)
Communicate scientific ideas and information for a particular purpose,
including constructing evidence-based arguments and using appropriate
scientific language, conventions and representations (ACSIS174)

English

Identify how vocabulary choices contribute to specificity, abstraction and

stylistic effectiveness (ACELA1561)

Explain how authors creatively use the structures of sentences and

clauses for particular effects (ACELA1557)
Interpret, analyse and evaluate how different perspectives of issue, event,
situation, individuals or groups are constructed to serve specific purposes
in texts (ACELY1742)
Explore and explain the combinations of language and visual choices that
authors make to present information, opinions and perspectives in
different texts (ACELY1745)
Create imaginative, informative and persuasive texts that present a point
of view and advance or illustrate arguments, including texts that integrate
visual, print and/or audio features (ACELY1746)
Plan, rehearse and deliver presentations, selecting and sequencing
appropriate content and multimodal elements for aesthetic and playful
purposes(ACELY1741)

Mathematics

Investigate reports of surveys in digital media and elsewhere for

information on how data were obtained to estimate population means and
medians(ACMSP227)
Identify everyday questions and issues involving at least one numerical
and at least one categorical variable, and collect data directly from secondary
sources (ACMSP228)

ICT:
Video software

Powtoon
Animated power-point
or students own choice
Will be published on YouTube copyright issues of the resources/material
use

Simulation Games

WolfQuest
Habitat game

Data collection & analysis

Internet Beware of copyright issues and how to filter useful information

out of internet
Fishbone graph/mind map
Organization of project timeline and checklist

Communication
An online forum/discussion board will be provided to students for them to post,
exchange and discuss information (weebly site)

Students will need to form communication and submit their work

electronically to teacher using E-mail

Activity:

Analysis of Fighting extinction campaign

Visit to Melbourne Zoo
Fighting Extinction Challenge
Model construction of selected animal habitat

Assessment:
Formative
-

Log book -> students will need to record their progress each week, and
submit this electronically to teacher on weekly basis
Mandatory forum contributions Students are expected to have
contribution in the forum discussion (specific questions will be provided to
prompt the thinking process of the students)

Summative
Group project
-

Model construction of the natural habitat of the selected animals using

recycled materials
A 3 to 5-min-video promoting the importance of fighting extinction

15 Lessons
Assess of prior knowledge + instruction to the unit - Engage & Initiate Explore
(2 Lessons)
Introduction
o Collection of images of endangered animals given to, one animal
will be given to each group randomly students develop a short
concept map around the animal itself
o Introduce the term Biodiversity
o let students to be appreciated with the richness of Biodiversity on
Earth
o Go through the collection of images given, and introduce the term
extinction
KWL on the terms extinction and endangered animal activity to
assess students prior knowledge
A short video on current status of some of the endangered animals
https://youtu.be/hThzeRIiiJU
(ACSIS174) (ACSHE228)
(ACELA1561)(ACELY1745)
Ask students to provide a short response to the idea of animals facing
extinction (submitted on the forum)
Watch the National geographic documentary on endangered animals
Wildlife Documentaries 2015: The Most Endangered Animals
(ACSSU175) (ACSSU176)
(ACELY1745) (ACELA1561)

Model construction - Explore, Explain & Elaborate (8 lessons - 6 lessons + 1

excursion (a double) )
Research project in pair develop a draft fishbone diagram using
SmartDraw (free software) (submit through E-mail) (10%)
Students will need to consider the current situation (with numeric
figures)of selected endangered species (one in each pair, each
representing a particular habitat), the natural causes, human causes,
impacts on Biodiversity, and how do we need to deal with it
(ACSHE228) (ACSIS171) (ACSIS174)
(ACMSP227) (ACMSP228)
(ACELY1746) (ACELY1742) (ACELA1561)
Excursion Melbourne ZOO Finding extinction program
(ACSIS165) (ACSSU175) (ACSSU176) (ACSIS174)
(ACELY1742)
(ACMSP227) (ACMSP228)
10 minutes to plan out a short presentation on their findings from last
lesson
Each pair will spend 3 mins to present their findings (10 %)
Confine their focus on human caused exaction and explore how growth
of human population contributes to extinction of animals
(ACSSU175) (ACSSU176) (ACSIS174) (ACSIS171)
(ACELY1741)
Whole-class brain-storming on human activities we went through in the
last lesson
In the same pair, students will construct a timeline (10%) representing
how increasing human activity over time threaten the particular animal
in their first research project
Commencing on their plans of model making (Part A of the standout
activity)
(ACSIS169) (ACSSU175) (ACSSU176) (ACSIS174) (ACSIS171)
(ACELA1561)
(ACMSP227) (ACMSP228)k
Finalise the draft plan for model construction and submit it through Email
Model making
Model making
Model making submission
Creation of animation Elaborate (4 lessons)
Explore the ideas around fighting extinction (investigate & compare
posters and campaigns promoting fighting extinction)
In the same pair, construct a short text or concept map to summarize
the main message behind the posters and campaigns as well as taking
notes on how the message is conveyed with the use of visual text
(ACSIS171) (ACSIS174) (ACSHE157)
(ACELA1561) (ACELA1557) (ACELY1742) (ACELY1745)

Commencing on video making (standout activity Part B)

Develop a draft script and submit using E-mail

(ACSIS171) (ACSIS174) (ACSHE228)
(ACELA1561) (ACELA1557) (ACELY1742) (ACELY1745) (ACELY1746) (ACELY1741)
Video making
Video making Submission publication on YouTube

Peer assessment & Chill Evaluate ( 1 lesson)

Organize the classroom in a more relax manner (bringing some snacks
and drink)
Animation from each pair will be played and assessed by other pairs in
the classroom (rubric will be provided to students)
Models will be in displayed as well, but not peer assessed
Stage in E5 instructional model: Elaborate.
Part A - Model construction (30%.... 10% plan draft + 20% model
making)
Objections:
This task is designed to help students to integrate the content knowledge
they have been learning
Students will construct a model representing the natural habitat of
selected animals (the one they investigated in the research activity) using
the recycled materials. Through the construction of the models, students
are required to consider the natural environment of the animals habitat,
the essential resources for its survival and the interaction of the animal
with its surrounding. (OI.1, OI. 2, ACSSU176, ACSIS165). This must be
included in their draft plan, and can be either a short paragraph or bullet
point form.
With the specific use of recycled materials, it helps to raise the awareness
of environmental sustainability and the importance of recycling within the
students (OI. 4, OI. 5, OI.6, OI.7). A short discussion focusing recycling and
our environment can be carried out to guide students thinking process
while develop vocabularies in this particular topic (ACSHE228, ACSIS174,
ACELA1561, ACELY1742).
Materials:

Students will need to specify the materials required in their plan. They are
expected to use recycled materials, but exceptions can be negotiated with
teacher.
Teacher will organise majority of the recycled material as well as
stationaries (scissors, glues, sticky tapes and colouring equipment).
Free online animal natural habitat simulating games can be used to guide
students thoughts

Preparation:

Students must complete both of their research tasks (fishbone and

timeline) and submit them prior to this particular activity.
Excursion is highly recommended but not mandatory to this activity
Teachers will communicate and organize with school to collect the recycled
materials and students are also responsible to prepare another other
materials they need.
Teacher must clearly inform students that they will be using their model as
an example in Part B, and, therefore, it is essential for them to complete
the model with in the time frame (around 3 lessons).

Example of the final results:

Part B Animation or Video (30% ... 10% script + 20% video)

Objections:
Students create a 3-5 minutes short video or animation promoting the message
of Fighting extinction. They are expected to use the animal and the habitat
model they made in Part A as an example to illustrate or explain how human
activities have damaged their natural habitats and threatened their survival. In
their video, they will include an action that we can take to protect the
endangered species or restore the biodiversity or protect the natural
environment.
Their final video will be uploaded to YouTube, therefore, it is important for them
to develop internet ethics and a strong sense of copyright.
Materials / Software

Students will be using video making software in this task. The software used
will be their own choice. Powtoon and Powerpoint will be recommended to
those who do not have a preferred software in mind.
Camera or other filming equipment will be organized with library or ICT
department if necessary

Preparation

Teachers must be familiar with the use of video making software, Powtoon
and Powerpoint at least.
Prior to the actually video making, students need to submit a draft script for
the video
Internet ethic and copyright should be emphasized and re-introduced to the
student

Video Demo
Powtoon - https://youtu.be/_uiMEt9ElIk
Powerpoint - https://youtu.be/XVV9D6rvqN4