Adapting for Wildlife

Overview

Students explore how natural vegetation and water sources support people and animals, then focus on city planning choices that help local wildlife. They propose actions for an urban “wildlife-friendly” scenario and explain their reasoning using environment and water terms.

Learning intentions

• Students will identify how vegetation and water in environments support animals and people.
• Students will describe features of a city environment that can be improved for wildlife (habitat, shelter, food, shade).
• Students will propose an action to address an environmental issue in the city and consider possible effects.
• Students will present a short explanation using appropriate environment and water vocabulary.

Success criteria

• I can name at least 2 vegetation or water features that help wildlife survive.
• I can explain how my chosen city change could improve habitat for animals.
• I can propose one action with a likely positive effect and one possible negative effect or trade-off.
• I can communicate my ideas clearly using subject-specific terms.

Curriculum links

• HASS: importance of environments, including natural vegetation and water sources, to people and animals in Australia and on another continent.
• HASS: propose actions or responses to an issue that consider possible effects of actions.
• HASS: present descriptions and explanations using ideas from sources and relevant subject-specific terms.
• Science link for communication: create texts to communicate findings and ideas for identified purposes and audiences using scientific vocabulary.

Lesson structure (45 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Starter: City wildlife focus. Teacher shows (or reads) a short scenario card: “A bird and a possum are living near our school but are losing food and shelter.” Students do a quick turn-and-talk: “What might be missing in the city environment?”

2. 5–12 min · Mini-teach: Vegetation + water, in cities. Teacher draws a simple city map on the board (roads, buildings, park, creek/drain, trees). Students help label how vegetation and water provide habitat, shelter, shade, and food; teacher emphasises water’s importance for sustaining life.

3. 12–20 min · Source-based observation. Teacher provides a set of 3 image cards (choose suitable local examples): a park with native trees, a dry/compacted area with little cover, and a place with stormwater or a creek/drain with vegetation. Students sort into “supports wildlife” / “less helpful” and give one reason using terms like vegetation, habitat, water source, shade, shelter, food, erosion (teacher prompts as needed).

4. 20–32 min · Planning challenge: Adapt the suburb. Teacher introduces the task: “Design one change to make the suburb more wildlife-friendly.” Students work in pairs to complete a “Wildlife Adaptation Planner”:

• Choose a target animal (bird, insect, lizard, possum) from a card list.
• Pick one action (e.g., plant native trees/shrubs, add a water feature like a rain garden, create a small habitat patch, protect a creek edge with vegetation, reduce mowing in a strip).
• Predict possible effects: one likely benefit and one thing to manage (e.g., maintenance needs, keeping pathways safe, avoiding standing water near paths).

5. 32–40 min · Share explanations (scientific-style clarity). Teacher calls for 3–4 pairs to share. Each group must use a sentence frame: “In this city, wildlife needs ___ and ___. We will ___. This could help because ___. We also need to manage ___.” Students listen for correct use of environment/water vocabulary.

6. 40–45 min · Exit ticket: One clear proposal. Students individually write or draw a “final decision” box: action + target animal + one expected effect. Teacher collects for feedback on vocabulary and reasoning.

Resources

• Scenario cards (local wildlife losing habitat/food/shelter)
• Image cards (park/trees, dry area with little cover, creek/stormwater/drain with/without vegetation)
• City map template (simple roads/buildings/park/water)
• “Wildlife Adaptation Planner” worksheet (action, effects, vocabulary prompts)
• Sentence frames on the board
• Coloured pencils for pairing notes
• Timer/clock for structured sharing

Assessment

• Teacher observes pair discussion during sorting and checks students use key ideas: habitat, shelter, food, shade, water source.
• Teacher listens during sharing for a clear explanation and consideration of possible effects (benefit and trade-off/management).
• Exit ticket checks: action chosen, likely effect stated, and correct or near-correct subject-specific vocabulary.

Differentiation

• Support: provide sentence starters and a word bank (vegetation, habitat, water source, shelter, shade, food, erosion, management); offer an example “completed planner” to model.
• Support: allow students to draw instead of write full sentences for the exit ticket.
• Extension: ask students to include a second action and compare which action has the greatest benefit for their chosen animal, or to justify choices with a specific predicted effect.
• EAL/SEN: use visuals for each action option and pre-teach one or two verbs (protect, plant, provide, retain, manage). Partner students strategically.