Animals of the Collie River

Overview

Students investigate plausible animals and other living things associated with the Collie River and nearby freshwater habitats. They classify examples as producers, consumers or decomposers, then build and explain a simple food chain while predicting what might happen if one part changes.

Learning intentions

Students will:

• identify local river habitat living things, including marron, freshwater fish, frogs, waterbirds, macroinvertebrates and turtles
• explain the roles of producers, consumers and decomposers
• represent feeding relationships in a simple food chain
• pose a question and make a prediction about a change to the food chain
• communicate findings using scientific vocabulary and a labelled model

Success criteria

• I can classify a living thing as a producer, consumer or decomposer and explain why.
• I can arrange a food chain and use arrows to show feeding relationships.
• I can explain what may happen if one living thing is removed or becomes less common.
• I can use the words habitat, producer, consumer, decomposer and food chain correctly.

Curriculum links

• Science understanding: roles and interactions of consumers, producers and decomposers within a habitat; food chains as representations of feeding relationships.
• Science inquiry: posing questions, identifying patterns and making predictions from observations.
• Science inquiry: using a scaffold to investigate a question and considering safe, responsible use of materials and field environments.
• Science inquiry: creating models and informative texts to organise and communicate scientific ideas.

Vocabulary

Habitat, river habitat, producer, consumer, decomposer, food chain, feeding relationship, predator, prey, macroinvertebrate, nutrient, predict.

Lesson structure (60 minutes)

1. 0–7 min · Hook and prior knowledge. Open with the river habitat hook showing a Collie River-style freshwater scene and ask, “What living things might depend on this habitat?” Students think independently, share with a partner, then contribute ideas; clarify that examples are plausible local river animals and that species presence can vary between sites and seasons.

2. 7–17 min · Explicit teaching. Use the producer, consumer and decomposer teaching slides to explain that producers such as algae and aquatic plants make their own food; consumers obtain food from plants or other animals; and decomposers such as fungi and many microscopic organisms break down dead material and return nutrients to the environment. Students help classify pictured examples: aquatic plants or algae, macroinvertebrates, freshwater fish, frogs, marron, waterbirds and turtles. Explain that one animal may eat more than one food, so real habitats contain interconnected food chains.

3. 17–25 min · Guided classification. Display the classification prompt in the sorting discussion slide and distribute the river habitat classification and food-chain sheet. In pairs, students place each pictured organism into producer, consumer or decomposer categories and write one reason for two choices. Pause for a whole-class check, addressing the misconception that decomposers are “rubbish”; they are living things that break down dead matter.

4. 25–43 min · Food-chain modelling. Give each group of five students organism cards or labelled picture cards prepared by the teacher: algae/aquatic plant, macroinvertebrate, freshwater fish, frog, waterbird, marron, turtle and decomposer. Use the modelling instructions and arrow example. Groups construct one plausible chain, for example aquatic plant → macroinvertebrate → freshwater fish → waterbird, and add a decomposer beside the chain to show what happens to dead matter. Students point the arrow from food to eater, label each role and rehearse an explanation. Remind students that the model is a simplified example, not a complete description of every Collie River food relationship.

5. 43–53 min · Predict and explain. Show the scenario on the habitat-change prediction slide: “A food source becomes much less common after a disturbance. What might happen to other organisms?” Students choose one organism in their model, complete the prediction section of the river habitat classification and food-chain sheet, and use the frame: “If ___ decreases, then ___ might ___ because ___.” Partners ask, “What evidence from your food chain supports that prediction?” Invite two groups to share, noting that predictions can differ when they are logically explained.

6. 53–60 min · Plenary and exit ticket. Return to the recap and exit-ticket prompt. Students complete the final three questions on the river habitat classification and food-chain sheet: define one role, draw and label a three-organism food chain with arrows, and predict one possible effect of removing an organism. Collect sheets and ask students to state one new scientific word as they leave.

Resources

• the Collie River habitat lesson deck
• the river habitat classification and food-chain sheet
• Teacher-prepared organism picture or word cards
• Large paper or mini-whiteboards and markers
• Arrow cards or strips of card
• Projector or interactive display
• Pencils, coloured pencils and clipboards if working outdoors
• Optional photographs of freshwater habitats and organisms

Assessment

• Listen during pair classification and check whether students distinguish producers, consumers and decomposers using reasons rather than guesses.
• During modelling, check arrow direction, role labels and students’ oral explanations; question students who place decomposers only at the end of a chain.
• Use the exit ticket to identify whether students can classify, represent a food chain and make a supported prediction. Reteach using a three-organism chain if any of these elements is missing.

Differentiation

• Provide picture-and-word cards, a partially completed chain, colour-coded role labels and sentence starters such as “A producer is…” and “The arrow means…”. Permit oral recording or scribing where writing is a barrier.
• Offer dyslexia-friendly access: use a clear sans-serif font, short lines, generous spacing, high contrast, read worksheet text aloud, provide a digital text-to-speech version and avoid requiring students to copy lengthy definitions.
• For EAL/D learners, pre-teach vocabulary with images, gestures and a bilingual word bank where available. Pair students strategically and accept labelled drawings plus oral explanation.
• Reduce cognitive load for students requiring support by using three organisms first; extend confident students with a branching food web, two possible predators or a comparison of how a change could affect consumers and decomposers.
• Safety and environmental care: this lesson should use photographs, cards or observation from a safe distance. Students must not handle wildlife, collect living specimens, enter the river or disturb habitat. Follow school excursion procedures, supervise near water and wash hands after outdoor observation.

Extension

• Research one plausible Collie River animal and create a short fact card explaining its habitat role, food source and one environmental threat.
• Build a second food chain from the same habitat and compare which organisms could belong to both chains.