Meet River Animals

Overview

In this first lesson of the eight-part Collie River Animal Guardians unit, students are introduced to animals that live in or around the Collie River. They use photographs, a map and short information texts to identify local species, group them by habitat and locate the river in Western Australia.

Learning intentions

• WALT identify animals that live in or around the Collie River.
• WALT describe where local animals live.
• WALT group animals according to their habitat.
• WALT locate the Collie River on a map and use scientific vocabulary to share findings.

Success criteria

• I can name at least five animals that live in or around the Collie River.
• I can group animals by habitat, such as water, riverbank, woodland or wetland.
• I can locate and label the Collie River on a map.
• I can describe one animal’s habitat using a complete sentence.

Curriculum links

• Science: creating informative texts to communicate findings and ideas using scientific vocabulary and digital tools where appropriate.
• HASS: explaining the importance of environments and water sources to people and animals in Australia.
• English: planning and delivering an organised oral or multimodal report using relevant facts, technical vocabulary and appropriate speaking skills.
• Western Australian Curriculum general capabilities: literacy, critical and creative thinking, personal and social capability, and ethical understanding.

Lesson structure (60 minutes)

1. 0–7 min · Hook and prior knowledge. Teacher displays a striking image of the Collie River and asks, “What animals might depend on this river, even if we cannot see them?” using the river image and opening question. Students silently observe, then share predictions with a partner and contribute ideas to a class list.

2. 7–15 min · Locate the river. Teacher uses the Western Australia and Collie River map slides to identify Western Australia, the South West region, Collie and the river, briefly explaining that a river environment includes water, banks, nearby vegetation and connected habitats. Students locate the river on the Collie River animal investigation sheet, mark it on the map and add a compass direction or nearby place they recognise.

3. 15–25 min · Meet local animals. Teacher introduces photographs and short, age-appropriate information about local examples such as frogs, waterbirds, parrots, fish, freshwater turtles, dragonflies and other insects, using the local animal photograph and fact slides. Students listen for key information, repeat selected scientific words such as habitat, riverbank, wetland, vegetation and species, and record or draw at least five animals on their worksheet.

4. 25–40 min · Pair habitat sort. Teacher models sorting one animal by asking, “What evidence tells us where it lives?” and displays the habitat sorting model and instructions. In mixed-ability pairs, students examine the animal photographs and fact cards on their worksheet, then group animals into water, riverbank, wetland and nearby woodland or bushland habitats; students may place an animal in more than one group when justified.

5. 40–52 min · Share and explain. Teacher facilitates a class check, inviting pairs to justify one choice using the frame “The ___ lives in/around ___ because ___.” Students compare groupings, correct misconceptions and complete the sentence on their worksheet describing one animal and its habitat. The teacher checks that students distinguish between an animal’s habitat and its food.

6. 52–60 min · Plenary and exit response. Teacher revisits the success criteria with the recap and reflection slides and asks students to show, say or write one new fact. Students complete the worksheet exit response: name five local animals, identify one habitat group and label the Collie River on the map; selected students share their response aloud.

Resources

• the Collie River animals introduction deck
• the Collie River animal investigation sheet
• Projector or interactive whiteboard
• Class map of Western Australia and the Collie region
• Local animal photographs and short fact cards
• Pencils, coloured pencils and highlighters
• Large-print copies and headphones or a text-to-speech device
• Optional local Country/Place information approved by the school or relevant community source

Assessment

• Listen to partner predictions and questioning during the hook to identify prior knowledge and misconceptions.
• Observe pair sorting and ask students to explain the evidence for their habitat choices; record students who need support naming animals or using habitat vocabulary.
• Collect the worksheet exit response to check the three key outcomes: naming animals, grouping by habitat and locating the Collie River.

Differentiation

• Provide labelled picture cards, a visual word bank, colour-coded habitat headings, sentence starters and a completed example for students requiring support.
• Use mixed-ability pairs, read fact cards aloud, allow oral or scribed responses, and accept labelled drawings before expecting extended writing.
• For dyslexia-friendly access, use large-print sans-serif text, short fact cards, clear spacing, uncluttered pages, audio reading and text-to-speech. Avoid requiring students to copy large amounts of text.
• Support EAL/D learners with gestures, photographs, repeated vocabulary, partner rehearsal and home-language discussion where helpful. Challenge confident students to justify an animal’s place in more than one habitat using evidence.

Extension

• Students research an additional Collie River species using a teacher-approved source and share one interesting fact with the class.
• Students add the species to the habitat groups and explain why its habitat is important for survival.