Keep it clean
where do bunyips live?
This activity links to the National Profiles, Level 1, Studies of Society and the Environment.
Materials:
The Monster that Ate Canberra or Alexander Bunyip by Michael Salmon, if possible
Cardboard for posters
Magazines to be cut up
Safety scissors
Glue
Colouring-in materials
Image of happy bunyip
Image of sad bunyip
This exercise is an introduction to natural and non-natural environments. The idea is to have students correctly distinguish between naturally occurring elements and man-made or non-natural elements. Bunyips live in billabongs, far away from humans, they cant live in polluted overcrowded areas (ok, Im extrapolating). This is a great starting point to go on to discuss pollution, recycling and things young people can do to preserve our environment.
If possible, use The Monster that Ate Canberra or Alexander Bunyip by Michael Salmon as stimulus material, but if not, any story dealing with an animal unable to cope with environmental change will do.
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Show class images of waterholes
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Brainstorm all the natural elements that may occur in this type of environment
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Make a poster using magazine cut-outs, coloured paper and other materials to describe a natural environment
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Colour in a happy bunyip and stick him in the middle of the poster, this is where a bunyip would live
Brainstorm ways this environment can be changed by adding non-natural elements
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Discuss non-natural elements such as rubbish, lunch wrappers, concrete, carparks, etc.
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Discuss why the bunyip would not like living here. If possible, read The Monster That Ate Canberra by Michael Salmon
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Make a poster using magazine cut-outs, etc. that illustrate a non-natural environment where the bunyip would be unhappy
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Colour in an unhappy bunyip and stick him in the middle of the poster, a bunyip would be unhappy here.
National Profiles Level1, SOSE
Place and Space
A student
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Uses observation to recognise and identify different examples of natural and built features.
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Identifies places that are important to self and others
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Cares for places by taking part in simple routines and projects
Natural and Social Systems
A student
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Identifies some part of natural systems eg, sorts part of an environment into living and non-living
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Identifies places that are important to self and others
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