Year level: 4-12
Group size: 20
Duration: up to 1.5 hours
Details of activity
The aquarium has a large range of tanks, and displays organisms that come from freshwater, estuarine and various marine environments. Teachers choose a theme or focus (see learning intent below) to suit the group.
Session is usually divided into 3 parts- first involves a general look by students using specimen cards as an engager; second is a guided tour and feeding of selected organisms to suit the theme; third is a hands on touch tank experience and use of a video microscope to view in detail an array of amazing features of some of the animals.
Good behaviour is strictly enforced, and there must be an adult, preferably a teacher, in this area with Centre staff. Questions are encouraged, and a quick summary and feedback wind up of the session is held at the end.
Learning intent
- Identify some of the local animals likely to be studied in the subsequent boating activity.
- Identify the adaptations in local animals that enable them to survive in this specialised environment.
- Handle animals carefully with respect to the safety of the animal and the handler.
- Deliver aquarium program by theme e.g. Adaptations or Life Cycles for Year 5, Sustainability for Year 6,
- Classifications for Year 7 to 12 or default theme to be prep for boating day.
- Become aware of the use of scientific tools to increase knowledge and understanding of organisms.
Critical & creative thinking
- Inquiring, identifying and exploring and organising information and ideas.
- Generating ideas, possibilities and actions.
- Reflecting on thinking and processes.
- Analysing, synthesising and evaluating reasoning and procedures.