Year 8 Zoo Creature Inquiry
By Lisa Dixon | Posted: Thursday April 14, 2016
This term our Year 8 integrated topic was called SURVIVOR. The main focus of this unit was to look at habitats, structures and adaptations for survival of both plants and animals. We also looked at classification of species and what features they have in common. After looking at a number of contexts including Rocky Seashore creatures and animals and plants in the Rainforest, the students had six weeks to work through the ASPIRE inquiry process to create their own plant or animal.
This involved a lot of research and planning firstly for their habitat that they wished to design for. They had to research plants and animals and conditions of that habitat to get ideas for their own creature. This lead onto the planning and writing up of all their ideas for a NEWLY DISCOVERED SPECIES which they invented. At school they worked closely with their teachers to talk through their ideas following guidelines on classification, food webs, adaptations and ideas for their animal or plant. At home they worked on the making and creating of their animal/plant and habitat. This inquiry was engaging and motivating for students who celebrated their learning by setting up and presenting to their parents and families at our Balmac Zoo night last Wednesday. Yet again we were blown away by the imagination, creativity, choice and challenge that our students displayed with skills in problem solving, critical thinking and synthesizing of all their learning in our integrated theme. Thank you to all the parents and caregivers who supported them throughout this term.
Ms Dixon
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