HSIE – Marine Life-Great Barrier Reef

Duration of Unit: Term 3 Weeks 1-10

Outcomes and Indicators
ENS1.5 Compares and contrasts natural and built features in their local area and the ways in which people
interact with these features.
* examines the differences between natural and built features on the Great Barrier Reef
* describes and categorises places on the Great Barrier Reef where people work and live and types of recreational activities
* uses a range of geographical terms to describe location and features of the Great Barrier Reef
* examines the values that people place on natural and built features and places on the Great Barrier Reef
* ENS1.6 Demonstrates an understanding of the relationship between environments and people
* identifies and labels the different features of the Great Barrier Reef
* identifies ways in which people depend on the Great Barrier Reef
* evaluates the effective of human change on the Great Barrier Reef
* shows an interest in environmental issues effecting the Great Barrier
* suggests ways of caring for the Great Barrier Reef
Learning Learning Experiences Teaching Activities Register and
Sequenc Evaluations
e
1 Where is the Great Barrier Reef? * Revisit states of Australia.
* Name the states of Australia. * Ask if anyone knows where the Great Barrier Reef
* Identify coast of Queensland. is. Has anyone been there? If so where?
* Identify length of Great Barrier Reef both * Using Powerpoint The Great Barrier Reef (GBR)
coastal towns, islands and reef. Slide 2-3 identify the area covered by the GBR.
Discuss that the image is taken from out of space
yet you can still see it – why is this significant?
(Size of reef)
or
Download Google Earth and zoom in.
Using map of Qld mark the area of GBR including
coastal towns, islands and major reef sites.
Cape of York Port Douglas, Cairns, Townsvilee,
Mackay, Rockhapmpton, Bundaberg. Magnetic
Island, Whitsundays, Keppel Island, Fraser Island.
Learning Learning Experiences Teaching Activities Register and
Sequenc Evaluations
e
2 World & National Discuss the meanings of World & National
Heritage Listing Discuss the meaning of heritage
* Understand the Discuss the difference between cultural, natural and mixed sites.
significance of World & (Info sheet attached)
National Heritage listing View the list of sites at
* Identify the different http://whc.unesco.org/en/list
types of heritage sites. View location of Australian sites at
* Identify sites in http://www.environment.gov.au/heritage/places/national/index.html
Australia on the World &
National lists. Extension;
* Understand the Discuss what makes GBR a World Heritage Site (criteria vii, viii, ix, x)
importance of Indigenous http://whc.unesco.or/en/criteria
sites.
3 What is the Great KWL Chart – Brainstorm and list all the things they know about the Great
Barrier Reef? Barrier Reef. Discuss all the things they’d like to learn.
* Identify the various View the videos on The Great Barrier Reef
ecosystems associated * http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4HhyHswjlJ8
with the GBR * http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-
* Understand the 8585288891697731581&hl=en#
relationships between the * http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4HhyHswjlJ8
different ecosystems.
Discuss what they saw. Can they add anything to their KWL charts.

Work through the Powerpoint “Coral Reef and their Marine Families” from
Reef IQ
• How Coral Reefs Develop
• Why Coral Reefs are Important
• Threats to the Great Barrier Reef
• Plants on the reef
• Animals that live in the reef
In pairs research a specific animal that lives on the reef and present your
information
(Webquest in Computer Lab -
http://www.reefed.edu.au/home/students/web_quest/discover_me_in_the_sea
)
Learning Learning Teaching Activities Register
Sequenc Experiences and
e Evaluations

4 What problems are • Brainstorm any problems they know that are impacting on the GBR (Coral
affecting the reef? Bleaching, Crown of Thorns, Coral Diseases, Sedimentation, Climate Change,
Water Quality, Physical Damage; tourism, cyclones, rubbish)
• Watch the PowerPoint “Threats and Dangers to Coral Reefs” from Reef IQ
• As a class research the impact of Coral Bleaching
• Watch the animation of Coral Belaching from GBR Marine Park
http://www.reefed.edu.au/home/reefbeat/climate_change_and_our_great_barrier_r
eef
• What causes Coral Bleaching?
• What can we do to assist?
http://reefteach.wordpress.com/courses/climate-change/coral-bleaching/
http://www.gbrmpa.gov.au/corp_site/key_issues/climate_change/what_is_climate_
change
In groups or as a whole class research other problems impacting the GBR.
Assessment Options One or more of the following activites could be used to assess students
knowledge and understanding of the topics covered in this section of the unit.
• Concept Map
• Webquest and Group Presentation
• Quiz
• Group Presentation of specific threat to GBR

Useful Web Addresses

http://www.kidcyber.com.au/topics/barrier_reef.htm
http://www.greatbarrierreef.org/about.php
http://library.thinkquest.org/J002388/gbreef.html
http://www.gbrmpa.gov.au/corp_site/key_issues/tourism/tourism_on_gbr
http://www.gbrmpa.gov.au/corp_site/info_services/library/resources/reef_snapshot
s