Ecosystems are all around us. They provide us with food and water and also support our lifestyles. Understanding them better is the key to managing them more sustainably.
About this website
NSW Ecosystems on Show highlights 14 natural ecosystems found in New South Wales. Each resource has been designed for students investigating ecosystem types in NSW, providing a greater understanding of their location, function, how they are impacted by human activity and how schools and communities can work to protect them. Teachers and students can use NSW Ecosystems on Show in an environmental investigation or as part of an excursion, for example, in preparation for visits to these ecosystems.
Contents
For each ecosystem there is a brief description of its location, main features, plant and animal species that occur there, environmental or cultural significance and associated conservation issues. The NSW Department of Education Environmental Education Centres (EECs) that provide student learning programs in that particular ecosystem are listed.
Use as a source of information
The information in each resource was prepared by staff at one of the Environmental Education Centres listed in the resource. All the photos were taken by staff at the location. Links to further external information has also been provided.
Students can use this information as part of a research or inquiry project. Questions could include the following:
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How does this ecosystem compare with your local environment?
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What was the main ecosystem type/s in their local area before the current human activity?
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How can we preserve the ecosystems that still remain in your local area?
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What actions are required to protect this ecosystem from damage caused by human activity? What part can you and your school community play in this?
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Compare three different ecosystems and explore the different abiotic characteristics they possess. How do these conditions influence what plants and animals can live there?
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Choose an ecosystem and explain how three key species are adapted to living in that environment, by describing structural, physiological and behavioural adaptations.
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Create a detailed food web showing the flow of carbon or nitrogen within one of these ecosystems.
Pre-excursion activities
Students can research the ecosystem they will be investigating or undertaking field work in, to familiarise themselves with features or species they may observe. They could also explore special cultural or conservation aspects of this ecosystem type to support more detailed observations or data collection in the field.
Teachers could focus students with questions such as the following:
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What are the main features of this ecosystem we will observe during our excursion?
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Can you investigate some of the key species we will find and do they have any special relationships with other species?
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Can you describe something about this ecosystem related to the seasons?
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How common is this ecosystem type and where do we find it in NSW?
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Is this ecosystems restricted in its distribution? If so what is the reason: climatic, water availability or are there other reasons?
Ask students to create an identification key to allow them to identify the plants or rocks that they will observe in the environment.
Ask students to prepare a blank map of the area and create a key to mark the different plants they encounter.
Have students design a simple investigation they could undertake to measure the physical conditions of the ecosystem.
Post-excursion activities
Students can use the resources in order to supplement information gathered during their excursion, such as identifying and naming key species. The site may assist students as they research particular conservation issues based they may have been alerted to or observed. Questions could include:
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Can you identify and name some of the main species observed during the excursion?
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What may be other conservation issues related to this ecosystem?
This resource contains information and resources that supports the study of the Living World outcomes from the Science and Technology K-6 Syllabus (2017) and the Science K-10 Syllabus (2012).
Stage 1 and 2 students will need teacher support to access the content.
Science K-10 Syllabus (2012)
Outcomes
A student:
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describes external features, changes in and growth of living things (ST1-10LW1)
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describes ways that different places in the environment provide for the needs of living things (ST1-11LW2)
Content
Living things have a variety of external features. (ACSSU017)
Students:
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describe some external features of a variety of living things, including plants and animals
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use a range of methods, including fieldwork, to identify plants or animals in their local area
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devise simple classification systems based on the observable external features of plants or animals identified in the local area
Living things grow, change and have offspring similar to themselves. (ACSSU030)
Students:
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record the changes in growth of a common plant or animal, using informal units, provided tables and digital technologies as appropriate
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observe and record some of the changes a common plant or animal shows during its life, using an appropriate digital technology, eg a camera
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compare the appearance of adult living things with their offspring, eg trees, insects, birds, reptiles, cats or humans
Living things live in different places where their needs are met. (ACSSU211)
Students:
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observe the different places in a local land or aquatic environment where living things can be found, eg a schoolyard, pond, beach or bush
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explore the needs of a plant or an animal in its environment
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describe how some different places in a local land or aquatic environment provide for the needs of the animals or plants that live there
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observe and record ways people use science knowledge and skills in their daily lives to care for living things, such as gardeners, farmers or pet carers (ACSHE022, ACSHE035)
Outcomes
A student:
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describes that living things have life cycles, can be distinguished from non-living things and grouped, based on their observable features (ST2-10LW3)
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describes ways that science knowledge helps people understand the effect of their actions on the environment and on the survival of living things (ST2-11LW4)
Content
Living things can be grouped on the basis of observable features and can be distinguished from non-living things. (ACSSU044)
Students:
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sort objects according to whether they are living or non-living
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identify some features of living things that distinguish them from non-living things, eg reproducing, growing and responding to stimuli
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identify and use patterns in the observable features of living things to group them, by using tables, diagrams or flowcharts
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research ways that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples classify some plants or animals
Living things have life cycles. (ACSSU072)
Students:
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identify ways that the environment can affect the life cycle of plants and animals
Living things, including plants and animals, depend on each other and the environment to survive. (ACSSU073)
Students:
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identify some factors in the local environment that are needed by plants and animals for survival
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outline the relationship between plants and animals, including that plants are able to use light to make food, while animals must eat plants or other animals to obtain food
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investigate the role of living things in a habitat, eg plants as producers and microbes (micro-organisms) as decomposers
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gather information about some relationships between living things, eg predator-prey, competitors and mutually beneficial relationships
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predict the effect of natural changes in the environment on some relationships between plants and animals, eg drought and fire
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describe some examples of how science knowledge helps people to understand the effect of their actions on the environment and the survival of living things (ACSHE051, ACSHE062)
Outcomes
A student:
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describes how structural features and other adaptations of living things help them to survive in their environment (ST3-10LW5)
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describes some physical conditions of the environment and how these affect the growth and survival of living things (ST3-11LW6)
Content
Living things have structural features and adaptations that help them to survive in their environment. (ACSSU043)
Students:
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observe and describe the structural features of some native Australian animals and plants
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present ideas and explanations about how the structural features and behaviour of some plants and animals help them to survive in their environment, eg shiny surfaces of leaves on sand dune plants and nocturnal behaviour in some animals
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research the conditions needed for a particular plant to grow and survive in its environment, eg an indoor plant, plants in deserts, drought-resistant wheat or salt-tolerant plants
The growth and survival of living things are affected by the physical conditions of their environment. (ACSSU094)
Students:
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identify some physical conditions of a local environment, eg temperature, slope, wind speed, amount of light and water
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make predictions about how changing the physical conditions of the environment impacts on the growth and survival of living things, eg different amounts of light or water on plant growth or the effect of different temperatures on the growth of yeast or bread mould
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use gathered data to develop explanations about how changing the physical conditions of the environment affects the growth and survival of living things
Outcome
A student:
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relates the structure and function of living things to their classification, survival and reproduction (SC4-14LW7)
Content
LW1 There are differences within and between groups of organisms; classification helps organise this diversity. (ACSSU111)
Students:
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identify reasons for classifying living things
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classify a variety of living things based on similarities and differences in structural features
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use simple keys to identify a range of plants and animals
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identify some examples of groups of micro-organisms
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outline the structural features used to group living things, including plants, animals, fungi and bacteria
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explain how the features of some Australian plants and animals are adaptations for survival and reproduction in their environment
LW5 Science and technology contribute to finding solutions to conserving and managing sustainable ecosystems.
Students:
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construct and interpret food chains and food webs, including examples from Australian ecosystems
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describe interactions between organisms in food chains and food webs, including producers, consumers and decomposers (ACSSU112)
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describe examples of beneficial and harmful effects that micro-organisms can have on living things and the environment
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predict how human activities can affect interactions in food chains and food webs, including examples from Australian land or marine ecosystems (ACSSU112)
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explain, using examples, how scientific evidence and/or technological developments contribute to developing solutions to manage the impact of natural events on Australian ecosystems
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describe how scientific knowledge has influenced the development of practices in agriculture, eg animal husbandry or crop cultivation to improve yields and sustainability, or the effect of plant-cloning techniques in horticulture
Outcome
A student:
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analyses interactions between components and processes within biological systems (SC5-14LW8)
Content
LW2 Conserving and maintaining the quality and sustainability of the environment requires scientific understanding of interactions within, the cycling of matter and the flow of energy through ecosystems.
Students:
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recall that ecosystems consist of communities of interdependent organisms and abiotic components of the environment (ACSSU176)
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outline using examples how matter is cycled through ecosystems such as nitrogen (ACSSU176)
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describe how energy flows through ecosystems, including input and output through food webs (ACSSU176)
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analyse how changes in some biotic and abiotic components of an ecosystem affect populations and/or communities
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assess ways that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples' cultural practices and knowledge of the environment contribute to the conservation and management of sustainable ecosystems
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evaluate some examples in ecosystems, of strategies used to balance conserving, protecting and maintaining the quality and sustainability of the environment with human activities and needs
Science and Technology K-6 Syllabus (2017)
Outcomes
A student:
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observes, questions and collects data to communicate and compare ideas (ST1-1WS-S)
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uses materials, tools and equipment to develop solutions for a need or opportunity (ST1-2DP-T)
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describes observable features of living things and their environments (ST1-4LW-S)
Content
External features of living things
Inquiry question: What are the external features of living things?
Students:
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describe the external features of a variety of living things (ACSSU017)
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identify and group plants and animals using their external features, for example, native and introduced plants and animals, worms, insects, fish, reptiles, birds and mammals
Living things live in different places
Inquiry question: How can we improve a local environment to encourage living things to thrive?
Students:
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identify that living things live in different places that suit their needs (ACSSU211)
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design and produce an environment to cater for the needs of a living thing, for example, encourage the growth of a plant, encourage the return of a living thing to a local habitat
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recognise that people use science and technology in their daily lives, including when caring for their environment and living things (ACSHE022, ACSHE035)
Living things change
Inquiry question: How do living things change as they grow?
Students:
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explore how living things grow, change and have offspring similar to themselves (ACSSU030)
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record the changes in growth of a common plant or animal, using uniform informal units and appropriate technologies
Outcomes
A student:
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questions, plans and conducts scientific investigations, collects and summarises data and communicates using scientific representations (ST2-1WS-S)
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selects and uses materials, tools and equipment to develop solutions for a need or opportunity (ST2-2DP-T)
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compares features and characteristics of living and non-living things (ST2-4LW-S)
Content
Classification of living things
Inquiry question: How can we group living things?
Students:
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collect data and identify patterns to group living things according to their external features, and distinguish them from non-living things (ACSSU044)
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identify that science involves making predictions and describing patterns and relationships (ACSHE050, ACSHE061)
Life cycles of living things
Inquiry question: What are the similarities and differences between the life cycles of living things?
Students:
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identify that living things have life cycles (ACSSU072)
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conduct an investigation into the life cycle of plants and/or animals (ACSSU072)
Survival of living things
Inquiry question: How are environments and living things interdependent?
Students:
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describe how living things depend on each other and the environment to survive, for example, bees and flowers, birds eat and disperse seeds (ACSSU073)
Outcomes
A student:
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plans and conducts scientific investigations to answer testable questions, and collects and summarises data to communicate conclusions (ST3-1WS-S)
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plans and uses materials, tools and equipment to develop solutions for a need or opportunity (ST3-2DP-T)
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examines how the environment affects the growth, survival and adaptation of living things (ST3-4LW-S)
Content
Growth and survival of living things
Inquiry question: How do physical conditions affect the survival of living things?
Students:
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plan and conduct a fair test to show the conditions needed for a particular plant or animal to grow and survive in its environment (ACSSU094)
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describe how changing physical conditions in the environment affect the growth and survival of living things, for example, Aboriginal Peoples’ use of fire-stick farming, temperature of water in aquatic environments
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test predictions by gathering data and use evidence to develop explanations of events and phenomena (ACSHE081, ACSHE098)
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understand that scientific and technological knowledge is used to solve problems and inform personal and community decisions (ACSHE083, ACSHE100)
Adaptations of living things
Inquiry question: How do the structural and behavioural features of living things support survival?
Students:
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describe adaptations as existing structures or behaviours that enable living things to survive in their environment
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describe the structural and/or behavioural features of some native Australian animals and plants and why they are considered to be adaptations, for example, shiny surfaces of leaves on desert plants, rearward facing pouch of a burrowing wombat, spines on an echidna
This resource contains information and resources that support selected outcomes in the Geography K-10 Syllabus in the focus areas: Stage 1 Features of places, Stage 2 The Earth’s environment, Stage 3 Factors that shape places and Stage 5 Environmental change and management.
Stage 1 and 2 students will need teacher support to access the content.
Geography K-10 Syllabus (2015)
Features of places outcomes
A student:
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describes features of places and the connections people have with places (GE1-19)
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identifies ways in which people interact with and care for places (GE1-210)
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communicates geographical information and uses geographical tools for inquiry (GE1-311)
Content
Features of places
Students:
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investigate features of places and how they can be cared for, for example: (ACHGK005)
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description of the natural and human features of places
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discussion of the natural features of places identified in Aboriginal Dreaming stories and/or Legends of the Torres Strait
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consideration of how a place can be cared for eg a park, farm, beach, bushland
Weather and seasons
Students:
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investigate the weather and seasons of places, for example: (ACHGK006)
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description of the daily and seasonal weather patterns of a familiar place
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comparison of the daily and seasonal weather patterns of places
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examination of how different cultural groups, including Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Peoples, describe weather, seasons or seasonal calendars
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discussion of how weather can affect places and activities eg leisure, farming
The Earth’s environment outcomes
A student:
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examines features and characteristics of places and environments(GE2-112)
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describes the ways people, places and environments interact(GE2-213)
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examines differing perceptions about the management of places and environments(GE2-314)
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acquires and communicates geographical information using geographical tools for inquiry(GE2-415)
Content
Different environments
Students:
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investigate the natural characteristics of Australia and a country in Asia, for example: (ACHGK020)
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comparison of climate, natural vegetation and native animals
Significance of environments
Students:
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investigate the importance of natural vegetation and natural resources to the environment, animals and people, for example: (ACHGK021, ACHGK022, ACHGK024)
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identification of types of natural vegetation eg forests, grasslands, deserts
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explanation of the importance of natural vegetation to animals and the functioning of the environment eg provision of habitats, production of oxygen
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discussion of the importance of natural vegetation and natural resources to people eg provision of food, medicine, fuel, timbers, fibres, metals
Perception of environments
Students:
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investigate the ways people, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, value environments, for example: (ACHGK022, ACHGK023, ACHGK024)
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discussion of why people value environments differently eg cultural, agricultural, commercial and recreational values
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description of how custodial responsibility for Country/Place influences Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ views of the environment
Protection of environments
Students:
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investigate sustainable practices that protect environments, including those of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, for example: (ACHGK023, ACHGK024, ACHGK025)
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examination of how environments can be used sustainably eg sustainable agricultural, commercial, recreational practices
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discussion of ways waste can be managed sustainably
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examination of how the practices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples support the sustainable use of environments eg use of resources
Factors that shape places outcomes
A student:
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describes the diverse features and characteristics of places and environments (GE3-116)
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explains interactions and connections between people, places and environments (GE3-217)
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compares and contrasts influences on the management of places and environments (GE3-318)
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acquires, processes and communicates geographical information using geographical tools for inquiry (GE3-419)
Content
Factors that change environments
Students:
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investigate the ways people change the natural environment in Australia and another country, for example: (ACHGK026, ACHGK027)
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examination of how people, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, have influenced each country’s environmental characteristics eg land clearing
Humans shape places
Students:
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investigate how people influence places, for example: (ACHGK029)
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description of who organises and manages places eg local and state governments
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identification of ways people influence places and contribute to sustainability eg roads and services, building development applications, local sustainability initiatives
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examination of a local planning issue; the different views about it and a possible action in response to it
Environmental change and management outcomes
A student:
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explains processes and influences that form and transform places and environments (GE5-220)
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analyses the effect of interactions and connections between people, places and environments (GE5-321)
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accounts for perspectives of people and organisations on a range of geographical issues (GE5-422)
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assesses management strategies for places and environments for their sustainability (GE5-523)
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acquires and processes geographical information by selecting and using appropriate and relevant geographical tools for inquiry (GE5-724)
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communicates geographical information to a range of audiences using a variety of strategies (GE5-825)
Content
Environments
Students:
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investigate the role and importance of natural environments, for example:
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identification of the function of natural environments in supporting life eg maintaining biodiversity
Environmental change
Students:
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investigate human-induced environmental changes across a range of scales, for example: (ACHGK070)
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brief examination of types, and extent, of environmental change
Environmental management
Students:
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investigate environmental management, including different worldviews and the management approaches of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, for example: (ACHGK071, ACHGK072)
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discussion of varying environmental management approaches and perspectives
Investigative study
Select ONE type of environment in Australia as the context for a comparative study with at least ONE other country.
Students:
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investigate the biophysical processes essential to the functioning of the selected environment
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explanation of how the biophysical processes operating in the environment maintain its functioning
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investigate the causes, extent and consequences of the environmental change (ACHGK073)
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examination of the causes and extent of change to the environment in each country
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analysis of the short and long-term consequences of the environmental change in each country
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investigate the management of the environmental change, for example: (ACHGK074, ACHGK075)
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discussion of the factors influencing the management responses in each country eg worldviews, competing demands, technology, climate change
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comparison and evaluation of the effectiveness of the management responses in achieving environmental sustainability
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proposal of how individuals could contribute to achieving environmental sustainability for the environment in each country
All Science and Geography syllabus outcomes are copyright NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) 201726.
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This resource was initially developed by the NSW Department of Education to celebrate the Department's Year of Learning for Sustainability 2010.
Links
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