STEM for Endangered Animals
Ignite Year 3-4 students’ love of STEM through the design of new nesting boxes for possums and parrots.
Term 4 program bookings will be self-guided only (no workshops). Teachers can still access the Teaching Guide resource from this page to support student learning.
Program description
The Leadbeater’s Possum lives in forests close to Melbourne. Each year, the Swift Parrot flies from Tasmania to Victoria. Innovation is key to the survival of these unique and endangered animals. In this program, Year 3-4 students will use their STEM knowledge and skills to help Healesville Sanctuary solve a big challenge, "Scientists need new nest box designs to help Leadbeater's Possums and Swift Parrots".
Your students will conduct research to deepen their understanding. They will work in teams to brainstorm ideas for one animal and choose an idea to prototype and test. This program uses an engineering framework called Design Thinking and you don't need any special materials.
Students will learn:
- The features and basic needs of Australian animals
- How scientists use STEM to help animals survive in the wild
- STEM skills such as scientific observation and engineering
- Creative thinking and problem solving skills
Program sequence
Connect
Use the activities in the Teaching Guide (below) to spark students’ curiosity before their zoo visit. Read through the Design Brief with students to introduce them to the big challenge.
Connect and Understand
Students will conduct research and use their scientific observation skills to deepen their understanding of Australian animals and nesting boxes.
Your zoo visit will include: Introduction (for arrivals between 9:50am-10:10am), Healesville Sanctuary Teacher workshop (40 minutes), Spirits of the Sky presentation and keeper talks. Check out your Teaching Guide for other ideas of what to do at the zoo.
Understand
Use activities in the Teaching Guide to deepen students’ learning back at school.
Act
Use the Teaching Guide to bring design ideas to life and enable students to master their knowledge and skills in real-world contexts.
Program maps and itineraries
Digital maps will be provided to you on the day.
Program resources
Learning outcomes
Victorian Curriculum 3-4
Science knowledge helps people understand the effects of their actions (VCSSU056)
- Students will learn how Recovery Team scientists evaluate human and environmental impact on endangered animals
Different living things have different life cycles and depend on each other and the environment to survive (VCSSU058)
- Students will learn about what environmental conditions help animals thrive in the wild
Generate, develop, and communicate design ideas and decisions using appropriate technical terms and graphical representation techniques (VCDSCD029)
- Students will use Design Thinking to generate, grow and test their ideas for animal conservation
Investigate a range of problem-solving strategies, including brainstorming, identifying, comparing and selecting options, and developing and testing hypotheses (VCCCTM020)
- Students will learn how to use each stage of Design Thinking to develop their own creative solutions
Plan your excursion
STEM for Endangered Animals is an outdoor all-weather program; the students will need appropriate clothing for weather conditions. This could include a raincoat, hat and sun protection.
Bring what students need to record their research e.g. notes, drawings, photographs, videos, voice memos, diagrams.
School groups will enter Healesville Sanctuary via the Main Entrance. Organising teachers please check in with our Admissions team upon arrival. More information
All onsite excursion bookings are subject to coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions and as such are subject to change in line with the Victorian Chief Health Officer’s advice. We will be in contact with all teachers prior to their booked date if we need to clarify any new requirements.
Book your education experience
Fill out an online form to request a booking for your zoo education experience
Request booking nowYou will need to know the following to book your zoo excursion or online workshop:
- Education program of your choice (if applicable)
- Preferred date
- School name and address
- Contact details of organising teacher
- Number of students/classes and their year level