Science in the Australian Primary Classroom by Shannon Elle https://padlet.com/shannon_l_garner/qdsmtvdeao7k Shannon Garner en-us 2017-03-22 05:45:29 UTC 2023-02-17 05:25:32 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padlet-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/icons/Xmastree.png Use of Indigenous Australian plants & Bush Tucker. shannon_l_garner https://padlet.com/shannon_l_garner/qdsmtvdeao7k/wish/161712247
The System Garden inside of the University of Melbourne is the perfect setting for students to explore living things, their life cycles and how each rely on each other. More specifically, students can explore plants that are indigenous to Australia and their uses through two content descriptors:

• Different living things have different life cycles and depend on each other and the environment to survive(VCSSU058)

• Living things depend on each other and the environment to survive (ACSSU073)

How is the System Garden connected to Indigenous Australian uses of plants?

The System Garden can be used to develop student's understanding through these content descriptors by encouraging discussion surrounding life cycles of plants, and the roles of living things in a specific habitat. Students are able to observe that the fruit of the Plum pine, or the Illawarra plum (see photograph below). Discussions and activities in the classroom could surround the life cycle of the tree and its fruit, as well as how this tree depends on its environment and how living things in its environment depend on the tree. This inevitably sets the stage for learning about indigenous uses for the fruit from the tree as bush tucker to happen.
]]> 2017-03-22 05:48:15 UTC https://padlet.com/shannon_l_garner/qdsmtvdeao7k/wish/161712247 Indigenous Australian Use for plants explained.. shannon_l_garner https://padlet.com/shannon_l_garner/qdsmtvdeao7k/wish/161712645
The close up photo to the left of this text has been included to provide context for what the Illawara Plum tree looks like. This photo was taken in the Systems Garden at The University of Melbourne. This photo is relevant for this digital product topic of "Indigenous Australian Uses of plants" because it showcases the tree's leaves, and its fruit. It could be used as a 'hook' at the beginning of a primary science class as a way to engage students through questioning what it is they're looking at, whether it's fruit on the tree or something else, what type of fruit, who might benefit from the fruit, or is it even edible at all?

This directly connects with the content descriptor within the Victorian Curriculum of "living things depend on each other and the environment to survive" as it could be used as a springboard into learning about what living things depend on each other, how they work together to survive. Discussion might also surround predicting what could happen to the habitat if the trees died out, or if the fruits were no longer being eaten by Indigenous Australians. Possibly what environmental factors may affect these roles.]]> 2017-03-22 05:54:30 UTC https://padlet.com/shannon_l_garner/qdsmtvdeao7k/wish/161712645 shannon_l_garner https://padlet.com/shannon_l_garner/qdsmtvdeao7k/wish/161713410 2017-03-22 06:06:16 UTC https://padlet.com/shannon_l_garner/qdsmtvdeao7k/wish/161713410 shannon_l_garner https://padlet.com/shannon_l_garner/qdsmtvdeao7k/wish/161713431 Students could spend time taking rubbings of the tree leaves, or the tree's bark from the plants in the System Garden in order to develop the content descriptors mentioned. See below picture for an example of a leaf rubbing taken from the Illawara Plum. 

This photo of the hand made rubbing has been included as an example of what students are looking to achieve with their rubbings. By having students take rubbings of leaves, or other textures in the garden, they are required to look more closely at the object and observe details they may have overlooked.]]> 2017-03-22 06:06:36 UTC https://padlet.com/shannon_l_garner/qdsmtvdeao7k/wish/161713431 shannon_l_garner https://padlet.com/shannon_l_garner/qdsmtvdeao7k/wish/161713668 2017-03-22 06:09:15 UTC https://padlet.com/shannon_l_garner/qdsmtvdeao7k/wish/161713668 shannon_l_garner https://padlet.com/shannon_l_garner/qdsmtvdeao7k/wish/161714064 2017-03-22 06:14:51 UTC https://padlet.com/shannon_l_garner/qdsmtvdeao7k/wish/161714064 shannon_l_garner https://padlet.com/shannon_l_garner/qdsmtvdeao7k/wish/161715300 This video has been chosen because it involves a short explanation of the fruit from the Illawarra tree. This was deemed as relevant because it specifically targets the bush tucker that is utilized by Indigenous Australians.]]> 2017-03-22 06:31:50 UTC https://padlet.com/shannon_l_garner/qdsmtvdeao7k/wish/161715300 shannon_l_garner https://padlet.com/shannon_l_garner/qdsmtvdeao7k/wish/163315172 2017-03-29 05:03:54 UTC https://padlet.com/shannon_l_garner/qdsmtvdeao7k/wish/163315172 shannon_l_garner https://padlet.com/shannon_l_garner/qdsmtvdeao7k/wish/163315266 Illawarra Plum moving in the wind.]]> 2017-03-29 05:05:37 UTC https://padlet.com/shannon_l_garner/qdsmtvdeao7k/wish/163315266