Home/Curriculum resources/Understanding plants and animals/Activity 2 - Diamond Ranking
Learning Area:
Science
Year level:
Level 6
Required resources:
Scissors
Activity 2 - Diamond Ranking
This activity is a part of the Understanding plants and animals resource.
Songwarbler perching on a branch. Canberra, Ngunawal country. Photographer: Anna Calvert. Source: Getty Images. Used under licence.
Students will need to draw upon their critical thinking skills and express their perspective when ranking statements about Indigenous fire practices.
Step by Step guide
Step 1: Explain the task
Students can either work in small groups or individually and then come together as a group.
Cut out each hexagon statement.
Students rank these statements from the most important to least important impact on plants and animals using the diamond shape (e.g. one top, two next, three middle, two next and one last).
Students need to justify each ranking.
Step 2: Undertake task
Step 3: Sharing and reflection
Students can share their thinking with the class. This can be undertaken in a number of ways:
if in small groups 1 or 2 students could stay to explain their thinking while other students move around from group to group
two groups could form to compare and contrast their thinking
each group could present to the class.
The teacher may also like to note which areas could lead to further inquiry with the class, for example varying points of view, student interest.
Related activities within this resources:
Inquiry-based learning questions
These inquiry-based questions are provided for flexible classroom use, allowing teachers to tailor discussion and reflections specific to their classroom needs.
Conceptual-based question cards
Engage with a variety of conceptual-based questions which explore the impact of fire practices on plants and animals.
Activity 1 - Seed germination
We’ve all seen nature spring back into life after a fire. In this resource students will investigate the effect of ash on the germination of native seeds and how fire can be used in productive ways.
Suggested timing:
Occurs over a week or more, with something to monitor for the class across this time span.
Required resources:
Native seeds, Banksia spp. seeds, dry leaf litter, BBQ area or fire pit, fire lighters, plastic petri dishes, ash
Activity 3 - Exploring ecosystems before and after a controlled burn
Students can select an ecosystem, draw and explain what happens to the ecosystem before and after a controlled burn, linking this back to supporting biodiversity.