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Video

Sea Urchins

This 7 minute video segment from Catalyst describes an excellent example of how biologists have worked to investigate and solve a problem of an invading species of sea urchin that was devastating a marine ecosystem. The scientific approach to develop a biological control needed to rely on technologies such as radio tracking ...

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How is a frog able to swim in trees?

This is a teaching-learning resource containing teaching strategies and student activities about the dependence of plants and animals on each other and the environment for survival. The resource has seven tabs, six of which are relevant. The first four set out the steps in the suggested pedagogical sequence and include ...

Interactive

Murray-Darling Basin Quiz

This is a ten question multiple choice quiz on student understanding of issues specific to the Murray-Darling Basin, but are examples of common Australian environmental problems resulting from human activities. This is a non-threatening activity that provides excellent explanations as feedback.

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Macrobiotica – science @ the lakes

In this resource students work as scientists while exploring their local environment in the real world of scientific endeavour. Games and animations are used to model the real experience of investigating a freshwater lake. This version of the Macrobiotica resource has been modified for Internet use by removing Teaching ...

Interactive

Science Talk 2007: Martina Doblin

An interview and lab tour with Dr Martina Doblin, a phytoplankton ecologist at UTS. Martina talks to students and their teacher from Concord High School about her work studying microscopic organisms such as the toxic algae that make up harmful algal blooms.

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Water quality and the Murray-Darling Basin

This lesson sequence examines the issue of water quality in the Murray-Darling Basin: why it is important, what are the indicators of water quality and ways to monitor water quality. It includes a teacher PowerPoint presentation, separate teacher notes and a student worksheet. This lesson sequence is one in a series exploring ...

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Carbon clues

Carbon is all around us and available to us in many different forms, yet we can’t see it and often we don’t even know it’s there – using a detective story setting students sift through clues to build an understanding of carbon and the implications of its use. The unit includes PDF resources and video quiz challenges for ...

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Animal Health: the science of healthy animals

This study guide considers the science behind breeding, genetics, health and animal welfare in the cattle and sheep industries - keeping animals free of disease and parasites, improving biodiversity and protecting against feral animals. A range of articles and student activities explores how farmers and scientists are working ...

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Biodiversity – sustainability action process (Years 7–10)

This biodiversity learning resource guides students through an extended school based investigation. Students develop and implement a chosen sustainability action and then evaluate and reflect on their success and their learning.

Video

Giant Cuttlefish

This 12 minute video segment from Catalyst outlines the fascinating and unique features of the giant cuttlefish and its mass breeding at Point Lowly. Then it explains how scientists have determined the vulnerability of this species- the fact that the eggs are sensitive to high levels of salinity and the fact that they die ...

Video

Aerial Orang Utans

This 11 minute video segment form Catalyst shows that although the orang-utans of Borneo are threatened with extinction, we don't know exactly how many are left or where they are. The use of helicopters to locate their nests and estimate population size has helped to challenge our thinking about the requirements of this ...

Video

Weedy Seadragons

This five and a half minute video segment from Catalyst demonstrates how tagging is being used to study populations of sea dragons. The Weedy Seadragon is one of the most visually striking creatures in the sea but we still have a lot to learn about them.

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Above the snowline

This ABC In Depth feature article gives a range of examples of adaptations and responses of Australian alpine ecosystems, plants and animals to cold conditions.

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Population Size

Students use this resource consisting of ten slides with diagrams, written explanation and voice-over to understand competition amongst organisms for resources that are limited and other factors that may affect population size. There is a two-question quiz and a summary slide.

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Ant safari

This ABC In Depth feature article includes some good advice for exploring local ant populations as well as an excellent information report on Australian ants: the different types and their roles.

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Studying Habitats

Students use this resource consisting of four slides with diagrams, written explanation and voice-over to understand the type of observations and measurements that need to be made when studying an ecosystem. There is a two-question quiz and a summary slide.

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Sampling Technique

Students use this resource consisting of four slides with diagrams, written explanation and voice-over to understand some different methods of collecting animals in the wild. There is a two-question quiz and a summary slide.

Video

Dr Ove Goegh-Guldberg

This 5 minute video segment from Catalyst highlights the vulnerability of some of our ecosystems and the way abiotic factors can have a dramatic effect. It also exemplifies the difficult process of having new scientific ideas accepted.

Video

Seahorses

This six and a half minute video segment from Catalyst shows one of the most beautiful and bizarre creatures under the sea, the seahorse. Their highly unusual reproduction has not been sufficient to overcome the impacts of habitat destruction and human predation.

Video

Artificial shark birth

A five and a half minute video segment from Catalyst that explains why Grey Nurse Sharks are in danger, especially on Australia's east coast where only a few hundred individuals are thought to exist. However, in a world first, researchers at the NSW Department of Primary Industries have built an artificial uterus, which ...