In this unit, year 9 students will explore the ecosystem of the flying-fox and the abiotic and biotic factors that can influence the health of the ecosystem. They will have the opportunity to explore the flying-fox food web and factors and events that influence their population sizes. The unit asks students to choose from a series of challenges about flying-foxes that will test their scientific knowledge and comprehension.
Lesson 9.1 Flying-foxes and their environment
Students are introduced to the ecosystem and habitat requirements of flying-foxes. They learn about the natural and man-made threats that influence survival rates and methods for reducing the stressors on flying-fox populations. This lesson provides a theoretical background that prepares students for the following ecosystem challenge activities.
Activity 9.1A Flying-foxes and their environment
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Lesson 9.2 Ecosystem challenge activities
Students complete challenges that allow them to investigate ecosystems and the impacts of natural events on population dynamics. Teachers can pick what challenges are completed or allow students to choose. The five challenges provided are:
- Making a poster of a forest food web.
- Writing a report on the effect of climate change on flying-foxes.
- Analysing the effects of Cyclone Larry on flying-foxes.
- Graphing and analysing the fluctuations in population sizes of a fictional roost site.
- Designing an artificial habitat to support a fictional roost site.