Houses & Buildings - GARDENER

Creating a Frog Bog at school or home

 Primary Middle  Secondary

Australian Curriculum General Capability: Critical and creative thinking
Australian Curriculum General Capability: Personal and social capability

Australian Curriculum General Capability: Numeracy

Australian Curriculum Cross Curriculum Priorities: Sustainability Priority

Cooperative Learning Activity

1. Why would you consider making a frog bog for school or home?

Like a famous American frog once said, “It’s not easy being green”, and this is particularly true for our amazing Australian amphibians.

Although we have been blessed with a unique frog diversity (Australia is home to over 200 frog species), loads of them are croaking at an alarming rate! Of our frog species, about 43 of them are listed as endangered or vulnerable, and three are presumed extinct. These guys are hopping mad about habitat loss, and they need our help! So, set aside a piece of your patch, and get frog bog building! (Source: Sustainable Gardening Australia)

 
2. In groups of 4 - 5 students, read the article from Sustainable Gardening Australia

and, watch this video from Gardening Australia 25 May 2018. Costa goes to a preschool to build a frog bog for them. Look at the video and note the differences in approaches. 

3. Divide up the following work amongst the group. From the article, video and local resources,  write down

1. The area required and construction materials including solar lights to attract insects at night. Which type of pond/bog do you think is best for your school or home? Why? List the cost of the items required. Estimate the time it will take to create the bog - how many students will be involved? Report back to the group.

2. The plants required. List them from the article and video [look at the transcript too]. Are they different? You might need to go to the local nursery to discover what is best in your region. Take note of the cost of each plant. If water is an issue in your region, think of ways to recycle the water when you need to. Report back to your group.

3. The aspect [north, south, east or west] and the best position at school [or home]. Draw a map of the position indicating where the bog would go. List the reasons for your decision. Remember to take note of the safety aspects of the position as well as shade. Frogs when they come will "sing" at night - so consider your neighbours! Report back to the group.

4. Be the "accountant". List all the costings for each item - plants, construction materials in a spreadsheet. Think of ways to raise this money. List them. 

5. The philosophy or reasoning behind having a frog bog. Who will use it for science lessons? Will you need to install a night camera and sound equipment to record the frogs for these lessons? Who will you ask to identify the songs so you know which frogs inhabit your frog bog?

4. Getting permission.

To create a frog bog at school you need the permission of the Principal. Gather all your research together and create a submission [your reasoning, costing, construction time, and safety measures]. You also need to stress the educational benefits.  

5. Show her/him the work you have done already and your submission.

6. When you get permission [hopefully], you need to plan out the schedule after raising the monies for the project.

As you build your frog bog, don't forget to videotape your progress and send it into the ABC's Gardening Australia.

What's that sound? Australian Museum: Frog ID app

Primary Middle  Secondary

Australian Curriculum General Capability: Personal and social capability

Australian Curriculum Cross Curriculum Priorities: Sustainability Priority

Croaks, whistles, bleats and barks - every frog species makes a different sound!
By recording a frog call with our app, FrogID, you can discover which frogs live around you and help us count Australia's frogs!

Teacher

Classroom Resources

• Australian Frogs: Introduce students to the diversity of Australian Frogs

• What is a Frog?: Introduce students to the classification of frogs and toads

• Frog Habitats and Adaptation: Introduce students to the concepts of habitats, adaptations and food webs

• What is a Frog?: Powerpoint presentations slides to learn about Frogs

• How to Make a Frog Pond: Powerpoint presentations slides to learn how to build a frog pond

• Introduction to Habitats: Powerpoint presentations slides to learn about frog habitats

• Museum in a Box education kit: Download our information sheets all about frogs!

• FrogID activity sheet (A3): Download our fun activity sheet!

• Create a Frog Habitat information sheet: Download our information sheets all about habitats for frogs

Creating or revitalising an edible Indigenous Garden at school

 Primary Middle  Secondary

Australian Curriculum General Capability: Critical and creative thinking
Australian Curriculum General Capability: Personal and social capability

Australian Curriculum General Capability: Numeracy

Australian Curriculum Cross Curriculum Priorities: Sustainability Priority

Australian Curriculum Cross Curriculum Priorities: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures

Cooperative Learning Activity

Teacher

After getting permission from the school for an Indigenous garden or to revitalise an existing one, organise for the local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Elders to visit the school to show the students the local Indigenous plants and why they are used.

If this is not possible, and you are close to a Botanic Garden, organise for a visit and have the curator show the students the Indigenous plants in your area.

1.  In groups of 4 - 5 students, read the article from Costa's Garden Odyssey [not screening anymore - but has the transcript of the episode with great information]

2. Divide up the following work amongst the group.

1. The area required and construction materials including gravel for the paths and maybe a seat or seating. List the cost of the items required and where you would obtain them from. If you start small, you need to recognise how the garden can be expanded. Do you need to place Indigenous paintings on a nearby wall or a plaque? Estimate the time it will take to create the garden - how many students will be involved? Report back to the group.

2. The plants required. List them from the article or from Elders or Botanic Garden. You might need to go to the local nursery to discover what is available. Take note of the cost of each plant. If water is an issue in your region, think of ways to recycle the water when you need to. Report back to your group.

3. The aspect [north, south, east or west] and the best position at school [or home]. Draw a map of the position indicating where the garden would go. List the reasons for your decision. Remember to take note of shade, the location near playgrounds, and the access for the students. Report back to the group.

4. Be the "accountant". List all the costings for each item - plants, construction materials in a spreadsheet. Think of ways to raise this money. List them. 

5. The philosophy or reasoning behind having an Indigenous garden. Who will use it for science lessons? Will you need to install a camera to record the birds and insects for these lessons? Who will you ask to identify these visitors to the garden?

3. As a class, select one plant that you will look after! Water it and record any changes in height or width - a good way is to take a photo.

4. As a class, plan what you are going to do with the edible plants. Are you going to have a "special" lunch or morning tea to eat what you have collected?

 

 

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