This activity explores the impact that stormwater pollution and people’s actions have on platypus and other animals that live in our creeks and rivers.
Students consider the different pollutants that can be added into a river along its journey and the cumulative impact they have on the health of the river and the animals within it. They will also discuss how everyone can take action to help animals like the platypus by reducing the impacts of stormwater pollution.
While this activity targets students from Foundation to Year 2, it can be adapted for (or by) students to Year 12. It can be used in Science, Geography and English as a writing stimulus and is also useful for community presentations.
Download the lesson plan
This lesson plan contains modules explicitly linked to the Victorian Curriculum.
Victorian curriculum links
- VCSSU041: People use science in their daily lives
Science > Science understanding > Science as a human endeavour - VCSSU042: Living things have a variety of external features and live in different places where their basic needs, including food, water and shelter, are met
Science > Science understanding > Biological sciences - VCSSU043: Living things grow, change and have offspring similar to themselves
Science > Science understanding > Biological sciences - VCSSU047: Earth's resources are used in a variety of ways
Science > Science understanding > Earth and space sciences - VCGGK068: Natural, managed and constructed features of places, their location and how they change
Geography > Geographical knowledge > Places and our connection to them - VCGGK069: Reasons why some places are special and some places are important to people and how they can be looked after
Geography > Geographical knowledge > Places and our connection to them
Resources
Platypus Census
Help us build a better understanding of this elusive animal by reporting your platypus sightings, online or via the PlatypusSPOT app.