There are two options for this excursion. The 3 class excursion includes three 1 hour activities listed below (selected upon booking). The 4 class excursion includes four 45min listed below (selected upon booking). Shorter excursions (60min, 90min or 2 hour) can also be arranged.
1. Human influences on Marine Ecosystems – Little Penguin Colony Explore the complex and fascinating marine ecosystems in the Bay including Little Penguins and analyse human influence on Port Phillip Bay, especially plastic pollution, fishing, tourism and urbanisation.
2. Nurdles in our Environment (STEAM) Discover ‘Nurdles’, how they travel in waterways and how they harm the environment and animals. Use STEAM ideas to experiment with various pieces of equipment to design ways of capturing nurdles out of the sand to find solutions to our plastics problem.
3. Shoreline Shell Survey (STEAM) Understand the biodiversity of shells (molluscs) in the Bay and how molluscs could be affected by climate change, acids and pollution. A STEAM data collection and classification activity.
4. Indigenous Connection to Country Walk through West Beach to explore our Indigenous plants, and understand how these are used for food and resources by the Boon Wurrung people. Gain insight to how local Aboriginal people lived in connection to the seasons and flows of nature. How did they have a different impact to today’s impacts?
5. Oceans of Rubbish (STEAM) Explore our current major issue of marine pollution by conducting STEAM litter transects, recording data and ascertaining how litter arrives here. Discuss the myriad of effects experienced by marine animals as a result of marine pollution. Take action by completing a litter pick up.
6. Coastal Erosion (STEAM) Through the ‘erosive nature of waves’ and ‘sandcastle weather proofing’ experiments students will learn about wind, water and weather as factors that cause erosion. The 1 hour activity includes experimenting with design features to reduce the impacts of erosion.
7. Save Sam the Seadragon Our puppet Sam the Weedy Seadragon has an important message to share about the life in Port Phillip Bay, food chains and energy exchanges within an ecosystem. As Victoria’s marine emblem Sam was happily surviving in Port Phillip Bay until plastic started to enter the ecosystem. Through hands-on activities students will learn about why plastics are amazing but when they get out of control they cause problems for our wildlife. |