Chittering Valley School Excursion Worksheet for 16-Year-Olds: Art, Science, History & Sustainability

Instructions

This worksheet is designed to help you reflect on your excursion to the Chittering Valley. Complete each section by drawing on your observations, experiences, and the information you learned. Think critically and creatively as you explore the themes of Living Landscapes, Nature, Sustainability, and Community.

English: Descriptive & Poetic Reflection

Reflect on a specific moment or location from your excursion. Choose one of the following tasks to complete:

1. Descriptive Paragraph: Write a rich, sensory paragraph (100-150 words) describing the location. Focus on what you saw, heard, smelled, and felt. Use vivid adjectives, similes, and metaphors.
2. Journal Entry: Write a short, personal journal entry (100-150 words) about your thoughts and feelings during the excursion. What did you learn about yourself or your connection to nature?
3. Environmental Haiku: A haiku is a three-line poem with a 5, 7, 5 syllable structure. Write three separate haikus inspired by different aspects of the Chittering Valley (e.g., a bird, the creek, the concept of sustainability).

Math: Geometry and Data in Nature

During the excursion, a group of students measured the girth (circumference) of 10 mature Wandoo trees at chest height. Their measurements in centimetres were: 85, 92, 78, 88, 105, 95, 85, 74, 98, 100.

1. Calculate the mean (average) girth of these trees. (Show your working).
2. What is the median girth?
3. What is the range of the data?
4. Nature often displays geometric patterns. Describe one example of a geometric shape or pattern (e.g., fractal, spiral, symmetry) you observed in a plant, flower, or insect during the excursion.

Science: Ecology and Sustainability

1. Based on your observations, describe a simple food chain that could exist in the Chittering Valley ecosystem. Identify the producer, primary consumer, and secondary consumer.
2. Explain the concept of biodiversity and why it is important for the health of an ecosystem like the one you visited.
3. One of the activities was soil testing. If your soil sample returned a pH of 5.5, would it be considered acidic, neutral, or alkaline? Why is soil pH important for agriculture and native plant life?

History: Land and Legacy

The Chittering Valley has a rich and layered history. In a short paragraph, discuss how land use in the area has changed over time. Your answer should consider at least two of the following: Indigenous land management, early European settlement/agriculture, and modern conservation efforts.

Art: Landscape and Form

1. Sketching: In the box below, create a detailed sketch of a single natural object you found interesting, such as a gum nut, a piece of bark, a feather, or a uniquely shaped leaf. Focus on line, texture, and shadow.
2. Nature Sculpture: If you were to create an ephemeral (temporary) nature sculpture using only materials found on the ground (twigs, leaves, stones), what idea or feeling would you want to express with it?

Foreign Language: Words of the World

Translate the following key environmental terms into a foreign language you are studying (e.g., French, Japanese, German, Spanish, Indonesian). If you don't study a language, research the Latin or Greek root of the words.

• Nature:
• Sustainability:
• River:
• Biodiversity:
• Community:

Physical Education & Health: Safety and Mindfulness

1. Bushwalking requires preparation. List four essential items you should always have in your day pack for safety and comfort, and briefly state the purpose of each.
2. The practice of mindfulness was discussed on the excursion. Describe one mindfulness technique you could use in a natural setting to reduce stress and increase your sense of connection to the environment. What are the health benefits of this practice?

Music: The Valley Soundscape

Imagine you are a composer tasked with creating a piece of music titled "Chittering Dawn." Describe the soundscape of the valley. What natural sounds would you incorporate or imitate (e.g., bird calls, wind in the trees, flowing water)? What instruments would you use to capture the mood and feeling of the landscape?

Social Studies & HASS: Community and Environment

Sustainability often relies on community action. How can local community groups (like Landcare or a residents' association) play a role in protecting the natural environment of a place like Chittering Valley? Provide two distinct examples of actions they could take.

Technologies: Digital Nature

Technology can enhance our understanding and appreciation of nature. Explain how a smartphone app for bird identification (like Merlin Bird ID) or a digital mapping tool (like Google Maps/Earth) could be used for both personal enjoyment and scientific data collection during an excursion.

Living Landscapes Quiz

Answer the following 30 questions to test your knowledge.

1. What does the term "ecology" refer to?
2. Who are the traditional custodians of the land in the Chittering region?
3. What is the process by which plants use sunlight to create food called?
4. An organism that only eats plants is called a...
5. What number on the pH scale is considered neutral?
6. Name one piece of technology used for sustainable farming.
7. What is the primary safety risk associated with bushwalking in summer in Western Australia?
8. In art, what does "ephemeral" mean?
_
9. Define "biodiversity."
10. What is the main purpose of a "controlled burn" in bushland management?
11. If a map scale is 1:20,000, 1cm on the map equals how many metres in reality?
12. Which of these is a primary producer in a forest ecosystem: a kangaroo, a fungus, or a eucalyptus tree?
13. What is the term for a species that is not native to a specific location?
14. The practice of using resources in a way that meets current needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own is called...
15. What does the "Leave No Trace" principle mean in the context of visiting natural areas?
16. What is a "riparian zone"?
17. Which art element is most concerned with the surface quality of an object (how it feels or looks like it feels)?
18. What is a common symptom of dehydration?
19. What type of data is the "average" a measure of?
20. Name one benefit of mindfulness.
21. What is a "keystone species"?
22. In a food chain, what is the role of a decomposer?
23. What was a major form of agriculture for early European settlers in the Chittering area?
24. What does GPS stand for?
25. Symmetry is a concept found in both art and which other core subject?
26. A "soundscape" refers to the collection of sounds heard in a particular location. (True/False)
27. Soil testing can help farmers determine...
28. What is a key feature of a group activity that makes it successful?
29. An app like 'Merlin Bird ID' primarily uses what to identify birds?
30. What is the main goal of a community "Landcare" group?

Answer Key

Note: Answers for creative/subjective sections are examples or guides.

English

Answers will vary. A good descriptive paragraph will use sensory language (sight, sound, smell). A good journal entry will be reflective. A correct haiku will follow the 5-7-5 syllable structure.

Math

1. Mean: (85 + 92 + 78 + 88 + 105 + 95 + 85 + 74 + 98 + 100) / 10 = 900 / 10 = 90 cm.
2. Median: First, order the data: 74, 78, 85, 85, 88, 92, 95, 98, 100, 105. The median is the average of the two middle numbers (88 and 92). (88 + 92) / 2 = 90 cm.
3. Range: Highest value minus lowest value. 105 - 74 = 31 cm.
4. Geometric Pattern: Examples include the bilateral symmetry of a leaf, the fractal patterns in ferns, or the spiral arrangement of seeds in a flower head (phyllotaxis).

Science

1. Food Chain Example: Producer: Eucalyptus tree (leaves) -> Primary Consumer: Kangaroo (eats leaves) -> Secondary Consumer: Dingo (eats kangaroo). (Other valid examples accepted).
2. Biodiversity: The variety of life in a particular habitat or ecosystem. It is important because a diverse range of species makes an ecosystem more resilient to disease, climate change, and other threats. It ensures ecosystem services like pollination, decomposition, and clean water.
3. pH 5.5: Acidic. Soil pH is crucial because it affects nutrient availability for plants. Different plants have different pH preferences, so the soil's pH determines which plants can thrive.

History

A good answer would mention that prior to European arrival, the land was managed by Indigenous people (e.g., the Whadjuk Noongar people) using practices like seasonal burning for hunting and regeneration. Early European settlement introduced agriculture like citrus orchards and grazing, which cleared native vegetation. Modern efforts now include conservation reserves, Landcare projects, and sustainable farming to restore and protect the native environment.

Art

1. The sketch should show attention to detail, line work, and texture.
2. Nature Sculpture Idea: "I would create a spiral out of different coloured leaves and pebbles to represent the cycle of life and decay in the forest." or "I would arrange fallen branches to point towards the creek, showing the importance of water to the landscape."

Foreign Language

(Example using Spanish)

• Nature: Naturaleza
• Sustainability: Sostenibilidad
• River: Río
• Biodiversity: Biodiversidad
• Community: Comunidad

Physical Education & Health

1. Four Items: 1. Water: For hydration. 2. First-aid kit: For treating minor injuries. 3. Sunscreen/Hat: For sun protection. 4. Map/Compass/Charged Phone: For navigation.
2. Mindfulness Technique: A "5-4-3-2-1" grounding exercise: notice 5 things you can see, 4 things you can feel, 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can smell, and 1 thing you can taste. Benefits include reduced stress/anxiety, improved focus, and a greater appreciation for the present moment.

Music, Social Studies/HASS, Technologies

Answers will vary but should be logical and well-reasoned, referring to the concepts discussed in the prompts.

Living Landscapes Quiz - Answers

1. The study of how organisms interact with each other and their physical environment.
2. The Whadjuk Noongar people.
3. Photosynthesis.
4. Herbivore.
5. 7.
6. Examples: Drip irrigation, GPS-guided tractors, drone surveillance for crop health.
7. Dehydration and/or bushfire.
8. Temporary or short-lived.
_
9. The variety of life (plants, animals, fungi, etc.) in a particular habitat.
10. To reduce fuel load (preventing major bushfires) and stimulate regeneration of native plants.
11. 200 metres. (1cm = 20,000cm. 20,000cm / 100 = 200m).
12. A eucalyptus tree.
13. Invasive, introduced, or exotic species.
14. Sustainability.
15. Take all your rubbish with you and leave the environment as you found it.
16. The area of land alongside a river or creek.
17. Texture.
18. Thirst, headache, or dizziness.
19. Central tendency.
20. Reduced stress, improved focus, increased emotional regulation.
21. A species on which other species in an ecosystem largely depend, such that if it were removed the ecosystem would change drastically.
22. To break down dead organic matter and return nutrients to the soil.
23. Citrus orchards and/or livestock grazing.
24. Global Positioning System.
25. Mathematics.
26. True.
27. Nutrient levels and pH balance.
28. Good communication and/or cooperation.
29. Sound (bird calls).
30. Environmental conservation and sustainable land management.