An Education Kit for Grades 5 - 7

Activities for teachers Summary   KLAs a Where did they go wrong? Read texts and list mistakes made by victims, formulate safe practices English SoSE b Compare Compare students' lists with Information Sheet. English SoSE c Make a brochure Design a brochure to warn about crocs Visual Arts d Design a sign Design a sign without words to convey a croc warning to the public Visual Arts e What can be done Brainstorm what can be done to educate the public about safety in croc country English SoSE Information sheet - Newspaper reports of croc attacks that illustrate the don'ts related to living with crocs; cartoon and supporting text that illustrates safety issues.

What you need   Living Safely with Crocs Information Sheet (one per group)   Worksheet: Where did they go wrong? (class set)   OHP sheet and projector   Art paper, paint, coloured pencils or crayons

a) Where did they go wrong?

• Read the newspaper reports in the Living Safely with Crocs Information Sheet and discuss each article.
  
• Discuss with students what factors may have contributed to the croc attack, eg swimming at night, alcohol, etc. Do not show students the cartoon or 'Dos and don'ts' at this stage.
  
• Working in small groups, ask students to complete the worksheet, Where did they go wrong? On one side of the sheet, make a list of the mistakes made by the victims. On the other side, make a list of safety guidelines for people to follow when living in croc areas.

b) Compare

• Copy the cartoon from the Information Sheet onto an OHP sheet and show the students. After discussion, ask students to add to their lists of guidelines any addi- tional points they feel should be included.
  
• Discuss the 'Dos and don'ts' with students. Ask them to compare their guidelines to the ones presented here.
  
• Make a list of ways to identify a croc's presence, eg. look for eyes in the water, water movements (rings), tracks and mudslides on the bank and mounds of vegetation. Discuss the idea of 'thinking suspiciously' when camping or fishing in croc country.

c) Make a brochure

• Collect a range of brochures to show the students. Ask the students to design a brochure that makes people more aware of the potential dangers of crocs and how to identify their presence the wild. Brochures should also inform people about safe practices to follow when in areas inhabited by crocs.
  
• Send copies of the brochures to local councils, the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service or conservation groups for comment.

d) Design a sign

• Discuss the problem of tourists who cannot read croc warning signs in English. Ask students to think of signs without words that they may have seen, eg. male/ female toilets, information, etc. Display some examples in the classroom.
  
• Ask the students to design their own croc warning signs without words. The signs could warn about presence of crocs or alert people to the dangers of certain activities, eg. fishing from creek banks, swimming in water holes, etc.
  
• Invite other students/classes to view the signs and try to decide the meaning each is meant to convey

e) What can be done?

• Brainstorm ideas on how the message of living safely with crocs can be delivered to the general public. Encourage students to think of any potentially dangerous activities they have seen or read about and refer back to the 'Where did they go wrong?' activity.
  
• List ideas, eg. introduction of fines, advertisements on television, setting up a 'croc-free zone' or 'people free zone.' Evaluate ideas, eg. is it really possible to set up a croc-free zone and how could we be sure that crocs would not return? In addition, collect posters, brochures and other material that is designed to educate the public and display it in the classroom.
  
• As a follow up, send students' ideas to relevant authorities for comment.

Extension

• Play a game outdoors where students estimate the length (or distance between two objects) from a distance. This activity will help students to appreciate the difficulties of judging the length of an object, such as a croc, particularly at a distance.
  
  Two students stand at varying distances from each other while the rest of the class estimates the distance. The distance is measured and compared to students' estimates. Discuss the accuracy of croc reports in the media after comparing different results.

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croc conservation