Our Great Barrier Reef

Our Great Barrier Reef
Junior Primary Years 1- 3

Sample Units

Sample activities are provided for the following units:

Tuning In
Preparing to find out
Finding Out
Sorting Out

Going Further
Making Connections
Taking Action
Reflection

Tuning In: Sample activities

Photo Gallery

Students bring photographs of the Great Barrier Reef and its islands, animals and plants to share. In groups talk about features of the Great Barrier Reef such as:

Size;
How it differs and why;
Types of coral found;
Types of animals found;
Types of plants found;
Areas for boating, fishing, visiting, and other recreational activities;
Areas they enjoy being in; and
Areas they are not allowed in and reasons for this.

Shared Book Approach

Read picture books about the Reef, seas and oceans as open places to use and enjoy. For example:

Baker, J. Where the Forest Meets the Sea, Julia McRae, 1987.
Brown, A. Turtle’s Song, University of Queensland Press, 2001.
Carle, E. A House for a Hermit Crab, Hodder & Stoughton, 1996.
Cooke, A. Fun by the Sea, Wetpaper, 2001.
Freymann, S. One Lonely Seahorse, Scholastic, 2000. Grant, J. Everyone likes the Sea. Wetpaper, 2001.
Hook, C. Coral Reefs, Macmillan, 2000.
Lister, A. Magic Beach, Allen & Unwin, 1990.
Maris, S. At the Beach, Wetpaper, 2001.
Rose, D.L, Into the A, B, Sea, Scholasic, 2000.
Toft, K.M.& Sheather, A. One Less Fish, University of Queensland Press, 1997.
Winters, B. Be safe at the Beach, Wetpaper, 2001.
Winters, B. Sea Creatures, Wetpaper, 2001.

Discuss special and secret parts of the Great Barrier Reef and its surrounding environment.

Ask students:

What is this place?
What is this place like?
Where is it?
How is it used? and
What is happening at this place at this time?

Heron Island

Predict and list features students think would be the most common in the Great Barrier Reef and its surrounding environment. Test these by counting the number of times the feature occurs. Make a class graph of results.

Read and discuss stories, book a live videoconference with the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority’s Education Team or show videos where the Great Barrier Reef is the major setting. Draw students’ attention to the variety of settings, features and uses of the Great Barrier Reef.