Extension activities for the students.
Time lapse video - assist your students to create their own time lapse video using the Stop Motion Studio app. Click here for instructions.
Outdoor flower finding – create a map of where the flowers are located at your school/garden/backyard. Use different symbols or items to represent different flowering plants. Have students identify which animal would visit this flower. An added layer to this activity is to make a map at different times during the year to see which plants are flowering over the seasons.
Grass tree story – illustrate your narrative about grass trees and share with the class.
Cassowary finding fruit game - reduce the number of balls to represent deforestation and add a condition where the cassowary can only survive if it finds X number of fruit. Discuss what happens if the cassowary does not find enough food to eat? This emphasises the need for conservation.
Did you know?
The species found in New South Wales, Davidsonia jerseyana, exhibits an interesting characteristic that is not usually seen in many plants. Flowers and fruits growing straight from the main stem is known as cauliflory. This helps animals reach the flowers and fruits more easily compared to having these plant structures on the top of the trees.
Further reading
Grass trees have a relationship with a fungi called Mycorrhiza that helps it absorb water and nutrients. However, these trees are under threat from a pathogen that causes dieback. Read more about Phytophthora dieback and the research Botanic Gardens Scientists are doing to manage this disease on grass trees and other native vegetation.
https://www.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/Science/Plants/Pests-Diseases/Phytophthora-Dieback
https://www.australianbotanicgarden.com.au/science/plants/pests-diseases/phytophthora-dieback/research-and-education-projects