Kangaroos

Level: 6&7

Curriculum Area - Science and SOSE

Outcomes

Students:

• Explore the consequences of modifying natural ecosystems.
• Examine the controversial issue of kangaroo culling.
• Consider differing viewpoints and evidence presented by others.

Materials and preparation

Australian cut-outs set-up in a limited food web that contains kangaroos.

Method

Introduce this food web as that from Mythical National Park which has been recently established in an area that has some natural bush and other areas that were previously cleared for farming.

Continue with: 'One of the rangers is concerned that kangaroo numbers seem to be increasing since the removal of the last of the grazing cattle. Our group has been contacted as experts in food webs to examine the effects of increasing kangaroo numbers on the other animals in the park.' Students as a class or in small groups come up with a list of effects that the increase in kangaroo numbers could have on the food web.

Then: 'The ranger at the park has asked us to come up with some options to solve the problem.' Students to consider options. When they are running out of ideas ask them to consider the following if they have not already done so:

What happens if: