Human Society

and its
Environment
Lessons
Student learning outcomes
Students will be able to:
• describe factors in determining the best location of the shadehouse
• outline patterns in vegetation on different scales
• identify Aboriginal uses of native plants
• construct a sequence of changes to local native vegetation
• illustrate links between government, schools and community in
environmental projects
• design suitable strategies for an environmental project
• present information to explore native plant propagation with the
community

Trees for Survival 27

HSIE
H.S.I.E Lesson 1:
Locating the shadehouse
Teaching/learning activities
1 Students read seven requirements for siting the shadehouse (see page 6
of Trees for Survival Instruction Manual)
2 Students in small groups walk around school grounds searching for
three shadehouse locations and noting observations (BLM 6 – be sure to
mark in a North point). If the shadehouse has already been sited,
students could look for other locations that satisfy the seven require-
ments.
3 Groups then mark out favoured alternative shadehouse locations.
4 Groups monitor their shadehouse locations to look at where building
and tree shadows fall (use BLM 7).
5 Classes discuss ‘best’ location for shadehouse after report from each
group.

Suggested duration – 2 hours

Teacher notes
A Base Plan of the school grounds should be available through your
administration office. If your grounds are extensive you may only be able
to consider a section.
If your shadehouse is already built in a
site that is not satisfactory, this activity
can assist in finding a better location. The
shadehouse could be moved to the better
site if possible. Your Rotary Club may be
able to assist.
Also, there may not be one location that
satisfies all the selection criteria. Students
may have to prioritise the criteria and
decide which location is the ‘best fit’.
NOTE: full sun is the most important factor

Resources
Clipboard/folder, pen/pencil, copies of BLM 6 & 7, markers (eg rope, string)

Links with other lessons

HSIE - Lesson 2, TAS - 3

28 Trees for Survival

 HSIE
H.S.I.E Lesson 2:
Mapping plants
Teaching/learning activities
1 Students practise mapping skills by
drawing a plan of the location of seedlings
in the shadehouse. They could shade in
different species using various colours.
2 Using a base map of the school (see Teacher notes HSIE, lesson 1),
students use same method to map main plants in part or all over school
grounds. They could map species (use common names), plant height or
plant type (eg tree, large shrub, small shrub and groundcovers) and
whether the plants are locally native, ‘exotic native’ (eg from Western
Australia) or exotic.
3 In class, students use the maps to determine the most common plants
in school playground.
4 Using the school vegetation map students identify and shade in possible
green corridors (lines or clumps of plants).
5 Students identify area in the school playground that could be linked to
corridors or repaired by planting seedlings from the shadehouse.

Suggested duration – 3 hours

Teacher notes
Encourage students not to worry about scientific names of plants. They
could even make up their own names for plants they are unable to
identify. When determining corridors the idea is to link existing clumps of
vegetation – don’t draw corridors that lead to a busy main road for instance.

Resources
Blank paper, school map, pencil/pen, folder/clipboard

Links with other lessons

HSIE - Lesson 1, Science - 3, Science - 4, TAS - 3, Maths -4

Trees for Survival 29

HSIE
H.S.I.E. Lesson 3:
Investigating Aboriginal
uses of plants
Teaching/learning activities
1 With a member or members of the local Aboriginal community,
students research the Aboriginal uses of different plants. If no
Aboriginal person can assist, Library research could be carried out.
2 Students visit the Trees for Survival shadehouse and using BLM 8 list
uses of species grown there.
3 Students walk around school grounds or local bush area and write
down, also using BLM 8, their suggested uses of plants observed.
4 In class, students compile a ‘master list’ of Aboriginal uses of local
plants.
5 Under the heading, ‘the Bush Supermarket’, the students write a narra-
tive based on the ‘master list’.

Suggested duration – 3 hours

Teacher notes
As stated in the Aboriginal Education Policy, it is most important that
students are assisted in the learning process by Aboriginal people if
possible. Aboriginal speakers could be arranged through the local
Aboriginal Land Council or Aboriginal Education Consultant.

Resources
Clipboard/folder, pen/pencil, copies of BLM 8

Links with other lessons

HSIE - Lesson 4, TAS - 1, English -1

30 Trees for Survival

 HSIE
H.S.I.E. Lesson 4:
Surveying the history
of local vegetation
Teaching/learning activities
1 Student use primary sources (accounts from
parents, older people) and secondary sources
(eg old maps, photographs, journals) to develop a time line of changes
in vegetation in the local area. Discuss reasons for these changes.
2 From the research, students estimate the amount of vegetation loss – eg
in the last 200 years. Compare to map and table (BLM 9) for Australia
over the same period.
3 Students walk around school grounds and list species (including exotics)
that have been planted.
4 In class, students discuss the impact of introduced plants (exotics) on
the local native vegetation and fauna.
5 Students visit shadehouse and list species being grown. They then
relate list to research carried out to ascertain the original distribution of
those species and any other aspects – eg whether the plant community
is listed as threatened.

Suggested duration – 3 hours

Teacher notes
There are some very good local texts written about the history of vegeta-
tion. For example, “Taken for Granted: the Bushland of Sydney and its
suburbs” by Benson and Howell provides excellent background informa-
tion on the Sydney area. For those schools outside the Sydney area there
is usually good information to be gained from libraries, local councils and
Plant Societies.
Some explanation of the terms ‘exotic’, ‘locally native’ ‘endemic’ and
‘Australian native’ is required.

Resources
Class book, pen/pencil, research materials e.g. local species lists from
local councils or Greening Australia, BLM 9

Links with other lessons

HSIE - Lesson 3

Trees for Survival 31

HSIE
H.S.I.E. Lesson 5:
Working with council
and community
Teaching/learning activities
1 Using the phone and other directories, students compile a list on BLM
10 of possible organisations (including government agencies, local
Council, Landcare/other environment groups, Progress Associations,
businesses) that could be involved in the shadehouse program (see page
3 of the Trees for Survival Instruction Manual).
2 Class is divided into seven groups. Using page entitled ‘Your
Responsibilities’ (opposite page 5 in Manual), groups are allotted one of
the ‘parties’ (eg Rotary Club, School, Landcare group) who are
responsible in the shadehouse process. Group reads and discusses
responsibilities of their party.
3 Teacher reads through steps on flow chart on page 3 of Instruction
Manual. At each step (eg shadehouse erection, planting) the ‘player’
groups raise their hands if involved in the step.
4 In their groups, students role-play their ‘player’ responsibilities at
different steps in the Trees for Survival program.
5 Students evaluate how effectively school’s shadehouse program has
worked with local Council and other groups.

Suggested duration – 2 hours

Teacher notes
Teachers should emphasise that the links developed with Council, the
‘link group’ and other organisations are crucial to the success of the Trees
for Survival program.

Resources
pen/pencil, copies of BLM 10, phone directory, Trees for Survival
Instruction Manual

Links with other lessons

HSIE - Lesson 6, TAS - 3, TAS - 4, English - 5

32 Trees for Survival

 HSIE
H.S.I.E. Lesson 6:
Developing a planting
action plan
Teaching/learning activities
1 Using sketches, students show ways they would plant native species.
2 Students check their methods with recommended methods (see details
in several books/pamphlets in reference list).
3 Students imagine they are in charge of a group planting out at a certain
site. They list their requirements, how they would prepare site, steps in
planting out and maintenance of plants (BLM 11).
4 Students visit shadehouse to evaluate if plants will fulfil criteria for the
‘Finished Product’ (see page 27 of the Trees for Survival Instruction
Manual).
5 Students assist ‘planting link group’ with planting out (if possible).

Suggested duration – 4 hours

Teacher notes
After researching planting out process students would greatly appreciate
involvement in planting out of shadehouse species with Landcare or other
‘link groups’ or around school grounds.

Resources
Pen/pencil, copies of BLM 11, reference books/pamphlets, Trees for
Survival Instruction Manual

Links with other lessons

HSIE - Lesson 5, TAS - 3, Maths -3

Trees for Survival 33

Notes

34 Trees for Survival

 BLM 6 HSIE
Name Date
Locating the shadehouse 1
Notes on possible shadehouse sites
Location of Site 1, Site 2 and Site 3.
Draw a map in the space below. (Don’t forget to draw in North.)

HSIE lesson 1 Trees for Survival 35

HSIE BLM 7

Name Date
Locating the shadehouse 2
Comment on each site:
Requirements Site 1 Site 2 Site 3

Full sun

East-West
Orientation

Watering
Connection

Vehicle Access

Drainage

Prevention
of Vandalism

Proximity to
Storage Area

The best site is for the following reasons:

36 Trees for Survival HSIE lesson 1

 BLM 8 all about trees
Name Date
Investigating Aboriginal
uses of plants
Name of local Aboriginal people:

Use Shadehouse Local plants

Food &
drink

Tools &
weapons

Shelter

Medicine

Other

HSIE lesson 3 Trees for Survival 37

HSIE BLM 9

Name Date
Changes and loss of vegetation in Australia since 1788

Source: Australian Survey and Land Information Group, The Atlas of Australian
Loss of vegetation in Australia since the 1780s Resources, 1990, Vol 6 (Vegetation), Commonwealth of Aust. Publishers

Forests & woodlands Pasture & grassland

1780s 2260 500
1980s 1460 1150

2300 1200

2200
1100
2100
Forests & Pasture &
000s kms square

woodland 1000 grassland

000s kms square

2000

1900 900

1800 800
1700
700
1600
600
1500

1400 500
1780s 1980s 1780s 1980s

Source: Australian Survey and Land Information Group, The Atlas of Australian Resources,
1990, Vol 6 (Vegetation), Commonwealth of Aust. Publishers

38 Trees for Survival HSIE lesson 4

 BLM 10 HSIE
Name Date
Working with council
and community
Organisations that could be involved in the shadehouse program
Phone/fax/
email
Address
Position
Contact name
Organisation

HSIE lesson 5 Trees for Survival 39

HSIE BLM 11

Name Date
Developing a planting
action plan
Requirements Site preparation

Planting out steps Maintaining plants

Ways to gauge success of planting out

40 Trees for Survival HSIE lesson 6