The Kangaroo Apple is also known as the Bush Tomato. Only when it’s blushing and bursting with ripe, red fruit is it safe to eat. It’s a magnificent plant to observe over time as the fruit changes from green, yellow, orange and red while the flowers bloom. The leaves of the plant resemble the paw print of the kangaroo hence it’s…
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It was a cold, wet day today. Prefect for hiding inside. We lit the fires, warmed the house, then took out our paints and phenology wheels. The day was spent creating April’s entry. Before we start each section I outline where we will be working with a permanent marker. This helps the younger children know where we will be working….
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We have Jacky Winters living in the shrubs on the paddock boundaries and we often see them perching on the fence. They also love to perch and hunt from a wattle which grows next to our daily walking track. They’re very active early in the morning and in the late afternoon. This is when the males are singing and courting…
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Our school holiday project was to complete the next section of our wheels… The children were debating whether this was still classified as ‘school’ work, and if they were being tricked into working on their holidays! I will be honest and say that I have a terrible habit of finding educational projects and passing them off as ‘fun’ activities for…
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The children had been planing what they might paint all month. We would see something and one would pipe up and say, “I think I might put that on my wheel.” So by the time the end of the month arrived each was excited about what they were going to paint. Before starting the next section of our wheel, we…
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Ponding is the investigation of ponds to gain an understanding of it’s ecology. The plants, animals and water is observed and monitored over a season. We recently went Summer Ponding and the experience was amazing. There wasn’t much happening on the surface of the water, but we were excited to see pond life in the algae covered rocks, pond scum,…
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Frogs belong to the animal group named Amphibians which means two-lives. We found the amphibian metamorphosis from tadpole to frog intriguing. There were so many variations between them. Tadpoles: have gills to breathe through. are herbivores which eat algae. live under water. have no arms or legs. Frogs: live on land near water as adults. breathe through their permeable skin….
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Spotted Grass Frogs or Marsh Frogs can be found from North Queensland to Tasmania, South Australia and Western Australia. They live within forests, woodlands and grasslands. What’s really interesting about these frogs is that their calls differ. The northern Spotted Grass Frogs have a machine gun “kuk kuk kuk,” while the southern frogs have a sharp, single “click” call. The…
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Trees provide food and shelter to many living things and summer is the best time to observe the ecosystem of a tree. Adopt a tree for the year and watch as the seasonal cycles change and animals, birds and insects come and go. Deciduous trees are wonderful to watch through the seasons, but if you’re in the tropics, choose an…
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Blue-tongue lizards love to bake in the sun during the summer months and it’s likely you’ll bump into one on your wanderings. We studied the lizard in Week 2 of the Australian Nature Study Guide and one thing I found interesting, was that they give birth to their young, unlike most lizards which lay eggs. Another interesting fact, was the…
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Bees are complex and facinating creatures which are vital for our survival. They pollinate our vegetable plants, fruit trees and grains. Every year, Apiarists, bring their honeybees to pollinate our grains and fodder crops on the farm. Beekeepers also know which plants and trees are flowering through the seasons and move their hives accordingly. Australia has it’s own unique native…
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