School excursions
Ku-ring-gai Wildflower Garden offers a range of excursions for all stages for geography and science and technology. Excursions are run by our experienced and qualified environmental education rangers. All our programs are full day (4hrs) however can be adapted to be delivered in half day (2.5hrs).
Ranger led incursions, fauna encounters and non-curriculum linked ranger led activities are also available.
Why Ku-ring-gai Wildflower Garden?
- Set across 123 hectares of pristine untouched bushland.
- Experienced and Qualified Environmental Education Rangers.
- Our expert Rangers come from a diverse range of backgrounds, including science, geography, environmental education and tour guiding.
- Explore a diverse landscape filled with wildlife.
- Access to both indoor and outdoor classrooms.
- Our own showcase of fauna, including – Lizards, snakes, turtles and insects.
- Hands on learning with immersive opportunities.
- Fun activities that aim to be inclusive of all learning styles.
- All equipment provided.
Early Stage 1 excursions
Science – Living World
What do we notice about living things?
Learning Outcomes: STe-1WS-S, STe-2DP-T, STe-3LW-ST
Students focus on living things, their characteristics, needs, behaviours, and the environment in which they live
Activities include:
- Sensory awareness activities (touch, sound, smell).
- Guided scientific investigation.
- Detective game.
Stage 1 excursions
Geography – Features of Places
What are the features of, and activities in, places?
Learning Outcomes: GE1-1, GE1-2, GE1-3
Students will explore and make observations of the Ku-ring-gai Wildflower Garden. Students investigate the natural and human features of places. They describe the reasons places change and identify the active role of citizens in the care of places.
Activities include:
- Map features of a place and exploring how they are cared for.
- Tune into their senses and explore its connection to Aboriginal Dreaming stories.
- Meet local fauna and learn how to care for them.
Geography – Features of Places
My place (limited availability)
Learning Outcomes: GE1-1, GE1-2, GE1-3
Students investigate the natural and human features of places. They describe the reasons places change and identify the active role of citizens in the care of places.
Activities include:
- Introduction to country and mapping features of a place.
- Natural places and Aboriginal Dreaming (sensory activities).
- Aboriginal bush foods and other plant uses (bush walk).
Science – Living World
What are the external features of living things?
Learning Outcomes: ST1-1WS-S, ST1-2DP-T, ST1-3DP-T, ST1-4LW-S
Students focus on the features of living things, their environment and how they change and reproduce
Activities include:
- Find-A-Plant games.
- Grouping plants and animals.
- Places for plants and animal.
Stage 2 excursions
Geography – The Earth’s Environment
How does the environment support the lives of people and other living things?
Learning Outcomes: GE2-1, GE2-2, GE2-3, GE2-4
Students examine the importance of natural vegetation and natural resources to the environment, animals and people and learn about the ways people value environments
Activities include:
- Identify different types of vegetation and importance to the environment.
- Note features of The Wildflower Garden and construct a visitor survey.
- Discuss importance of urban native gardens in cities by planting native seeds.
History - First Contacts
First contacts (limited availability)
Learning Outcomes: HT2-3, HT2-4, HT2-5
Students investigate what life like for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples before the arrival of the Europeans and what was the nature and consequence of contact between Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples and early traders, explorers and settlers.
Activities include:
- Then and now (walking track).
- Living with the land (guided walk).
- First contacts (story telling/ tales).
Science – Living World
How can we group living things? What are their life cycles?
Learning Outcomes: ST2-1WS-S, ST2-2DP-T, ST2-11DI-T, ST2-4LW-S, ST2-7MW-T
Focuses on the classification, life cycles and survival of living things. Students make observations about living things in their local environment
Activities include:
- Grouping activities (matching plants by features).
- Lifecycles.
- Dip netting for bug classification.
Stage 3 excursions
Geography – Factors That Shape Places (Bushfires)
How can the impact of bushfires on people and places be reduced? Learning outcomes: GE3-1, GE3-2, GE3-3, GE3-4
Students explore the impact bushfires have on Australian people, places and environments and propose ways people can reduce the impact of bushfires in the future.
Activities include:
- Managing bushfire risk problem-solving.
- Preparing an inventory of potential bushfire damage.
- Demonstration of Council’s bushfire management services including bushfire simulator and/or fire truck (subject to availability).
Geography – Factors That Shape Places
How do people influence places and the management of spaces within them?
Learning outcomes: GE3-1, GE3-2, GE3-3, GE3-4
Students investigate how people change the natural environment in Australia and other places around the world. Students examine ways people influence the characteristics of places, including the management of spaces.
Activities include:
- Pond and track walk.
- Mapping ways in which people influence places.
- Managing the Park – Role play and plan of managements.
Science – Living World
How do the structural and behavioural features of living things support survival?
Learning Outcomes: ST3-1WS-S, ST3-2DP-T, ST3-4LW-S
Students focus on the growth and survival of living things, and how their adaptations over time suit their environment.
Activities include:
- Weather testing.
- Animal and plant conditions.
- Water testing.
Science – Living World
Aboriginal Technologies (limited availability) Learning Outcomes: ST3-1WS-S, ST3-2DP-T, ST3-4LW-S, ST3-5LW-T Students explore why is it important for food and/or fibre to be produced sustainably?
Activities include:
- Fire stick farming.
- Using fibres (collecting grasses, reeds, seeds etc).
- Bushfoods (identification).
Stage 4 excursions
Science – Living World
There are differences within and between groups of organisms and classification helps organise this diversity
Learning Outcomes: SC4-14LW, SC4-15LW, SC4-7WS, SC4-13ES
Students relate the structure and function of living things to their classification, survival and reproduction. They predict the effects of environmental changes on ecosystems and how scientific understanding influences the development of some management practices
Activities include:
- Invertebrate collection, classification and release.
- Plant classifications and adaptations.
- Aquatic macroinvertebrate sampling and classification.
Geography – Place and Liveability
What effect does environmental quality and access to services have on people’s wellbeing?
Learning Outcomes: GE4-1, GE4-3, GE4-4, GE4-6, GE4-7, GE4-8
Students discuss factors that influence people’s perceptions of the liveability of places. They investigate features and characteristics of places across a range of scales that support and enhance people’s wellbeing such as community identity, environmental quality and access to services and facilities.
Activities include:
- Measuring environmental quality.
- Visitor surveys on the importance of Wildflower Garden.
- Values role play.
Aboriginal Studies
Aboriginal Identities (limited availability)
Learning Outcomes: AST4-1, AST4-2, AST4-3, AST4-4, AST4-5, AST4-6, AST4-7, AST4-8, AST4-9, AST4-10, AST4-11
Students learn about the diversity of Aboriginal cultures and identities, and the factors that contribute to their maintenance and expression. Students explore the social factors and experiences that affect identity and cultural expression.
Activities include:
- Connection to country.
- Indigenous bush foods.
- Aboriginal dance, art and/or music.
Stage 5 excursions
Aboriginal Studies
Aboriginal Identities (limited availability)
Learning Outcomes: AST4-1, AST4-2, AST4-3, AST4-4, AST4-5, AST4-6, AST4-7, AST4-8, AST4-9, AST4-10, AST4-11
Students learn about the diversity of Aboriginal cultures and identities, and the factors that contribute to their maintenance and expression. Students explore the social factors and experiences that affect identity and cultural expression.
Activities include:
- Connection to country.
- Indigenous bush foods.
- Aboriginal dance, art and/or music.
Elective Geography – Physical Geography
The geographical processes that form and transform the physical world
Learning Outcomes: GEE5-1, GEE5-2, GEE5-3, GEE5-4, GEE5-5, GEE5-7, GEE5-8
Student conduct fieldwork to facilitate an understanding of geographical processes and geographical inquiry. The enjoyable experience of active engagement in fieldwork helps to create and nurture a lifelong interest in and enthusiasm for the world students live in.
Activities include:
- Measuring weather and climate.
- Biogeography with a structural vegetation community ID chart.
- Human interactions (venue audit and observations).
Geography – Environmental Change and Management
Why is an understanding of environmental processes and interconnections essential for sustainable management of environments?
Learning Outcomes: GE5-2, GE5-3, GE5-4, GE5-5, GE5-7, GE5-8
Students develop an understanding of the functioning of environments and the scale of human-induced environmental change challenging sustainability. They explore worldviews influencing approaches to environmental use and management.
Activities include:
- Measuring environmental quality.
- Managing biodiversity, visitors and neighbours.
- The importance of natural environments (track walk).
Science – Living World
Conserving and maintaining the quality and sustainability of the environment requires scientific understanding of interactions within, the cycling of matter and the flow of energy through ecosystems.
Learning Outcomes: SC5-14LW, SC5-6WS, SC5-7WS
Students analyse interactions between components and processes within biological systems and their responses to external changes
Activities include:
- Track walk to view terrestrial ecosystems.
- Identify ways to manage ecosystems.
- Features of aquatic ecosystems.
Stage 6 excursions
Biology – Ecosystem Dynamics
What effect can one species have on the other species in a community?
Learning Outcomes: BIO11/12-1, BIO11/12-2, BIO11/12-3, BIO11/12-4, BIO11/12-5, BIO11-11
Students investigate and determine relationships between biotic and abiotic factors in an ecosystem.
Activities include:
- Measuring populations using sampling techniques / abiotic and biotic factors.
- Ecological Niches using a transect.
Geography – Biophysical interactions
Biophysical processes
Learning Outcomes: P1, P2, P3, P6, P7, P8, P9, P10, P12
Students conduct geographical investigation of biophysical processes and how an understanding of these processes contributes to sustainable management.
Activities include:
- Aquatic biophysical processes (data collection).
- Terrestrial biophysical processes (data collection).
- Environmental impact assessment.
Further information
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