Teaching sequence

Work through this resource material in the following sequence:

10 minutes

Tune In: What are culturally significant species?

20 minutes

Find Out: Investigate a case study of conservation

25 minutes

Take Action: Raise awareness on your chosen species

5 minutes

Reflection

Learning intentions

Students will:

investigate how species are significant in both cultural and ecological contexts
explore how First Nations knowledge contributes to the broader scientific understanding of biodiversity.

Success criteria

Students can:

describe the ecological role of a culturally significant species and its significance to a First Nations group
explain how First Nations knowledge of culturally significant species has influenced conservation science.

Tune In: What are culturally significant species?

Step 1

Divide students into 4 groups and allocate them an animal from the list below. In their groups, students have to use the internet to select 1 image of the animal:

kangaroo
brolga
goanna
eel
murnong
matted flax-lily
emu

Highlight to your students that images should be sourced from Creative Commons, and an appropriate acknowledgement of copyright should be given.

Step 2

Once they have their image, direct students to place it in a digital collaborative document for the whole class to view. Then, display the collaborative document to the class and invite them to share what they know about these species.

Step 3

Lead a short class discussion on what they think would happen if 1 of these species disappeared from its habitat. Use the following prompts to guide your discussion:

If this species disappeared, what changes might we see in the ecosystem?
How could other animals, plants, or people be affected?
What social or cultural impacts might this loss create?
What does this tell us about the importance of protecting biodiversity?

Explain to students that these animals and plants are all culturally significant species. Outline to students that a culturally significant species is an animal, plant, or place that holds special meaning for First Nations peoples. These species are often connected to stories, songs, ceremonies, and totems. They can teach important lessons, show people how to care for Country, and play a role in community identity and traditions. Protecting these species isn’t only about looking after the environment, it’s also about respecting culture and keeping knowledge alive across generations.

Step 4

Watch the following video as a class, which highlights how the Biodiversity Council’s project with Carlton North Primary School and the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Cultural Heritage Corporation in Melbourne/Naarm, works to share knowledge about culturally significant species.

Connecting kids with nature and culture: A totemic species for Carlton North Primary School (youtube.com/watch?v=oWLabAlDJOA)

Find Out: Investigate a case study of conservation

Step 1

As a class, read this case study (mdba.gov.au: Protecting the Sacred Nga:tjar) infographic from the Ngarrindjeri Aboriginal Corporation, which has co-developed native yabby and fish monitoring projects in the Lower Murray.

Step 2

After reading, invite students to further research this species to respond to the following questions on the Student Worksheet:

What is the ecological role of the species?
What is its cultural significance for a specific First Nations group?
How has First Nations knowledge about this species contributed to scientific understanding or conservation?

Take Action: Raise awareness on your chosen species

Step 1

Your students’ task is to create an infographic or short video explaining the importance of a species of their choice. Students will work in groups of 3-4 to:

include scientific and cultural perspectives
highlight the species' role in the food web and its local biodiversity
suggest actions to help conserve this species.

Students should answer the following initial questions to help them plan their infographic or video on the Student Worksheet:

What is the main message you want people to learn about your species?
What diagrams, pictures or drawings will you include?
How will you make sure to acknowledge or respectfully refer to the First Nations group?
Where will you find your information (list your sources)?

Step 2

Instruct students to begin creating their infographic or short video using their initial questions. Encourage them to:

organise their information clearly, combining text and visuals
check that both scientific and cultural perspectives are represented respectfully
use reliable sources and include a short reference list
keep their audience in mind by making the message simple, engaging, and memorable.

Reflection

Step 1

Facilitate a brief class discussion with students using the following questions:

What surprised you most about your research?
What is 1 action people can take to help your chosen species?

If you could ask a First Nations Elder a question about this species, what would it be?

Understanding Culturally Significant Species and Their Ecological Role

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