2010 ASTA National Science Week teacher resource book 'Australian Biodiversity'

Now available to download.

Hard copies are still available from ASTA. Please use order form opposite.

The booklet Australian Biodiversity has been designed to provide teachers with ideas to increase knowledge and understanding about the broad scope of Australian Biodiversity and its unique place on the world stage, within the context of a celebration of National Science Week.

Studies of Australian biota in terms of its fauna and flora have been a traditional inclusion in the primary and secondary school curricula and the authors were very much aware that the Australian Science Teachers Association published a useful resource with many excellent activities on biodiversity in 2001. Many resources are available to support the teaching of biodiversity per se, so this booklet’s emphasis is on background knowledge and specific examples of biodiversity issues that illustrate and highlight the decisions necessary to conserve our unique Australian ecosystems.

National Science Week 2010 also provides an opportunity to celebrate Australian Science and the many scientists involved in investigating, monitoring and conserving Australian biodiversity. Teachers are encouraged to include stories about these scientists in their classroom activities and share the excitement generated by the ongoing discoveries of previously unknown species across this land of ours. 

The conservation of Australian species, ecosystems and habitats is of interest to most members of every Australian community. Teachers are thus encouraged to make contact and have dialogue with local community organisations and Indigenous people wherever possible. Students should also be made aware of the opportunities for ‘hands-on’ engagement in community projects relating to protection of local species. Perhaps there is a community project that students could be part of during National Science Week?

How Australian Biodiversity is structured

 This booklet has been structured to provide opportunities for teachers and students to develop an understanding of the background science of biodiversity as well as examples of the special nature of Australian biodiversity. 

 The book has been divided into chapters broadly based on:

1. Biodiversity Basics – the ways in which biodiversity can be described, measured and recorded. This includes some notes on classification protocols
2. Australian Biodiversity – including the origins of our unique biodiversity
3. Threats to Australian Biodiversity
4. Conservation of Australian Biodiversity – at ecosystem, species and gene level.

 Biodiversity is a ‘hot topic’ in the media and the community in 2010 and organisations, local governments, state governments and the Australian government have responded by providing a wealth of information on the Internet. Where possible, complementary sites have been identified for each section and a list of further useful web links has also been developed that reviews some of the many outstanding sites on the World Wide Web.