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Topic: Geology of the Rode RAGE route Complementary Topics: This topic complements the topics, flora on the Rode RAGE route, fauna on the Rode RAGE route and climate zones along the Rode RAGE route. VELS Links Level: Three Domain Arts Dimension Creating and Making Communications No dimension at level 3 English Speaking and Listening English Reading Interpersonal Development Building Social Relationships Standards Students select and combine a range of arts elements, principles and/or conventions, and use a range of skills, techniques and processes, media, materials, equipment and technologies. Students listen to one another’s ideas and work together to plan and present information f and a Science investigation. Students vary their speaking and listening for a small range of contexts, purposes and audiences. They project their voice adequately for an audience, use appropriate spoken language features, and modify spoken texts to clarify meaning and information. Students read and respond to an increasing range of imaginative and informative texts with some unfamiliar ideas and information, vocabulary and textual features. They interpret the main ideas and purpose of texts. They make inferences from imaginative text about plot and setting and about characters’ qualities, motives and actions. Students demonstrate respect for others and exhibit appropriate behaviour for maintaining friendships with other people. They support each other by sharing ideas and materials, offering assistance, giving appropriate feedback and acknowledging individual differences. They work with others to reduce, avoid and resolve conflict. Interpersonal Development Working in Teams Students cooperate with others in teams for agreed purposes, taking roles and following guidelines established within the task. ICT ICT for visualizing thinking Students use graphic organisers, to help structure their thinking processes and assist in constructing knowledge about types of plants and where they are found. ICT ICT for communication Students create a poster about a plant using Microsoft Publisher Personal Learning Managing Personal learning Science Knowledge and Understanding Students set short-term, achievable goals in relation to specific tasks. They complete short tasks by planning and allocating appropriate time and resources. They undertake some multistep, extended tasks independently. They comment on task progress and achievements. Students explain how features of the landscape are altered by processes Science Science at work Students plan, design, conduct and report collaboratively on experiments related to their questions about living and non-living things and events Thinking Reasoning, processing & inquiry Students critically analyse and evaluate findings from their plant investigation and make informed judgments on the effect conditions have on a plant’s growth. Thinking Reflection, evaluating and metacognitive Students reflect on their investigation findings and make connections between these and t plants that grow in different regions along the Rode RAGE route. processes, media, materials, equipment and technologies. Links to Rode RAGE Students will work in small groups to study the different Geology components of the Rode RAGE route. Students will explore different environmental settings that occur during the Rode RAGE route, this including a desert environment. Students will then explore the flora and fauna that survive and live in different geologic environments. Along the Rode RAGE route is a major geologic aspect in Australia, Uluru. Students with explore the different aspects of Uluru as well as the different flora and fauna that survive in the environmental area. Teacher Background Information Geology is the science that deals with the materials that constitute our Earth, and with the dynamic changes that have affected the Earth from its origin about 4600 million years ago to the present time. Rocks are made up of mixtures of minerals. The type, size, quantity and shape of minerals in rocks give rocks and soils (broken-down rocks) their particular properties. Minerals are naturally occurring crystals. Minerals have individual crystal structures and can be identified by their chemical composition, their crystal structure, their hardness and their tendency to break along preferred directions which correspond to planes of weakness in the atomic lattice structure. Rocks are made of minerals, three types of rocks are recognised: igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic. Igneous rocks means ‘on fire’ or ‘burning’. Igneous rocks are those that crystallize from hot, molten magmas. Magma is liquid rock that has been melted by heating within the Earth. Sedimentary rocks are composed of sediments – particulate materials such as river or beach sand. Sediments accumulate in areas where the crust is subsiding, known as a sedimentary basin. Because sediment is laid down upon a surface they form in layers, and this known as bedding. A component of sedimentary is sandstone, sandstone is formed when loose sand is buried and turned into rock, mudstone is formed from consolidated mud, and conglomerate is formed from gravel. Sedimentary rocks commonly preserve structures such as ripple marks, mud cracks and animal burrows, which enable us to interpret the original environment of deposition. Metamorphic rocks form through the alteration of other rocks under high temperatures and pressures. Any existing igneous, sedimentary or metamorphic rock can be subject to metamorphism. The new minerals developed in the rock depend on the original chemical composition of the rock, the temperature and pressure conditions, and the composition of fluids circulating through the rock. Metamorphic is the change in mineral content of a rock, and was once considered to be a solid state change in which ions diffusing through the rock mass allowed new minerals to grow. Australian soils have the following features:  They are very deep and retain features of past climates because they are very old.  They are low in organic matter because of the prevailing dry climates, except in Tasmania and in some wet depressions.  They commonly contain duricrusts resulting from cementation by iron oxides, silica, or calcium carbonate.  They have subsoil that is more clayey than surface soils   They are commonly have high salt levels in the subsoil They commonly show the effects of wind action Geology of Uluru and Kata – Tjuta Uluru is a huge rock formation, made up of sandstone and is located in the southern part of Northern Territory, central Australia. Ayers Rock is the most commonly used name for the formation although Uluru is the Aboriginal and official name. Uluru is said to be a sacred place for the Aboriginals living in Australia. The rocky formation mountain has many water holes, caves, natural springs and old historic paintings. Uluru is the left over’s of a huge sediment that has formed hundreds of millions of years ago. Sand was laid down in a basin which formed about 900 million years ago the rocks at Uluru and Kata – Tjuta are sedimentary rocks deposited very close to the end of the Precambrian. These rocks date from the time of final assembly if Gondwana. Kata – Tjuta was closer to the source of the sediments, and the walls if these rounded hills display steeply – dipping beds. Uluru itself is made of sandstone tipped on edge – in particular, a sandstone containing a high proportion of feldspar. The rocks at Uluru are the downstream equivalents of those at Kata – Tjuta. When the sediment was laid down there was no vegetation on the landscape. The land surface was bare, so rain resulted in rapid runoff and erosion. Since, in the soils of humid regions, weathering breaks the feldspars down to clays, we interpret the climate as warm and dry because the feldspars are not weathered to clays. There are no major rivers in the region to continue erosion of the rocks today. The surrounding plains are formed of sediments deposited by wind and sheet flow during the past few million years. These sediments lap up against the edge of Uluru and Kata – Tjuta, leaving them as isolated remnants on the plains. Uluru has a desert climate, which the area receiving a surprising amount of rainfall for a desert, between 200 - 250 mm a year. Like all deserts the area experiences extremes in temperature. Winter nights can be as cold as -8°C, and summer days as hot as 48°C. During the middle of summer the daily maximum averages 38°C. Depending on the time of day and the atmospheric conditions, the rock can dramatically change colour, anything from blue to violet to glowing red. Despite the often harsh climate, Uluru is home to hundreds of different animal and bird species. Uluru has 21 species of native mammals, 178 species of birds, 72 species of reptiles and literally thousands of invertebrate’s species. Some of the mammal species found within the Uluru environment included; Tarkawara - Spinifex Hopping Mouse, Mala - Rufous Hare Wallaby, Murtja – Mulgara, Papa inura – Dingo, Wayuta Brush-tailed Possum and the Malu- Red Kangaroo. Birds species include; Miititi, Piyar-piyarpa- Galahs, Painted Firetail, Walawuru- Wedge-tailed Eagle and Aralapalpalpa - Crested Pigeon. The species of reptiles include Ngiyari - Thorny Devil, Tjakura - Nocturnal Desert Skink, Kuniya - Woma Pytho, Ngintaka – Perentie and the Liru - Mulga Snake. Lastly the invertebrates species include Minga – Ants, Blowfly, Katydid. Of the mammal species found in the Uluru region, six are introduced: the House Mouse, camel, fox, cat, dog and rabbit. These species are distributed throughout the environment but their densities are greatest in the rich water run-off areas of Uluru. Uluru represents a large portion of plants found in Central Australia. A number of these species are considered rare and reesticted in the region. The growth and reproduction of plant communities rely on irregular rainfall. Some plants are able to survive fire and some dependent on it to reproduce. Flora in Uluru can be broken into categories; Punu- trees, Puti- shrubs, Tjulpun- tjulpunpa- flowers, Ukiri- grasses. Trees such as the Mulga and Cantralian Bloodwood are used to make tools such as spearheads, boomerangs and bowls. The red sap of the bloodwood is used as a disinfectant and an inhalant for coughs and colds. There are several rare and endangered species, including adder’s tongue ferns that are restricted to the moist areas at the base of the formation. Since the first Europeans arrived, 34 exotic plant species have been recorded in Uluru, representing about 6.4% of the total flora. Simpson Desert: The Simpson Desert is a hot and dry desert occupying almost 200 000 square kilometers of central Australia, mostly in the Northern Territory's south-east but also in parts of South Australia and Queensland. Rainfall is less than 400 millimeters per year. Although the Simpson Desert is a harsh environment, native, spiny grasses known as spinefex bind the loose sand and provide a habitat for over 180 bird species and for lizards and marsupials. The two most dominant plants in the Simpson Desert are the sand hill cane grass Zygochloa paradoxa and the lobed spinifex Triodia basedowii. The dune crests are covered in cane grass, a wiry perennial grass that stabilizes the dunes and provides habitat for desert animals and numerous grass wrens. The Simpson Desert is one of the few places in Australia where Eucalyptus is poorly represented. This region is not suitable for agriculture or grazing, so it has been spared those threats. Feral and introduced animals, such as rabbits and camels, are a problem because they eat the native vegetation and upset the natural ecological balance. Tourist traffic is increasing, which could damage the sand dunes and vegetation. Simpson Desert has hot summer temperatures. The summer high temperature for Simpson Desert is approximately 36 °c. The summer low temperature is approximately 20 °c. Simpson Desert has mild winter temperatures. The winter high temperature for Simpson Desert is approximately 19 °c. The winter low temperature is approximately 4 °c Summary of the Simpson Desert:  The bioregion lies within South Australia (42%) and Northern Territory (38%), with small areas extending into Queensland and New South Wales.  Characterised by dune fields, floodplains and gibber plains with sparse shrub land and Spinifex hummock grassland.  Includes the major dry salt lakes of Lake Eyre and Lake Frome  The bioregion includes Aboriginal land, vacant Crown land, pastoral lands, nature reserves and a fossil reserve.  Primary land-use is pastoralism, oil and gas exploration, nature conservation and tourism.  Tropical-temperate climate. Compared to the desert conditions in Darwin Melbourne has a diverse & unique landscape that constantly changes throughout each part of the State you travel through. From the amazing coastline of the Great Ocean Road with spectacular beaches on one side of the highway to the lushness of the Otway ranges on the other or the magnificent mountains, rivers and waterfalls through the magical Grampian Ranges - you will always discover hidden treasure and marvelous scenic experiences. Melbourne’s commonly found Flora & Fauna consist of the Common Heath, which is a flower, the Lead beater Possum, which is a mammal, and the Helmeted Honeyeater, which is a bird. The Common Heath The Common Heath is a slender, upright shrub growing to about a meter in height. It has narrow, sharply pointed leaves with tubular flowers growing to about 25 mm in length arranged singularly in between the leaves forming a cluster of flowers to give it a brush like appearance. The Common Heath grows in a variety of colours ranging from pure white, pale pink, rose pink, crimson, scarlet, with the pink variety being chosen and proclaimed as Victoria's floral emblem. The Lead beater's Possum This possum is a shy small nocturnal marsupial, highly agile and living only in Victoria and habitats within the tall eucalypt forests within Central Victoria. This possum is regarded as one of the rare members of our fauna species. It was originally found in 1867 north of the Wonthaggi area of West Gippsland. With sightings few and far between it was thought that the possum became extinct with last sightings in 1909. It was a great surprise to science when the species was rediscovered near Marysville in 1961. The length of Lead beater's Possum is about 40cm in length from nose to tail tip. About half of the possum's length is made up from its long club-shaped tail. It has a cute little face with soft dense fur in a dark greyish-brown colour with a whiter underbelly sharp claws and strong fingers to help them in climb. It is a nimble creature that jumps from branch to branch feeding upon insects living in the foliage. Helmeted Honeyeater The attractive Helmeted Honeyeater's territory is in a small area on Woori Yallock Creek near Yellingbo on the outskirts of Melbourne. The Helmeted Honeyeater has sadly become an endangered species due to being particularly vulnerable to habitat disturbances, as it requires a combination of manna and swamp gums, with tea-trees and shrubby bushes alongside grass-lined watercourses for a balanced existence. The birds are about 20cm in total length with the upper parts of the body olive-grey with the outer wing and tail feathers greenish-yellow. Underparts are yellowish-green with dark streaks. The sides of the head are glossy black with golden ear tufts and a yellow throat. Both crown and forehead are golden yellow with plush like feathers projecting slightly over the base of the bill and forming the distinctive helmet that distinguishes them from all other honeyeaters. Helmeted Honeyeaters gather most of their food from the bark, twigs and leaves of the eucalypts. Manna is a key source of food. Manna is the substance secreted by trees at broken or damaged parts to trunks and branches. When it is available nectar is gathered from eucalypt flowers. It also feeds on insects and spiders, which provide essential proteins in the Helmeted Honeyeater diet. From Ballarat to Melbourne a wide variety of flora and fauna can be found that would not be found in the desert settings of Darwin. There are 798 species of plants, 235 species of animals, and 16 different vegetation classes. Due to the different climate, landforms, soil, vegetation and so on Darwin consists of different flora and fauna than Ballarat and Melbourne. This is because the flora and fauna that survive in the Darwin environment cannot survive in the different environmental conditions that Ballarat and Melbourne hold. Safety considerations: The safety conditions for all lessons include; listening and following to all instruction given by the teacher, especially when completing the outside activities. When collecting soil samples and different types of rocks from the school yard students should make sure to not exceed yard boundaries or venture where teachers have instructed that they not explore. Use materials appropriately and sensibly during lessons and only use materials when instructed by the teacher. Be considerate of resources and other students while researching for facts sheets. Aims and Outcomes 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. To understand the different types of rocks To identify and make careful observations of different rocks To identify the different characteristics of rocks; hardness, roughness, shine, smoothness, toughness To understand and learn the different types of soil depending on where they come from To understand that there is always rocks beneath the soil, and bits of rock wear away from soil To identify the different characteristics of soil; gritty, sharp or silky To understand that different flora and fauna survive in different environmental areas depending on the climate, geologic aspects and so on 8. To design and construct their own Uluru model Conducting the Project in the Classroom Samples of common rocks can be purchased from educational suppliers or from museums. Lessons are approximately one and a half to two hours in length. The lesson structure is based on the topic; the students first grasp the concept of different types of rocks then explore the attraction of Uluru. Students then learn about different soil textures, leading on to the studying of the Simpson Desert. The following lessons provide teachers with a guideline where they can then develop a much more detailed lesson. In each lesson brief information on the specific topic is given, but more detailed information can be found in the teachers background. Lesson one: Explain the purpose, aims and background of Rode RAGE to the students. A poster sized map of Australia is placed on the wall in the classroom. (A map of a Australian can be photocopied from any atlas, or printed from the internet.) Together the students and teacher can plot the destinations which the Rode RAGE team will be encountering (Darwin, Wangi Falls, Mataranka, Renner Springs, Wycliffe Well, Alice Springs, Erldunda,Yulara, Uluru, Coober Pedy, Port Augusta, Adelaide, Nhill, Ballarat, Melbourne). A class discussion about the Rode RAGE challenge takes place to introduce the students to the initial topic. During the next four weeks the students can then plot on the map the different topics that they learn about. Students can identify and plot Uluru, Simpson Desert and any different soils or rocks that are found along the Rode RAGE route. This map can also be the starting point of the Rode RAGE wall, where students can display their work, completed on related topics, around the map so they can visually see what rocks, geologic attractions and different soils are found along the Rode RAGE route. Lesson two: Engage students in the topic and find out what they know about geology. Introduce the topic of geology. Ask the students what they already know about rocks, deserts, and Uluru. Create a list/ concept map about the facts that the students already know and understand about each of the issues. Focusing on rocks, the different types of rocks are explained to the students; chalk, granite, limestone, pumice, quartz, sandstone, slate. Samples of each of these types of rocks are shown to the students so that they can visually see the difference, as well as feel the difference. (The samples of different rock types can be found at any educational store or museum.) Students are instructed to pass the samples of the types of rocks around and each student should look closely at each rock; its colour and pattern and feel the texture. Students are then asked to complete a worksheet which involves students naming each rock and given a description of the rock’s colour, pattern and texture. After the completion of the worksheet discuss with the class what the differences and similarities are between the different kinds of rocks. Explain to the students that their homework task is to find two different kinds of rocks; the students can go for a walk around their neighbourhood and try to find two rocks that are distinctly different from each other. Lesson three: Instruct students to retrieve the two different rocks that they collected at home. Students are then taken outside where they can explore the school yard, under supervision of the teacher, and find one more rock to bring back into the class. Students are instructed to try and find different rocks so that they can have a variety of rocks to explore. This is a chance for the students that could not find rocks at home or did not have the chance to explore for rocks to still be included within the activity. Students return to the classroom and one at a time students show their rocks to the class and together the class identify the characteristic of that particular rock; colour, pattern and texture. The class then classifies the rock and names the rock based on its characteristics. Once all student’s rocks have been classified, a student can plot on the Rode RAGE map which particular rocks they found in Ballarat. Students are then asked to complete a worksheet which involves students to test the hardness of each of the sample rocks. Divide students into even groups and put each sample rock in an area around the classroom. Students are instructed to move from rock to rock and as a group test the hardness of that rock. After the completion of the worksheet discuss with the class what the differences and similarities are between the different kinds of rocks and which rock each group found to be the hardest. Lesson four: Students are instructed to complete a worksheet that explores the different uses for each of the different types of rocks. Students will need to think about each rock’s characteristics and determine why each rock is ideal for the material it is used for. The students will need to explore the weight, hardness, strength, water resistance, shape, colour, texture and other characteristics. Once students have completed the worksheet they are instructed to make their own facts sheet about rocks and what they have personally learnt from the pervious lessons about rocks, the types of rocks that can be found, characteristics of different rocks and which rocks can be found in Ballarat. Students can then make a rock garden to put on display using the rocks that they collected at home and at school. Each student will need to place their rocks in the correct category so that within the rock garden; all the different types of rocks are separate. Labels can then be made stating the name of each of the different types of rocks and the rock garden can be displayed near the Rode RAGE wall. Lesson five: Introduce the students to Uluru. Ask students if any have heard of Uluru or been to see Uluru? Explain to the students that Uluru is a rock formation that is classified as a sedimentary rock. Show the students pictures of Uluru. (Pictures can be found on the internet, by typing Uluru into google images www.google.com.au) Explain to the class that they will each be making their own Uluru model based on the Uluru pictures that were shown to the class. Ask students, how do you think we could recreate our own model of Uluru? (using paper mache’ and sand.) Explain to the students the method of paper mache’ that strips of newspaper need to be glued together to form a layer then completely covered by glue. Students are instructed to on a piece of cardboard paste half of a polystyrene foam ball (to show the circular shape of Uluru for the students to use as a base for their model.). Then using small strips of newspaper and glue cover the ball in two layers of the newspaper strips. Students then leave there work by the window so that they sun can dry the glue before they can glue anymore layers onto their model. Lesson six: Divide students into equal groups based on the number of computers that are available and explain that together as a class they will be making an Uluru facts sheet. Each group will focus on a question about Uluru; Who was the first person to see and walk on Uluru? What is the Uluru attraction a formation of? When was Uluru discovered? Where is Uluru located? Why is Uluru considered an Australian attraction? How was Uluru formed? Students are instructed to use the internet or books and as a group try and answer the question to their best ability. If some groups finish early then groups of students are instructed to find two or three other interesting facts about Uluru that they find informative. Once enough time has been given for all groups to answer their given question then instruct for students to gather their Uluru model. Students will then glue another two layers of the newspaper strips onto their model. Lesson seven: Explain to the students that as a class, on a large piece of poster paper they will be creating their own Uluru facts sheet. One at a time groups will share the answer to their particular question to the class. The teacher will write the answer on the facts sheet. Once all the groups have answered their question and it has been displayed on the facts sheet groups can then share any other interesting facts that they found whilst researching. Any facts that have not already been shared and that are informative and interesting can then be added to the facts sheet. Once the facts sheet is completed it can be displayed on the Rode RAGE wall, alongside the route map. Students are then instructed to collect their Uluru model. Once the model is dry students are instructed to cover the model in a think layer of glue then using sand spread over the top of the model to cover it and make it look like Uluru. The Uluru models can be placed on display on a table near the Rode RAGE wall. Lesson eight: Introduce the students to the topic of soils. Discuss with the students that there are different materials found in different soil and different characteristic are used to classify soils. Identify the difference between soil and dirt, that dirt is soil that is out of place in the human world. Explain to the students that there is three main components of soil; clay, silt and sand. Although many other materials may be found in soil, including wood, rocks, roots, leaves, seeds, pods, stems, bark, grass, insects and worms. Show students a sample of different soils; a clay based soil, a silt based soil and a sand based soil. Students are instructed to complete a worksheet that requires them to analyse soils from different environments. Students each receive a small sample of the different based soils to analyse. Once the worksheets are complete discuss with the students their findings, the differences and similarities between the soils. Explain to the students that their homework task is to find a soil sample from around their neighbourhood and bring it into class for the next lesson. Lesson nine: Instruct students to retrieve the soil sample which they collected at home. Students are then taken outside where they can explore the school yard, under supervision of the teacher, and collect another soil sample to bring back into the class. Students are instructed to try and find a different soil sample so that they can have a variety to explore. This is a chance for the students that could not find a sample at home or did not have the chance to explore can still be included within the activity. Students return to the classroom and the characteristics of the different soil types are explained. Clayey soils are fine but may turn sticky and form a lump when wet, silty soils are smooth like flour but crumble when wet and sandy soils are grittier than the others. Students are instructed to identify the components within their soil sample. Water is added to the samples to identify whether it is a clay, silt or sand based soil. As a class the students discuss their findings and what happened when water was added to the soil samples. Student can plot on the Rode RAGE map which particular soil components they found in Ballarat. Lesson ten: Introduce the topic of the Simpson Desert, and that it is a hot and dry desert that is in central Australia, mostly in the Northern Territory's. Divide students into two equal groups based on the number of students in the particular class. Explain to the students that they will be creating a facts sheet of the differences in the Simpson Desert environment versus the environment of Ballarat. The teacher will allocate pairs of students to research different aspects about the environment. Pairs will be allocated to research; the facts about the environment, the climate, the native animals, the soil types, the rock types and the native plants that are found within that region. Students are given time to in pairs research on the internet about their given topic. Students work together to find interesting facts about their specific topic. The teacher should be assisting each partnership ensuring that they are doing what is required of them and that they are on the set task. The teacher could also offer ideas towards student’s topics to assist them and to further develop their research on their given topics. Lesson eleven: Explain to the students that they will be finishing research for the facts sheet about the differences between Ballarat and the Simpson Desert. Students will move to the library and continue their research about their given topic. They will have access to a range of books so that they can get a wide range of research about their topic. Once students have completed their research they will move back to the classroom to complete the facts sheet. The teacher places a piece of poster paper up with a line dividing two halves of the paper, on one half Ballarat is the title and the other half it being titled Simpson Desert. Together as a class they will complete the facts sheet by sharing their facts and writing them on the poster paper. Each pair will present at least one fact about their topic to the class to be added to the fact sheet. A discussion can be held to compare the difference in plants, animals, weather, rocks and soils found within the two different environments of Ballarat versus the Simpson Desert. Once completed the fact sheet can be placed on the Rode RAGE wall. Further Information for Students to Research www.cln.org/themes/rocks_minerals.html Student Worksheets Attached: Worksheet one: All kinds of rocks (to be used for lesson two) Worksheet two: Hard as rock (to be used for lesson three) Worksheet three: Hard Facts (to be used for lesson four) Worksheet four: Bits and Pieces (to be used for lesson eight) What to look out for on the Rode RAGE Webcast:  Students can look out for Uluru, during Rode RAGE they are spending a day at Uluru. Students can send questions to the Rode RAGE crew about Uluru, they could ask them for photos, information, what is around them. This therefore with engage the students and give them further information on the landform.  Students can look out for the environment changes from Darwin to Melbourne. Darwin is a sandy, hot and different environment scenery compares to Melbourne.  Students can look out for any of rocks we explored  Students can look out for any of the different soils we explored Reflection from Shailee: As a group the work load was evenly shared; with both Hayley and I active in researching the information for the teachers background section of the assessment. Together Hayley and I read through the research information, summarized and decided on which information was suitable and most important to use within the assessment. All activities were decided and chosen by both Hayley and I. The group work was not only evenly shared but we worked extremely well together and were always willing to work on the task at hand. We supported each other and helped each other as well as, gave and accepted advice from each other. Hayley and I found it easy to work together as we understood each other and there were no disagreements about the task .Working in a group with Hayley made it easy to succeed in such a task as the work was not completed in a difficult environment and we were both happy to be involved in any and everyway. Hayley was extremely easy to work with and it was easy to come to decisions about the content of the assessment or the activities to use. Hayley never had a problem with any of the work load and she was always happy to complete the assessment together whenever we had decided to work on the task. Hayley’s ideas were always great and her contribution was well needed to the assessment. Reflection from Hayley: Together I found that Shailee and I worked extremely well in completing The Rode RAGE assignment. As Shailee and I have completed many assessments together we know each other’s strengths and weakness and are able to work together to complete the set task. As we both live together this made it easier to complete the task as we had a lot of time together in which we could work on the assignment. We spent time in the university library where we used the internet to gain information on the Geology topic. We also searched for a number of text books that we thought would contain useful information on the topic. Together we sat down and read through the information, where we summarise what information we believed was more related to the topic, from this point we then put together out teachers background. Next Shailee and I found as many worksheets and activities as we could, we then brought them together and decided on our four week timeline. We went through section by section together joining each other’s opinions on the topic. I found that Shailee and I were very supportive of one another therefore we were able to co-operate and contribute equally. Shailee was a very positive worker and had a lot of excellent ideas that she contributed to the Rode RAGE assignment. Shailee was very easy to work with therefore this made the completion of the assignment a lot easier because we were able to work together. Shailee was very enthusiastic and did not have any problems with any of the work towards the assignment. She was willing and eager to do anything that was required of her in order to complete the assignment with ease. References: Cruickshank, J. (1974) Soil geography. Great Britain: David and Charles Dubbin, W. (2001) Soils. Victoria: CSIRO publishing Handreck, K. (1978) Soil- Australia’s greatest resource. Australia: CSIRO Johnson, D. (2004) The Geology of Australia. Australia: Cambridge University Press Martin, R., Sexton, C., Franklin, T. (2009) Teaching science for all children. Sydney: Pearson Moorcroft, C. (2006) Developing Science. Clayton South: Blake Education Pyers, G. (2004) Desert Explorer. Australia: Raintree Settlage, J., Southerland, S. (2007) Teaching Science to Every Child. United States of America: Taylor and Francis Group Skamp, K. (1998) Teaching primary science constructively. Australia: Harcourt Brace Spilsbury, R. (2004) Desert Food chains. Great Britain: Heinemann Tan, K. (1996) Soil sampling, preparation and analysis. America: Marcel dekker Ward, H., Roden, J., Hewlett, C., Forman, J. (2008) Teaching Science in the primary classroom (Second Edition). London: SAGE publications