Years 7 - 10 programs

Sink or swim: Structure, function and food chains

Students investigate the unique and specialised functions that marine and freshwater animals and plants have that enable them to survive and reproduce. Students will also investigate interactions between these organisms and produce food chains and food webs.

Duration 1.5 hours.

Duration 1.5 hours.

Freshwater wonders: Food chains

Aquatic invertebrates are integral to food webs.  Using water samples collected from a nearby waterway students will have the opportunity to identify and group animals according to sensitivity to a water ways health.  Using the animals found, students will show the relationships between the organisms from a freshwater environment.

Duration 1.5 hours.

Marine biology cruise

You will be amazed to discover what lives on drifting seaweed. Students will examine organisms from a sample taken from Port Phillip and observe their amazing structures that help them survive in the sea. The cruise also visits an Australian Fur Seal haul out site and Australasian Gannet colony at Pope’s Eye. Students will also investigate interactions between these organisms and can produce food chains and food webs.

Duration 2.5 hours. 
Maximum number on boat: 27 including teachers.

Rocky shore diversity

Students use keys to make sense of the amazing diversity of life found on a rocky shore platform and discover the fantastic adaptations that help organisms survive in the harsh intertidal environment. Students will also investigate interactions between these organisms and can produce food chains and food webs.

Duration 1.5 hours.

Mudflat diversity

Students use keys to make sense of the amazing diversity of organisms in this internationally significant intertidal mudflat. Discover the fantastic adaptations that help organisms survive in a variety of mudflat micro-habitats. Students will also investigate interactions between these organisms and can produce food chains and food webs.

Duration 1.5 hours.

Biodiversity in the Sea: Shore Snorkel
(terms 1 and 4 only)

What better way to observe the diversity of cool water wonders than immersing yourself in it on a snorkel? Students will be able to closely observe a variety of marine animals and plants in their natural habitats and appreciate Victoria's marine diversity. All gear (mask, snorkel, wetsuits) provided.

Duration 2.5 hours.   
Teacher : Student Ratio
1:10

Swan Bay canoe explorers

Learn the basics of canoeing while discovering some of the wonders of Swan Bay. This activity involves using canoes to access one of this region's most important fish nurseries and an internationally significant wader bird habitat. Students will have the opportunity to sample seagrass habitats and form food chains from the organisms observed.

Duration 2.5 hours.

Teacher : Student Ratio
1:8

Coastal environments are tough! To survive, plants must cope with salt, wind, shifting sands, low nutrients and human impacts. While visiting a sand dune system, students will sample, observe and record changes in vegetation and physical conditions through the dune system.

Duration 2 hours.

Beachcomb: Trash or treasure

During a beach investigation students will discover what the tide has brought up – both natural and human made.  Natural items on the beach tell us about the marine ecosystem just offshore without the need to get wet. This beach wrack is a valuable resource to many animals.   Students can also collect data that will be sent to the Australian Microplastics Assessment Project (AUSMAP) and the Australian Marine Debris Initiative.   Let us know when booking if you want to include the data collection component as part of your activity.

Duration 1.5 hours.

Sustainable Fishing

Port Phillip bay has a long history of fishing, develop your students’ sustainable fishing skills and knowledge while out on the bay. All gear is provided.  If you would like to take your catch home, please bring ice and a cooler or catch and release.

Duration 2.5 hours.

Pt Lonsdale Freshwater Wonders

Aquatic invertebrates are integral to food webs.  Students will collect samples from a nearby waterway and identify and group animals according to sensitivity to a water ways health.  Using the animals found, students will show the relationships between the organisms from this freshwater environment.

Duration 1.5 hours. .

YEARS 7 and 8

Activity

Activity Time

Price
(includes GST)

Cost per additional student

Sink or Swim: structure function and food chains

OR

Making sense of Diversity: Classification

OR

Freshwater wonders: Food chains (Sessions are 45 mins in the laboratory; 45 mins in the aquarium)

1hour 30mins

$300.00

(for up to & including
20 students.
One MFDC educator)

$15

(for each additional student up to a maximum of
30 students total)

Heads, tails, fins and scales: Fish Investigation (Session is 1 hr in the laboratory; 30 mins in the aquarium)

1hour 30mins

$360.00

(for up to & including
20 students.
One MFDC educator)

$18

(for each additional student up to a maximum of
30 students total)

Rocky Shore Diversity

OR

Mudflat Diversity

OR

Beachcomb: Trash or Treasure

OR

Pt Lonsdale Freshwater Wonders) (Session is 1 hr in the field; 30 mins in the aquarium)

1hour 30mins

$300.00

(for up to & including
20 students.
One MFDC educator)

$15

(for each additional student up to a maximum of
30 students total)

Dynamic Dunes: Sand Dune Investigation (Sessions is 1.5 hrs in the field; 30 mins in the aquarium)

2 hours

$300.00

(for up to & including
20 students.
One MFDC educator)

$15

(for each additional student up to a maximum of
30 students total)

All YEAR LEVELS.

Activity

Activity Time

Price
(includes GST)

Cost per additional student

Marine Biology Cruise : Marine life in
Port Phillip Bay
(Session is 2 hours on the boat and 30 minutes in the centre)

2 hours 30 mins

$780.00
(One MFDC educator)

Flat rate for groups of
up to 27 participants

Swan Bay Canoe Explorers

Note: Teachers may be included in the ratios depending on personal canoe experience and competence.

(Session is 2 hours in the field and 30 minutes in the centre)

2 hours 30 mins

-

Flat rate for groups of
up to 8 participants

$360.00
(One MFDC educator)

Flat rate for groups of
up to 8 participants

Teacher : Student Ratio
1:8
Max ratio

$720.00
(Two MFDC educators)

Flat rate for groups of
up to 16 participants

Teacher : Student Ratio
2:16
Max ratio

Biodiversity in the Sea: Shore snorkel

Note: Teachers may be included in the ratios depending on personal snorkel experience and competence.

2 hours 30 mins

-

Flat rate for groups of
up to 10 participants

$360.00
(One MFDC educator)

Flat rate for groups of
up to 10 participants

Teacher : Student Ratio
1:10
Max ratio

$720.00
(Two MFDC educators)

Flat rate for groups of
up to 10 participants

Teacher : Student Ratio
2:20
Max ratio

Sustainable Fishing (boat based fishing)

(Session is 2 hours on the boat and 30 minutes in the centre

2 hours 30 mins

$850.00
(One MFDC educator)

Flat rate for groups of
up to 15 participants

all gear and bait provided; assistance with (fishing)

Environmental Change

Our world is changing. Students will investigate some of the issues facing our marine and freshwater ecosystems such as pollution and climate change.  How can we manage our fisheries in a changing environment?

Duration 1.5 hours.

Structure of a community: tube worm investigation

Duration 2 hours.

Heads, tails, fins and scales: Fish Investigation

A variety of fish will be examined and comparisons made of the body structures, gut contents, internal organs and other specialised structures. Where do these organisms fit in terms of food chains and food webs and how can they be affected by human activities such as fishing?

Duration  1.5 hours.

Marine biology cruise

This boat cruise provides the perfect opportunity to investigate the biotic and abiotic components of an ecosystem and to explore the many uses of our bay as a resource and the potential conflicts that can arise. Students will examine organisms from a sample taken of drifting seaweed of Port Phillip and observe their amazing structures that help them survive in the sea. The cruise also visits an Australian Fur Seal haul out site and Australasian Gannet colony in Port Phillip.

Duration 2.5 hours

Maximum number: 27 including teachers.

Rocky shore diversity

Students explore the diversity and investigate the biotic and abiotic components of a rocky shore ecosystem.  How do organisms survive in the harsh intertidal area of a rocky shore platform and discover the fantastic adaptations these organisms have to help them survive.

Duration 1.5 hours.

Mudflat diversity

Students explore the diversity and investigate the biotic and abiotic components of a seagrass and mudflat ecosystem. Students will sample various micro-habitats to become familiar with the inhabitants and the importance of this international significant area.

Duration 1.5. hours

Biodiversity in the sea: Shore snorkel (terms 1 and 4 only)

The seagrass and rocky reef off Queenscliff beach is a great ecosystem to closely observe a variety of interdependent marine animals and plants while appreciating Victoria's marine diversity. All gear (mask, snorkel, wetsuits) provided.

Duration 2.5 hours.

Teacher : Student Ratio
1:10

Learn the basics of canoeing while exploring the diversity and investigating the biotic and abiotic components of a seagrass and mudflat ecosystem.  Students will observe and sample the mudflat and seagrass habitat to become familiar with the inhabitants and the importance of this internationally significant area.

Duration 2.5 hours.  Maximum number of participants: 16.  $300 up to 8 students $600 up to 16 students

Coastal environments are tough! To survive, plants must cope with salt, wind, shifting sands, low nutrients and human impacts. While moving through a sand dune system, students will sample, observe and record changes in vegetation and physical conditions.

Duration 2 hours

Coastal environmental change and management

An understanding of coastal processes is needed for effective management. This field trip allows students to see firsthand the effectiveness of strategies implemented in Point Lonsdale and Queenscliff to manage and protect the coastal environment.

Duration 2.0 hours.

Beachcomb: trash or treasure

During a beach investigation students will discover what the tide has brought up – both natural and human made.  Natural items on the beach tell us about the marine ecosystem just offshore without the need to get wet. This beach wrack is a valuable resource to many animals. Students can also collect data that will be sent to the Australian Microplastics Assessment Project (AUSMAP) and the Australian Marine Debris Initiative.   Let us know when booking if you want to include the data collection component as part of your activity.

Duration 1.5 hours.

Sustainable Fishing

Port Phillip bay has a long history of fishing, develop your students’ sustainable fishing skills and knowledge while out on the bay. All gear is provided.  If you would like to take your catch home, please bring ice and a cooler or you can choose to catch and release.

Duration 2.5 hours.

YEARS 9 and 10

Activity

Activity Time

Price
(includes GST)

Cost per additional student

Environmental Change

(Session is 45 mins in the laboratory; 45 mins in the aquarium)

1hour 30mins

$300.00

(for up to & including
20 students.
One MFDC educator)

$15

(for each additional student up to a maximum of
30 students total)

Heads, tails, fins and scales: Fish Investigation (Session is 1 hr in the laboratory; 30 mins in the  aquarium)

1hour 30mins

$360.00

(for up to & including
20 students.
One MFDC educator)

$18

(for each additional student up to a maximum of
30 students total)

Structure of a Community: Tube worm investigation

(Session is 1.5 hrs in the laboratory; 30 mins in the aquarium)

2 hours

$450.00

(for up to & including
25 students.
One MFDC educator)

$18

(for each additional student up to a maximum of
30 students total)

Rocky Shore Diversity

OR

Mudflat Diversity

OR

Beachcomb: Trash or Treasure

(Sessions are 1 hr in the field; 30 mins in the aquarium)

1hour 30mins

$300.00

(for up to & including
20 students.
One MFDC educator)

$15

(for each additional student up to a maximum of
30 students total)

Dynamic Dunes: Sand Dune Investigation

(Session is 1.5 hrs in the field; 30 mins in the aquarium)

2 hours

$300.00

(for up to & including
20 students.
One MFDC educator)

$15

(for each additional student up to a maximum of
30 students total)

Coastal Environmental Change and Management (Session is 1.5 hrs in the field via bus; 30 mins in the aquarium)

2 hours

$300.00

(for up to & including
20 students.
One MFDC educator)

$15

(for each additional student up to a maximum of
30 students total)

All YEAR LEVELS.

Activity

Activity Time

Price
(includes GST)

Cost per additional student

Marine Biology Cruise : Marine life in
Port Phillip Bay (Session is 2 hours on the boat and 30 minutes in the centre)

2 hours 30 mins

$780.00
(One MFDC educator)

Flat rate for groups of
up to 27 participants

Swan Bay Canoe Explorers

Note: Teachers may be included in the ratios depending on personal canoe experience and competence.

(Session is 2 hours in the field and 30 minutes in the centre)

2 hours 30 mins

-

Flat rate for groups of
up to 8 participants

$360.00
(One MFDC educator)

Flat rate for groups of
up to 8 participants

Teacher : Student Ratio
1:8
Max ratio

$720.00
(Two MFDC educators)

Flat rate for groups of
up to 16 participants

Teacher : Student Ratio
2:16
Max ratio

Biodiversity in the Sea: Shore snorkel

Note: Teachers may be included in the ratios depending on personal snorkel experience and competence.

2 hours 30 mins

-

Flat rate for groups of
up to 10 participants

$360.00
(One MFDC educator)

Flat rate for groups of
up to 10 participants

Teacher : Student Ratio
1:10
Max ratio

$720.00
(Two MFDC educators)

Flat rate for groups of
up to 10 participants

Teacher : Student Ratio
2:20
Max ratio

Sustainable Fishing (boat based fishing)

(Session is 2 hours on the boat and 30 minutes in the centre

2 hours 30 mins

$850.00
(One MFDC educator)

Flat rate for groups of
up to 15 participants

all gear and bait provided; assistance with (fishing)