Support your Year 5 students in their Biological Sciences: Surviving in Specific Habitats unit of work with the assessment task, Bird Beak Battle!

Created to coincide with the Year 5 Biological Sciences Australian Curriculum, this investigation will provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate their understanding of the concepts related to how particular structural features and behaviours of living things enable their survival in specific habitats (AC9S5U01).

After viewing our Surviving in Specific Habitats PowerPoint, which includes slides outlining the different kinds of bird beak structures and diets, students will participate in a physical simulation where they examine the structural features of various bird beaks and identify how they enable them to find food and survive in their specific habitats.

Students will begin the assessment by using the Bird Beak Battle worksheets to develop a question that guides their investigation, make a meaningful prediction, list the materials, identify the variables, draw a labelled diagram and record the scientific method. They can then conduct their timed tests of each bird beak “eating” different foods and record their observations on the Bird Beak Battle Observation Table as they move around the stations. Please note that we have included blank versions of this resource for you to add your own beak utensils and food items.

Once their investigation is complete, students can transfer their observational data to the Bird Beak Battle Investigation Results column graph and analyse it by looking for patterns and relationships between the beaks and the food “eaten”. Please note that we have included blank versions of this resource for you to add your own beak utensils and food items, as well as the option of a whole-page graph.

Finally, students will complete the remainder of the Bird Beak Battle worksheets by discussing their results with a partner, completing the reflection questions and recording their concluding thoughts, partner comparison findings and any further questions they still have.

This assessment is centred around a scientific investigation; therefore, we strongly recommend that you read our Bird Beak Battle Teacher Tips page. As the investigation includes food items, please check for any food allergies and provide alternatives as required. Having your materials and stations prepared and your students organised into groups before the lesson will help it to run smoothly!

To further assist in your preparation and delivery of this lesson, we have included examples of the Bird Beak Battle question, prediction, materials, variables, diagram and method pages. Teachers can assess this task using the Bird Beak Battle: Assessment Rubric. A blank version of this document has also been included.