Classifications and/or Interactions
Program outline
Depending on the learning goals for your students our program can focus on either one of or both “Classifications” and “Interactions”.
| Classification or Interaction Program | ||
| Educator-led Sessions
90 mins total |
Up-close encounter with several education reptiles. Guided walk through the Park to observe and learn about Australian mammals and birds. | |
| Classification
Students will observe, learn about, and interact with a range of animals, across Class Aves, Class Reptilia and Class Mammalia. Included is a guided tour of our Park as well as our classroom for an up-close and hands on reptile encounter. Our sessions will support learners’ understanding of the variation within – and relationship between – Species within a Class, Order and Genus. Students will be prompted to make predictions regarding the categories species may belong to and the distinctions and similarities between species based on their classification. Students will appreciate the use of the Taxonomic system to order support our understanding of all forms of life. A worksheet can be provided to support students in their understanding of the topic. This will require students to complete the taxonomic hierarchy for selected species in each class. |
Interactions and Food Webs
Students will observe, learn about, and interact with a range of animals, and environments, with a guided tour of our Park, as well as our classroom for an up-close and hands on reptile encounter. Our sessions will support learners’ understanding of the varied relationships between all forms of life; examining the ways in which species interact and are impacted by each other’s presence. Students will encounter and observe animals that occupy each level of a food chain/food web including Producers and Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Consumers. Students will learn about the significance of Apex Predators. Students will be prompted to examine species and make conclusions about their roles in the food web as well as make predictions regarding the outcome of the presence and absence of these species from the food web. |
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| Teacher-led Sessions
30-45 mins total |
Wallaby Walk
Groups will be provided with Roo-food and an identification sheet so that students may observe, identify, interact with and potentially feed our free roaming wallabies and kangaroos. |
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2025 PRICES
90 minute program – cost per student including admission: $21.50
Includes 90 minutes of educator-led sessions, plus a teacher-led session to visit the Wallaby Walk.
Includes reserved undercover seating.
Extra adults over the below ratios: $23.00 (to a maximum of 1:1)
NOTE: all programs have a minimum charge for 17 students per group – even if fewer attend on the day.
All prices include GST
***Discount for TERM 1 2025***
Excursions booked for dates in Term 1 2025 are priced at $19.50 per student
ADULT TO STUDENT RATIO
Adult to student ratio
Secondary: 1 adult included free of charge with every 10 students (rounded up to the next 10)
Carers and Aides (for people with physical or learning needs): 1 included per student
Learning aides do not affect ratios
Extra adults over the above ratios: $23.00
RESOURCES
Resources
On the day, a Wallaby Walk Guide will be provided to leading teachers and other supervising adults to assist them in facilitating the teacher-led session.
Digital copies of these resources can be found here: Wallaby Walk Guide
GROUP SIZE, STUDENT NUMBERS AND TIMETABLE
- Program can be run with 1 to 5 groups
- Group minimum of 17 students (invoiced for 17 even if fewer attend)
- Schools with greater than 125 students can visit over multiple days.
Groups of 1 to 3 classes (approx. 16 to 75 students):
90-minute educator-led program divided into 2 x 45-minute sessions + 1 teacher-led session in the Wallaby Walk
Educator-led sessions will consist of an indoor reptile encounter session and an outdoor Park-based session.
Groups of 4 to 5 classes (approx. 75 to 125 students):
90-minute educator-led program divided into 3 x 30-minute sessions + 1 teacher-led session in the Wallaby Walk
Educator-led sessions will consist of an indoor reptile encounter session and two outdoor Park-based sessions in different zones.
An example of a timetable for 4 groups based on a 10am arrival is shown below.
CHANGES TO CONDITIONS FOR SECONDARY SCHOOL EXCURSION BOOKINGS
Changes to conditions for Secondary School Excursion bookings
Due to the intimate size of the park and the close contact guests can have with our wildlife, Moonlit Sanctuary is not a suitable facility for free-time and unstructured activities for large school groups.
Based on feedback from our guests, Keepers, and Education staff, and to ensure the welfare of our animals, we request that Year 7-10 school groups of 3 or more classes, depart Moonlit Sanctuary after their program or following lunch.
If there is a need for a data collection session, we can schedule this within the structured timetable. During this session, students must remain with their class groups and be under the full supervision of a teacher.
Curriculum Links
Our Year 7 and 8 program caters to the curriculum descriptors shown below.
| Victorian Curriculum | Levels 7 and 8 | |
| Science | Biological Science | There are differences within and between groups of organisms; classification helps organise this diversity(VCSSU091) |
| Interactions between organisms can be described in terms of food chains and food webs and can be affected by human activity (VCSSU093) | ||
| Science as a human endeavour | Science and technology contribute to finding solutions to a range of contemporary issues; these solutions may impact on other areas of society and involve ethical considerations (VCSSU090) | |
| Questioning and predicting | Identify questions, problems and claims that can be investigated scientifically and make predictions based on scientific knowledge (VCSIS107) | |
| Cross Curriculum Priorities | Learning about sustainability | |
| Learning Capabilities | Critical and creative thinking | |
| Ethical | ||
