RIC-6277 I can dance the Barramundi

KOALA
Preparation
• Collect pictures of koalas.
Presentation
• Share and discuss the koala pictures with
the class. Ask the students to share their
experiences with koalas.
• Say the rhyme with the actions for the class.
• Share the following information with the
class:
The koala in the rhyme is enjoying its lunch.
Koalas, however, are said to be fussy eaters
because they prefer to eat the leaves from
just a few eucalypts. The koala mostly lives
on its own, high above in the treetops,
snoozing for up to 18 hours a day! It wedges
its small tail into the fork of a branch of a
gum tree, settles, and when it is hungry,
helps itself to gumleaves growing nearby.
Sometimes it has to climb along a branch to
find more leaves, often sniffing a leaf before
munching one!
Additional activities/information
• Read the following news item to the class.
KOALA DISAPPEARS
Before breakfast this morning, while her mother
was asleep, Cutie Koala climbed down their gum
tree and disappeared. A search for her has begun.
• Through questioning, encourage the
children to create a story sequence.
Beginning:
Where did Cutie live?
Who did she live with?
Did Cutie like living there?
Why/Why not?
How far did Cutie wander?
After a while, how did she feel?
Middle:
When Cutie sat down to have a rest,
some bush creatures came along.
Koalas get their water from the gumleaves
they eat and from dew and rain showers.
The koala’s arms and legs are very strong
for climbing. Rough pads on the paws and
sharp pointed claws help the koala to climb
and cling to the smooth branches of the
eucalypts.
The koala’s thick furry coat keeps it snug in
winter as it curls up into a ball to keep warm.
In the summer it keeps cool by lying on its
stomach on a branch and dangling its arms
and legs over the branch!
• Say the rhyme with the actions again for the
class.
• The class claps the beat while saying the
rhyme.
• The class says the rhyme with the actions.
Who were they?
Did they offer to help Cutie?
How did they take Cutie home?
Ending:
When they reached Cutie’s gum tree:
How did Cutie feel?
How did her mother feel?
Did they remember to thank the bush
creatures?
©R.I.C. Publications
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Display Copy
• The koala is Queensland’s faunal emblem.
• Koalas are precious Australian animals. In
as little as 15 years, they may disappear
from the wild. Remember to record ‘Save
the koala month’ (July) in the class diary/
calendar.
I can dance the barramundi
34 R.I.C. Publications ® www.ricgroup.com.au
ISBN 978-1-74126-424-1