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It’s seasonal

Does this fit our Aussie weather?

Does this fit with Melbourne weather?

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How does Australia compare to other countries?

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Indigenous weather knowledge

Weather Plants Animals

Sky Activity

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Nyoongar

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Gariwerd - Grampians

Kulin Nation

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Incorporating the seasons in your curriculum

Maths

Fractions – Fraction wheel

Degrees – Season wheel

Graphing – Graphing climate data from BOM

Science

Ecosystems - Abiotic and biotic factors Plant and animal reproduction and growth Adaptations Daily and seasonal change Earth’s Resources – management and use Astronomy Human impact Science as Human endeavour

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Geography

Aboriginal language map and location Weather and seasons Connection to land and waterways Water cycle Resource use and management Human Impact Food production

English

Write a story or a poem describing the seasons and about the changes in the seasons. Jigsaw activity – Learn about a particular element of a season and teach the class about it.

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Music

Write a piece of music that represents the changes in the seasons.

Art Make a collage of each season

Food Technology Explore when food is in season in different areas of Australia

Eating in Season When do we know when to grow something? What time of the year are you able to eat tomatoes? Does it vary across Australia? How long from when you plant something will it be ready to eat?

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Seasons of the Kulin Nation

Biderap Dry Season (January – February) Weather – Hot and dry, high temperature and low rainfall Plants – Grasses are drying, Cherry Ballart fruiting, Kangaroo apples ripe, Prickly currant bush ripens. Poa grass is long and dry Animals – bats catch insects, lizards and snakes active, female common brown butterflies flying. Kangaroos start breeding. Wombats active at night.

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Biderap Dry Season (January – February) Activity – repairing fish and eel traps, emu and kangaroo hunted as they come to drink, people gather at billabongs and creeks in clan gatherings when food is plentiful, fish and shellfish eaten, women dig for tubers and roots The night sky – The Southern Cross is high in the south at sunrise

Iuk Eel Season (Late February - March) Weather – Hot winds stop blowing and temperatures cool. Plants – Manna Gum, Banksia and stringy bark flowering. Starchy roots of water plants die down. Animals – Eels migrate downstream and are fat and ready to harvest. Brushtail possums breed.

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Iuk Eel Season (Late February - March) Activity – Burning scrub and grasses to help catch animals and fertilise plants. Good time for gatherings and celebrations, to trade resources, and to share food and stories. The night sky – Days and nights are of equal length. Star Canopus almost due south at sunrise

Waring Wombat Season (April - July) Weather – Cool, rainy days follow misty mornings. Highest rainfall and lowest temperature Plants – Hearts of the soft tree fern emerge, small tuberous plants grow well after rain, fungi fruiting Animals – Wombats emerge to bask and graze in the sunshine. Male Lyrebirds perform their courtship displays. Possums are mating. Moths emerge as major food source for birds. Kangaroos and wallabies feed on new growth.

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Waring Wombat Season (April - July) Activity – Move to higher areas away from low level flooding. Kept warm by fires and possum skins. The night sky – Days are short and nights are long. Constellation of Sagittarius rises in the south east after sunset (indicating the midpoint of the cold weather)

Guling Orchid Season (Mid July - August) Weather – Cold weather coming to an end Plants – Orchids and Early Nancy are flowering. Silver Wattle and Yellow Box in flower provide nectar. Animals – Caterpillars of the common brown butterfly feed on grasses at night. Lyrebirds perform the last of their displays. Koalas begin mating, males bellow at night. Birds begin nesting.

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Guling Orchid Season (Mid July - August) Activity – Collect eggs from bird nests. Move to lowlands to snare waterbirds. The night sky – Star Arcturus is seen on the northwest horizon soon after sunset

Poorneet Tadpole Season (September - October) Weather – Temperatures are rising, rain continues Plants – Flax lilies, Goodenia and Kangaroo Apple are flowering. Myrnong flowering indicates the tubers are ready for eating. Animals – Pied Currawongs call loudly and often. Frogs call and produce tadpoles. Young kangaroos venture out of the pouch.

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Poorneet Tadpole Season (September - October) Activity – Eating yams, water plants and greens The night sky – Days and nights are of equal length

Buath Gurru Grass Flowering Season (November) Weather – Warm and often raining Plants – Kangaroo grass and Coranderrk flowering. Fruit forming on Kangaroo Apple and appleberry. Tuberous plants are dying off Animals – Micro bats are catching insects in flight. Male common brown butterflies are flying.

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Buath Gurru Grass Flowering Season (November) Activity – People gather at billabongs, creeks and clan gatherings when food is plentiful. Women dig for tubers and roots. Grasses used to make string and weaving. Grass seeds collected and stored. The night sky – The Orion constellation is setting in the western sky around sunrise.

Garrawang Kangaroo Apple Season (December) Weather – Changeable, thundery weather Plants – Fruits appear on the Kangaroo Apple. Cherry Ballart is fruiting, elderberries and prickly currant ripen. Black wattle flowers. Animals – Snakes and Goannas are active, bats catching insects in flight. Wedge-tailed Eagles breeding.

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Garrawang Kangaroo Apple Season (December) Activity – Emus and Kangaroos hunted as they move in to drink. Fish traps set. The night sky – Days are long and nights are short

Astronomy

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Yolgnu seasons

Resources

https://arrc.com.au/indigenous-knowledge/learningfrom-indigenous-weather-knowledge/

http://www.bom.gov.au/iwk/

https://www.csiro.au/en/Research/Environment/Land-management/Indigenous/Indigenous-calendars

https://www.ourways.info/season-appointments