All lessons › Dung beetles to the rescue › Lesson 1
Australian primary science · Year 4 · Lesson 1 of 3
The dung problem
Inquiry question: Why did cow dung pile up in Australian paddocks, and what could fix it?
Marked no materials needed
Research using sources
What students learn
Producers, consumers and decomposers are linked in food chains. Decomposers break down waste and dead things, returning nutrients to the soil. When the right decomposers are missing, waste builds up and causes problems.
Success criteria
- I can name the producer, consumer and decomposers in a farm food chain.
- I can explain why cow dung piled up in Australia.
- I can ask a question a scientist might investigate about the problem.
Preparation and materials
Before this lesson: Students know that animals eat plants or other animals, and that dead things rot away over time.
- One screen or projector to show this lesson’s student view (the dung problem story) (or print one student view per pair) — 1
- Workbooks or scrap paper, and pencils — 26
Teacher setup
- Open this lesson’s student view (the dung problem story) on your screen, or print the student view if the internet is unreliable.
- No other preparation is needed.
Safety and adaptations
Follow school science and equipment risk assessment procedures for the materials used.
Review your school policies and curriculum requirements before teaching.
How to investigate
The lesson sequence should leave pupils with evidence to interpret, not only an activity to finish.
- Pairs read the story of the dung problem in the student view.
- Draw the farm food chain and label the producer, consumer and decomposers.
- List three problems caused by dung that did not break down.
- Explain in one or two sentences why native dung beetles didn’t fix the problem.
- Write two questions a scientist might ask before bringing in new beetles.
Teacher modelling prompt
Draw: grass → cow → dung → dung beetle. Think aloud: “The arrows show where the food goes. Grass is the producer; it uses sunlight. The cow is a consumer. The dung beetle eats and buries the dung, so it is a decomposer, putting nutrients back in the soil for the grass. Without it, the arrow from dung stops.”
Record and explain evidence
Recording question: Why did cow dung pile up in Australian paddocks, and what could fix it?
| Living thing | Producer, consumer or decomposer? | What it eats or uses | What would happen without it |
|---|---|---|---|
| ________________ | ________________ | ________________ | ________________ |
Example recording headings; record actual observations, including inconclusive results.
Discussion prompt
Which explanation uses science ideas?
Check understanding
What should pupils know? What job do decomposers do in a habitat?
Explain with evidence: Explain why cow pads stayed in Australian paddocks for months.
Apply the idea: Before releasing a new beetle, what is one question scientists should ask? Stretch (older students): why might bringing in a new living thing be risky? Give an example.
Teacher answer guidance and saved classroom work are available through the main lesson experience where supported.