James Cook set off from England in 1769 to observe the transit of Venus and explore the ‘unknown southern land’. On board were naturalists Joseph Banks and Daniel Solander who collected and recorded information about Australian native plants.
Two hundred and fifty years later students will investigate the influence of these discoveries on modern day science and collect and record observations of their own plant species as the early naturalists did. They will also learn about Australia’s first scientists, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, by exploring knowledge sharing through stories and learn how Australia’s First Peoples utilised plants.
Learning Activities
- Students will observe, classify and record plant species collected by Banks and Solander, using scientific methods: an early botanist’s perspective.
- They will record and represent plant features using botanical illustration: a modern scientist’s perspective.
- Students will also learn about plants through story: an Aboriginal perspective.