Life's a Beach - Dune community

This is one of six education resource topics created for teachers of science and social science.

This page includes activities for students exploring the plants and animals that live on the sand dunes in the beach environment.

View our Life's a Beach resource videos

The chart below outlines all activities that can be used in the classroom as well as out in the environment.

Activities		Environmental Education Aspect	Environmental Education Concept	Curriculum Links	Suggested Curriculum Level
2a	Native dune plants - what lives where and why? Activity summary and activity sheets PDF of PowerPoint presentation - Basic PDF of PowerPoint presentation - Advanced	About the environment	Biodiversity Interdependence	Social Science Science	Any
2b	Introduced dune plants and weeds Activity summary and activity sheets PDF of PowerPoint presentation	About the environment	Biodiversity	Social Science Science	Any
2c	Colonising space - the function of runners, suckers, berries and seeds Activity summary and activity sheets	About the environment	Biodiversity Interdependence	Social Science Science	Level 3 and above
2d	Plant ID Activity summary and activity sheets	About the environment	Biodiversity	Science	Any
2e	Plants of the local sand dune community Activity summary and activity sheets	About, in and for/with the environment	Biodiversity Sustainability Personal and social responsibility for action Interdependence	Social Science Science Arts	Any
2f	Seed collection and propagation Activity summary and activity sheets	About, in and for/with the environment	Biodiversity Sustainability Personal and social responsibility for action Interdependence	Social Science Science	Any
2g (i)	Coastal wildlife overview Activity summary and activity sheets	About the environment	Biodiversity Interdependence	Social Science Science	Level 1 – 4
2g (ii)	Dune wildlife field trip Activity summary and activity sheets	About and In the environment	Biodiversity Interdependence	Social Science Science	Level 1 – 4
2h	Introduced dune animals - rabbit case study Activity summary and activity sheets PDF of PowerPoint presentation	About the environment	Biodiversity Sustainability Interdependence	Science Social Science	Any
2i	Interrelationships - dune animals and plants Activity summary and activity sheets	About the environment	Interdependence Biodiversity Sustainability	Science Social Science	Level 2 and above
2j	Species lost from the beach Activity summary and activity sheets	About and for/with the environment	Interdependence Biodiversity Sustainability Personal and social responsibility for action	Literacy Science Social Science	Any - Secondary
2k	Ecosystem relationships Activity summary and activity sheets	About the environment	Interdependence Biodiversity	Science Social Science	Level 4 and above
2l (i)	Coasties dune community bingo - native plants and animals Activity summary and activity sheets	About the environment	Biodiversity	Science	Level 1 – 4
2l (ii)	Coasties dune community bingo - pest plants and animals Activity summary and activity sheets	About and With/For the environment Personal and social responsibility for action	Biodiversity Sustainability Interdependence	Science Social Science	Level 1 – 4
2l (iii)	Dune community classification Activity summary and activity sheets	About the environment	Biodiversity Interdependence	Science Social Science	Level 1 – 4
2m	Which zone - who can be found where? Activity summary and activity sheets A3 coastal backdrop activity sheet and cards colour and BW	About the environment	Biodiversity Interdependence	Science Literacy and numeracy	Levels 1-2 (sand tray) Levels 1-4 (wall mural) Levels 3-4 (cut n’ paste activity)
2n	Shore birds of the Bay of Plenty Activity summary and activity sheets	About and With/For the environment	Biodiversity Sustainability	Literacy Science Social Science	Levels 2-4