Explorer Challenges

EXPLORER CHALLENGE 01

Wildlife Sanctuary (wildlife icon here)

Become an Explorer

Your Challenge

Volunteer at your local wildlife sanctuary for an hour, a morning or a day.

Stevie's Story

"Pete Bess and I were playing in the big park the other day, you know, the one next to the vulture sanctuary. What? You don't know what a sanctuary is? Well, it's a place where animals or birds or reptiles are looked after. Why? Because these animals are protected from the baddies like that guy who kicked a koala the other day; disgusting! Don't get me started....

At a sanctuary, such animals are fed, given a place to sleep, and medicine if needed. It's like a hotel for animals with a doctor and nurse to look after them. Pete and I spent an hour at the vulture place, and I tell you, those vultures are GINORMOUS! You won't believe it, but they have wings as wide as our car!! Yeah, those uglies are AMAZING! The people over there said spending time there is called 'volunteering'. They even gave us ice cream, stickers and badges - look, here it is.

Next time we go for a ball play, you should come with and then pop in to see what they do. You can go for a whole day if you want to. It is super fun! Well, ok, I know you live too far away, so why don't you find a sanctuary close to you?

When your teacher wants you to write a story again, write about the animals at the sanctuary - how big it is; is it a male or female; is it fat or thin; what they eat, is it old or young, ok? But best of all, write to me and tell me about it. Who knows? Maybe I'll visit your sanctuary too. Do you think you'll want to go again?

Look, Listen & Discover

Tell Stevie what you discovered.

  • Which animal/bird/reptile did you like most?

  • How big is it?

  • How old can it get?

  • Was it male or female?

  • Would you visit again?

Your Explorer Mission

Write a one-page story about the animal. Draw a picture if you like.

After Your Adventure

Would you visit the sanctuary again to see more animals?

Explorer Badge

The badge can sit at the end, once we've decided exactly how we're handling badges.

2.    Follow a Bee.

Discover the tiny world in your backyard.

Follow a snail/ant/bird/bee in your backyard and become passionate about helping people appreciate the importance of odd, overlooked wildlife and take action to protect them and their habitats, whether in a distant place or your backyard.

Job: Wildlife scientist and storyteller

3.    Be a poet.

Choose a tree. Look closely. Then find the words.

Be a poet for a day. Write a poem about a tree in your garden/potplant/sidewalk/forest/at school.

Job: Author/poet

4.    Visit a nature strip/park/forest. Track a bird with a simple radio antenna.

Can you track a bird without disturbing it?

      Job: Become a veterinarian.