This summer, the Pine Rivers Special School has had a high number of red-bellied black snakes on our school grounds. Can we find a solution to this real-life problem?

The snakes are being driven out of their land behind the school due to a new housing development. The increased number of snakes at our school has had a significant impact on our students (from detours when moving around to transportation to hospital). 

During National Science Week, students at our school will be challenged to find a solution to this real-life problem. Each class will be provided with a Scale & Sustainability box to help them develop their solution.

Over the week, students will be invited to create their own interactive red-bellied black snake.  The teacher will engage the students in discussion around the value and importance of the red-bellied black to our ecosystem and introduce the problem of urban development resulting in more common human/snake encounters.  The students will be asked to undertake their own research and to think of real-life solutions that are gentle on the humans, snakes and the land.  Solution prototypes and models will be presented to our principal for consideration.

This activity has been designed to provide access points for all.