Unit 3 Biology - Classroom in the Rainforest

Unit 3 Biology – Classroom in the Rainforest

The Classroom in the Rainforest program at the Daintree Rainforest Observatory delivers the three mandatory practicals required for Unit 3 Biology in Queensland. Students complete these field investigations in a world-class rainforest setting, supported by DRO staff and their own teachers. The program aligns directly with the QCAA Biology syllabus and provides opportunities for students to practise data collection, analysis, and evaluation in a real research environment.

The Three Mandatory Practicals

1. Freshwater Macroinvertebrates – Determining Species Diversity
Students collect macroinvertebrates from both our pond (a man-made wetland) and Thompson’s Creek. They measure abiotic factors such as dissolved oxygen, turbidity, temperature, and pH, and use SIGNAL 2 scores and Simpson’s Diversity Index (SDI) to assess water quality and biodiversity. This activity is consistently one of the most engaging for students, with the pond now home to frogs, tadpoles, native gudgeons, crayfish, and eels in addition to aquatic invertebrates.

2. Rainforest Vegetation Transect – Stratified Sampling
Working along a 100-metre transect, students use quadrats to record plant abundance, canopy cover, and abiotic factors including light intensity, soil conductivity, temperature, and humidity. They then classify the rainforest ecosystem using Specht’s classification system, comparing remnant forest, revegetated areas, and intact rainforest. This practical provides a clear view of ecological succession and the dynamics of rainforest recovery.

3. Arthropod Sampling – Comparing Disturbed and Undisturbed Sites
Students use sweep netting (with the option of extending to pitfall or leaf-litter sampling) to collect arthropods at two contrasting sites: tall grasses (disturbed) and rainforest edge (undisturbed). They identify and classify specimens before calculating species diversity with SDI, comparing diversity between habitats. This practical gives students experience in choosing and appraising ecological survey techniques, a skill they later apply in their Student Experiment (IA2).

Supporting the IA2 Student Experiment

Each of these mandatory practicals provides a strong platform for developing research questions. Students can modify or extend the methods they’ve learned — for example, by investigating how abiotic factors influence biodiversity or by comparing survey techniques — to form the basis of their IA2 Student Experiment. This makes the program not only syllabus-compliant, but also directly useful for assessment preparation.

Beyond the Practical Work

A visit to the DRO is more than just ticking the boxes for curriculum requirements. Students and teachers have the opportunity to:

• Experience the rainforest canopy with a ride in our 47-metre crane gondola, offering a perspective available in only a handful of locations worldwide.
• Enjoy evenings around the campfire, often accompanied by nightwalks where rainforest life such as Boyd’s forest dragons, fireflies, and bioluminescent fungi can be seen.
• Stay in comfortable on-site accommodation, with shared facilities that keep groups close to the heart of the rainforest.

These experiences create a memorable and holistic learning environment that blends science with adventure in one of the world’s most extraordinary ecosystems.