Living things and their habitats Archives

Epigeneticsics research assistant

7 July, 2023/0 Comments/in collaborative, hard-working, organised Primary, Year 1, Year 2, Year 3, Year 4, Year 5, Year 6 Biology, Science (Primary) Animals including humans, Evolution and inheritance, Living things and their habitats Animals Including Humans, Evolution and Inheritance, Living Things and Their Habitats, Primary, Science/by Melanie Horan

Epigenetics is the study of how experiences and environment can affect how genes are expressed and whether they release the information they carry. The main role of an epigenetics research assistant is to provide technical assistance in carrying out various research projects in epigenetics. This can include designing experiments, collecting data, preparing samples and maintaining equipment.

Attributes: collaborative, organised, hard-working

Useful links:

The Primary Science Teaching Trust has a downloadable slideshow (PDF) about Laura Benson who is an epigenetics research assistant. It’s part of their resource A Scientist Just Like Me.

Wildlife Technician

13 January, 2018/0 Comments/in collaborative, passionate, self-motivated Primary, Year 1, Year 2, Year 3, Year 4, Year 5, Year 6 Science (Primary) Living things and their habitats Living Things and Their Habitats, Primary, Science/by Jonathan

Wildlife technicians assist with the management of wildlife species and the preservation of habitats. They assist wildlife biologists collecting biological specimens, surveying animal populations, compiling data for evaluation, maintaining and calibrating scientific equipment, and writing detailed reports. They may also be involved with trapping and tagging animals to monitor their movements within a designated area and evaluate their health, looking for signs of illness. Wildlife technicians provide care for animals that have been captured for observation in a laboratory setting. Additional duties may involve preserving animal habitats and maintaining roads and trails to keep the wildlife areas accessible.

Attributes: collaborative, passionate, self-motivated

Wildlife Biologist

13 January, 2018/0 Comments/in communicative, curious, open-minded Primary, Year 1, Year 2, Year 3, Year 4, Year 5, Year 6 Maths (Primary), Science (Primary) Living things and their habitats, Maths - Statistics Living Things and Their Habitats, Maths, Primary, Science, Statistics/by Jonathan

Wildlife biologists look at animals and where they live in the wild. They look at how they interact with other animals and the plants where they live. They also look at how animals from the wild react to humans. They want to learn more and more about all types of animals. They also want to know how people affect where the animals live.

Attributes: open-minded, communicative, curious

Wetland Biologist

13 January, 2018/0 Comments/in observant, patient, resilient Primary, Year 1, Year 2, Year 3, Year 4, Year 5, Year 6 Maths (Primary), Science (Primary) Living things and their habitats, Maths - Statistics Living Things and Their Habitats, Maths, Primary, Science, Statistics/by Jonathan

Wetland biologists manage and protect wetland resources, studying the relationship between the wetlands environment and the life that lives there. They implement wetland conservation techniques, enforce regulations and provide consultation on construction projects in wetland areas. They create detailed designs for wetland identification, creation, and restoration, perform habitat assessment and conduct research on wetland processes. They may work in zoos or parks, parts of conservation programs or in public education.

Attributes: observant, patient, resilient

Taxidermist

13 January, 2018/0 Comments/in creative, observant, resilient Primary, Year 1, Year 2, Year 3, Year 4, Year 5, Year 6 Maths (Primary), Science (Primary) Living things and their habitats, Maths - Geometry - Position and Direction Geometry, Living Things and Their Habitats, Maths, Position and direction, Primary, Science/by Jonathan

A taxidermist stuffs and mounts deceased animals to be displayed. They use a scalpel and precision scissors to remove an animal’s hide, feathers, or scales. Taxidermist them use salt and chemicals such as ammonium alum, potassium alum and aluminium sulphate to preserve and soften the hide, which is left to dry in a kiln or open air. They then use clay or foam to create a cast from the mould, and attach the hide to the artificial figure. The taxidermist then inserts artificial eyes, teeth, and claws and secures the animal to a plaque or mount.

Attributes: resilient, creative, observant

Primatologist

13 January, 2018/0 Comments/in communicative, patient, resilient Primary, Year 1, Year 2, Year 3, Year 4, Year 5, Year 6 Science (Primary) Living things and their habitats Living Things and Their Habitats, Primary, Science/by Jonathan

Primatologists study non-human primates from biological, anthropological, psychological and perspectives and may work within biology, medical research, anthropology or zoology. Primatologists seek to observe human-like behaviours, explore primate psychology, or study primate culture. They may work in zoos and other domestic environments caring for the animals or observing their behaviours and habits in the wild. Some primatologists work in laboratories assessing the biological backgrounds of apes and other human-like primates.

Attributes: patient, resilient, communicative

Palaeontologist

13 January, 2018/0 Comments/in hard-working, observant, organised Primary, Year 1, Year 2, Year 3, Year 4, Year 5, Year 6 Geography, Maths (Primary), Science (Primary) Geography, Living things and their habitats, Maths - Measurement Geography, Living Things and Their Habitats, Maths, Measurement, Primary, Science/by Jonathan

A palaeontologist is a scientist who studies the fossilized remains of all kinds of organisms (plants, animals, fungi, bacteria and other single-celled living things) and the relationships between extinct plants and animals and their living relatives today. They try to understand extinction events of the past and apply this to the modern world as environments and global climates change. The work of a palaeontologist includes collecting data and samples on field trips, examining and testing samples in the lab, recording and classifying samples and collections and giving talks and managing displays and exhibitions.

Attributes: organised, observant, hard-working

Naturalist

13 January, 2018/0 Comments/in committed, passionate, self-motivated Primary, Year 1, Year 2, Year 3, Year 4, Year 5, Year 6 Science (Primary) Living things and their habitats Living Things and Their Habitats, Primary, Science/by Jonathan

A naturalist is a type of biologist who studies the impacts of living species on each other and the environments in which they live. Naturalists are less concerned with genetics and more concerned with relationships. They look for evolutionary markers to explain why a certain attribute may have been beneficial or what environmental conditions may have led to the rise of genetic diversity within a species. The core of the work a naturalist does is in the field rather than in the lab, taking field notes, photographs and written records and compiling them for analysis.

Attributes: self-motivated, committed, passionate

Habitat Restoration Engineer

13 January, 2018/0 Comments/in collaborative, committed, hard-working Primary, Year 1, Year 2, Year 3, Year 4, Year 5, Year 6 Geography, Maths (Primary), Science (Primary) Geography, Living things and their habitats, Maths - Statistics Geography, Living Things and Their Habitats, Maths, Primary, Science, Statistics/by Jonathan

Habitat Restoration Engineers are landscape planners working from an ecological perspective. They make ecological alternations to a landscape to return it to a former state, usually for ecological repair or conservation reasons. Habitat Restoration Engineers examine and identify the ways that human actions or natural events put pressure on ecology and the wider ecosystem. They identify the potential hazards and damages that they cause. They work with a variety of environmental scientists such as ecological planners, geologists, botanists, herpetologists and ornithologists on the engineering of new landscapes and recreation of ancient landscapes.

Attributes: committed, hard-working, collaborative

Entomologist

13 January, 2018/0 Comments/in curious, observant, open-minded Primary, Year 1, Year 2, Year 3, Year 4, Year 5, Year 6 Maths (Primary), Science (Primary) Living things and their habitats, Maths - Statistics Living Things and Their Habitats, Maths, Primary, Science, Statistics/by Jonathan

Entomology is the study of insects, their relationships with other animals, environments and human beings. Entomologists contribute to scientific knowledge by finding the best ways to pollinate crops, conserve insect species, and protect crops, trees, wildlife, and livestock from pests. They may specialise in particular fields. Structural entomologists study insects found in buildings such as cockroaches, finding ways to prevent them from entering and how to get rid of them. Forensic entomologists help solve murder cases by studying the insects found on dead bodies to determine the timeline and location of a crime. Medical entomologists research ways to prevent the spread of diseases like West Nile Virus from insects to people.

Attributes: observant, curious, open-minded