As a part of the interim unit materials in the series produced by the Australian Science Education Project, this teachers' guide is composed of five sections: an introduction to nature in the balance, tests, excursion activities, options, and research activities. Options are under the headings: The Changing Face, Australian Soils, Distribution of Vegetation in Australia, Your Remarkable Animals, Adaptions of Animals to Their Environment, Searching for Evidence, and Consider Your Verdict. Research activities are related to organisms and climate, bird life, species of living organisms, conservation of native animals, and an ant's life. Excursions are concerned with collection of environmental information., relationships between plants and animals, and the ecosystem of the area. Some activities are required for all students, and a prior knowledge of objectives is given for each activity. Also included are recommendations for use of the unit, lists of equipment and audio-visual aids, a bibliography of references, and keys to questions and tests. The accompanying record book is intended for students to summarize their activities and record their observations and answers. (CC)