Prep B

Last Wednesday, Prep B went on an excursion to Healesville Sanctuary to observe Australian animals in their natural environment. We met lots of different animals like the emu, echidna, koala, lizards, snakes and lots of kangaroos and wallabies. We even saw a tree kangaroo living in a tree house! Despite the weather, we all had a wonderful time walking and exploring the bushlands of Healesville. We learnt that Emu’s eat plants and seeds from trees and that the Cockatoos squawk is louder than a jet. 

During our visit, we were also lucky enough to watch the ‘Spirits of the Sky’ show. We were amazed by the clever birds and all their colours. We couldn’t believe our eyes when the owl flew so close to our heads, feeling the wind as it swept past! Many of us liked how the birds could do tricks like lift their legs or wings when asked by the keeper. 

Before we left, we made sure we had time to play and dig in the sandpit. We were so excited when we dug up bones of what we thought were from a real dinosaur! 

At school, we reflected on our observations and made connections with what we have been learning in Inquiry. These include: environments, man-made and natural, habitats, Australian animals, what living things need to survive and lastly our understanding of how important “Country” is to Indigenous people. 

Here are some of our thoughts: 

There were trees there and there are trees at school – Senuki

I went on a man-made bridge – Aishira

I learnt how to say Welcome in Aboriginal language “Wominjeka” – Dushaan

I didn’t know koala’s sleep in the day – Aaradhyaa

Aboriginals believe Bunjil the eagle made the land – Samhith

I saw a koala, it was sleeping in a gum tree – Humsikha

I have never seen a dingo and when we went to the zoo, he was gone in his shelter – Oscar

Aboriginal people need the land without us picking – Sosha

I saw lots of birds and it went near our head, I felt scared – Jazmin

I thought the owl was going to land on my head – Malik

I didn’t know that the platypus comes out in the dark – Myra

I found a white feather on the ground - Alyssa

I didn’t know echidna’s had so many spikes – Serena

I liked the bird showbecause the barking Owl was flying around – Isabella

I saw koalas climbed on the tree - April

I liked the tree kangaroo because he can climb up – Ethan

The kangaroos looked like they were living on a farm – Tehan

I liked the echidna because of all the spikes - Rivini

I never knew that some birds could have really long beaks - Sadev

I never knew that kangaroos can climb - Viduka