Learning and Teaching 

Year 5 and 6 Learning Community Snapshot

This semester, the Year 5 and 6 students have been thoroughly engaged in their Inquiry Unit, ‘A Recipe For Change.’ When planning this unit, Ms Poropat and Mr Marks were very conscious of how relevant this would be for the students particularly as it was straight after the bushfire crisis. After exploring the current state of our world, students dove into understanding the real issues facing our world. A trip to CERES aimed to explore different ways to be more energy efficient, reuse materials and rely on the environment in a more sustainable way. 

 

This excursion also tied well into our literacy sessions, where the persuasive prompt ‘is it okay to use endless amounts of the Earth’s resources?’ helped students to further research and form their own opinion about the future health of our world. 

 

"We are relying too much on our world, we are using what we want and not just focusing on what we need" - Lara Verga 

 

"Isn’t it obvious? If you selfishly use the environment’s resources you will be digging yourself an early grave" - Levi Perera 

 

"Earth is slowly becoming uninhabitable. Our planet will expire sooner than you think" - Michelle Vuong 

 

"Surely no one wants to be responsible for the damage of the Earth. Taking too many resources won’t only affect us humans but all the other living organisms" - Lucy O’Brien

 

 

Once back at school, a mind map of the CERES excursion was created. A compare and contrast chart helped students determine what to expect to see in our current city as well as what changes would be needed in order to create a more sustainable city. The four domains used to organize a sustainable place were -  Housing, Food, Transport and Energy. 

 

A hypothetical situation was then posed to the students, describing a new planet called Sustainia being discovered allowing for sustainable people, places and a way of living to exist. In groups of three, students began creating their own Eco Friendly Design House to be built on Sustainia which aimed to encompass all students' knowledge throughout the term. A facade, floor plan and garden view were designed along with appropriately considered eco-friendly features.

 

Cultural Diversity Week

In 2020, Cultural Diversity Week will be held from 21–29 March with the theme ‘Curiosity. Conversation. Community.’ This week is presented by the Victorian Multicultural Commission with support from the Victorian Government.  The week invites Victorians to embrace and celebrate our cultural diversity. At Corpus Christi School, our Harmony Day celebration will recognise Cultural Diversity Week. You can read more information about Harmony Day in the Student Wellbeing News section of this newsletter. 

Deborah Courtney

Director of Teaching and Learning