From the Classroom

Our Foundation students have had a very busy and exciting few weeks, with some wonderful opportunities to learn beyond the classroom!

We were thrilled to welcome our local firefighters back to school for their second and final visit. Building connections with our local firefighters has helped the children recognise the important people who are part of our community and the different roles they play in keeping us safe. This experience also connects beautifully with our Geography learning, as we explore the people and places that make up our local community.

Of course, learning about firefighters was only part of the excitement! The children had a wonderful time exploring the firetruck, looking both inside and out and discovering some of the equipment firefighters use. The highlight for many was seeing the powerful fire hoses in action and even having the opportunity to hold them. There were certainly some very excited faces as the children experienced just how strong those hoses are! It was a fantastic hands-on experience that brought our classroom learning to life.

We also had the wonderful opportunity to welcome Reptile Encounters to our school for an exciting animal incursion. The session introduced the children to a fascinating range of Australian animals – both furry and reptilian!

The children were delighted to meet a Red-tailed Black Cockatoo, a 'rat' kangaroo, a glider possum, a turtle, a snake and even a crocodile! It was such a delight to watch the children's faces as they came up close to these beautiful and fascinating creatures. For many of our students, this was a truly memorable opportunity to see Australian wildlife at such close range.

Ben, our wonderful presenter, taught the children about each animal, including where they live, how they survive and some of the special features that make them unique. He also shared the Indigenous stories connected to the animals, creating a wonderful connection to our current Literacy learning.

In Literacy, we have been reading and writing about Indigenous stories from the Dreamtime, exploring how these stories share knowledge about animals, the environment and the world around us. Being able to meet some of the Australian animals from our stories made this learning particularly meaningful for the children and gave them an opportunity to make connections between the stories we read and the world around us.

It was a terrific experience filled with wonder, excitement and lots of learning, and one that we would all love to have again!

What a wonderful few weeks of learning, discovering and making connections with our community and the world around us!