Year 5/6 Excursion to Parliament House
Year 5/6 students recently had the opportunity to visit Parliament House on Monday 23rd February and Tuesday 24th February. The excursion was a valuable learning experience that brought our studies of government and democracy to life. During the visit, students explored the historic building, learned about how laws are made in Victoria, and gained a deeper understanding of the role Parliament plays in our community.
Below are some reflections from students about their experience and what they learned during the visit.
On Monday, the Year 5 students visited Parliament House. Before entering the building, we explored a nearby park where we saw statues of famous historical figures. There were sprinklers in the ponds and ducks swimming in the water. We then visited the 'Great Petition' display and took a short break to enjoy our snack. After that, we returned to Parliament House. We had to be very quiet as we went through the security scanner before entering. Inside, we visited the room of past Premiers and formed a circle where we each created our own ‘Parliament Citizen.’ We also explored the red room, the green room and the library. The walls and ceilings were decorated with cool gold detailing.
By Meng Hong, Kevin M, Emelle, Seanna and Zandrina
On Monday, we visited Parliament House to learn about democracy. During the tour, at the front of one room, there was a stage and a statue of Queen Victoria. In the red room, we noticed a unicorn and a lion battling, which represent historical symbols of the United Kingdom.
When we entered the green room, our tour guide explained where the representatives sit. We also learned that the King is not allowed to enter the green room. We saw the Mace, which is an important symbol of authority in Parliament. The building felt very old-fashioned and grand. The green room has 88 seats, while the red room has 40 seats. The red room had more decorative details, including statues on the roof.
By Ethan, Adam, Kellay and Nuttanicha
On Tuesday, the Year 6 students went on an excursion to Parliament House. We were told that the King has sat in his special chair once, but on most occasions the Governor-General represents him. We also learned that Queen Elizabeth II has sat in that chair. We walked past a beautiful garden with a water fountain where we ate lunch. After that, we went on a walking tour and saw the 'Great Petition' sculpture, St Patrick’s Cathedral, Chinatown and the Treasury Building. The day was fun but on our way back to school, it started raining!
By Kana
We are going to tell you about our excursion! First, we boarded the bus and after a while we arrived at Parliament House. We then split into two groups, and each group visited different locations. We began at Parliament House before walking to the Old Treasury Building. We took photos of both landmarks. After that, we continued our walk and stopped opposite the historic Hotel Windsor.
By: Lana, Alana, Somary, Kha and Anthony
It was fun visiting Parliament House, and we found it especially interesting when we were inside the green room and the red room. The red room has beautiful gold details, and we loved the gold roof and the angels painted on it. In the green room, there is the Speaker’s chair, and in the red room there are covered benches for the members.
We also learned about the Mace. The first mace Mace was stolen many years ago. There is still a reward of $50,000 for its return! In the red room, instead of a mace, they use the Black Rod. Did you know that the gold on the roof is real gold? It is real because during the gold rush in the 1800s, Australia discovered large amounts of gold. In our opinion, the red room looks better than the green room because it has the King’s chair and more decorative details. What do you think?”
By Nathan, Tyson and Henry
