Community Inquiry

Year 1/2s

After creating new indigenous gardens in terms 1 and 2 to show care and respect for Country, we have spent the second half of the year exploring two foci:

1. What should we do with the introduced ash tree in the wellbeing garden (one of the new indigenous gardens)?
2. How can we show more care for Country through managing our food scraps?

Using that first focus, we have been developing our ethical thinking and our capacity to:

•  consider issues from different points of view; and 
• develop and consider reasons both for and against a particular stance.

In this way, we've explored the issue of what we think should be done with the introduced ash tree which spread thousands upon thousands of seeds that the 1/2s diligently weeded out last term and early this term to protect our indigenous plants.

The general consensus amongst the 1/2s is that it should be cut down because:

• it spreads too many seeds which take a lot of time and effort to weed;
• it is threatening our indigenous garden with all of its weeds;
• and the indigenous garden will create better habitat for more creatures even if we do lose the habitat that the big tree provides.

However, there is acknowledgement and concern that:

• the ash tree is a living thing, so it's not nice to kill it;
• we don't like cutting down trees, because they're a part of nature and help us to breathe; and
• the ash tree does provide habitat.

What an ethical dilemma! The 1/2s are eager to meet with Luke and Graeme to share their arguments and help shape any future decisions by the Buildings & Grounds Committee.

For now, the 1/2s are returning their focus to food scraps and why it's better to put them in compost bins rather than landfill. We're aiming to create educational posters and labels for compost bins for every classroom before the end of the year.

Year 3/4s

In case you missed it on Sentral, here's an important message that most 3/4 families will need to act on!

For Community Inquiry this term, grade 3/4 students are creating a product to prompt others to think about the question: "Is it ever ok to lie to get out of trouble?". Students have been able to choose between two mediums: podcast or comic. This is the culmination of one of our year-long foci on lies, honesty, thinking about other perspectives, and reflecting on consequences of lies and honesty. 

For students creating podcasts, they will need your support at home to download two things over the next week:

1. Audacity (free podcast-making software) - https://www.audacityteam.org/ 
2. A googledrive folder of sounds effects and theme music (please save this onto your child's desktop): https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1ihXCDHBYDVwdX0ZmhvYf5D4kj8ynEsBz?usp=sharing 

Please discuss this with your child to find out if they are doing a comic or podcast. If they are making a podcast, you will need to act on this message. If they are making a comic, you can disregard this message.

Students making podcasts will be required to focus on their own voice recordings before adding sound effects, and these will need to be kept to a minimum. If there are any sound effects that are crucial for your child's podcast that aren't already in that folder, and that your child can't easily make the sound effect themselves with their own voices or basic items that can be found in the classroom, then you can use the following program to find and download an appropriate sound:

 https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1ihXCDHBYDVwdX0ZmhvYf5D4kj8ynEsBz?usp=sharing However, it is crucial that you contact me on Sentral with the attribution text as we are legally required to share attribution text for any sound effects and theme music. 

I'd like to acknowledge and thank parent Cam Stark for his generous time and support in putting together the googledrive and training me up on podcasting!

3/4 Nature Scavenger Hunt Cards - Did you find these at the Art Show? 

The 3/4s have created the most beautiful activity cards to prompt connection to nature and wellbeing through that connection.  Each class created one double-sided card, and each child will take one copy home at the end of the year. 

They would make lovely Christmas presents! Yes, they would!

If you are interested in buying a set of 6 double-sided cards (one of each type), I may be able to print extras depending on the demand. They would cost approximately $10, but again, this would also depend on demand.  I'm not sure how many families read the newsletter thoroughly; so, dear reader, it might be good to share this more widely, if you please. If you are interested, please express so here: Nature Scavenger Hunt Cards - Possible Christmas presents! – Fill out form 

I would like to acknowledge local artist Claire Mosley for the inspiration and for her guidance when she ran an incursion with the 3/4s earlier this year. Claire sells sets of her own nature activity cards on her website.