Backyard Possum Encounter
Backyard Possum Encounter and Science Week
Primary and ECC students have been learning much about possums during Science Week, even going on Spotlight walks at Mt Clarence and Whale World. On Tuesday evening, we saw a Boobook owl, micro bats, three ringtail possums, one brushtail possum, and many large orb spiders.
It was magical to see the lights of Albany at night and enter the world of the possum! Students proved adept at spotting with their torches.
There are only a few days left to submit stories about ringtail possums. We have had some wonderful ones submitted, and they will be very significant in shaping our puppet play.
We look forward to receiving your stories.
Backyard Possum Encounter
Earlier this year, Great Southern Grammar was fortunate to receive a grant, which we have decided to invest in researching and celebrating the remarkable Western Ringtail Possum. We are thrilled to be working on our puppet play the Backyard Possum Encounter, which will be performed later this year—an exciting project indeed!
As part of this initiative, and in celebration of Primary School Science Week, we are promoting awareness of the Western Ringtail Possum.
We would like to invite everyone to participate in being a citizen scientist. Please use this link to record any western ringtail possums that you see. We're also asking for stories about possums (300-word limit). These will be used to form the puppet play.
Read more information regarding the project below.
We’re excited to announce that we will perform an original puppet play at the Kalyenup Theatre later this year.
This play will be created in collaboration with Michael Barlow, the artist director of Spare Parts Puppet Theatre, and several theatre designers and puppeteers. We are very grateful for funding from the Creativity on Schools Grant from the Department of Local Government, Sport, and Cultural Industries.
The play will allow students to perform and develop various theatre skills. There will be a call out for students interested early in Term Two. It will also raise awareness about the critically endangered Western Ringtail possum.
Albany is one of the few places where this nocturnal possum can still be found. Its numbers have been reduced by 90% since colonial settlement. Its main challenges are habitat loss, predators (cats and foxes), climate change, and roadkill.
But things are not all bad for the possum. It turns out that they are adapting to living in our backyards very well. And so, begins our play!
Our first step is to collect stories of encounters with these nocturnal marsupials in Albany backyards. Over the next three weeks, there will be a Cognito form in Daily Notices for everyone in the school community to be a citizen scientist and provide information about possums in your backyard. We would love for stories and anecdotes to be uploaded, and any photographs you may have.
Is there a possum in your roof?
Is there one eating your fruit trees or the roses in your garden?
All the stories will contribute to forming the narrative of the play.
Many speakers will attend the Primary Science Week in Week Eight to share knowledge about the Western Ringtail possum. We will also have Spotlight Walks on Mount Clarence for Primary School students.
Ms Rachel Mordy | Head of the Arts