From Mrs Sweeney

Experiential Learning in Junior School Science

In the Junior School, a purposefully designed and dedicated Science classroom provides a dedicated environment in which students engage in weekly lessons with a specialist Science teacher. Experiential approaches to science learning are central to the School’s educational philosophy and are particularly significant in the primary years, as they align with the ways in which children learn most effectively, through active exploration, inquiry, and the construction of understanding. The Science classroom is designed to link learning to the real-world rather than a laboratory, and encourages our students to actively engage in hands-on learning, investigate, question, and discover an understanding of the world around them. Where scientific concepts can often feel abstract, experiential learning in Junior School Science makes these ideas tangible, meaningful and engaging.

Today, Year 5 students ventured to Taronga Zoo, taking their experiential learning beyond the classroom. This excursion provides a rich and authentic context for deep scientific inquiry about their current unit of study, Exploring Adaptations. Through specialised workshops, students have explored how adaptations are remarkable features that have evolved in animals over millions of years to help them thrive in their environment, while also considering the critical question: What happens when environments change too rapidly? By observing a range of animals up close, students investigate how adaptations are increasingly challenged by today’s changing environments, both natural and human-induced, fostering an understanding of the world beyond the classroom. The experience is further enhanced within Taronga’s innovative multisensory Habitat Classrooms, themed around rainforest, desert, and woodland ecosystems. These unique environments, which blend living animal habitats with classroom settings, provide immersive, interactive opportunities for students to engage with scientific concepts in context. As students move through the rainforest, desert, and woodland habitats, they are able to connect theory to experience, deepening their understanding of ecosystems, biodiversity, and sustainability. 

This rich learning experience reflects our broader commitment to experiential learning across Junior School Science. Throughout the year, students engage in a range of thoughtfully designed opportunities that extend learning beyond the classroom, including fieldwork in Centennial Park where they explore ecosystems and biodiversity, investigations into the vital role of bees in the natural environment, and immersive experiences at the Australian Museum where they step back in time to examine prehistoric life. These experiences are complemented by classroom experiments that bring learning to life, encouraging students to engage through experience, inquiry, and exploration.

Experiential learning supports girls’ deep understanding and a strong connection to purpose. When learning is situated in real-world contexts, girls are more likely to recognise the relevance of their learning and see themselves as scientists, understanding broader issues and making contributions that matter. It positions them, not just as learners of science, but as individuals who can question, investigate, and make sense of the world, an essential foundation for confident, capable, and engaged learners.

Junior School Events

Please see the next page for exciting Junior School Events and Dates for your Calendars!