Take Flight - Junior School

Grade 2 Excursion to Rippon Lea Estate

As part of our Inquiry learning about the past and the present, the Grade 2 students stepped back in time during their excursion to Rippon Lea Estate in Elsternwick. We spent the day discovering what life was like in the 1850s for wealthy families, as well as for the people who worked hard to look after them.

Throughout the day, students rotated through a range of hands-on activities. They had the opportunity to play childhood games such as croquet and quoits – and there wasn’t a single electronic game in sight! Students also explored the beautiful gardens, searching for animal rubbings that provided clues about the animals that once lived on the estate.

Inside the magnificent mansion, students were amazed by the stunning and intricate furnishings and learned about the different expectations placed on children during this time. They discovered that children were expected to be “seen and not heard”, which was certainly very different from life today!

The final activity took students downstairs to discover what life was like for the people who worked in the house. They learned about the many chores that had to be completed without the modern technology we rely on today, including fridges, ovens and washing machines.

It was a wonderful day of hands-on learning, discovery and comparison. The students learnt so much about how life has changed over time and had an amazing day stepping back into the past!