The Patch Program 

Well, Patch lessons for 2021 are off to a great start with our Grade 6s (and 5/6s) cooking up a storm with our Patch grown zucchini last week.  It was wonderful to have the students back in the kitchen, working together to create some delicious vegie filled snacks of savoury Zucchini Muffins. Grade sixes and 5/6P can find the recipe in their Showbie folder. These muffins make a great school snack, they freeze well and taste great, so feel free to get the kids back in the kitchen for a bit of "revision" to make a batch for the week ahead.  Hopefully, this week's lockdown is just a small hiccup and we will be back in the kitchen soon.  So that all students can participate when we are back in the kitchen, please make sure you have completed the Patch permission form for your children and signed up to help in the kitchen if you are able.  There are still some empty spots in the signup that need filling: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/508084fada82ea6fd0-term4

Current Working with Children check is required but no experience is necessary. And please remember to bring a mask when you attend.

Meanwhile in the garden, the 3s and 4s have been exploring the practical side of their Integrated studies unit exploring materials, their properties and their uses. After a scavenger hunt in the Patch for materials displaying particular properties in week 1, students stretched their practical skills last week in an endeavour to make string from the leaves of the Spiny-headed Matt Rush plant. After recognising the fibrous properties of these local plants, we practiced the technique traditionally used by many First Nations Australians to create string.  The exercise also proved a useful lesson in perseverance and resilience as the technique, while easy once you get the hang of it, can be a tricky one to grasp. It was wonderful to see students working together to teach each other and encourage each other in learning this new skill.

Claire Pattison

Patch Program Coordinator