Year 3/4 Bulletin
Kitchen Garden Program
Throughout the year so far, the grade 3/4 students have been lucky enough to take part in the Kitchen Garden Program at Armadale Primary School. Each week, students have the opportunity on a Thursday to work in the garden alongside Clare and Ariel (who have taken over from Abby’s incredible beginnings within the garden). Their roles are to educate students about plants, sustainability, Indigenous calendars, weather, positioning of the sun, and how to be a more active gardener.
Kitchen
For the past three weeks, each class has been in the kitchen with Steph cooking South Asian dishes. We are really beginning to see the students’ skills in the kitchen continue to flourish and improve. These dishes from the past three weeks include;
- Vimla’s Dahl
- Flatbreads
- Spiced cauliflower and chickpea marsala
- Broccoli Thoran
We appreciate all the parents, carers, and grandparents who have been willing to come and help out in the kitchen with the cooking process. If you are able to help, please go to the sign-up link below.
All the recipes that the students have made are available on the Kitchen Garden website.
Steph has planned out the cooking process for all classes to enjoy, and each will follow a certain theme. The next theme is going to be a tasting platter of different types of gnocchi.
Garden
Clare and Ariel have begun assembling a sustainable and environmentally friendly cubby house in the nature garden, with the help of all three classes. Using recycled sticks and bamboo, as well as string and gumnuts, students have been collaborating together in order to create shelter and new play areas for younger children. They will have the chance to help younger children at recess and lunch to continue to build and grow the cubby house.
A message from Clare and Ariel
We are very excited to be working with the 3/4s in the kitchen garden. Abby and the 3/4s have done such amazing work so far this year. We are hoping to maintain the garden’s abundance and continue to have lots of fun exploring and learning about plants and the natural world.
The four groups in our general garden weeks are now Compost chop n chat, Nursery, Tending/Pottering and Planting/Harvesting. These tasks are fundamental to the running of the garden. As head gardeners, the 3/4s impressive contribution and dedication supports the whole kitchen garden program.
The Natural Structures sessions have been fun and challenging and a great exercise in how to problem solve, work in a team and create a shelter with what’s around.
A fun exercise to take home might be to expand the materials available and design a more permanent structure on paper. What other structures might you build in the habitat garden? Perhaps think about what structures some animals need to create shelter for protection from weather and the elements.
As the weather warms up we will ramp up sowing and planting in the garden. If you have seeds that can be collected in your garden, park or local area please bring them in. Similarly, if you come across materials that could be used to contribute to the Natural Structure, please let us know.
Gardening clothing reminder
On Thursdays, the grade 3/4 students work in the garden with Clare and Ariel as part of the Kitchen Garden program. As we know with Melbourne’s weather, it can sometimes be inclement or unpredictable. Please send your child on Thursdays dressed appropriately for being outside in the garden in the morning, with a rain jacket or an extra layer of warmth. This ensures children are as focused and as on task as possible, while remaining content and warm. Thank you!
Mr Cornell, Ruby and Chelsea
Year 3/4 Team
Richard.Cornell@education.vic.gov.au