School Highlights
Year 4 unit of studies - Journeys of Great Exploration
Cath Thomas, Year 4 Teacher
EXCURSION TO POLLY WOODSIDE AND COOKS' COTTAGE
Last week, as part of their studies into the ‘Journeys of Great Exploration’, Year 4 visited the Polly Woodside and Cooks’ Cottage.
At Cooks’ Cottage, the students learnt about the poor conditions in England before the colonisation of Australia and Cook’s First Voyage, in which he was commissioned to witness the Transit of Venus and map the east coast of Australia.
After a short lunch break, students were excited to become sea voyagers on the Polly Woodside for the afternoon. They eagerly engaged in activities designed to give them firsthand experience of what life would have been like living on a boat in 1787, travelling across the world to colonise Australia in 1788, as part of the First Fleet.
LEARNING ABOUT LIFE IN 18TH CENTURY LONDON
As part of our integrated unit of studies, students have been reading and learning about life in London in the late 18th Century. The cohort is currently reading a novel called, Meet Grace by Sophie Laguna, which follows the journey of a young English girl from London to a penal colony in Australia.
Please find below, a written piece by Year 4 student, Hugo Olsson, about what he imagined life to be like in London in 1787 when the First Fleet set sail.
Hugo Olsson, Year 4
It was 1787, and I had just moved into my new hometown, London. The muggy, smog from the polluting coal machines was blinding and smelt horrific. I stumbled over a cobblestone path, catching a glimpse of the mud larks in the dirty Thames River that was full of sewerage and damp, sticky mud.
Millions of people rushed by me; strangely all going in one direction. I followed in curiosity, until I reached the east of the London Bridge where someone was being hung. As I sauntered along the path again, I caught sight of people without homes, and horses carrying heavy, wooden carriages on their backs and around their necks.
In the distance, I heard the sound of gunshots being fired and of begging orphans. At least I could smell a good thing in this cruel city ... freshly baked cinnamon buns. I pondered on how the Industrial Revolution had changed some peoples’ lives; left them homeless and without a job; with the need to steal to survive.
I crunched down on a juicy apple, pondering how it tasted better than I ever imagined it
would’ve tasted in this filthy sewerage of a city.
As I looked around my new city, I was already regretting choosing London as my new home. This was an extremely unlucky place to be in at this point of time.
Years 7 to 12 Camp adventures
At the end of April, the Years 7 to 12 students went on their individual School Camps. We hope they had a great time!
There was cycling, hiking, surfing, camping and competition, and just as important were the connections made, friendships fostered and memorable experiences created.
These opportunities build character and confidence, and we are grateful to the staff members who participated, without whom our outdoor education program would not be possible.
Art Time mural
As part of Art Time, which runs each Tuesday during lunch time, our Art Captain, Georgia Volakakis (Year 11), along with a number of our other students completed a mural for our beautiful health and wellbeing centre.