THRIVING PEOPLE CULTURAL IMMERSION EXPERIENCE

The Aboriginal Education team of Catholic Education SA hosted the ‘Thriving People – Primary Event’ on Monday 23 May at the Living Kaurna Cultural Centre, Warriparinga.

Our five Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students from the Primary Campus were involved in many activities on this day in what was a very special setting. When we arrived, we had a “Welcome to Country” smoking ceremony where we were all cleansed and let the Kaurna ancestors know that we were there on their land and to keep us safe for the day.

Our students created boomerang designs of great complexity and meaning. With confidence and pride, Year 2 student Mason Graves shared his creation of a boomerang design story with the school groups. Lunch was provided, and on the bush tours we learned the identification of bush tucker. The students sampled some ruby salt bush and smelled native lemongrass and eucalyptus that are used in bush medicine. Our Elder and guide drew in the sand to show us where Karuna land is, and their neighbours, the Narangga people from the Yorke Peninsula and the Ngarrindjeri people from the Coorong. He also spoke of the Red Kangaroo Dreaming, which is the story of how the Kaurna land came to be.

Sadly, we learned about some Sorry history. Aboriginal people were removed from their homeland and taken to concentration camps. Leaders share their history so that communities can begin to heal, hence why Reconciliation is so important.

After lunch, the students learned how to build a wodli out of sticks and leaves. We were shown the ancient ovens during the bush tour where people would cook food up to 20,000 years ago! We hugged a coolamon red gum scar tree which was approximately 500 years old, and we learned about caring for Country, how trees communicate with each other, and the importance of teaching future generations how to care and know about our Country.

It was a highly informative, fun and significant day for our Nunga students and supervising teachers benefitted from the experience as well. It was most certainly reconciliation in action!

Ms Kate Tyrwhitt, ATSI Teacher

IT’S NOT WHAT YOU KNOW; IT’S WHAT YOU CAN DO WITH WHAT YOU KNOW

Presenting the report on the inaugural Spark workshop at the Primary Campus facilitated by Future Anything with the very active participation of the Year 5 and 6 legends of learning.

The day began with a BIG question:

How can we use technology to make a difference to the people and the planet?

Students were challenged to work collaboratively. The first challenge was If you could invent a robot, what would you get it to do?

Students then designed robots to make people happy, clean their houses, wake them up, remove pollution from the ocean, guard their homes, do your homework and other great ideas local, global, and national. What would you invent a robot for?

Throughout the two days, students learned how to ideate, prototype, the power of feedback, reflection, and used rock, paper, and scissors to work out their archetypes and techniques! Our legends of learning were encouraged to GO BIG, GO WILD and GO TOGETHER to find a problem they felt needed solving and then use technology to assist with this.

Once all were ready using their persuasive skills and teamwork group/or individuals entered the SMC shark tank type situation to pitch their idea.

The final was hotly contested by:

Ecodoggies – recycled doghouses that would not only keep our pets happy but 25% of profits used to plant trees to combat deforestation. Bailey, Ari, Luke, and Oliver.

Climatter – a solar-powered hat that sucks the greenhouse gases from our air and converts it into energy to power a hat that plays music, sends alert about environmental concerns and backs up with solar energy – You can look good whilst saving the planet. Lachlan, Sanchit, and Samarbeer.

Water bottles for the Earth – using ocean waste this team will produce reusable, flexible water bottles that will clean up the oceans whilst cleaning the oceans.  Ben, Oliver, Kosta, Kailen, and Louis

Forest Joy – a VR game that brings the joy of the forest home so that we can all care that these precious resources are being destroyed. All profits go to deforestation charities. Sam C and Joe

This year’s Spark was officially won by Climatter; however, it truly was an event where there were small wins every day. We might not all be entrepreneurs BUT we can all be enterprising, meaning that we are energetic in spirit and ready to act.

So, dear reader …

How could you use technology to make a difference to the people and the planet?

Ms Joanne Gilmore, Director of Teaching & Learning
#alwayslearningalwayswillbe

Postscript:

“We thought it was really cool that we had all these different challenges like designing your own robot and finding a solution to a worldwide problem. We liked designing a product, service or innovation. It was a fun and interesting experience. I would recommend it to other schools.” – Luke K, Oliver P Joshua G.

All students will be given the opportunity to develop their ideas further with their class teachers and a chance to enter some entrepreneurial competitions over the next few terms. Elon Musk should be worried.

NATIONAL SIMULTANEOUS STORY TIME 2022

Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 students had fun this year listening to the story “Family Tree” read simultaneously throughout Australia at 11:00 am on Wednesday, 25 May.

The event is held annually and every year a picture book written and illustrated by Australians is read.

This fun event aims to promote the value of reading and literacy using an Australian children’s book that explores themes in key learning areas of the National Curriculum.

Ms Glenyss Steventon, Resource Centre Coordinator – Primary