Woolomin School’s Environmental Projects Kerri-Anne Hubble

Aims: To reduce scrap food wastage in the school’s garbage bins. To encourage recycling of food waste. For children to take pride and ownership of their school grounds. To encourage better eating habits of vegetables. To use mathematical concepts in the building of four vegetable garden beds. To take responsibility to maintain the gardens. To learn how plants grow – their needs and requirements, to link in with Science. To encourage better partnerships between the school and the community.

In 2011 the students, teachers and a community volunteer undertook the construction of 4 raised garden beds. The wooden slabs were donated by a parent from their scaffolding business. The aim of the exercise was to use geometric concepts to construct 4 1.2x1.2 garden beds. The children measured the area to be used and laid the slabs. With the aid of power tools and metal braces they were put into place and re-enforced with a star picket. Children calculated the volume of the beds to determine the amount of soil needed. Soil was obtained from the construction site of the new school library and the mulch area in the school grounds. Links to Curriculum: MS2.1-Estimates, measures, compares and records lengths and perimeters. MS2.2-Estimates, measures, compares and records the areas of surfaces. MS3.1-Estimates, measures the volume of a container.

Planting and Maintenance The children drafted a letter to Bunnings to ask for assistance or a donation towards the garden. The school had previously won a worm farm from Bunnings and so we were delighted to receive a reply in the form of two Bunnings representatives with seedlings who instructed the children about planting and the needs of the garden. The children volunteer their time on the garden by: Weeding Watering Feeding the worms Separating seedlings Harvesting produce Mulching

Links to the Curriculum: WS2.9-Drafts, revises, proofread and publishes texts. WS2.10-Produces texts using conventions of the text type. DMS2.8 –Designing and making. LTS2.3-Living Things

Harvested Produce The vegetables are taken to the local shop to be sold to the community. We are fortunate in that the shop doesn’t take a percentage cut. Proceeds of the sale go back into maintaining the garden and buying more seeds. Gardening news is also advertised in the school newsletter which is distributed around the local area. Grants and Promotions The children and community were involved in the McCain School Vegies promotion and were able to purchase gardening gloves and spades. We have attempted to apply to the Coles junior landcare Grant but have not been successful to date.

Future Projects Mosaic artwork to decorate the garden beds. Sculptures or scarecrows using scrap products. Links to Curriculum: VAS1.1 –Investigates details of objects and living things. VAS1.2-Experiments with different drawing media.