Project Profile

Summary

As part of a Coles Junior Landcare 2011 Garden Grant the students at Woodville Gardens B-7 have all taken part in selecting, growing and studying an array of native plants and vegetables for their school gardens. Emphasis was placed on selecting plants which will attract butterflies and it has proven to work with several caterpillars already spotted in the gardens, indicating that butterflies will soon be there too!

As part of their learning students identified common features of plants such as leaves and roots and described the use of plant parts for particular purposes, such as making food. A focus was also on living things as part of Woodville Gardens B-7 new Australian Science curriculum. This project has enabled students to use their Science Inquiry skills in questioning, predicting, communicating, planning and making observations through using their senses.

Tomatoes grew well in the garden and the students enjoyed watching them form and ripen. It has also raised an interest from many of the more senior students whom purchased seed packets so that they are able to grow their own vegetables and use them in their cooking at home.

Teacher Anna Bakker commented that “it is all part of an ongoing project for our newly built school as we work towards creating an outdoor learning environment for our students in which they are able to learn”. It has enriched education and aesthetics at the school by creating new things to learn about and bringing colour to the school environment. Anna also stated that the project “enabled students to
have a say into what their school environment can look like”.

Photography

One of the Coles Junior Landcare funded garden beds at Woodville Gardens B-7 School