Prep Excursion to the RSPCA

On Monday 17 October the Prep students experienced their first excursion. They took the bus to the RSPCA in Burwood for an education session related to their current Science topic, living things in our world.

There, they learnt about the needs of animals and the responsibilities involved in owning and caring for an animal. Activities included games related to the needs of a pet, patting and feeding many of the education animals in the barn, and caring for the resident guinea pigs and rabbits. The Prep students then met some parents for lunch at Hayes Paddock, where they enjoyed a play in the playground before returning to School. Following the excursion the Prep girls wrote about their adventures to the RSPCA and Hayes Paddock.

On Monday we went on an excursion to the RSPCA. We learnt what animals need. Animals need similar things to humans. Then we met bunnies and guinea pigs. We fed them and we pat one guinea pig. Then we met some big animals. The animals were one pony and two cows and we fed the hens and rooster. Then we learnt a song all about what animals need. Then we went on a bus to Hays Paddock. At Hays Paddock I went on the tunnel slide. After, Arabella and I lied down. Then we went around in circles lots of times. I loved the excursion.
Holly Farrer

On Monday we went on an excursion. We took the bus. We went to the RSPCA. We had a snack and we watched a video and I gave my scraps to the chickens. Then we watched the guinea pigs and rabbits. Then we went to the barn. We saw horses and a cow. I fed the cow grass and it licked me. It was funny. Then we fed the chickens Anzac biscuits. They weren’t fresh. Then we went back to the bus. We went to Hays Paddock and had lunch there.
Genevieve Le

On Monday we went to the RSPCA and we had a snack. Then we played a game. When we finished the game we saw some guinea pigs and rabbits and I got to feed a rabbit. Then we went to a barn and there was a cow called Henry. There was also a cat called Archie. Then we went to Hays Paddock. I loved the excursion.
Camilla Aberdeen

On Monday we went on an excursion. We went on a bus. Then we had a snack. After that we watched a video. Then we played a game. After that we got to feed the guinea pigs and bunnies. Then we went to the barn to see the big animals. There were horses and some cows and there was some chickens as well. Then we sang a song together. I loved it.
Arabella Foote

Years 1 and 2 Beyond Boundaries Experience

Friday night, 14 October, saw the much anticipated Years 1 and 2 Outdoor Education event occur in the brilliant sunshine. Excitement was high as the Years 1 and 2 students worked in teams on the challenges and activities set by Director of Outdoor Education, Ms Casie Chalman. Time for dinner saw the girls all line up with very hearty appetites to a scrumptious BBQ cooked by Mrs Baldacchino and Mrs Hoole.

Year 1 students reluctantly said farewell at 7.00pm and Year 2 spent the night in the Barbreck Library. Appetites were again hearty at breakfast time! So much excitement and so much laughter with many stories to tell! Thanks to Ms Cooke, Mrs Iacuone, Mrs Ballis and Ms Chalman and also to our BBQ chefs. It was a superb event!

Some comments from our participating students are provided below:

I could not wait for the BIG night! Our Years 1 and 2 Beyond Boundaries experience. First we played scarecrow tiggy. We played for a long time. The best part was making the shelter for the eggs. The funny part was that no one made it strong enough to stop it from breaking. But everyone tried! Next it was time for dinner. The dinner was sausages and hamburgers. It was really, really good. The BBQ Queens were really god! After we got to wash our own dishes. Before it was time to go home, we played fruit salad. I had the best time!
Choe Nash

After school on Friday, I went to the Years 1 and 2 Beyond Boundaries experience. At the start, we played scarecrow tiggy. It was fun! Then we had to make a shelter for our egg. In my group, I had Lulu, Kaia and Scarlett. We had to cover it using straws, one elastic band and two metres of sticky tape. We named our egg Humpty Dumpty. It did have a great fall! Then we had a BBQ. I had some sausages. Then we had dessert. It was yoghurt and fruit salad. It was so yummy! I sat next to Pernilla and Polly. After that we played fruit salad! It was so much fun. It was the best time ever!
Olivia Grasso

On Friday we had after School activities. I had lots of fun! First we went on the oval and we played scarecrow tiggy. We also did the egg drop. The Year 2 students were sleeping over in the Library. The Year 1 students were not sleeping over. After all of the games we had dinner. We had sausages and bread and hamburgers. After dinner, we had yoghurt with fruit. We got picked up at 7.00pm. I thought it was great fun. I loved when I washed my plates. It was different.
Piper-Lynn Pascoe

After School on Friday we did the Years 1 and 2 activities. First we played games. We played scarecrow tiggy. Next we did this game with an egg in groups of four. We had to cover it with straws, an elastic band and two metres of masking tape to make a shelter for the egg so it won’t break. We named our egg Blossombutt. All the eggs died. They did not make the drop. Then it was dinner time. We had sausages and hamburgers. Last we played fruit salad and we had to go home, but not the Year 2 students. They had a sleepover in the Library. I wonder what it will be like next year!
Polly Moir

Years 1 and Year 2 Beyond Boundaries Experience

What a wonderful time the Years 1 and 2 students had at their Outdoor Education Beyond Boundaries Experience on Friday 14 October (and Saturday 15 October for the Year 2 students). At the end of the School day, the mounting excitement – as the Years 1 and 2 students changed into their casual clothes – was tangible. The eagerly awaited afternoon activities were then underway. It was especially wonderful to witness the cooperative way in which groups of Year 2 students worked with Year 1 students to create a “home/capsule” for an egg out of straws and sticky tape. The budding architects/engineers were sure that their egg would survive a drop from the stairs leading up to St Catherine’s Walk. Sadly, the designs were more creative rather than practical, as none of the eggs survived the big drop! But the designers were still enthusiastic!

After a delicious BBQ dinner cooked by our “BBQ queens” Mrs Victoria Baldacchino and Mrs Judy Hoole, the Year 1 students went home to tell their families of their adventures. Meanwhile, the excitement (and nerves) continued to build as the Year 2 students went upstairs to set up their sleeping bags in the Library, (complete with soft toys reclining on the pillows). The pyjama parade (“it was more about fun than about fashion” – Ava Ward) was followed by a movie. Then teeth brushing and off to bed.

Enthusiasm, Cooperation and Respect Towards Others

We were very proud of the way in which the Year 2 students displayed these attributes throughout the time they were on their first overnight camp. Even in an overnight stay at School, students can show strengths and elements of their personality that they might not otherwise show in the classroom. It is a privilege as a teacher to really get to know the “whole child” in experiences such as these.

We would especially like to thank Ms Casie Chalman, Director of Outdoor Education, for her planning and enthusiastic leadership over the two days.

Ms Sue Cooke
Year 2 Teacher

Excepts from the Journals of the Year 2 Students

…After the Year 1 students went home we went inside and grabbed our bags. We put on our pyjamas and went up into the Library. We set up our sleeping bags. After that we had a Fashion Parade. The teachers took part too! Then we brushed our teeth and watched a film called Racing Stripes. It was sad at the beginning, but it got better. After the teachers had turned off the lights we read a bit with our torches.

I thought that I didn’t go to sleep at all but that was just my dream. When I woke up everyone was reading. We all sang Happy Birthday to Lulu.

After we got changed we went downstairs for breakfast. I had half a bowl of Rice Bubbles and three pieces of Vegemite toast. 

When my grandpa came I didn’t want to go.
Ava Ward

On Friday Year 2 had a camp. First we changed into our casual clothes and then we grabbed our hats and went downstairs. We went out to the field. There we had fruit, muesli bars and icy-poles. 

For dinner we had sausages, hamburgers, onions, sauce and cheese. After that we played one more game on the field. It was called fruit salad. My fruit was strawberries, and my partner was May.

After the Year 1 students had left we went up to the Library. We took our sleeping bags, our pillows, a book, a toy and our socks. Then we set out our sleeping bags. I slept next to Giselle and Emma. I went to bed at 9.00pm!

In the morning when I woke up I saw torches shining on all the books. When we had all woken up we sang Happy Birthday to Lulu. We had to pack up our bags before we went to breakfast. For breakfast I had nine pieces of toast. Some of the pieces had jam on them, and some of them had Vegemite. I also had a bowl of cereal and an apple. It was a great camp!
Lexie Hill

In the Years 1 and 2 sleepover, we had a lot of fun activities. One of the activities was to keep the egg safe. We had to make a house that was safe for the egg. We only had 20 straws and two metres of masking tape. We had to go into groups of four and we thought Mia’s group was going to win. We thought their egg was tight and secure.  It was like a rock!  BUT EVERYBODY’S EGG CRACKED!
Emma Peele, May Aiello, Kaia Belan and  Kristin Dodd

We liked the games because we hadn’t played them before and it was a new experience. Our favourite game was the egg drop. The egg drop was really fun because we had to build a shelter out of 20 straws and two metres of tape. We had to drop the shelters from the top of the stairs. When we built the shelter we were in groups of four. When we dropped them, none of the eggs survived. Before you dropped the egg, you had to tape the egg onto the shelter. The game was really fun!
Imogen Begley and Clover Oxley

The egg dropping activity was hilarious! We laughed at nearly every drop. When the eggs were ready to be dropped, nobody succeeded!
Isabella Soutter and Isabella Ayre