Nature at it's best!

     

Language Group students from St Michael's Primary Blacktown South and St Patrick's Primary Blacktown, travelled to Clarendon to visit the Hawkesbury Show on Friday 13 May! A variety of language skills were needed to navigiate through the day, these included following instructions, identifying vegetables, fruit, animals, and machinery, learning the layout of the showground and socialising with the friendly Hawkesbury community! It seems Anna still has an affinity with sheep (see 'Anna and the Sheep' video) fire engines have changed over the years and a day at the Show is exhausting!

               

'Kindergarden'

St Francis Kindergarten students took a Nature Walk as part of a 'God's Creation' unit to look for different kinds of leaves, just as they are all different! They wend their way to the Kitchen Garden and disovered some different types of fruit and vegetables to taste, smell and eat! A rested garden bed was claimed as a 'Kindergarden' and planted out with climbing beans. So the unit came to life and great conversation ensued!

Time to Harvest!

A return to school means it's time to check for fresh produce and the Easter rains meant there was plenty to harvest! Cherry tomatoes, which were grown using seeds squirted from over-ripe tomatoes ... (a fun thing to do) peas, which were only planted before the holidays, and some carrots (one rather large) hiding amongst the nasturtiums, were a joy to discover! The two green strawberries will be watched carefully as they turn to red! The potatoes which were cut and planted in a sack have made good growth! A broccoli has appeared and it must be from one which went to seed last season!

Stone steps needed sweeping, beans needed to be staked and composting worms needed to be placed back in the bin ... a busy time all round but as always, time to greet the animals and welcome three lambs ... unfortunately the duck met its fate but Maria (a Year Six student) says her mother has two ducks to donate to the farm, a generous and welcome offer, even though one duck is lame!

Time to Rest!

As Term One 2011 concludes, the garden and the animals take a well earned rest! Strawberries, beans, peas, corn and chinese cabbage have been planted, watered and mulched and Nugget and Butterscotch quietly wait just outside the Cottage gates, for the return of eager farm girls and language group students!

Rose Cottage!

A little house is now a feature of the Kitchen Garden at St Patrick's Primary, Blacktown. It sits proudly amongst the pots and awaits some furnishings and a name! The Language Group students will hold a 'naming competition' in Term Two ... they have promised to put their thinking caps on over the Easter holidays.Watch this space!
"Rose Cottage" it is!

St Andrew's Primary

A recent working bee at St Andrew's Primary Marayong, was successful in upgrading the school garden by paving, planting, mulching and adding scarecrows! An old filing cabinet has been flipped on its side and used as a 'no-dig' garden ... very creative and a good recycling tip! 

Pita Rabbit!

A creative idea for celebrating Easter was to make Pita Rabbits, using pita bread for bunny ears, but pancakes were found to be more shapely, so 'Peter Rabbits' were made instead ... just as much fun and very tasty!