School Connections
School Connections
Effectively connecting with our local school students to engage the next generation of Landcarers.
Reaching Out -
LLCI025-007
The issue
Upper Lachlan Landcare felt they would like to encourage and support school age children in our region to develop a positive connection with their living environment. Children with a better understanding of the many interactions, co-dependencies and complex systems that support a healthy environment will be much better placed to ensure our landscapes are supported into the future.
The solution
An opportunity was available to connect with Crookwell High School's Year 9 Link to Learning class, who were looking for an outdoor, practical learning experience. We invested Upper Lachan Landcare funds into purchasing a junior waterwatch kit and some time with aqua ecologist Cecil Ellis of Nature Navigation. The students regularly sampled the water quality of the local creek that runs through the heart of Crookwell and observed the changes each season. Our coordinator and the Links to Learning educator attended all the sampling session to support the students learning.
Additionally, over 2018, we presented a series of talks on endangered species to local Primary School students, and invited some of the Primary School students to join the Links to Learning class for a Waterbug Investigation day.
The impact
Students have displayed varying levels of interest and engagement, reflecting the diverse range of personalities found in one classroom.
Of particular note, however, has been the enthusiasm expressed by the teachers. They appear very keen to connect with opportunities for practical learning. By being present at the school we have also been able to link in with some existing school programs, such as the presentation of STEM projects, furthering the opportunities to work together.
So far, our school connection program has been very encouraging and we are looking forward to planning a targeted and worthwhile program in 2019!
Learnings
A key learning for Upper Lachlan Landcare has been to build the connection with the teacher, and this will in turn fuel the connections with the students.
Key facts
- Encouraging children to connect with the environment is a key role to develop future landcarers
- Invest in teacher capacity