Embedded Files
Help save our native plants
Mission of the project
Mission of the project
We chose this community action project inline with SDG15-Life on Land to highlight the importance of native plants, their cultural importance and uses, and their positive impact on local ecology. Too many of them are currently categorised as rare, vulnerable or endangered.
Aboriginal students and their buddies volunteered from our partner primary schools across the Hawkesbury to act as environmental ambassadors for this community action project. Their role was to learn about native plants in their school area, and spread that knowledge to their school communities so that more people could be aware of the vulnerability of these plants, their importance to the local ecology, their growing requirements, traditional uses and benefits as plants that can support resilient gardens and communities. Students in the project were keen to connect with and educate their wider local communities and provide opportunities for others to engage in our learning. As part of the project, students collaboratively created an art installation focused on Warada, our Kreative Koala, which will be utilised as an educational installation.
Effort 1
Effort 1
UN SDG15 - Life on Land
“Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss”
Effort 2
Effort 2
The Art Challenge
This was the first of our COVID-19 Lockdown Native Plant Challenges created as an alternative way of educating our environmental ambassadors and their peers.
Students researched indigenous plants in their local area, and created botanical artworks to display the beauty of those plants. They were not limited on what media to use, and so a variety of styles were included, some mixed-media as well.
Effort 3
Effort 3
The Leaf and Bark Challenge
Students created accurate artistic depictions of a chosen native plant from their area to portray on either a fallen leaf or some shed bark. This challenge incorporated lateral ideas on what constitutes art and education, and pushed the boundaries on how that art can be displayed effectively whilst utilising natural plant items in their local area as their creative basis.
Effort 4
Effort 4
The Rock Art Challenge
This was such a popular challenge, we ran it a second time over the lockdown period of learning. Students researched a local native plant, depicted it on a rock, and included some fun informational facts about that plant's uses, species, and/or environment.
This challenge was inline with what was already occurring in peoples' neighbourhoods, where painted rocks were being created and left along popular walks as a way of cheering people up and caring for their mental health during the COVID-19 lockdown period.
Effort 5
Effort 5
The Poetry Challenge
Students created three poems that included aspects of a plant native to the Hawkesbury. Each poem needed to include the plant name and images depicting special features, such as bark, leaves, and flowers. Poems were to be: haiku, acrostic, and one free-choice.
Effort 6
Effort 6
The Postcard Challenge
Students needed to research a native plant/s to provide information on the front or back of their postcard, and present it with attractive images of the chosen plant/s. The information needed to include the name and some features of the plant/s.
Effort 7
Effort 7
The Poster Challenge
'Advertise' a native plant to encourage community members to plant it in their gardens. Include information about benefits it offers to their garden, native wildlife and the environment.
Effort 8
Effort 8
Infographics Competition
Develop an infographic to educate community on important local native plants, their growing needs and benefits they offer to their environment.
Warada - Resilience and Renewal
Warada - Resilience and Renewal
Student learning culminated in the creation of Warada, which is Darug for 'resilience and renewal'. Warada will be mounted on a wooden rotating base so that she can be used as an educational installation to further educate community about the importance of native plants, what's needed to care for them, and how they are vital in supporting their local ecology.
Our Partner Schools in the Project:
Kurmond Public School
Bilpin Public School
Windsor Park Public School
Kurrajong Public School
Kurrajong North
Kurrajong East Public School
Wilberforce Public School
Richmond North Public School
Comleroy Road Public School
Page updated
Report abuse