This semester in the LEAP classroom, students have been learning about the Noongar Boodja Six Seasons. Students have participated in two of the Six Seasons Festival excursions to Kings Park;
Bunuru which is the second summer – February & March – Wetlands and fishing, dance and storytelling, Noongar Trail with a focus on wetlands, and;
Djeran which is the cool season – April and May – Storytelling, art and dance and Noongar Boodja trail with a focus on shelter.
During the visit to Kings Park students participated in traditional Indigenous music and dance, tested their knowledge of noongar words for Australian Animals, listened to dreamtime stories, showed their creative side and made some Indigenous artworks as well as following a map for orienteering and finding all of the Indigenous plants that were around Kings Park. Students also had the opportunity to make, cook and eat damper.
Students learnt bush survival skills where they completed activities such as shelter building, finding drinking water and building safe campfires, making damper and energy snacks and delivering simple first aid.
Students also participated in orienteering which was a great introduction to navigation skills, plant uses and adaptations. Students used map reading skills, spatial awareness and problem solving skills to navigate a series of control points, discovering interesting plants and completing activities along the way.
Back at school our LEAP students have been planting Indigenous plants in the garden, made their own story using indigenous symbols, and begun learning about NAIDOC week.
Mrs Porter & Mrs Greenwood