Beliefs about learning and the learning environment.

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Ann Smith shares a Year 2 class. Anns interest
is in prompting self expression through art. She
introduced various Aboriginal art forms. She
focused on symbolism in paintings. Children
interpreted their own experiences using their own
symbols which were relevant to a journey that
they had made with their families.
Art
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Art and symbolism
Key focus Combining childrens contemporary
experience and Aboriginal culture through art
symbolism.
Essential learnings
Identity My Australian
heritage Communication Using symbols to convey
feelings and ideas. Thinking
Designing a picture in Aboriginal style to
express personal ideas.
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This year we went for a picnic. I drew a symbol
to show me having a picnic. I ate some chicken
chips and some chicken. I played on the slide and
flying fox. It was really fun. I drew this sun
symbol to show me that it was really hot there.
I went to Movie World, Sea World and Dream World.
I drew symbols to show it was sunny, that we had
to close the gate and that we stayed in an
apartment. I drew a symbol of the road.
4
Patricia Lutz has a composite Year1/2 class. Her
interest is in Civics and Citizenship. Through a
focus on values and Essential Learnings
Patricias class have voiced their individual
responses to the Morialta experience through
letters to Norman our Aboriginal guide. The
letters demonstrate childrens learning about and
empathy with traditional community and the
environment.
community
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letters to Norman
Dear Norman I want to thank you for taking us to
Morialta. Thank you for letting us taste the food
from the trees and ground. I wish I was a Kaurna
person like you. Lewis
Dear Norman, I enjoyed going to the cave. I
learnt that the Aboriginals eat reeds. I found
the rock faces interesting. Thank you for being
our guide. From James
Dear Norman, I enjoyed the blue wren and the
brown wren and I learnt about the pig face used
for eating. Thank you. From Liam
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Dear Norman, On the tour I enjoyed eating the
reeds. I learnt that caves are special places to
Aboriginals. I thought it was interesting that
people chop coolamons, shields and spears. Thank
you for teaching us about Kaurna culture. From Tim
letters
Dear Norman, I enjoyed going into the special
cave with you. It was really exciting. I learnt
that now the Aboriginal people dont live in the
special Morialta park. I found it interesting
that the witchetty grubs are called witaka. I
also learnt that the possum skin is used for
clothing and the inside meat was for
eating. Thank you. From Anri
7
Fanie Paris has a Reception class. Fanies
interest is in the Active for Life program. In
this project Fanie focused on childrens oral
responses to the natural environment,
particularly the walk to First Falls, visiting
the cave and observing flora and fauna.
Active for life
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children's responses
We looked for the little blue bird. Thats
called a blue wren.
The steps to the cave were very high.We were
tired when we got to the top.
I loved the cave. There was a lookout for
somebody to watch for enemies.
I liked tasting the plants that the Aboriginals
used for cordial.
The water fall was beautiful.
I loved the koala.
They went there in the winter time. It must have
been cold.
I saw the spiky rock at the top of the cliff.
We walked a long way to the water fall. It was
like doing physical activity.