Thalgarrah Environmental Education Centre

Think - Feel - Act

Telephone02 6775 1736

Emailthalgarrah-e.school@det.nsw.edu.au

Early Stage 1 & Stage 1

Teddy Bears' Picnic

Science & Technology

A fun, hands-on program focusing on the needs of living things: plants for food, air, water, and shelter. Students participate in a number of activities to reinforce this concept including a sensory walk, meeting real animals up close, teddy bear games, a walk through the woodland surrounding Thalgarrah and a picnic under the trees. 

 

A day on the Farm

Geography

Every month of the year there are jobs to do on an Australian farm. The book by Penny Matthews ‘A year on our farm’ shows the passing of the seasons through the eyes of children for whom the farm and all its animals is home. On their fieldtrip, students will visit Swallowfield Farm, next door to Thalgarrah EEC, and learn about the jobs for the current season, meet the animals and understand the importance of the weather and seasons.

 

 

Nature Play

PDHPE

Nature Play has become a global movement as society realises the importance of spending time out of doors, in nature. Here at Thalgarrah EEC,  students have an opportunity to explore, play, and interact with others and the environment in our NaturePlay area. Students can challenge themselves, create their own boundaries, creatively construct games and activities with others or by themselves in our wonderful woodland setting.

 

Investigating Invertebrates

Science & Technology

There are a lot of different invertebrates out there. In this program we go and look for them: in the forest and in the river. Students examine a variety of invertebrates to understand their unique features and the important role they play in their chosen environments. They also perform an investigation to collect data about invertebrates and their environments. 

 

 

Features of places: Weather

Geography

In this program students examine factors that change the weather. They use maps to navigate their way around the school grounds to look at the temperature in different places. They construct their own weather instrument to measure the wind in different places and read a book that looks at how one animal uses the different weather conditions around the world.  

Supports the State Library unit, visit Features of places - Weather

 

 

People, Places & Sheep

Geography

Students visit a working farm adjacent to Thalgarrah to look at tools and equipment used to look after sheep. They also visit a shearing shed. Back at Thalgarrah we look at maps of various scale related to sheep and students create their own map of Swallowfield farm. Using geographical tools we go into the forest to look for evidence of sheep, recording our findings with symbols.

 

 

Features of Places: What's a River Like?

Geography

How are the dam and Gara River at Thalgarrah EEC used? How are they cared for? Students visit the dam and the Gara River and make comparisons of the two sites. They use observations, sketches of natural and built objects, and also dipnet for invertebrates to look at the similarities and differences between these two locations.  

 

 

Reduce, Reuse and Recycle

Geography, Science & Technology

Do we know what we can reuse, reduce and recycle? We all need to take responsibility to look after our environment so that it is preserved for future generations. This program focuses on how can help sustain the environment by reducing, reusing and recycling. It also looks at how nature manages its waste through composting. Students also have an opportunity to create a product or artwork from recyclable or waste materials.

 

 

Traditional Aboriginal Way of Life

Geography, History

How are people connected to places? How did the Anaiwan  people use and care for this place?  Students engage in a variety of activities which stimulates thought and conversation around how this place was traditionally used by the Anaiwan people. The program involves an introduction to the use of maps including creating your own map.

 

 

 

Investigating Light and Sound

Science & Technology

Light and sound are both common forms of energy and during this day of fieldwork we explore both in different ways. Students complete an investigation to measure light coming through a variety of window coverings. Using torches we explore how shadows are cast. We read a story about a bear who is afraid of the dark and build our own bear cave to explore what colours are easiest to see in the dark. Out on a bush walk we explore sounds and how we can detect direction using our senses.

  • Program Overview: Investigating Light & Sound
  • Risk Assessment for Investigating Light & Sound

 

 

 

Storybooks & S.T.E.M.

Students engage in a S.T.E.M. activity after reading an engaging literary text. Storybook and S.T.E.M. activities currently on offer include: Boy and Bot (Coding), Who sank the Boat?, The Very Ugly Bug (Needs of Living Things). 

Program Overview for Storybook and S.T.E.M.

Risk Assessment for Storybooks and S.T.E.M.

    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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