Our Year 7 students loved taking their Science learning beyond the classroom with an excursion to Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary.
As part of their current studies, students have been learning how scientists classify living things using tools such as dichotomous keys. During the excursion, they had the opportunity to observe a wide variety of animals up close and apply what they have been learning in a real-world setting.
Seeing these concepts in action helped students recognise that the skills and systems they study in class are used by scientists, biologists and conservationists in their everyday work. Between spotting kangaroos resting in the sunshine, observing lemurs up close and exploring the sanctuary together, students experienced the kind of learning that stays with you because it is lived, not just studied.
"We went to look at animals and their habitats. Some of the animals are going towards extinction and we need to grow the trees that provide their habitat. We should care because God created humans and animals, and he created us to love nature and animals. We should care about them because it's what God would do, and we should be more like God." - Eva
"We learnt about really pretty animals but most of them are endangered which is unfortunate. We need to live carefully. Like, don't litter and don't destroy animals' habitats because that's their home. We wouldn't want our house burnt down, so we need to care for the places where animals live." - Cathy
As a Christian school, we love creating opportunities for students to experience wonder in the natural world and recognise the beauty, creativity and diversity of God’s creation. Spending time observing the complexity and uniqueness of different animals encouraged students to think more deeply about the world around them and the responsibility we have to care for it well.