In 2016, Badger Creek Primary joined forces with Healesville High School’s Senior VCAL team to create a brand new hen house in our Harvest Kitchen Garden.

Through our inquiry unit, Grade 1/2 students were exploring the strength and properties of shapes and materials. They researched how raw materials were transformed to create everyday objects. As they progressed through the unit, they began working through the design process to create models of their perfect hen house from recycled materials. They listed materials, drew designs, sought peer feedback, adjusted their design then created their models. It needed to be fox, eagle and people proof.

The HHS Senior VCAL team then visited BCPS and met with the juniors who talked them through their ideas. The VCAL students then took these ideas and amalgamated them into three models. The BCPS community then voted for their preferred model and offered feedback to the designs.

The VCAL team then sourced recycled materials and constructed the hen house over a number of visits, meeting the criteria to attain VCAL certification. The hen house was built out of 95% recycled materials and is a fabulous addition to our school.

In 2017, we signed up to the RASV’s Schools Poultry Competition and raised 5 hy-line browns. We took them to the Royal Melbourne Show in September 2017 and walked away, proud as punch, with two blue ribbons!

If you would like to know more, please feel free to contact the school.