The Grade 5 students have recently started a project for inquiry. The task is to implement change in the community. A few weeks ago, they ventured to Bellbird Dell, a park in the area, to pick up rubbish. Surprisingly, there was hardly any, therefore making it an easy task.

After this trip, the students were separated into groups and started brainstorming different ways to help the community. Some examples were planting around the school, creating bird boxes to hang up, making Christmas cards to give to the elderly at a local residential care facility, playing games with a nearby kindergarten and special school, and much, much more!

We are planning to create positive impacts in week 9, but some groups have already begun. At recess and lunchtime, students started clearing out areas that they were going to plant in, and building garden beds as well. A small courtyard in the school was once dirty, full of dead leaves, and dense foliage blocked the sunlight. Now, some of the dead plants have been removed, trees have been trimmed, and a clean birdbath adds ambiance to the scene.

This has been a valuable experience for us, as it was fun, educational, engaging, as well as helpful to the community. Not to mention, it also helped us with our social skills, as the groups had to consist of both genders, and alternate classes. We can’t wait for it to actually start, and we know that it will create lasting memories.

By Caitlin C. 5H and Kate H. 5D

On behalf of the Year 5 students at Livingstone Primary School