Repairing the World

Across the Primary School this year, students have been developing projects to repair the world starting in our school community. Examples of this include:

• Kornmehl Environmental Warriors who pick up rubbish to ensure we ‘respect the land’ and have waste free lunches every day
• Our Year 3 students concerned with making our garden thrive by attracting pollinators and carefully readying our garden to be productive
• Our Green Team who have been working to develop Operation Rubbish Collection and aims to ‘make Emanuel one of the most environmentally responsible schools in Australia’.

It is clear that our students are inspired and feel a sense of agency to change their world for the better.

Green Team Report

World Environment Day

On World Environment Day, Tuesday 5 June, the Primary School Green Team were motivated to raise awareness about our school’s most pressing environmental issues – rubbish and plastic pollution.

We researched this area and found some alarming statistics.

Operation Rubbish Collection Year

Motivated by the World Environment Day theme of beating plastic pollution, we decided to collect the rubbish produced in the Primary School in just 5 hours.

We were shocked by what we found. Currently, students at Emanuel School are contributing to this environmental calamity with each wrapper and piece of plastic packaging. Thirteen million tonnes of plastic leak into our oceans each year and on current trends ocean pollution will weigh more than fish in less than 15 years. Our students cannot accept this future.

Green Team goals

Our Green Team aims to make Emanuel School one of the most environmentally responsible schools in Australia. We need your help to achieve this exciting goal. Many schools, including Bronte Public School and Ultimo Public School, have taken drastic action to reduce the amount of waste they produce. They expect students to come to school with waste free food each day and have seen a dramatic reduction in the litter around the School and the plastic waste they produce.

Environment Champion families

Our students understand that this is a complex problem. This year, led by our Innovation Leader, Sophie Poisel, the Green Team is embarking on an ambitious project to apply design thinking principles to our waste problem.  We need you to join us on this journey. You can begin by signing up for the Plastic Free July Challenge www.plasticfreejuly.org/register.html If you take on this challenge, please email me at gwynhausen@emanuelschool.nsw.edu.au so we can publicise how many Emanuel families are involved, and encourage others to join you.

Australia is one of the highest producers of waste per head of population in the world. Our students are passionate about reversing this trend, starting in our own lunchboxes. Please join us on this important journey.

Gabrielle Wynhausen, Year 5 Teacher

Year 3: Guardians of the Garden

Last term Year 3 investigated the question “how can we make our garden thrive?” and designed solutions revive the X-block Garden. In expert groups, students conducted investigations to understand the sun and shade in the space and explored solutions to attract pollinators and keep the garden appropriately watered. The students pitched their solutions to Mr Case, who has been the caretaker of the garden to now. To start implementing their designs, every Thursday lunchtime the Year 3 students help in the Garden. Students are thoroughly enjoying this opportunity as you can see by some of their quotes below:

Identifying and naming the plants

We need to move this rocket so no one digs it up. Let’s put it in the shade near the parsley. Let’s call it Megan! Megan the rocket.

This garlic is trying to sprout again – we need to protect it. Let’s call it Jeffery. Jeffery the garlic!

We’ll come back and check no bugs have eaten you before next Thursday.

Discussing root systems

That root system is amazing. Ms Hill look at this!

I pulled out a massive root system. 

Look at this long one. 

Holy Moly!!!

Reflecting as lunch ends

The middle garden is nearly done. 

This is my first time coming, I’ll be back next Thursday at lunch.

Look at the plastic in our garden. 

We look forward to seeing this space thrive under the close guardianship of Year 3 students. Watch this space for ways we continue to transform our school.

Ms Emma Hill