Ann Smith shares a Year 2 class. Ann’s interest is in prompting self expression through art. She introduced various Aboriginal art forms. She focused on symbolism in paintings. Children interpreted their own experiences using their own symbols which were relevant to a journey that they had made with their families.

Key focus: Combining children’s contemporary experience and Aboriginal culture through art symbolism.

Identity: My Australian heritage

Communication: Using symbols to convey feelings and ideas.

Thinking: Designing a picture in Aboriginal style to express personal ideas.

This year we went for a picnic. I drew a symbol to show me having a picnic. I ate some chicken chips and some chicken. I played on the slide and flying fox. It was really fun. I drew this sun symbol to show me that it was really hot there.

I went to Movie World, Sea World and Dream World. I drew symbols to show it was sunny, that we had to close the gate and that we stayed in an apartment. I drew a symbol of the road.

Patricia Lutz has a composite Year1/2 class. Her interest is in Civics and Citizenship. Through a focus on values and Essential Learnings Patricia’s class have voiced their individual responses to the Morialta experience through letters to Norman our Aboriginal guide. The letters demonstrate children’s learning about and empathy with traditional community and the environment.

Dear NormanI want to thank you for taking us to Morialta. Thank you for letting us taste the food from the trees and ground. I wish I was a Kaurna person like you. Lewis

Dear Norman,I enjoyed going to the cave. I learnt that the Aboriginals eat reeds. I found the rock faces interesting. Thank you for being our guide.From James

Dear Norman,I enjoyed the blue wren and the brown wren and I learnt about the pig face used for eating. Thank you. From Liam

Dear Norman,I enjoyed going into the special cave with you. It was really exciting. I learnt that now the Aboriginal people don’t live in the special Morialta park. I found it interesting that the witchetty grubs are called witaka. I also learnt that the possum skin is used for clothing and the inside meat was for eating.Thank you.From Anri

Dear Norman,On the tour I enjoyed eating the reeds. I learnt that caves are special places to Aboriginals. I thought it was interesting that people chop coolamons, shields and spears. Thank you for teaching us about Kaurna culture.From Tim

Fanie Paris has a Reception class. Fanie’s interest is in the Active for Life program. In this project Fanie focused on children’s oral responses to the natural environment, particularly the walk to First Falls, visiting the cave and observing flora and fauna.

“I liked tasting the plants that the Aboriginals used for cordial.”

“I saw the spiky rock at the top of the cliff.”

“The water fall was beautiful.”

“We walked a long way to the water fall. It was like doing physical activity.”

“I loved the cave.”

“There was a lookout for somebody to watch for enemies.”

“The steps to the cave were very high.We were tired when we got to the top.”

“I loved the koala.”

“We looked for the little blue bird.

“That’s called a blue wren.”

“They went there in the winter time. It must have been cold.”