lapstone living class room. at the beginning there was sand stone
TRANSCRIPT
September 2003 – an idea
Based on permaculture principles (see Rosemary Morrow: earth user’s guide to permaculture)
Children build lego model, marked the design – Curriculum link: maths
Railway sleepers donated – use recycled materials you can get for free – bricks, pavers, sleepers…
Working Bee September 2003 – built garden beds and composting bay
Budget: $500 from P&C
Success
Get teachers, students and parents involved Make democratic decisions to allow
students/teachers/parents to take owner ship: - planning stage – brainstorm ideas with all
parties involved - write mission statement for gardens –
why??? - document for future use (grants,
competitions etc) - integrate: into daily school life, curriculum,
responsibilities
Site selection criteria
Sunny position most of the day (about 4-6 hours)
Flat surface, if sloped work with terraces Composting area close by, but partly
shaded Recycling bins close by for materials Easy access to tools
Funding
P&C starting up Working bees ($ in kind) Community donations (materials,
knowledge, work) Grants
Basic gear
Get the real stuff – children of all ages can work with the real tools, just watch for size/ weight
Small trowels, gloves, secateurs – Spade, rake, fork Pull-wheel barrow Donated pots, polystyrene boxes Seed raising mix, manures (Sun Valley, RDA) Compost enclosure – start with wire A table helps -parent donation??? A Shed!!!!
Composting
Blue Mountains soil is very sandy, poor of nutrients
control over ingredient – manures, straw, mushroom compost, shredded paper (recycling!), organic scraps from kids, canteen, Sip & Crunch, lawn clippings, mulch etc
Host an Earth Works course through BMCC – build compost on site, learning for school community – students and parents
No dig gardens
No dig garden easy to build on sand stone
Easy to maintain, keep nutrients up Fun to build up and can work for years
Community involvement
Become active member of school environmental network SEN, BMCC or your council
Use parent know-how Get donations: we received railway sleepers
free, shade house from Rotary, compost bins from school community and council, pavers from parents, plants from neighbors, help from Garden Club
Host an Earth Works course through BMCC (Council) – build compost on site, learning for school community – students and parents
Celebrate
This is how we celebrate: Invited garden club members for morning
tea Delicious BBQ for working bee participants Feasts with friut of our labour Grant unveiling for dragon sculpture Tree planting day Take photos, Give awards, Make presents, make art
Sophia –
Blue Mountains Marsupial Dragon
Build from rubble, building wastePottery tiles from each studentMosaics by students and parentsAnnual celebrations
Current Living Class Room at LPS Garden plots, shade house Rain water tank BM Marsupial Dragon Native Bush area Kallaroo with pond Composting Recycling – paper, alu, scraps, phones Landcare site Out door class room Tree planting sites ECOLAPSTONE - Pbwiki
Citta Slow
Lapstone is an accredited Citta Slow Blue Mountains School for growing organic vegetables and preparing them on site.
We are committed to saving food miles Teaching students sustainable living
techniques
Environmental Day 5th June ‘08 18 Peer support groups of mixed age
Lapstone primary children enjoyed a day of environmental activities from bush craft, sustainability awareness, water audit to green house gas calculations.
The day ended in a feast prepared by student groups for all students, staff and visiting facilitators.
A photo exhibition and clay tiles are a lasting memory of the day.
ECO LAPSTONE -
Establishment of PBwiki on the net Public launch 7th November 2008
To foster exchange in all areas of environmental education :
Policy development (e.g. SEMP), Curriculum, Practical in garden and kitchen, Training
A tool for students, staff, parents, community
Food for Though – watch this space Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden
Program? Lower Blue Mountains Learning
Community LBMLC – network to embark on resource sharing (Staff, Gardens & Kitchen)
ICT communication/ exchange with other school
Training centre at Lapstone Public School
Kitchen Garden
The Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation is now expanding nation wide
Funding from the Federal Health Department “Engaging Australian primary school students in
pleasurable food education to create life-long, joyful and healthy eating habits.”
Go on their website to follow the developments for NSW and use their resources
Philosophy – WHY all this?????
Learn to live simply so others can simply live
Explore and Achieve – explore life and learning and achieve sustainability
Presented by
Kristin Wohlers, ph: (02) 4739 [email protected]
Please credit this power point presentation in case you use it.
Contact:Lapstone Public School, Ph: 4739 4122