It's good to be green

Schools involved	Primary	Central	Secondary
	Bexley North PS: Years 5 and 6		Kogarah HS: Years 7 and 8

Students at both schools worked collaboratively to design and construct a water saving garden at each school for the enjoyment and benefit of the school communities. Students were organised in groups to develop the following components of the projects: dry climate plants, stormwater storage, watering systems, mulching and garden layout.

The class negotiated the design with the principal of each school and identified all school students as those who would use the gardens. Students were involved in every aspect of the process. This project was STUDENT CENTRED and teacher facilitated.

• Local business: Students contacted local businesses, including local garden centres, water tank companies and landscape gardeners. They also conducted extensive research using the internet, the local yellow pages and family members.
• Linking to local community initiatives: Students worked with Rockdale Council, resulting in school participation in National Tree Day.
• Involving research: Students contacted a variety of organisations, including the Bureau of Meteorology, to fully understand the scope of the project brief.
• Involving parents: Parents provided expertise in information and resourcing, and attending working bees on the sites.

Reflections on Enterprise Learning

"The nursery visit was great - we learnt a lot about what plants need to grow."

"The project took a long time but we enjoyed it. It will make our school a better place."

"We had to use too much maths to work out the size of our stormwater tanks."

"I really liked working together - with different people."

Further information: It's Good to Be Green powerpoint (1.3MB)