Week 4- Citizenship and Geography

Hello Parents/Carers of Year 4s!

As you know, we are currently focusing on citizenship in our classroom. We have previously learnt about democracy and are now learning about how citizenship and geography can relate to one another. The year 4s have decided they are passionate about our forests and have a keen interest in learning more about the different parts of a forest.

We will be going on an excursion to the Hollybank Reserve to learn more about forest and the environment within it. We will also learn about how we can help the environment through helping our forests through regeneration and protecting the environment that lives within. This promotes active citizenship through the active involvement of the students who have decided that this I something they are passionate about.

From/Adapted from “Hollybank Forests” by Green & Dale Associates, 2008, (http://www.greenanddale.com.au/hollybank-forest/). Copyright (2008) by Green & Dale Associates.

The excursion to the forest will also promote discussions and questions about why forests, in particularly trees and plants, are important to the world we live in. We will also talk about what items we use in life that are made from wood such as furniture and how trees and forests help animals to survive through food and shelter.

The Australian Curriculum states that grade 4 students need to learn “the importance of environments, including natural vegetation, to animals and people” (ACARA, 2016).  An elaboration then continues to explain that students need to have an understanding of the role vegetation plays in our world such as through oxygen production and producing wood. (ACARA, 2016). These criteria will be assessed throughout the whole unit of study.

Another concept that will be explored both during and after the excursion is that people can have an emotional and spiritual connection with their environment (ACARA, 2016). This means that students will be exploring and recognising different places they have connections with, whether they be forests or not. "Attachment to a natural resource located locally can promote environmentally sustainable and positive attitudes" (Vaske & Kobin, 2001).

As parents and guardians, you can support children to further their learning through promoting positive interest and questioning into our forestry industry. If you go to any forests or plantations with trees or plants, encourage your children to ask questions about the history of the area and how it may connect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture both past and present. Also encourage your children to not only question and discover the trees and plants within the forest but also the wildlife (including insects and bugs) in that environment as they are just as crucial.

We understand that people may have different opinions to one another on the forestry debate but we, as a school are aiming to provide students with as much information from both sides as possible and let them decide their views.  We would appreciate your support in this approach.

Thank-you and please contact if you have any queries or would like to volunteer for the upcoming excursion!

References:

Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA). (2016). HASS. Retrieved from https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/f-10-curriculum/humanities-and-social-sciences/hass

Green & Dale Associates. (2008). Hollybank Forest. Retrieved from http://www.greenanddale.com.au/hollybank-forest/.

Vaske, J.J., & Kobrin, K.C. (2001). Place Attachment and Environmentally Responsible Behaviour. The Journal of Environmental Education. 32:4. 16-21. DOI: 10.1080/00958960109598658