Taking river related activities to remote and isolated schools along the Baaka/Darling River, Bourke to Wentworth
Organising a road trip from Wentworth to Bourke, a round trip of nearly 2000kms. Taking educational river related activities to schools along the Baaka/Darling River together with a Dreamtime story. Finding and creating activities for primary aged students to relate and connect with that were fun, engaging and relevant to them. Locating suitable access points to the river for collecting water bugs near the school proved challenging with the river relatively low and quite turbid. Many hours were put into organising people, agencies, vehicles, equipment, activities, locations, schools and permissions, accommodation, times and dates that all coincide.
Teamwork, sourcing activities that could travel, and were relatively easy to set-up and pack-up quickly. Familiarising ourselves with equipment, information and keeping to times was crucial. Actively being involved with students so they could see, understand and relate to the activities. Games such ‘Good Fish-Bad Fish’ were created from laminated cut outs, and were robust enough to be used many times, pack and unpack quickly and easily and travel well. Having a back-up plan, being able to improvise at the last minute and adapt to a variety of students of different ages and abilities and the flexibility to adjust to any situation that was thrown our way was crucial.
Responses from students and evaluation sheets from teachers were positive and encouraging. Teachers discovered what students did and didn’t know regarding the river and the riparian ecosystem along with discovering a few things for themselves. Students became aware of what could be found in and around the river when they investigated a little more closely and began to understand what is native and what isn’t. Building on these activities into the future to promote more awareness, interest and recognition of our river ecosystem can only be of benefit.
Engaging local, traditional owners can be challenging.
Being able to improvise and adapt to any situation is valuable.