CELEBRITY chef Matt Moran and former governor-general Major General Michael Jeffery have endorsed an Australian-first approach to education at today’s launch of Landcare in the Curriculum, by the Primary Industries Education Foundation (PIEF) and Landcare Australia.
As the 2014 school year draws to a close, Landcare Australia and PIEF have produced the Landcare resources for the Australian Curriculum in an Australian first.
The curriculum resources include full lesson plans comprising engaging and easy-to-understand teaching and learning sequences – in time for the 2015 school year, initially aimed at primary schools.
Landcare Australia chief executive Tessa Jakszewicz said at the launch that getting Landcare into the curriculum was a huge step and was enabled through funding from the Australian Government.
“Ensuring kids learning these skills of caring for our natural environment at a young age will help all of us into the future,” Ms Jakszewicz said.
“An awareness of Landcare might start in the vegie patch or through planting trees and weeding but it can encompass a broad cross-section of issues and skills like mathematics, science and building communities.”
PIEF chief executive Ben Stockwin said most schools now had a vegie patch.
“However, these on-ground activities have not been translating into lessons inside in the classroom, so we’re extremely excited to be launching Landcare in the Curriculum for the first time," he said.
"The resources can be used by schools new to Landcaring as well as those who are already green thumbs.”
Renowned chef and restaurateur Matt Moran, who was a keynote speaker at the 2014 National Landcare Conference, said there was a growing interest in food and where it camefrom.
"Food is not only a great source of pleasure but a great conversation starter too and through gardens and dining experiences it’s a great way of building communities," he said.
“I think educating kids about food and its journey from the farm to the kitchen is a really positive thing – getting kids to think about how we can sustainably grow and enjoy the produce we all rely on and will continue to rely on into the future is an educational and really rewarding experience."
Former governor-general, the national advocate for Soil Health, and Landcare Australia patron, Major General Michael Jeffery—who would like to see every school have a food garden—launched the curriculum resources at Beauty Point Public School in Sydney.
“It’s up to us to link the dots and excite the younger generation about things that sustain us all, of which soil health and the science behind it is key,” General Jeffery said.
Beauty Point Public has the whole school involved in its food garden, which was funded by a Landcare Australia grant.
There are raised garden beds for each year, additional food and herb trees and a worm farm.
The school also has a “mini-wetlands” in an area sometimes suffering from flooding but which is currently dry, with a number of weeds.
Relieving principal Kevin Gallagher said the curriculum resources would be a welcome addition to the extracurricular activities.
“We really look forward to commencing more formalised lessons linking back to the Landcare activities we enjoy in the playground,” Mr Gallagher said.
