How will we care?
It is important that we respect and take care of our natural places, including parks.
The environment provides food, clean water and fresh air for us, so it is important that we respect, protect and take care of it. What else do we get from the environment?
Here are some of the ways that we care for Centennial Parklands:
- Bins: Rubbish and recycling bins help park visitors to dispose of waste thoughtfully.
- Clean Up Australia: We host a Clean Up Australia Day to pick up any rubbish that did not make it into a bin.
- Bike lanes: Bike lanes keep cyclists safe and help to protect our lawn and gardens.
- Boardwalks: Boardwalks and footpaths keep park visitors safe and help protect our plant and animal habitats.
- On-leash dog areas: Dogs are welcome in Centennial Parklands but there are some places where they must be on-leash. This helps protect our wildlife.
- Tree planting: We plant lots of trees to provide food and habitat for wildlife and for people to enjoy.
- Education programs: Education Programs teach people of all ages about the environment and how to care for it.
Activities
Goal: Create a bird's-eye map
Self-guided activity for children (around 20 minutes)
- Show the class the map of The Ian Potter Children's WILD PLAY Garden from a bird’s-eye-view.
- Ask students to draw a map of their neighbourhood from above, like a bird flying over and looking down. What would it see?
- After the maps are drawn, ask the students how they can help care for their neighbourhood? After discussion, ask students to include this information in their maps.
Goal: Create a sound map
1 teacher guided activity (around 20 minutes)
- Choose a place outside.
- Explain to students about the idea of creating their own sound map on a piece of paper. When they hear a sound, ask them to draw what they hear. For example, if they hear a bird singing they could draw a bird or music notes. Can also let them know it’s fine to write words if that’s easier for them.
- Ask students to sit very still with their piece of paper/pencil (with a mark in the middle representing them).
- Listen for 5 minutes to the sounds around. Draw or write the sounds that you hear and where they’re coming from.
- After everyone’s created their sound map, have a class discussion asking - How many different sounds did you hear? What was the nearest sound? Which was the furthest? What do the sounds reveal about the environment and how may they affect local wildlife?
The top image used on this webpage is from https://www.pikist.com/free-photo-vacjy .