Meg’s Class: Term 3 Week 4

Hi everyone,

Wow, what an incredible few days it has been!

Wednesday – Camp Day 1

We were up before dawn and on the road to Canberra by 7:00 am!

Our first stop was Old Parliament House, where we explored the Museum of Australian Democracy and had the opportunity to sit in the old Senate chamber.

Next, we visited Government House, the official residence of the Governor-General. We were lucky enough to walk along the very special blue carpet, which had been left out following an ambassador’s visit that very morning! We were shown around some of the
beautiful rooms and even had the opportunity to briefly meet Her Excellency, the Governor-General of Australia.

We then visited the National Gallery of Australia, where we took part in some fantastic activities with artist educators before finally making our way to our accommodation. After unpacking and enjoying dinner, everyone was ready for some well-earned rest!

Thursday – Camp Day 2

Another early start saw us make our way to Parliament House. We met with Jerome Laxale MP, the Federal Member for Bennelong and our local representative. We were also incredibly fortunate to visit both the Senate and the House of Representatives. The
children had the opportunity to see Parliament in action, including bills being passed from the House of Representatives to the Senate and debates taking place. We finished our visit with a reenactment of the House of Representatives, where the children took on different parliamentary roles and learnt about the processes involved in making laws. From there, we visited the Australian War Memorial and learnt about Australia’s involvement in international conflicts. The children also toured the newly opened section, learning about aircraft and hearing some very special stories.

Our next stop was the National Capital Exhibition, where we learnt about the fascinating history of Canberra and had great fun designing our own future cities.

Another unexpected highlight was an impromptu tour of the embassy and high commission precinct, courtesy of our bus driver, Wayne. The children were challenged to work out the difference between the two types of diplomatic buildings while observing
the range of architectural styles. We then spent time at the National Museum of Australia, discovering the many stories and perspectives that make up Australia’s history. After dinner, we visited the Australian Institute of Sport. We had so much fun trying out the Sports Hub, an arcade-style sports simulation space, before touring some of the impressive facilities. Before bed, we enjoyed some lovely time together as a class, playing Clinkers, laughing and simply enjoying each other’s company. This was personally one of my favourite moments of the trip!

Friday – Camp Day 3

Our final few hours were still packed with activities!

We began the day with a visit to the Royal Australian Mint, where we learnt about the history of Australian currency, designed our own coins and even watched coins being made. Then came the long-awaited visit to Questacon! The children absolutely loved trying the many interactive science exhibits and experiments. To finish our trip, we drove up to Mount Ainslie for lunch. Surrounded by beautiful views of Canberra, we took in our final moments in the nation’s capital before piling back onto the bus and heading home.

“The sandwiches were good. The Senate was very good!” – Ricky

“I liked visiting the Governor-General’s house and seeing the Senate!” – Grayson

It was a fantastic few days, and it was so lovely to spend time together outside our usual classroom environment. There was so much learning and laughter, along with plenty of very tired children (and teachers!) by the end of it.

I hope everyone had a restful weekend and is ready for Week 5! Speaking of…

Reminders for Next Week:

Monday: Class visit to Lane Cove Library in the afternoon.

Tuesday Sport: Please ensure children wear appropriate clothing and footwear that allows them to participate comfortably in sport.

Wednesday: I will be away attending a Professional Development Day, and Pepper will be taking the class.

Wednesday: Art Week begins! The exhibition will be open for families to visit over the weekend of 22–23 August.

Monday 24 August: Book Week Parade! Start thinking about those costumes!

With love,
Meg