Hardy St harvest market

An example of these programs we are most proud of, is the IEF Horticultural and Science program. Our 2020 program began in Term One, and despite the COVID 19 interruption, culminated this week with a fresh produce market stall, which sold out within the first 30 minutes.

The program is largely based upon Science Life Skills outcomes, as students learn about plant growth and care and they are able to apply this knowledge in real time to their own crops.

Skipper, Ms Niki McDonald, guided students to research, plan and plant their vegetables and herbs in the summertime, with consideration to what would grow best for a winter harvest. Two of the three classes, IEF R and IEF D, dedicated afternoon sessions to gardening throughout the semester. This included regular watering and weeding. A live garden can also present valuable problem-solving opportunities. As we realised our spinach had become a favourite of Rose Bay caterpillars, we needed to come up with a sustainable and safe solution to deter the pests. A targeted experiment determined that crushed eggshells surrounding the plants, were both environmentally friendly and an effective pesticide. 

The hands on, cross curriculum aspect of these programs is what makes them such meaningful learning for our students. Students matched HSIE Life Skills outcomes pertaining to sustainability when considering the cultivation of plants. When selling produce, our focus on Australian currency and whole number addition during Numeracy across the semester, allowed students to make transactions seamlessly. The market’s success could be partially be attributed to the aggressive marketing campaign, the creation of which, students were able to meet their Visual Arts Life Skills outcomes.