Ben Boyd and Leigh Mellington from Ridley Agriproducts were welcomed into the Year 5/6 classroom where students explained how our chickens are utilized in science and maths classes and help us engage in our community. Our guests described how Barastoc poultry feed is used to keep chickens in both small and large enterprises healthy and thriving. Students were quizzed on chook facts and learnt that Ridley Agriproducts are used to feed a variety of animals including cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, giraffes, guinea pigs and prawns! Thanks for our new resources and chicken feed Ben and Leigh! If visiting 40 countries before you’re 30 whilst earning over $100,000 a year, or delivering a Schistosoma Reflexus (inside out) calf, or owning your own Belted Galloway stud, or working with the best agribusinesses people in the area appeals to you, then should seriously consider a career in agriculture. This recommendation was advocated our Cows Create Careers panelists; Madeline Francis, an agronomist from Webber and Chivell, Andy Powell, a dairy farm manager, Will Verco, an agribusiness banker from CBA, Rachel Alexander, a field officer with Warrnambool Cheese and Butter Factory and Dave Sheedy, a vet from The Vet Group. Our panelists outlined their career paths whilst describing the various twists, turns, challenges and opportunities they embraced to get them to where they are now suggesting that it was ok to be uncertain of what you wanted to do as a career but to take on any opportunities offered to you to do what you enjoy doing. Our Cows Create Careers class travelled to Warrnambool as part of the CCC regional competition Dairy Day. We were a knowledgeable group with lots of chocolate won during the games and quizzes which were enjoyed by all. Congratulations to Muzza’s Girls (Elle Duro, Anya Gledhill, Jasmin Garcia, Madison Hibberd and Faith Younger) who took out 3rd prize in the teams section of the CCC competition and Jack Gaut who won a $20 itunes voucher in the Murray Goulburn Passport Competition. Once again, thank you to our very supportive industry advocates Simone Renyard and Peter Fulton. To conclude their Term 2 studies, Year 7 Science students recently created mind maps about The Web of Life to demonstrate the links between the soil, nutrients, organisms, plant health, water and agriculture to showcase how soil webs inter-relate. Congratulations to Mr Mottram and the Year 10 Science/Engineering students as winners of the Great South Coast Science and Engineering Change! The points accumulated by our team mean that we are the second best Challenge team in Victoria - not bad for a small rural school. Thanks to Deakin University, the University of Newscastle and local Rotary Clubs for bringing these STEM opportunities to regional Victoria. As a means of contextualizing their learning, Year 5/6 chook bingo students recounted to their peers how they invited PAG members at TDHS to be involved in a probability game. Bingo winner Bill mentioned that he used to sell chook pooh for 2/6p (2 shillings 6 pence) which students worked out would be the equivalent of 45c a bag and be worth $3-$4 today. Students discussed their chances of holding a winning raffle ticket as determined by a random poop offering from their poultry on the 54 square bingo grid. They learnt about the various ways of describing probability; as a fraction - 2/54, as a 1.5% chance or by using words such as impossible, unlikely, fair, even, likely, almost certain, certain. This had to be put to the test in the chook run with Jack, Mathew and Tahlia boasting the winning tickets.... Manure maths - who knew! To gauge an understanding of the breadth and depth of careers that are related to dairy and agriculture in a town like Timboon the Cows Create Careers students undertook a survey of 4 businesses in Timboon. Rod Cameron (Total Dairy Service), Liz Hancock (The Vet Group), James O’Brien and Ben Green (Timboon Landmark) and Tim Marwood (Timboon Fine Ice Cream) described the operation of their businesses, number of staff, the proportion dairy/agriculture related, the various careers or roles of their staff and they challenged students to think of other agencies, careers or industries that are involved in the business external to the Timboon township. Thank you to the businesses involved for opening students' eyes to various career opportunities, and for the tattoos, drink bottles and ice creams! A new group of Year 5/6 students visited PAG (Planned Activity Group) members at the Timboon and District Healthcare Service and, after introductions, they outlined their chicken science studies of feathers, gullets, wings and eggs and then introduced their chickens to attendees. After lots of chook cuddles and chicken conversations the students distributed raffle tickets and challenged PAG members to participate in a game of probability with Chook Bingo. No, a chicken wasn’t the prize, but Barbara and Bill were fortunate enough to score a bucket of chicken poop for their gardens when chickens left their calling cards on their squares on the Bingo grid. Pro Dairy and IntoDairy invited teachers and industry personnel from the Circular Head region in North West Tasmania to a workshop which showcased the TAP model with examples of curriculum ideas and challenged participants to consider opportunities to introduce STEM activities into their classrooms. Thanks to Jacki Hine from DairyTas and Angelique Korpershoek for facilitating the workshop sessions in the Smithton area. Our newsletter request to find a home, not a cook pot, for Bob our young Barnevelder Rooster was successful!
“Mr Bob left on Monday 29th May. He went to the Van Rijthoven’s and is very happy with his new home. He has met some ‘good looking’ girls that he likes. Mr Bob sleeps next to Mother Fatty on the perches.” By Sharni |
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February 2024
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