Throughout Terms Two and Three, students in the Creativity Centre expanded their knowledge of African animals, their habitats and threats to their existence through our Safari project. They delved into African cuisine during kitchen experiences and explored the geography of Africa so they could more fully understand where these animals come from.

We started with an immersive excursion to the Werribee Open Range Zoo which fed their already keen interest in animals and allowed each student to choose an animal to focus on. Students took photos and made observations so they could understand their animal’s habitat needs and find out about its classification, diet and whether it might be on the endangered list. Over the weeks that followed, students attended workshops dedicated to that particular animal and explained their new found knowledge as they performed for and helped film our Safari Documentary.

Across the Centre, students could also be seen using books and the internet to research their animals so they could produce a detailed information report. The completed reports were then shown to each other and to parents as either a book or poster. To celebrate their learning, students decided to present their completed documentary as a premiere screening and charity event. After extensive research into a variety of charities, the Creativity Centre students settled on donating to the ‘Love your Locals’ initiative from Zoos Victoria.

All classes in Year One and Two were involved in making and selling products to raise funds on the night. In addition, the Parents Association donated their time to run a BBQ to feed the hungry viewers. To complete the Safari topic, our students proudly invited Genevieve Johnson, the Fighting Extinction Coordinator from Zoos Victoria to C.P.S. where they presented her with a cheque for $1,991.85, the money raised on our Safari Night. Students felt very proud of all their achievements.