Years 3 and 4

During this term, Years 3 and 4 explored how remote communities in Indonesia have changed over time. We watched an insightful surf documentary filmed in the Mentawai region about a surf explorer living and working there for over thirty years. We then discussed tourism's negative and positive impacts on the local communities.

One of the language activities included designing a surf camp in remote Indonesia using traditional and modern features. The students translated a series of sentences that helped them plan their design. They will also label their surf camps with the new vocabulary they learned this term. I look forward to seeing their final surf camp designs!

Years 5 and 6

The Year 5 and 6 students enjoyed learning about traditional Indonesian houses this term. We explored the Minangkabau houses in West Sumatra and the ‘Uma Mbatangu’ house in Sumba. The students compared the two homes, highlighting the cultural similarities and differences. They also watched a Ted Talk about sustainable buildings in Bali made from bamboo. This talk made a meaningful connection to their recent Green School Camp in Bali because the same architect designed the buildings in the clip and the Green School. They recognised some bamboo constructions in the Ted Talk, which included a bamboo bridge they had walked over.

As part of this inquiry, students are in the process of creating a floor plan for a sustainable house based in Indonesia. They have learnt the vocabulary related to this topic, and they are also learning how to describe their homes.

TAMARA MCKERNIN