Cultivating Skills and Kindness: Service Learning Through the Kitchen Garden

This term, our Service Learning classes have embraced a hands-on project centered around our flourishing kitchen gardens. Using the General Capabilities outlined in the Western Australian syllabus as a foundation, students have combined practical learning with acts of service, fostering essential life skills and giving back to the community in meaningful ways.

The kitchen garden has offered the perfect space for students to develop critical and creative thinking, personal and social capabilities, and ethical understanding. From planning the garden beds, planting the seeds and harvesting the produce, they've tackled real-world challenges, explored sustainability, and learned about food security. 

In addition to the Year 9 and 10 students leading this project, our Year 4/5 classes joined through their Health curriculum, contributing valuable insights about nutrition and healthy eating. Their efforts have helped bridge the gap between the garden and the dinner table, making classroom concepts come alive.

Our Year 10's have been involved in replanting the Kindy Garden, creating a special space to grow flowers, herbs, and small vegetables. Their enthusiasm and budding green thumbs have added a beautiful new dimension to the project, showing that it’s never too late to learn about gardening and caring for the environment.

Additionally, our service primary school hosted a Compost Competition, with classes from across the school racing to create the most compost for our garden. Congratulations to the Year 3 class for winning first place with their incredible compost scraps! Their efforts have not only enhanced our garden's soil but also taught us all about the importance of recycling organic waste and reducing landfill.

Through this initiative, students of all ages have developed skills in sustainability, teamwork, and compassion while deepening their connection to the environment and their community. It’s a wonderful example of holistic education, where classroom learning meets real-world application.Together, we’ve not only grown a garden but a stronger, more connected school community. 

Stay tuned for more updates in Term 2!