Over the last two weeks, Year 9 Marine Science students have been planning and developing lessons and resources to teach to the Year 5 girls. The key objective of the activities was to educate the girls on conservation issues in the marine environment, as well as other aspects of the marine ecosystem with a specific focus on Western Australia.

The students were split into groups, each focusing on a different topic. Some of the ideas included teaching the girls how to stay safe in WA oceans with regards to jellyfish and sharks, other groups talked about fish adaptations and how to use a key to identify fish. Another group talked about the whale sharks in Ningaloo and a number of the girls’ discussions linked to the increasing amount of plastic in the ocean, as well as oil pollution on sea birds and sea lions. Students talked about the effect of fishermen’s ropes, nets and fishing lines on seals and the seal population. One group taught the girls how to catch local WA Blue Manna crabs in a sustainable and responsible way, while another lesson focused on how the oceans differ and why different species are found in specific locations and how they adapt to life there.

Ailsa Harris, Head of Science said “I was immensely proud of the girls, they had worked extremely hard and it was evident that they had taken the time to consider their audience and produce age and content-appropriate educational resources that engaged the girls whilst being challenging at the same time. They were role models to their peers and I believe that both parties benefited from the experience.”

Here are some thoughts and reflections of the experience from the Year 9 girls

“We found it quite challenging to direct their attention onto us, however, when we did they were attentive and connected with what we were saying which made it very enjoyable. The highlight of the activity was being able to participate and help them learn to the best of their ability. It was a very rewarding experience, to teach them something important to us.” Jade Destremau & Elisabeth Marshall

“I enjoyed working with the younger kids, and seeing the enjoyment on their faces”  Taylah Figliomeni

“It was a good experience getting to teach the Year 5s. We had fun learning about something we love and teaching it to others” Chloe Viais