Continuing our series showcasing the Koala artworks of the school participating in 2019 Kreative Koalas – Design a Bright Future Challenge
The United Nations has created 17 Sustainable Development Goals and each school participating in Kreative Koalas is tasked with choosing one main goal to study. Four of our 2019 schools chose SDG 15: Life on Land so let’s have a look at their creative artworks.
Harmony is the brilliantly coloured koala from Vacy Public School where students from Years 3 and 4 were assisted by aboriginal students from Years 5 and 6.
“Our theme is living in harmony with native flora and fauna on the land inspired by the Wonorua people who are the traditional custodians of our land.”
Using aboriginal art as their stylistic influence, students looked at how land use around Vacy has changed over time. Fishing from the local rivers is portrayed, as is bush tucker used by the Wonorua. The words Balance and Harmony are painted on the koala’s arms, and the aboriginal design on her chest:
“represents a meeting place. Vacy Primary School is a meeting place in our village for children to come together to learn and share ideas on how we can look after our land, our animals and keep a balance between human needs and the sustainability of our world.”
Koko the Koala is the representative from Ropes Crossing Public School in Sydney’s west. Koko is delightfully colourful and comes with her own plants as she illustrates the importance of bees to Australian native fauna.
The students were involved with Hurlstone Agricultural High School/Western Sydney University’s No Bees No Future project and combined these learnings with Kreative Koalas.
“We came up with the brilliant idea to turn our Koko into a ‘pollination station’ meaning transforming Koko into the most magnificent pot plant you have ever laid your eyes on.”
In their research the Years 5 and 6 students also looked as SDGs 2: Zero Hunger, 3: Good Health and Wellbeing), 12: Responsible Consumption and Production and 13: Climate Change.
Over at Gresford Public School everybody from kindergarten to Year 6 was involved with the creation of Kara who came adorned with a straw hat and a motion sensor camera. Kara’s message was to know about, value and help Australian native wildlife, and in particular endangered animals.
Painted in solarguard so Kara can be placed in the school garden, the artwork depicts animals such as Tasmanian Devils, Regent Honeyeaters and Swift Parrots and themes such as animal shelters, tree planting, tracking, posters and film-making. Kara even has poetry written by the students.
“Kara has a personality and a “Voice” through the messages and QR codes which link to students reading their poems on the theme of nature. These links are webpages in our digital journal and our process has supported and valued authentic student voice.”
Students at Gresford Public School also created a fabulous video call to action
All 36 students at Bob’s Farm Public School drew inspiration from the Worimi language of the traditional custodians of Port Stephens to name their koala Ngunnawal (koala) Ngurra (land). Their koala uses collage and decoupage to illustrate sustainable farming.
“Students and teachers took part in the ‘Adopt a Farmer Initiative’ early in 2019. This experience allowed us to create a before and after sustainable practice theme to help identify how to maintain a sustainable and healthy environment.”
Ngunnawal Ngurra is covered by photographic and text cut-outs from magazines and newspapers that show the do’s and don’t’s of sustainable farming and what that looks like for life on land. The koala also illustrates issues pertinent to students such as sand mining at Bob’s Farm.
You can read more about Bob’s Farm Kreative Koalas project here
Special shoutout to our Kreative Koalas supporting partners helping young people solve tomorrow’s problems today
