Balmain Foreshore Project - Implementation

Students in our Year 10 Enrichment class are currently undertaking the Balmain Foreshore Project, a cross curriculum unit of work in Geography and Science.

Implementing the project
The first full implementation of the project occurred during the second half of Term 1, 2023. It will result in a separate teaching and learning program for our Enrichment class (a class designed specifically to cater for HPGE students), including different content and learning activities. The students will also have a differentiated assessment task.

Students were led through initial discussions about the main aim of the project - a focus on research and hands-on application of research to rehabilitate a section of Balmain foreshore on school grounds.

In this iteration of the project, students focused on extent and quality of mangroves in the area. An important part of this project has been making Geography come alive as a subject - engaging students actively in physical activity, getting out of the classroom and engaging in practical activities. Students kayaked from the school grounds to observe and test mangroves on the foreshore at Rodd Point. They undertook monitoring of mangroves using GPS mapping, water testing, field sketches, underwater and aerial drone activities, photography and observation.

Students undertook a weed assessment on site at the school and and some weed removal, completed a rubbish count and analysis of types of rubbish around the foreshore and during the school's participation in Clean Up Australia Day, the class did their clean up focused in the foreshore area of the school. 

Students participated in a workshop with Jenny Newell, the Climate Change Curator at the Australian Museum. The group was involved in a discussion of the global context of environmental change and management including climate change and the sensitivity of environments, global actions that address climate change and personal responsibility around environmental issues. They also explored how the Balmain Foreshore Project, a local initiative, fits into this wider context, and how they can make a positive contribution to their community.

Students also met with Charles Scarf, Environment Manager with Rozelle Interchange/Western Harbour Tunnel. He spoke about their project and the environmental impact process they had to follow to get approval, as well as how both science and geography investigation is used in the project and the careers opportunities in this kind of field.