Articles written by the English extension group students were submitted for publication. This is the precis included in the paper with the full articles reprinted below.
The new air conditioning in the library, which was funded by the successful Walkathon, has been in use for a couple of months. As the heat of summer increases students will be drawn to use the library more because of the air conditioning, which is a positive thing.
The Year 9 Extension Group members went on an overnight excursion to Taronga Zoo in early November. The students’ sleeping arrangements were a bit unusual as their rooms had three pythons, three lizards, a baby croc, a frog in a terrarium, and sugar gliders in an enclosure. The students enjoyed interacting with animals and a night tour which included a visit to the observation deck under the lion’s den. “When the lions would roar it shook the window. This was an experience of a lifetime,” said Jake Smithard.
During roll call the Year 8 Extension group has been researching and writing letters to the editor of the Sydney Morning Herald about Palm oil and the problems it creates for animals around the world.
Thanks to students Kimberly Longhurst, Matthew De Silva, Saskia Hopman, Kate Bobis, Jake Smithard, Charlotte Dabb, Karmen Chan, Ben Dunn for their news stories.
<!– /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Calibri; panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:swiss; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-1610611985 1073750139 0 0 159 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:”"; margin-top:0cm; margin-right:0cm; margin-bottom:10.0pt; margin-left:0cm; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family:”Times New Roman”; mso-bidi-font-family:”Times New Roman”; mso-ansi-language:EN-AU;} @page Section1 {size:595.3pt 841.9pt; margin:72.0pt 72.0pt 72.0pt 72.0pt; mso-header-margin:35.4pt; mso-footer-margin:35.4pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} –>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:”Table Normal”;
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:”";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:”Times New Roman”;}
Air conditioning in the library for the better?
The new air conditioning in the library was funded by the successful Walkathon and has been in use for a couple of months now, but what do the students think about it? Has it improved the library? Is the library now being used more by the students? We asked some students from Nepean Creative and Performing Arts High for their views on the issue. Here are their responses:
Have you used the library more since the air conditioning has been installed?
“No. I haven’t, I didn’t know it was installed in the library”
“I’ve only had the chance to use the air conditioning during sport, not in my own time.”
“I’ve used the library during class time.”
Does it make the library a better place to learn?
“No, I don’t think it will make much difference.”
“Yes, because it’s cool and you can concentrate better.”
“Yes, it allows you to forget about the heat and get on with your work.”
Do you think it will encourage more people to use the library?
“No, I think we should have air con in our classrooms”
“Yes, because in summer you can escape the heat and in winter it will be a warm, comfortable place to read a book.”
“Sometimes, in my view it will be used more as the heat increases.”
How has the air con made the library a better place?
“I am unsure as I haven’t been into the library since it has been installed.”
“It has made it a better space as it’s cooler in summer.”
“The air con has encouraged more people to use the library and its resources.”
Do you think the money raised from the Walkathon was wisely used for the air conditioning?
“I think we could have used it for more books/”
“I believe half of it could have been used for the library air con and the rest could have been used for books.”
‘I think it was a good investment for the school as it is a space that everyone can use.”
The student’s views about the new air conditioning are mixed and some feel that we could have used the money for other things. By the same token some students believe that the money was well spent and it is being put to good use. As the heat of summer increases students will be drawn to use the library more because of the air conditioning and this shows the library has been improved. We believe the money has been put to good use as all members of the school have access to the library. As things heat up outside much of the school will retreat to the cool air of the library.
By Saskia Hopman and Kate Bobis.
st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) }
<!– /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Calibri; panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:swiss; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-1610611985 1073750139 0 0 159 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:”"; margin-top:0cm; margin-right:0cm; margin-bottom:10.0pt; margin-left:0cm; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family:”Times New Roman”; mso-bidi-font-family:”Times New Roman”; mso-ansi-language:EN-AU;} p.MsoListBullet, li.MsoListBullet, div.MsoListBullet {margin-top:0cm; margin-right:0cm; margin-bottom:10.0pt; margin-left:18.0pt; mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:-18.0pt; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops:list 18.0pt; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family:”Times New Roman”; mso-bidi-font-family:”Times New Roman”; mso-ansi-language:EN-AU;} p.MsoListBulletCxSpFirst, li.MsoListBulletCxSpFirst, div.MsoListBulletCxSpFirst {mso-style-type:export-only; margin-top:0cm; margin-right:0cm; margin-bottom:0cm; margin-left:18.0pt; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:-18.0pt; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops:list 18.0pt; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family:”Times New Roman”; mso-bidi-font-family:”Times New Roman”; mso-ansi-language:EN-AU;} p.MsoListBulletCxSpMiddle, li.MsoListBulletCxSpMiddle, div.MsoListBulletCxSpMiddle {mso-style-type:export-only; margin-top:0cm; margin-right:0cm; margin-bottom:0cm; margin-left:18.0pt; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:-18.0pt; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops:list 18.0pt; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family:”Times New Roman”; mso-bidi-font-family:”Times New Roman”; mso-ansi-language:EN-AU;} p.MsoListBulletCxSpLast, li.MsoListBulletCxSpLast, div.MsoListBulletCxSpLast {mso-style-type:export-only; margin-top:0cm; margin-right:0cm; margin-bottom:10.0pt; margin-left:18.0pt; mso-add-space:auto; text-indent:-18.0pt; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops:list 18.0pt; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family:”Times New Roman”; mso-bidi-font-family:”Times New Roman”; mso-ansi-language:EN-AU;} @page Section1 {size:595.3pt 841.9pt; margin:72.0pt 72.0pt 72.0pt 72.0pt; mso-header-margin:35.4pt; mso-footer-margin:35.4pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} /* List Definitions */ @list l0 {mso-list-id:-119; mso-list-type:simple; mso-list-template-ids:-837675456;} @list l0:level1 {mso-level-number-format:bullet; mso-level-style-link:”List Bullet”; mso-level-text:; mso-level-tab-stop:18.0pt; mso-level-number-position:left; margin-left:18.0pt; text-indent:-18.0pt; font-family:Symbol;} ol {margin-bottom:0cm;} ul {margin-bottom:0cm;} –>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:”Table Normal”;
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:”";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:”Times New Roman”;}
Zoo Snooze Overnight Excursion
By Kimberly Longhurst
The Year 9 Extension Group members went on an overnight excursion to Taronga Zoo on Monday 2nd November 2009. We left Nepean High at approximately 12:05pm and went via train into Circular Quay. While we were there we had some lunch by the water then went into the Museum of Contemporary Art where we spent an hour or so looking at some of the fabulous exhibitions being held. After we’d had a look around, we went and sat by the Harbour awaiting our Ferry to the Zoo.
Once we were at the Zoo we were greeted by some of the Keepers and showed to our rooms. We slept in classrooms in the Education Centre with some amazing animals that were in on show. As soon as we were settled in we went into another classroom where they brought in an Echidna for us to look at and pat which was adorable, and told us about the poaching of animals for skin and fur and so on. We then went and had a Barbeque dinner followed by another talk and parade of animals which included a baby female Crocodile and an extremely large snake. Not the greatest thing for those of us who have a fear of snakes, but we pulled through.
After that we went on an incredible night walk around the Zoo. We went and saw the Giraffes, Elephants, Lions, Tigers and more. What most of us believe to be the highlight of the excursion was when we went and saw the Lions. This was an amazing event as some of the Lions and Lionesses were out. That itself was exciting but then there must have been something going on in the den above us where the other Lions were, because they started what seemed to be a chain of roars. Once one of them started roaring they all started. It was extremely overwhelming to not only hear the Lions roar but also to see it happen right in front of you. The best part was that it kept going! They didn’t stop for quite a while and when they did we were all dumbfounded. It was truly a mesmerising thing to see and something none of us will forget for a long time.After the Lions and a few other adorable animals, we went and had some fruit for dessert and then it was off to bed for a big morning ahead.
We woke up bright and early at 6:30am, got dressed and ready, had some breakfast and then waited for the Keepers to take us on our Behind the Scenes Tour. Our first stop was with the Wild Australia animals. Here we saw, and got to pat, some adorable little Quokkas, a Koala and an Emu. Also in the exhibit were some Tortoises, Kangaroos, Wallabies, Tawny Frogmouths and more. Following the Australian animals was our Behind the Scenes Tour of the Bird Show. Here we met one of the Keepers who also help choreograph the Birds’ routines. This was really interesting as we learned more about what goes on to design Bird Shows and how difficult it can be to train some of the birds.By that time it was roughly 9:10 am so the Zoo was open for the general public. We were able to have free time at the Zoo so we could go and visit all the animals we wanted until we had to get back to our rooms to collect our belongings at about 2:00pm.
We went and visited some of the animals that we were unable to see on the Night Walk such as the Tigers. It was unbelievable being so close to the magnificent animal. It came right up to the glass and was looking right at us. Because there were a few people there by this time, being the proud cat that it is, it decided it wanted to pose for some pictures, which us happy snappers gladly took.Once we had had a good look around, we went and got our things, said our goodbyes to our hosts and headed back to the Ferry and the eventual train ride home.
All in all it was an amazing experience and all of us would definitely recommend it for future excursions. If anyone ever gets the opportunity to do something like this, definitely take it because it really was a once in a lifetime opportunity.
Zoo Camp
By Matthew De Silva
On Monday the 2nd of November the Year Nine extension group went on an overnight camp to Taronga Zoo. We departed school at recess two for the station to get two trains to Circular Quay. After arriving at Circular Quay, we had lunch and then walked to the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA). Most of the art on display was a bit strange; however it was pretty cool at the same time, for example there was a water feature which you could walk through.
After we’d finished walking through the museum, we caught the Ferry to Taronga Zoo. After we hopped off the Ferry, we walked up a fairly big hill to one of the Zoo’s entrances but then we were told to go back down the hill and wait for the bus to take us right up the top. Once we found the place we were staying they showed us around and showed us the rooms we would be sleeping in. The boy’s room had a snake or two, a couple of lizards, a crocodile and a frog. After dumping luggage in our rooms, we had dinner and went for a night time tour of the zoo. The best thing we saw was the lions. They were making lots of noise and coming quite close to the window.
The next day I saw the entire Zoo, my favourite place to go was the Seal enclosure as it was air – conditioned ( it was 36 degrees)! The cable cars were also great as we got unlimited rides and could see the whole Zoo from above.I thought the Zoo Camp was one of the best excursions I’ve been on. It was really great to get to do things that most people don’t usually get the chance to do when they go to the Zoo, such as walk around to the zo at night.
The Zoo Camp
By Jake Smithard
Our sleeping arrangements were a bit unusual as our rooms had three pythons, three lizards, a baby croc and a frog in a terrarium, the girls room had sugar gliders in an enclosure also. Soon after we arrived the Zoo Keeper’s took us into a classroom a brought out various animals for us to interact with, the echidna being the best. We had dinner and headed off for the night tour, we stopped to look at all sorts of animals but the most enjoyable were the Giraffes and Lions. The lions would roar often, this was their way of seeing if the pride was ok. Under the Lion’s den was an observation window with speakers connected to microphones in the den. When the Lions would roar it shook the window, this was an experience of a lifetime.
We woke at 6.30am the next morning ( a “sleep in” as the Zoo Keeper’s say), had breakfast and set off for the behind the scenes tour. After that it was time to explore the Zoo.It was a very enjoyable two days and on behalf of the Year Nine Extension group and myself I’d like to thank Mrs Murray and Mr Turner for organising the excursion, supervising and making it a great time.
Leave a Reply