Back through time!
Wilson Year 1 students journeyed back in time earlier this Term to the Kalamunda History Village. The Kalamunda History Village illustrates life in the early days of Australian settlement by the British and the domestic history of the area since the first settlers. The village demonstrates the society and environment of our rural pioneers. With the records and preservation of photographs, documents and artefacts, students were able to explore different parts of the historical village and get hands-on experience of what life was like for the early settlers.
Students explored the old cottages and life without running water and electricity. Something which many found extremely funny was the outside toilet: The Dunny! Students had lots of fun washing clothes by hand and using the home-made soap. Old-fashioned games of hopscotch, train sets, puzzles, old coin rubbings, xylophones and giant snakes and ladders were also a lot of fun.
One of the highlights of the excursion was watching “Lightning”, a fruit grading machine, at work. Students each brought a piece of fruit to be graded by the machine. When the power switches on, the round fruits travel on a conveyor belt towards the sorting trays which are separated by a metal pole. As the gap between the sorting trays and the metal pole widens, the fruits roll in between the gap into different trays. Students watched in awe as the fruit was sorted according to different diameters.
A visit to the Post Office showed how the early settlers would communicate using the bush telegraph, bakelite telephone, Morse code and key and telegram. Some students had fun “sending” their name using the Morse code generator and having a go at typing using the old typewriter. The old transport museum allowed the students to have fun exploring the old fire engine and school bus. Students also looked at horse-drawn vehicles and how important horses were before there were cars, trains, buses and trams.
The school located at the train station showed the students what schooling was like in the olden days. They experienced how students in the pioneer times practiced spelling, writing and mathematics in the classroom with the use of slate boards and chalk. Students learnt that schooling was very serious back then and that students would get caned if they misbehaved. It was much fun role-playing teachers and students in the classroom.
"I liked the school best best because I got to be the teacher" – Renae
Finally, the highly anticipated LOLLY shop opened, and students were given an opportunity to purchase things from the old General Store. Lolly bags were on the top of the list and some were delighted with their GIANT lollipops and goodie bags which had cool train whistles inside them!
Our last stop was a short stroll down to Stirk Park where we had lunch and played in the playground before the bus fetched us to take us back to school.
The children really enjoyed learning and exploring something from the past. God made us to be creative and innovative beings. Students saw the way of life the generations before us had and are appreciative of different human innovations. As God’s children, we need to continue to imagine innovation for good purposes that align with God’s will.
