Field of Mars
2010 Bookings and Costs
25/09/09 09:59
2010 Bookings
Bookings for High Schools for 2010 are now open.
Bookings for Primary Schools open Day 1 Term 1 2010.
Due to increasing costs we have completely revised our price structure to reflect the actual costs of running programs.
Programs at schools cost from $5 per student.
Programs at Field of Mars or other reserves cost $7 per student.
Bookings for High Schools for 2010 are now open.
Bookings for Primary Schools open Day 1 Term 1 2010.
Due to increasing costs we have completely revised our price structure to reflect the actual costs of running programs.
Programs at schools cost from $5 per student.
Programs at Field of Mars or other reserves cost $7 per student.
Building Biodiversity
14/08/09 16:53
Over the past few months we have rebuilt the garden
at the entrance to the centre. The purpose of this
was three fold. We wanted an impressive entrance to
the centre, we wanted to create a garden rich in
biodiversity and we wanted to create more learning
opportunities for visiting students.
Since we were already located in a bush setting we did not think it was necessary to create a bush type garden. Instead we went for a more formal look, where native plants are planted in rows or clusters of similar plants. We think the end product looks fantastic.
The garden contains about 2500 individual plants and over 25 species. Most of these plants are representative of the flora found in the Field of Mars Reserve. The species list is below.
Acacia myrtifolia
Acacia terminalis
Acacia falcata
Acacia stricta
Acacia suaveolens
Banksia robur
Breynia oblongifolia
Chrysocephalum ramosissima
Callistemon linearis
Dillwynia tenuifolia
Dichelachne crinata
Dichelachne micrantha
Danthonia tenior
Dicondra repens
Dillwynia retorta
Eragrostis brownii
Geranium homeanum
Lomandra filiformis sp. coriacea
Lomandra longifolia D'Arcy
Lomandra multiflora
Hardenbergia violacea
Isolepis nodosus
Juncus usitatus
Panicum simile
Poa affinus
Pultenaea villosa
We are excited to see how the garden flourishes heading into spring. Check the photos below and further blog entries in the months ahead.
Since we were already located in a bush setting we did not think it was necessary to create a bush type garden. Instead we went for a more formal look, where native plants are planted in rows or clusters of similar plants. We think the end product looks fantastic.
The garden contains about 2500 individual plants and over 25 species. Most of these plants are representative of the flora found in the Field of Mars Reserve. The species list is below.
Acacia myrtifolia
Acacia terminalis
Acacia falcata
Acacia stricta
Acacia suaveolens
Banksia robur
Breynia oblongifolia
Chrysocephalum ramosissima
Callistemon linearis
Dillwynia tenuifolia
Dichelachne crinata
Dichelachne micrantha
Danthonia tenior
Dicondra repens
Dillwynia retorta
Eragrostis brownii
Geranium homeanum
Lomandra filiformis sp. coriacea
Lomandra longifolia D'Arcy
Lomandra multiflora
Hardenbergia violacea
Isolepis nodosus
Juncus usitatus
Panicum simile
Poa affinus
Pultenaea villosa
We are excited to see how the garden flourishes heading into spring. Check the photos below and further blog entries in the months ahead.
The Wilderness of Childhood
14/08/09 15:03
The
Every Experience Matters
report
that was discussed in the previous blog entry
emphasised the need to provide students with quality
outdoor experiences. The article
The Wilderness of
Childhood
has another take on this and is an interesting read.
The American author describes the need to provide
students with the opportunities to explore and
discover without the constraints of adult
supervision.
Steve
Steve
Every Experience Matters
15/07/09 09:30
Learning Outside the Classroom.
Every day that students are at school they are exposed to new concepts and experiences through the amazing work of classroom teachers. Much of this exposure occurs indoors in classrooms, however there is a growing body of evidence that suggests the experiences students have outside, both in formal and informal settings also have a significant and positive effect on learning.
Working in the Field of Mars Environmental Education Centre I have the privilege of providing some of these outdoor experiences for students. These real life experiences range from investigating invertebrates to looking at catchments to conducting energy audits in schools. The key element of all these experiences is that they directly support your child’s classroom learning and will most likely lead to enhanced student understanding. All good quality excursions should do this! An added benefit of quality experiences in outdoor settings is that we are helping students to develop the the core values of sustainability including respect, responsibility, participation and care.
Dr Karen Malone has produced a research report called ‘Every Experience Matters’ that provides evidence to support the benefits of learning outside the classroom. In essence Karen states that students engaged in learning outside the classroom has a significant impact on learning. They achieve higher scores in tests, have greater levels of physical fitness and motor skill development, increased confidence and self esteem, show leadership qualities, are socially competent and are more environmentally responsible (Malone 2008 P4). These experiences form part of the blueprint for shaping a child's knowledge, confidence and identity.
In other words, to maximise your students learning potential they must be exposed to quality learning experiences outside the classroom. Excursions that support classroom learning are one way of doing this, however quality experiences delivered by classroom teachers in school grounds, in parks, on walks through the neighbourhood will all contribute to your child’s cognitive, social, emotional and physical development.
Of course school is only a part of a child’s development and it’s essential that parents provide a diverse range of experiences as well. You don’t have to go far to provide kids with quality outdoor experiences. For example, you can conduct an invertebrate safari in your backyard or local park. You will need a tarp or an old sheet. Place the tarp under a shrub or low hanging tree branch. Vigorously shake the branch and watch what happens. All the hidden invertebrates will fall onto the tarp and can be examined on the spot or collected into containers (for later release). This simple activity will expose children to the diversity of species in your area, it could lead to discussions on biodiversity, food chains, pollinators, predator and prey relationships, camouflage, science, entomology, invertebrate identification, etc. Done correctly these sort of activities will help students develop positive attitudes and values towards invertebrates and habitats they live in.
The main thing to remember is that learning is not limited to the classroom. To maximise the learning potential for your students they must be provided with as many quality experiences as possible. Every experience matters.
Steve Papp
Reference
Dr Karen Malone Every Experience Matters 2008
Every day that students are at school they are exposed to new concepts and experiences through the amazing work of classroom teachers. Much of this exposure occurs indoors in classrooms, however there is a growing body of evidence that suggests the experiences students have outside, both in formal and informal settings also have a significant and positive effect on learning.
Working in the Field of Mars Environmental Education Centre I have the privilege of providing some of these outdoor experiences for students. These real life experiences range from investigating invertebrates to looking at catchments to conducting energy audits in schools. The key element of all these experiences is that they directly support your child’s classroom learning and will most likely lead to enhanced student understanding. All good quality excursions should do this! An added benefit of quality experiences in outdoor settings is that we are helping students to develop the the core values of sustainability including respect, responsibility, participation and care.
Dr Karen Malone has produced a research report called ‘Every Experience Matters’ that provides evidence to support the benefits of learning outside the classroom. In essence Karen states that students engaged in learning outside the classroom has a significant impact on learning. They achieve higher scores in tests, have greater levels of physical fitness and motor skill development, increased confidence and self esteem, show leadership qualities, are socially competent and are more environmentally responsible (Malone 2008 P4). These experiences form part of the blueprint for shaping a child's knowledge, confidence and identity.
In other words, to maximise your students learning potential they must be exposed to quality learning experiences outside the classroom. Excursions that support classroom learning are one way of doing this, however quality experiences delivered by classroom teachers in school grounds, in parks, on walks through the neighbourhood will all contribute to your child’s cognitive, social, emotional and physical development.
Of course school is only a part of a child’s development and it’s essential that parents provide a diverse range of experiences as well. You don’t have to go far to provide kids with quality outdoor experiences. For example, you can conduct an invertebrate safari in your backyard or local park. You will need a tarp or an old sheet. Place the tarp under a shrub or low hanging tree branch. Vigorously shake the branch and watch what happens. All the hidden invertebrates will fall onto the tarp and can be examined on the spot or collected into containers (for later release). This simple activity will expose children to the diversity of species in your area, it could lead to discussions on biodiversity, food chains, pollinators, predator and prey relationships, camouflage, science, entomology, invertebrate identification, etc. Done correctly these sort of activities will help students develop positive attitudes and values towards invertebrates and habitats they live in.
The main thing to remember is that learning is not limited to the classroom. To maximise the learning potential for your students they must be provided with as many quality experiences as possible. Every experience matters.
Steve Papp
Reference
Dr Karen Malone Every Experience Matters 2008
2009 Bookings
09/12/08 14:35
Booking for 2009 are now open for both Primary and
High schools.
Book early to avoid disappointment.
Programs range in cost from $3.50 to $8
Book early to avoid disappointment.
Programs range in cost from $3.50 to $8
Welcome to our new website
09/12/08 13:32
Welcome to the new Field of Mars EEC website. We are
still doing testing and tuning so if you find any
issues please let us know.
Steve
Steve
Field of Mars EEC is Carbon Neutral
04/03/08 11:58
Talk stopped long ago.
Some of you might have seen this statement on billboards around Sydney. Interestingly its from an oil company and it refers to their commitment to alternative energy.
At the centre we have also been involved in much discussion about ways to reduce carbon emissions. This year we have decided to neutralise all carbon emissions associated with our activities.
We are already running 100% green power so that means all of our power is generated from renewable energy sources like, wind, solar and hydro electric.
Most of our other emissions are associated with transport. This includes Field of Mars staff travelling too and from the centre, travelling to schools, as well as schools and teachers travelling to and from Field of Mars in buses and cars.
To neutralise the emissions associated with these activities we contacted Climate Friendly. This company (there are many others) will organise to offset your emissions by investing into new renewable energy projects. You can visit their website for more details.
For the first time we can say that all activities and excursions associated with the Field of Mars are now carbon neutral. We are particularly happy with this achievement.
Talk (should have) stopped long ago.
Some of you might have seen this statement on billboards around Sydney. Interestingly its from an oil company and it refers to their commitment to alternative energy.
At the centre we have also been involved in much discussion about ways to reduce carbon emissions. This year we have decided to neutralise all carbon emissions associated with our activities.
We are already running 100% green power so that means all of our power is generated from renewable energy sources like, wind, solar and hydro electric.
Most of our other emissions are associated with transport. This includes Field of Mars staff travelling too and from the centre, travelling to schools, as well as schools and teachers travelling to and from Field of Mars in buses and cars.
To neutralise the emissions associated with these activities we contacted Climate Friendly. This company (there are many others) will organise to offset your emissions by investing into new renewable energy projects. You can visit their website for more details.
For the first time we can say that all activities and excursions associated with the Field of Mars are now carbon neutral. We are particularly happy with this achievement.
Talk (should have) stopped long ago.
Spiders!
16/01/08 13:24
Spiders!
Spiders can be scary to some and fascinating to others. The Field of Mars staff have spotted a few of the eight legged Arachnida around the grounds. The most sighted species around the gardens was the St Andrew’s Cross spider. Within this blog there are also some interesting web addresses for you to follow your interest in spiders.
Spiders are feared by many perhaps because if provoked they can bite. Some spiders are also known to inject a poisonous venom that may seriously harm you. However, even though Australia has some of the most dangerous spiders in the world, such as the Redback Spider and the Funnel-web Spider, no one has died from a spider bite since antivenine was made available in 1981! (http://www.amonline.net.au/spiders/resources/general.htm#dangerous). It is still a very good idea to wear gloves when gardening and not provoke any spiders to harm you.
Something you might already know about spiders are that they have two main body parts, eight legs, eyes not like insects but fixed like ours, fangs and silk spinning organs. Something you might not know about spiders is that they were here long before the dinosaurs! Spiders have evolved over time to not only change their appearance but to also use their silk in different ways. For example 400 million years ago spiders used their silk, or so we believe, to protect her eggs. However, the ‘modern’ spiders use their silk for a variety of purposes such as moving from place to place, catch insects, wrap its pray AND protecting her eggs.
Working at the Field of Mars allows us to appreciate and identify many spiders in their natural environment. Today, Helen observed many St Andrew’s Cross spiders.
St Andrew’s Cross spiders can be easily identified by their zig zag silk webs (stabilimentum) that are usually in a form of a cross. The St Andrew’s cross spider is very smart, as the stabilimenta attracts insects as it reflects UV light that pollinating insects love. An interesting fact about the St Andrew’s Cross spider is that the shape of the stabilimentum changes shape as the spider ages.
We hope you find some interesting spiders but remember to always be safe and never aggravate spiders. If you have been bitten call your local emergency service. Below are some interesting web addresses that will help you with extending your knowledge about spiders.
Useful Spider websites:
For information on stabilimentum go to:
http://www.bugsinthenews.com
Spiders of Australia is a detailed website that highlights the beauty of Australian spiders. Through current information the website also aims to unveil some of the mystery surrounding spiders.
http://www.xs4all.nl/~ednieuw/australian/Spidaus.html
As the name suggests, Steve’s Australian Spider Pics provides viewers an array of interesting spider pictures. This website is fun for those who like to identify and learn more about spiders.
http://spiders.zacharoo.com/
Congratulations!
High school students from the Indigenous community of Maningrida have discovered 33 new species of spiders over the past two years!!!! Well done to the teachers and students of the Maningrida Community Education Centre. For more information see: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/01/22/1831652.htm
Spiders can be scary to some and fascinating to others. The Field of Mars staff have spotted a few of the eight legged Arachnida around the grounds. The most sighted species around the gardens was the St Andrew’s Cross spider. Within this blog there are also some interesting web addresses for you to follow your interest in spiders.
Spiders are feared by many perhaps because if provoked they can bite. Some spiders are also known to inject a poisonous venom that may seriously harm you. However, even though Australia has some of the most dangerous spiders in the world, such as the Redback Spider and the Funnel-web Spider, no one has died from a spider bite since antivenine was made available in 1981! (http://www.amonline.net.au/spiders/resources/general.htm#dangerous). It is still a very good idea to wear gloves when gardening and not provoke any spiders to harm you.
Something you might already know about spiders are that they have two main body parts, eight legs, eyes not like insects but fixed like ours, fangs and silk spinning organs. Something you might not know about spiders is that they were here long before the dinosaurs! Spiders have evolved over time to not only change their appearance but to also use their silk in different ways. For example 400 million years ago spiders used their silk, or so we believe, to protect her eggs. However, the ‘modern’ spiders use their silk for a variety of purposes such as moving from place to place, catch insects, wrap its pray AND protecting her eggs.
Working at the Field of Mars allows us to appreciate and identify many spiders in their natural environment. Today, Helen observed many St Andrew’s Cross spiders.
St Andrew’s Cross spiders can be easily identified by their zig zag silk webs (stabilimentum) that are usually in a form of a cross. The St Andrew’s cross spider is very smart, as the stabilimenta attracts insects as it reflects UV light that pollinating insects love. An interesting fact about the St Andrew’s Cross spider is that the shape of the stabilimentum changes shape as the spider ages.
We hope you find some interesting spiders but remember to always be safe and never aggravate spiders. If you have been bitten call your local emergency service. Below are some interesting web addresses that will help you with extending your knowledge about spiders.
Useful Spider websites:
For information on stabilimentum go to:
http://www.bugsinthenews.com
Spiders of Australia is a detailed website that highlights the beauty of Australian spiders. Through current information the website also aims to unveil some of the mystery surrounding spiders.
http://www.xs4all.nl/~ednieuw/australian/Spidaus.html
As the name suggests, Steve’s Australian Spider Pics provides viewers an array of interesting spider pictures. This website is fun for those who like to identify and learn more about spiders.
http://spiders.zacharoo.com/
Congratulations!
High school students from the Indigenous community of Maningrida have discovered 33 new species of spiders over the past two years!!!! Well done to the teachers and students of the Maningrida Community Education Centre. For more information see: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/01/22/1831652.htm
Program cost in 2008
19/12/07 17:44
The majority of our programs now incur a voluntary
contribution fee of $3.50 per student. This will
become a set fee in 2009. Some specialty programs
incur $5 or $6 fee. Please contact the centre for
additional details.
Water Tank Success
28/08/07 11:20
We recently received a water bill that shows how
effective the installation of a water tank can be in
terms of water savings. The graph below compares the
current May to August usage with the same quarter in
2006.
Our tank is used to flush the centres toilets and can
be used to water gardens if required. We are waiting
for push button taps to be installed in the toilets.
This should result in further savings in the future.
Other positives about tanks include the fact that
they store water far more efficiently than dams and
that they are five times more energy efficient that
desalination plants. Apparently only 6% of homes in
Sydney have a tank installed. (Renew, Issue 100, Page
8, 2007)
Flora and Fauna in the Field of Mars Reserve
19/05/07 09:14
Last year Ryde Council commissioned a biodiversity
survey to determine base line biodiversity levels in
the Field of Mars Reserve. Click the text below to
download a PDF of the results.
One of the most exciting things to come out of the
survey was the discovery of sugar gliders, bandicoots
and echidnas in the reserve.
Greenhouse Gas = 0%
05/04/07 09:05
We have just received our first electricity bill
after switching to 100% green energy. Its a real buzz
to see that our greenhouse gas emissions have gone
from an average of 2 tonnes per quarter to 0 tonnes.
Our electricity bill has increased by about $80 per
quarter. We think this is a small price to pay to
protect future (and current) generations.
One way of getting around the cost issue is to reduce the amount of energy you use as much as possible. This is what we did at the Field of Mars EEC, so even though our bill now costs more its close to what it was before we started reducing our energy usage at the centre.
Our before and after bills are shown below.
One way of getting around the cost issue is to reduce the amount of energy you use as much as possible. This is what we did at the Field of Mars EEC, so even though our bill now costs more its close to what it was before we started reducing our energy usage at the centre.
Our before and after bills are shown below.
Water Tanks
20/03/07 10:46
As part of our roadmap to sustainability we have
recently installed two water tanks.
A large 10000 litre tank has been installed at the back of our building. This tank will provide all the water we need to flush our toilets.
A large 10000 litre tank has been installed at the back of our building. This tank will provide all the water we need to flush our toilets.
A small 800 litre tank has been installed at the
front of the building to collect water from our air
conditioner. In most places this water would just be
sent down the drain. This tank will supply water for
pot plants and other gardens around the centre.
The third step in minimising water waste at the
centre has been to replace the taps in the toilets
with push button timer taps.
It will be interesting to see how much difference
these measures will make to our water consumption
patterns over the rest of the year.
Give us a call if you are interested in more
information on our tanks and the process we went
through to have them installed ph
98161298.
Kite Sledding across Greenland
23/03/06 15:15
One of the Field of Mars staff, Pat is about to set
out on an amazing adventure. He's heading over to
Greenland (as a precursor to travelling to
Antarctica) to try his hand at kite sledding. A kite
sled is a specially designed sled attached to kite.
By using the power of the wind much greater distances
can be covered in a single day.
On the 5th of April, Pat and his friend Ben will set
out on a 2000 kilometre journey, from Greenland's
west coast to the summit of Mt Gunsbjornfeld, the
highest peak in the Arctic.
Along the way, they hope to beat the 24 hour polar
distance record (currently 442km), the Greenland
crossing record (currently 6 days 23 hours), and if
they encounter exceptional conditions, the world 24
hour sailing distance record (a staggering 1278KM).
Check out the
Icebird
website for further information.