Students from Lake Cathie Public School have been working hard in an effort to protect the koala population in the region.
Children from the Year 3 and 4 classes are actively involved in the Koala Smart project which was launched earlier this year by the Tacking Point Lion's Club, supported by the Koala Hospital.
School students were asked to address the question 'how can we save the koala?'.
Lake Cathie Public School's assistant principal and teacher Karin Haleblian said students have been proactively working on the answer.
After watching a documentary about koalas, Ms Haleblian said the children became very motivated to learn about the problems facing koalas and to work towards a solution.
"Students were surveyed about their ideas, as well as how they prefer to learn," she said.
"Teachers really wanted students to become owners of their own learning and to represent their ideas and solutions in a way of their choosing."
Eight teams were formed and involved 100 students. The students gained practical knowledge about the species during a trip to the Koala Hospital.
They learnt about a range of factors including the human impact on koalas, what koalas need to thrive and what predators, diseases and environmental factors impact the species.
Eight teams each decided on a means to share their learning.
Group 1 focused on building the Save the Koalas website. Group 2 wrote a song to raise awareness about the issues facing koalas to raise awareness in the community.
Group 3 published a picture book and helped raise money for the Koala Hospital. Group 4 students used an iPad app to communicate fun facts about the species.
Group 5 interviewed Koala Hospital assistant clinical director Scott Castle and uploaded the video onto the website. Group 6 planned, filmed and edited a documentary named the Koala News Network.
Group 7 planned, drafted and sent a letter to Port Macquarie-Hastings Council asking staff to consider replacing trees due to development and to call for additional signage to warn motorists about koalas.
Group 8 planned a Build a Cupcake day and baked 450 cupcakes in an effort to raise money for the Koala Hospital. The event helped raise $1100 for the cause.
Ms Haleblian said students are very proud of their achievements and the resulting website would help make a difference in the community.
For more information about the school's involvement in the Koala Smart program, please visit the website which students created at http://tiny.cc/LCPSkoala
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