Primary Education

Overview

Practical Earth Education Primary School Program

  • Choose one or more activities to put together a program from 1 hour to half or full day experiences.You can choose from 1, and up to 4 activities per day.
  • Activities are held on site in the inspiring permaculture designed Yarra Valley ECOSS Community Environment Park. 
  • Each session is fully facilitated by a specialist educator in their field and takes approximately 1 hour. 
  • Activities offer unique, practical, creative and hands on sessions where participants are engaged and inspired while learning
  • Some activities can be offered as ongoing projects over a number of sessions or for longer periods of time to gain more in depth knowledge
  • You are welcome to choose any of the activities below to put together a program of your choosing
  • Activities can be run individually or as multiple bookings. 
  • Prices are listed with each activity but can be dependent on the number of participants ie. Some activities are best suited to less than 10 students; others can accommodate up to 25 students. 
  • It is possible to run multiple sessions and rotate through the activities if there is more than one group

Please contact us for further information: eartheducation@ecoss.org.au

ECOSS Discovery Tour

Walk the inspiring permaculture designed site of ECOSS Community Environment Hub while learning about sustainable living solutions and seeing examples of innovative environmental practices in action.

Discover the riches of ECOSS including the Natural Building displays, Community Garden, Heritage Apple Espalier Orchard, Food Forest, Chook pen, Fragrant Herb Garden, Cultural Homes of the World, Indigenous Reconciliation Conversation Pit, Earth Goddess, Tiny Houses, Silvertyne Biodynamic farm, The Pottery Studio and more.

Cost of Education Bookings: $170, 

1 hour, up to 25 students



UpCycles

We collect discarded bicycles and parts and work with community members of all abilities to refurbish the bicycles for both charity and sale at ECOSS. The Upcycles space provides a hub and community space for people to gather to reduce landfill, whilst increasing connectedness, promoting fitness and positive mental health.

Encouraging bike riding is encouraging reduction of carbon emissions, and enabling the community an opportunity to fix their own bikes.

Students have the opportunity to come and use the high quality tools in our very well equipped workshop.  

Students work in small groups to learn how to maintain and repair bicycles, while gaining new skills under the guidance of a qualified bicycle mechanic and expert. Longer courses and ongoing fortnightly sessions are also offered to provide more comprehensive training.

1 hr Bicycle Maintenance workshop Session will cover: 

  • Bicycles and their role in modern society.
  • Bicycle waste and how we can reduce the problem
  • Hands on Session pumping up tyres and lubing chains

Cost: Education Bookings: $215, 1 hr, up to 20 students 

Corporate Bookings: $380 up to 10 students



Sustainable Gardening and Biochar

These practical education settings give students the opportunity to get their hands dirty in the community garden and nursery at ECOSS.

  • Learn the skills to grow your own food. 
  • Seasonal activities include seed collection and propagation, planting, composting, harvesting, weeding and watering.
  • Learn about how to design and maintain your own garden. 
  • Understand the importance of soils and soil health
  • Discover the role that biochar can play in improving soil health and structure while capturing atmospheric carbon.

Cost of Education Bookings: $170, 1 hour, up to 25 students

Bees & Honey

  • Learn about communal insects
  • Discover the major role that Bees play in our ecosystems  
  • Observe the live observation hive at ECOSS, along with our trained beekeeper, to see right inside the secret world of the hive
  • Learn all about why honey bees are important to our food production and our environment. 
  • Enjoy eating fresh honeycomb out of the hive
  • Facilitated by Yarra Valley Bee Group

Cost education bookings: $170, 1 hour session, up to 25 students



Sustainable Building

ECOSS offers experimental, accessible and innovative programs designed to engage students. 

We offer a variety of projects that enable schools to participate in a sustainable building project.

All sessions are facilitated by experienced and passionate educators.

We run very hands-on practical activities where students are given the opportunity to:

  • Learn new and interesting skills that they would not usually develop in the classroom.
  • Participate in the latest sustainable building project from building biofiltration water recycling systems to earth building workshops. 
  • Gain an understanding of passive solar design principles and more.
  • Contribute to a recycling project at ECOSS, to benefit the local community
  • Help reduce waste and minimise our ecological footprints
  • Workshops can run over several hours or over a number of sessions or you can just have an overview.
  • Depending on what projects are being undertaken, workshops may include straw bale building, cob, mud brick and Earthship building. 

Cost of Sustainable building: Education Rate: $245 

Small groups of less than 10 are most suitable but can accommodate up to 20 students for shorter sessions..

Tall Trees – Our giant Mountain Ash Forests

Learning goals, themes, stories and games will be adapted to be age appropriate. 

  • 1 hour facilitated group interactive session 
  • Learn about the tallest flowering trees on the planet, here in our local forests, around Warburton. Through deep ecology systems games (and stories for younger children), experience the interconnectedness of the forest ecosystem, where endangered species such as the Fairy Possum (Leadbeater’s Possum) require hollows for habitat and live in the same towering Mountain Ash as their predators. 
  • How do we decrease our footprint on the earth? Receive insights into the role ageing forests play in storing carbon, water, making soil and providing habitat.
  • Learn about Melbourne’s water catchments and our relationship and dependence on the ecosystem services nature provides. 
  • Remember we are part of the natural world and become inspired to make nature positive changes.
  • Finish the session with a greater sense of hope, with a deeper insight into how natural systems collaborate to create the life- we depend on for our own survival. 
  • Facilitated by experienced educators of Warburton Environment

Cost: Education bookings onsite at ECOSS $170 1hr.

Compost and Worm Spaghetti

We have worm spaghetti to share. What magic do worms perform in your garden? Learn all about improving soil, the importance of soil health and how to make your own compost. Understand the components of healthy compost systems.

Also available as an incursion

Cost Education Bookings: $170. Up to 25 students.

45 minutes

Propagation Station

While propagating your own organic seasonal vegetable seedling to take home, learn about how food grows, the life cycle of plants and how to make your garden thrive.

Cost Education Bookings: $170. Up to 25 students.

45 minutes

Also available as an incursion

Upcycling & Nature Art

Make your own creation from up-cycled materials and natural seasonal objects. From sewing to weaving, chop and knot t-shirt bags, dream catchers to the Art of Mending, everyone can create something beautiful to take home.

Cost Education Bookings: $170. Up to 25 students.

45 minutes

Wood fired Pizza Cooking

Make your own delicious pizza from fresh, raw ingredients. Begin with freshly picking your own choice of seasonal produce in the garden. whip up your dough and learn how to bake in our wood-fired mud brick oven.

Cost Education Bookings: $440 Up to 25 students. Includes ingredients and pizza for each student

1 + hours

Guided Bush Revegetation (seasonal)

Come and learn about the vital role of indigenous plants while participating in a very hands on way to regenerating the local bush and helping to restore local habitats

Cost Education Bookings: $170. Up to 25 students.



Hands on Clay Pottery

Enjoy making your own creation under the guidance of the artists at Community Pottery Studio Yarra Valley.

  • Includes all materials, clay and access to a fully equipped studio
  • Firing is possible for an additional cost or take home un-fired
  • Includes instruction and creative guidance

Cost: Education Rate: Up to 20 students: 1 hr session: $470, 2 hr session: $615

Corporate Rate: $580 up to 10 people





First Nations Workshop

The First Nations workshop offers a tailored curriculum which includes First Nations song and dance, Didgeridoo performances and workshops on aspects of First Nations culture including art, bushfood and storytelling. The emphasis is on student involvement, which cultivates a sense of community. ECOSS has a Reconciliation Fire Circle conversation space and we work closely with local First Nations elders. We are proud that ECOSS has been signed in the local Woiwurrung language.

Facilitated by Didgeridoo Australia, Ganga Giri didgeridoo virtuoso and descendant of the Palawa people of Tasmania.

1 hour

Cost: Education bookings: $515 per  1 hour session, for 2 sessions: $880 

Corporate bookings: $775 1 hour

Mental Health and Well-Being, Team Building Workshops

Challenging groups in a fun and comedic environment to work together. Learning unique new skills to problem solve physical challenges, to directly affect participants abilities to manage challenges in social and work environments. 

With a background of personal development coaching and team building for Optus and Epworth Hospitals, teacher and student PD’s at schools such as Methodist Ladies College and Melbourne Montessori School, these presenters are artists in making the fun meaningful. They create a safe space for each participant to step out of their comfort zone and expand their possibilities. 

We will develop a program appropriate for the abilities and interests of your team. 

With a range of Sports challenges, Public speaking, Dance, and Circus Skills such as Juggling, Plate spinning, Hula hooping, Aerial Yoga, Stilt Walking and Acro balance. 

Research shows juggling improves productivity, develops plasticity, releases endorphins and lowers stress levels. When used in the workplace it can give a reboot of energy and focus. 

Try something unique! All sessions held in the Dreaming Space Dome.

We can accomodate for 10- 40 participants in each workshop and can have multiple presenters rotating for multiple groups to suit your participant number needs. 

Half day workshops and Full day workshops are available on request.Cost: $470 Education Rate: 1 hour session for 25 participants

African Drumming Workshop

Kofi Kunkpe is an Ewe master drummer & multi-instrumentalist from the Volta Region of Ghana. A multi-skilled, celebrated performer and teacher, creating custom made programs or performances to suit your needs.

With extensive background teaching people of all ages and abilities, Kofi offers drum, dance, singing and African Culture workshops for large or small groups.

These one hour sessions are facilitated by Kofi and participants have the opportunity to learn and play in a practical and dynamic environment.

Cost of African Drumming: Education bookings: $440 up to 25 participants