The Ambassadors from the City of Greater Dandenong braved the heat recently to have a fantastic last workshop for the year with lots of fun (and!) educational activities. It has been amazing to see how our Ambassadors have grown in confidence over the year.
The meeting point for the workshop was Pencil Park in Keysborough. Students studied the macro-invertebrates that live in the wetlands. Macro-invertebrates are good environmental indicators of the water quality and its health. They are also an important part of the food chain. Wetlands like those at Pencil Park provide habitat for birds, snakes and lizards. Illegal dumping, pollution and litter can adversely affect the water quality and the health of macro-invertebrates. These polluted waters can eventually make their way into Port Phillip.
The Ambassadors discovered some of the amazing frogs that live in their local wetlands and how they too, are biological indicators of a healthy waterway and wetland. Then they pretended that they were frogs and had to find a frog with the same call – not an easy task with the whole group shaking their frog shakers!
After a short break the Ambassadors learned about the local area from Dean Stewart, and the Aboriginal words we still use today. Ambassadors also learned about life as an Aboriginal teenager before European settlement. Then the Ambassadors used their keen research skills to help practise dolphin fin identification.
Thank you to all the schools, staff, parent helpers, Kirstine Oh (City of Dandenong) and Dean Stewart. Well done to Lyndale Greens Primary School — Ambassador School of the Year!
