Year 3 Excursion

Wow! It's hard to believe we are almost half way through the year. Our excursion to the Sydney Observatory and Harbour Bridge Pylon Lookout last week was absolutely amazing. Students enjoyed looking through a modern telescope as well as 'the oldest telescope on Australia'. It was a cloudy time of day so we couldn't observe the sun but students did see a close up of the Harbour Bridge, people walking on the arch and an upside down clock tower. We learnt about how night and day and the seasons happen in a practical demonstration and a simulation activity on iPads. We looked at the night sky. Students were in awe as our guide Alfred questioned and probed our knowledge about our galaxy and the different planets and constellations. After a quick lunch in the Observatory courtyard, we walked through the Argyle Cut and back up the stairs onto the Harbour Bridge. As we walked along the bridge to get to the Pylon Lookout we were struck by how many pedestrians and joggers there were. The students were very respectful, keeping to the left as much as possible and staying in a single line. The Pylon Lookout provided a different experience as students learnt about how the Harbour Bridge was built. Looking at the images and noticing the conditions for workers in those times makes you appreciate the safety standards of today. The bridge had a major effect on transport options for people in the 1900s compared with earlier times. The lookout at the top of the pylon itself was met with excitement and some trepidation. The view was amazing and we are enjoying looking and discussing these photos in class. We were truly blessed that the sun shone for this part of the day, too. It was quiet on the bus back to school...