By: Ann Kunz
The uShaka Sea World Education centre was abuzz with excitement on Thursday 25th October 2018 as grade seven learners from 17 schools competed with one another for the much coveted 2018 Marine Outreach Drama and Poetry Trophies.
The uShaka Sea World Education Outreach Team have been working with these schools, all located within the eThekwini Municipality, uThukela District and uMnambithi Districts for the past nine months.
During the year the outreach staff gave curriculum based interactive marine based lessons to the learners both at their schools as well as onsite at uShaka Marine World. The aim of these lessons was to inspire the learners to learn more about the ocean and its inhabitants and how their actions impact the ocean. The theme this year was “my promise to the sea” and focused on how, by doing the right thing and making the right choices, we can all make a positive difference.
Teachers workshops were conducted to empower the teachers to direct and assist the learners prepare for the competition. Most of the learners’ research is undertaken under the guidance of their teachers and principals who dedicated time after school and over weekends to help their pupils.
This years’ poems and plays which focussed on making positive environmental choices reflected the enormous amount of work put in by both the learners and their teachers. After a most memorable morning spent watching and listening the judges had the unenviable task of selecting this years’ winners.
First place in the Poetry category went to Elangabini Primary from Hammersdale
Phumuzulu Primary took first prize in the drama category.
“I am very proud of our learners showed such a comprehensive understanding of the challenges faced by the ocean and so creatively told their story. They had a lot of fun rehearsing and this year it was easy the teachers to simply guide and polish the learners script” said Miss ZF Gwala, one of their beaming teachers.
