Class activity - Walk, wheel, and ride through the Noongar Seasons

Walking, wheeling and riding are great ways to explore.

 Noongar means ‘a person of the south-west of WA,’ or the name for the ‘original inhabitants of the south-west of WA’. Noongar boodja – country covers the entire south-western portion of WA.  

Unlike the European calendar, there are six Noongar seasons in Western Australia’s South West region, which are indicated by changes in local plants and animals. Students use an activity sheet to spot signs of the current Noongar season on their journey to and from school (one activity sheet per season). Students are encouraged to attach photos or draw pictures of things they saw onto the activity sheet. 

The activity can be run as a class competition for best completed activity sheet. 

You can also buy items from the Your Move reward shop, like our new Djinang Bonar: Seeing Seasons book or Your Move backpacks to give out as prizes.

Year level: all years 

Learning outcomes

1. Encourage students to learn more about the Noongar seasons in school and at home, fostering discussions and learning.
2. Introduce students to seasonal fauna and flora along popular routes to school, making the journey more interesting and interactive.
3. Motivate students to choose to walk, wheel or ride to school.

How to run a class competition

1. Make printed copies of the activity sheet for the current Noongar season. Think about ordering some prizes from the Your Move reward shop at this time too. 
2. Decide how long you want your competition to run for – we recommend giving the students two weeks to complete their activity sheet. 
3. Take some time in class (or assembly) to explain the activity to the students. This might include using a book like Djinang Bonar: Seeing Seasons, which is now available in the reward shop.
4. Send a printed, or digital, copy of the activity sheet home with students to complete on their journeys to and from school. 
5. Collect activity sheets from students over the chosen time period.
6. Consider making a display in your classroom or school - decide a winner and give out prizes. 
7. Upload a story about your competition to get points for your school. 

Some recommended rules

1. Only take natural items off the ground, do not pick any live flowers or leaves – instead take a photo or draw a picture.
2. Care for your natural surroundings and be careful where you walk – stay on the path wherever possible. 
3. Be careful what you pick up. Living animals should be left where they are!
4. Remember to look out for vehicles when crossing the road. 

Activity Sheets

Download the activity sheet for each Noongar season below. The downloaded activity sheets can be printed off on a standard printer or sent digitally to students or parents to upload photos directly into the document.