Picasso Cow

Taree Public School students are having an udderly fantastic time learning about the importance of daily dairy intake.

Year 6R is taking part in the Picasso Cow project, an opportunity to learn about the benefits of consuming dairy products from a young age.

The project gives students the chance to show off their artistic and technological talents by decorating a life-sized fibreglass cow.

The students put their creative minds together to brainstorm ideas.

With different colour schemes, designs, nursery rhymes and phrases in mind, the class settled on a final piece that will be brought to life in the coming weeks.

Teacher Melissa Raymond said every student will have a special contribution to the final work.

"They're matched up with things that play to their strengths so they're all involved," Melissa said. "It also gives them ownership."

The class hopes to complete the artwork by week two of next term. It will be unveiled to the rest of the school at a school assembly.

The project aims to give students 'inspired learning through creativity'.

The curriculum units Farm to Plate and Health and Nutrition explores the dairy industry, dietary benefits and consumption.

"This helps them learn about the positive health aspects of dairy products," Melissa said.

"There's lots of angles with this that teaches them life skills.

"They learn about technology, graphs, maths, literacy and other key learning areas.

"It makes learning about dairy fun."

Student Bayley Read was only too happy to show off a graph that depicts how much dairy each students has per day. A key element of the project encourages students to consume between two and four dairy products per day.

Several students will also have the opportunity to become teachers themselves in presenting topics about dairy to kindergarten.

The project complements other health eating initiatives at the school such as their vegetable garden and breakfast group and ties in with Healthy Food Month.

The class will hold a food tasting for the school in the coming weeks.

"They'll sample rainbow food (food of different colours) and dairy products prepared by the class," Melissa explained.

"There will be lots of cooking while the kids wear rainbow coloured clothing."

Melissa said some students at the school don't eat as healthy as they should, so the project allows them to hear from their peers about a good diet.

https://www.manningrivertimes.com.au/story/6356687/budding-artists-learn-about-dairy-at-taree-public/?cs=1467

Editor: Rob Douglas, Manning River Times

Photo: Malakai Cockerill, Biancah Dumas, Valerie Whitaker, Jesse Pratt and Bayley Read begin painting their 'Picasso Cow'. Photo: Scott Calvin.