crazy zoo

Yesterday Australia Zoo made amends for my mistakes in over zealous 'steering' of events. They sent a huge postcard to the scientists congratulating them on their fantastic ideas for raising public awarenes and saving the zoo. The energy is reinstated, we're back in business. By Friday we should have TV appearances, posters, picket lines and protest banners as well as the humble 'leaflet' that I, in my blinkered, curriculum driven world, had envisaged.

Energy was as wild as the animals we were working with this afternoon. We had been to the theatre in the morning to see 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' by Shakespeare4Kidz, which was fantastic. We were infused by creativity.

I began by placing a large box in the centre of our circle. The box has 'aprons' written on it, and we all know it's the art apron's box. It was the first box I spotted as we decamped into the hall to fit 1/2 hour's work at the zoo in before the end of the day. What I love about MoE is it's forgiveness. The 'aprons' box became imbued with such power this afternoon.

"Whilst we've been at the theatre, Australia Zoo have delivered this box." My voice is hushed, I handle the box carefully.

It transpires that there is a koala in the box, which is gently removed and nurtured on some knees. Boys around the circle are leaning in, craning to look in the 'aprons' box, and at the knees of their mates, where the 'koala' nestles.

It was hard to keep the focus on the koala, and so more boxes were delivered, and soon the hall was full of animals, and children wrestling and writhing on the floor to contain those creatures who proved lively, or downright dangerous.

Bio Research Lab's previous work on testing food for poisons and the emphasis on disease and infection, overspilled, and many animals were also sick, injured or diseased. (I have noticed how often this comes up when others are writing of their work. I know that I led the previous mantle in this direction, however, is this the only reason? Does destruction and dysfunction become a focus because we are working with metaphor for society?)

Events culminated in the original Koala group's sad announcement; 'In spite of all our care and hard work, the koala has sadly died.' Even after we had re-framed and were leaving the hall, one boy was patting another on the back, whose head was bowed. 'We're sad about the koala.' (This is year 6)

Tomorrow then...things could move on from disease and death. I would like to try the following ideas that I have gleaned from the MoE website:

• We will make a 10 second film about how the koala got to be sick, before he was delivered in his box to us.



• We will draw a sign/symbol to send with him, and say what we hope this will convey to him



• We will explore ways that we can make something positive from his death, and re-frame back to our original intention, to help the zoo in it's public awareness campaign, in order to save it from closure. Perhaps we can have a memorial fund, or a sponsorship with koala as a mascot? I will not DIRECT!!!

Incidentally, I could not bring myself to put the art aprons back into the box later that day. There was too much koala still in that box.