Pi-cow-sso project explores dairy life

Students at Pemberton District High School let their artistic talents shine by painting a life-sized fibreglass cow for the Dairy Australia Picasso Cows program.

The program brings the processes of the dairy industry to life in the classroom, by teaching students about the steps involved in dairy production.

Students are then asked to paint the process of milk production on to the fibreglass cows, to show what they have learnt.

Students from Years 1 to 6 helped to paint the cow, which they named eMOOjie.

The Year 1 and 2 students were responsible for the head, hooves, udder and tail, the Year 3 and 4 students designed and created the left side of the cow and the Year 5 and 6 students worked on the right side.

The school’s kitchen garden co-ordinators Paul Griffiths and Jamie-Louise Guery said they had already decided on the topic of farms, animals and the community for the term, so the program fitted the topic well.

Year 5 student Abbey Pain said the experience had been both interesting and fun.

“I found it really interesting learning about how cows are cared for and worked with on farms in our community,” she said.

“We learnt about the journey milk goes on from the cow to our plates, looking at milking, transporting, treating, packaging and consuming.”

Year 6 student Saxon Kelly said he had enjoyed coming up with the design ideas for the cow.

“My experience with the cow was very fun getting to work on the Picasso Cow program,” he said.

“I had a great time working with my classmates to create a final design and paint the cow itself.”