In the latest of this year’s RME conferences S1/2 looked at how people have tried to answer a question that humans have been trying to answer for thousands of years, “how was Earth created?”. The day’s theme was Creation Stories and the day began by looking at the art of storytelling and the differences between fairy tales, myths and legends. In groups students tried to re-tell some familiar fairy stories and noticed that each group told the story in a slightly different way, after working out the morals of the stories, they went on to look at myths and legends using Richard 3rd to try and find the truth between fact and fiction.

Mr Holmes came to explain what Science says about Creation looking at all the elements that need to be in place for something like the Big Bang to happen and life to begin. To the end the morning the class heard the Genesis stories of Adam and Eve and Noah’s Ark and discussed what these stories tell us about humans’ relationship with God as told in Genesis.

The afternoon challenge was to explore some Creation stories further through different media. In Technology Noah himself was on hand to help and sent groups out to measure the length and height of the Ark. Those who chose Art created pictures which told some of the Aboriginal stories of Creation using Aboriginal painting techniques. A film making group were able to report live from the Garden of Eden where God himself was interviewed expressing his disappointment in Adam and Eve and Noah delivered a very gloomy weather forecast. Another group worked in Drama and told the Chinese story of Panku and another group worked on Dance telling the Hindu creation story.

As always S1/2 worked hard and though hard on this conference and created some reflective pieces in their workshops.