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Collie

Our Current Collie

Term3, 2009 -Collie's Helpers

What or Who is Collie?

"Collie" is a mischievous garden gnome who travels extensively, or engages in unusual activities, usually without telling anyone where he is going or what he is doing. Students are asked to research a number of sites/animals/whatever in the weeks prior to the activity commencing. Research recording grids are supplied as are Teacher Notes and Ideas, steps and links to suitable internet sites.

When Collie "sets off" on his adventure he provides a clue a day on 3 days of each week for 5 weeks. The clues are elimination clues - ie the clue will eliminate a number of possibilities each day until the correct answer is obvious (well, maybe).

As part of the activity each class is asked to research something additional - eg in "Where's Collie?" students were asked to research a significant site in their local area. Students and teachers are also invited to send in photographs of the children working or of their research work etc for display on the website. Past "Collies" are still on our website for viewing (read some of the evaluations submitted by classroom teachers). Over time previous collies will be archived from the website as they finish.

Title of Activity	Stage and KLA	Brief Outline
2004 Where's Collie?	Stage2 HSIE	Collie the mischevious CAP gnome set off on a tour of Australia's significant sites without telling anyone where he was going. By researching 20 of these sites students were able to track him down by solving clues he passed on.
2005 ccc...Collie	Stage3 HSIE	Collie headed off to Antarctica to explore the land, the animals and the research stations there. A fairly in-depth study of Antarctica for stage 3 students.
2005 Collie's Clicks	Stage2 S&T	A follow-up of Where's Collie? from the previous year. Whilst he travelled around Australia visiting significant sites Collie was taking pictures of Australian fauna. The problem was that, being the forgetful gnome that he is, he didn't label any of them and know needs help identifying the animals.
2006 Collie's Neighbours	Stage 3 HSIE	Collie our adventurous gnome is planning to visit his friends in some of Australia's neighbouring countries. He has so many to visit in the Asian and Pacific regions that he is sure to get lost. Help us to track his journey.
2006 Astro Collie	Stage 2 S&T	Join our little gnome as he ventures out into our solar system and beyond, exploring the planets, moons, comets and stars. Where will he go? What will he find?
2006 Collie's Garden Party	Stage 1 S&T	It is now three years since little Collie has moved into his garden and he would like to celebrate with a garden party. He is going to ask 20 of his little mini beast friends to come to the party.... but his Mum is only allowing him to ask ten to stay for the sleepover. Follow the clues and discover which mini beasts get to sleep over for the night.
2007 Aussie Collie OiOiOi	Stage 3	Events and people that have shaped Australia
2007 Collie Travels Back in Time	Stage 2	Collie learns about the early sea explorers of Australia from 1604 until Cook "discovered" the east coast.
2007 Collie on the Move	Stage 1	Collie explores forms of transport to help him visit his grandmother.
2008 Look Out Collie!	Stage 3	Reseaching Natural Disasters and actual "disaster events"
2008 Where's Collie?	Stage 2	The original Collie returns! Collie the mischevious CAP gnome set off on a tour of Australia's significant sites without telling anyone where he was going. By researching 20 of these sites students were able to track him down by solving clues he passed on.
2008 Collie Finds a Home	Stage 1	Collie needs a home so he researches 10 animal homes and 10 human homes to decide which ones suit him best. Can you help him?
2009 cccCollie	Stage 3	Collie heads off to Antarctica to explore the land, the animals and the research stations there. A fairly in-depth study of Antarctica for stage 3 students.
2009 Collie's Clicks	Stage 2	A follow-up to "Where's Collie?" Whilst he travelled around Australia visiting significant sites Collie was taking pictures of Australian fauna. The problem was that, being the forgetful gnome that he is, he didn't label any of them and know needs help identifying the animals.

Why is he called "Collie" and why a gnome?

At some stage in the original discussions (see below) the need for a catchy title arose. "Where's Wally?", among others was suggested, but for obvious copyright reasons was discarded. One bright spark suggested "Where's Collie?" and despite objections from one team member the name stuck!

The gnome just sort of morphed its way into the scheme of things but proved a wonderful stroke of "genius" as students seemed to really take to the idea of a gnome travelling around the countryside visiting sites and leaving clues. The number of classrooms across NSW and elsewhere which now have a resident gnome is amazing! (see the Collie's Friends section in "Where's Collie?")

Who creates "Collie"?

In November 2003 the first "Collie" was brainstormed, discussed, argued over and created by three classroom teachers and the CAP Technology Support consultant. In the months that followed the team members gathered data, ideas and fine-tuned "Where's Collie?" ready for launching in Term 2, 2004 with over 200 classes registered to participate. The obvious success and the resulting positive evaluations "blew us away" and necessitated a continuation.
In 2005 a 4th teacher was added to the team as two "Collies" ran (a Stage 3 and Stage 2) and with the expansion in 2006 to three "Collies" (Stages 1,2 and 3), extra classroom teachers have been recruited.

An enormous amount of time and effort goes into these activities but, somehow, we still manage to overlook something. Please forgive us.... but remember, the team is predominantly practicing classroom teachers doing this on top of their regular duties.

What do the students and teachers think of Collie?

To see what teachers think of the Collie projects please visit the evaluation website which contains a range of evaluations from the 2009 Collie projects so far, stage 3 cccCollie and stage 2 Collie's Clicks. Or why not view the following movies which include interviews with teachers and students talking about the Collie projects.


Join Darren White, Principal of Tocumwal PS as he speaks about the cccCollie project he and his 5/6 class completed this year. Darren talks about the high level of student engagement and also why he would recommend the Collies to other teachers.	Join stage 3 students from West Wyalong PS as they search for Collie. In the process they share what they liked about participating in the Collie's. This movie has been created entirely by the students. A big thank you to their classroom teacher, Jason Hurley.

Where is Collie heading to?

View the plan for future Collies.

Enjoy the "Collies"