As we continue our project and inquiry ‘growth’, we are incorporating the use of digital technologies as a tool for children to express and further explore their knowledge, understandings, theories and concepts of our natural world.

Today the following questions were posed to the children whilst sitting outside in our garden:

What is nature?

What grows?

Children’s initial responses were:

Frankie: leaves

Krisha: tree

Kunal: I see birds.

Charlie: The trees and pears.

Ojasvi: I see it up there (points to the tree), the leaf.

These children were then invited to use the iPads to take photos e.g. Frankie to take a photo of leaves, Krisha of a tree, etc.

Arabella viewed one of her photos more closely.

Nicole: (teacher): What do you see?

Arabella: A leaf.

Nicole: Do you notice anything about this leaf?

Arabella: I see the lines on the leaf, a long line.

Nicole: I see that line too. Can you see any other lines?

Arabella: Some go there and there.

Nicole: I can see those lines too. I wonder why the leaves have these lines?

Arabella: They there to grow.

Other children such as Will, Liam, Ellara, Xavier and Jon became intrigued by the children photographing our environment. They added their theories about nature and growth and also took photos of their ideas.

Krisha: It’s the grass

Xavier: the tree

Omelia: the leaf

Jon: I photo the tree, the sky, the tree the sky.

Ojasvi: And the tree fell down.

Jon: I take photo of the grass.

Ellara: Plants and nature is Australian.

Will: A tree and I also took a photo of the sun and me.

During our afternoon group meeting, we shared the photos that children took during the day.

The questions were again posed to the children:

What is nature?

What grows?

The children responded:

Jon: Water

Arabella: Flowers

Olivia: Plants

Ellara: We can make the grow by seeds and water

Charlie: You put the seed in the ground and it grows

Kunal: I photo of the sun.

Sharing learning, ideas and understandings with each other enables children to not only express their own learning but to also learn from others. This group meeting gave children the opportunity to contribute to a growing and collective understanding of nature and the environment. Group meetings also encourage the understanding that learning is not a linear or isolated process but rather collaborative, ongoing and lifelong.

The children’s ideas and theories of nature and growth have evolved over the day and will continue to do so as we explore these questions in different ways, with different materials and tools and through opportunities to share with each other.

To start off our wonderful morning, we went outside to engage in a range of provocations based around the children’s interests. Many children were engaged in painting, whilst other children enjoyed engaging in play that strengthened their gross motor skills and encouraged creativity and curiosity.

After playing outside for quite some time, we progressively made our way into Home 2, where we had the opportunity to explore other provocations that encouraged socio-dramatic play, problem solving, curiosity, creativity, perseverance, love of learning and zest. Take a look at our learning.

Specks of Gold

My speck of gold is playing with Aisha- Olivia

My specks of gold was playing with Ariel and my friends to hunt millipedes- Tesi

Playing with Tesi- Ariel

My speck of gold was playing with Olivia- Omelia

My speck of gold was playing with Omelia – Kunal

Tavae follows the dots mapping the letters in his name. He is very proud when he’s finished and asks to keep doing more as he can sense he is mastering the shape of the letters in his name

Eman follows the letters from his name. It takes a lot of concentration but he continues…

Charlie wrote her own name and showed it to Palwinder, as she did so, she realized she had left out a letter, so she quickly fixed it and proudly showed it off!

Today in home 2, children engaged in a variety of Experiences based on writing provocations based in their interest and self-identity. Some of the children focused on writing their names and identifying the letters in their names.

Outside we enjoyed playing group game ‘Wheels on Bus’ and by taking turns and sharing we are building our ‘belonging’ with group.

All the children asked to play chicken dance during group time and enjoyed dancing on the music.

Janine played wheels on the Bus’ song on her guitar during the morning group time and children were using the same context outside singing and playing together.

Links to EYLF:

Outcome 1:
Children have a strong sense of identity.

• Children develop knowledgeable and confident self identities
• Children learn to interact in relation to others with care, empathy and respect