Dear families, welcome to week 5 learning reflection.
According to Early Years Learning Framework Learning Outcome 2 , children are connected with and contribute to their world. They discover and explore some connections amongst people. Children respond to diversity with respect.
Well planned, age appropriate learning experiences support children to broaden their perspectives and encourage appreciation of diversity. During circle time, we read books such as ‘Who saw the turtle?’, ‘Summer rain’, and ‘The Rainbow’. These books are about Australian animals, natural environment and land written by Ros Moriarty, illustrated by Balarinji.
Then the educator talked about Aboriginal culture, their language and flag. Children listened about the significance of the colours of the flag.
Reconciliation Week experiences:
Learning the significance of the colours of Aboriginal Flag.
Children saw dot painting examples in some illustrations in story books. They practiced on white board to create art work by following that style. Then they loved the experience of dot painting on rocks.
Book Making
Spotlight Term 2: ‘What’s your book about?’
In our room, ‘Book Making Station’ is always on offer. Children are encouraged to use a range of tools and resources to create their books. Spotlight for this Term is ‘What’s your book about?’ Children are deeply engaged and contributing their ideas. They are thinking about their books and sharing with peers and educators.
What’s your book about?
Cooper: A tree. A tree and a giraffe. So, they can eat the leaves from the tree.
Gabby: Mummy
Jaxon: Fish, Banana. I wanna pick up some fish. Eat banana.
William: Mummy, Painting, dada.
Ryan. N: Mummy, Me.
Ryan. K: Meow.
Evie: Elephant.
Deklan: Dinosaur.
Diyana: Apples.
Ajak: Dinosaurs.
Regular reading and discussions around the authors, illustrations and the story supporting children to think about their own books. Children are encouraged to listen to the stories, looking at the illustration to see the details, meaning of the pictures and styles of the illustrator. This week we focused on dot painting, looking at some books written by Ros Moriarty and illustrated by Balarinji.
Children used paper on clipboards, colour pencils, textas and crayons to make their books.
Learning Intention 1:
To support each child to recognise and regulate their emotional states, focusing to develop a strong sense of wellbeing.
Early Learning framework states that wellbeing incorporates both physical and psychological aspects. And it is central to Belonging, Being and Becoming. With a strong sense of wellbeing, children trust others, they feel confident in being and optimistically engage in learning experiences in becoming.
This week, we read books written by Sally Hunter. The age appropriate words and illustration showed children everyday regular activities. For example, meal time, bath time, play time.
During circle time, we also talked about different feelings and what they like to do when they feel sad or angry. Most children mentioned that playing at the yard, playing with friends, going to the big play ground make them happy. We observed and reflected on each child to identify their preferred experiences. In small group setting, the educators discussed about the tools they could use to feel ‘Happy’ and ‘Be Ready to Play and Learn’. That included several activities, such as going for a walk with the educator and friends, playing with cars, listening to stories, watching ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’, music and movement activities, especially Sleeping bunnies, Wombat Wobble, the Floor is lava and the Snake song.
We talked about safety, ‘being safe’ is the first priority. Children are learning to assess and take reasonable risk.
Children used their ‘kindy writing’ to make a list of their choice of experiences for coming week. They also discussed about what activities make them happy.
Indoor activities were arranged based on children’s preferred experiences.
Learning Intention 2:
To support children’s participation in reciprocal relationships, expanding their skills of cooperation and negotiation.
Children are learning to cooperate with others, negotiate roles and relationships in play episodes and group experiences. They are also taking action to assist other children to participate in social/group play experiences.
At Holy Family Early Years, we are fortunate to have a huge outdoor environment where the members of the whole community get the opportunity to interact with each other. Social play set ups and free play experiences support children to develop their social skills, build friendships, learn to react positively and communicate with respect, care and empathy.
Extension of Learning:
- Continue to support each child to develop self-regulation strategies, focusing on a strong sense of wellbeing. (Berry Street Principles).
- Including more social play in everyday experiences, encouraging group play to develop social skills including empathy, communication, generosity, team work, helpfulness, conflict resolution and problem solving.
- Book Making – Encouraging children to think and talk about the next page of their book. Extending their current ideas.