A Learning Story
The River - October 2011
On Friday Sarah and I (Katie) took a group of 4-5 year olds to the riverside.
The objective of this set of excursions is to develop an empathy for the local areas and explore our community and the wildlife that surrounds us. There are so many interesting things to explore: swans nesting, plant and sea life, insects, ducks, sometimes pelicans and those other cute birds that run fast. I want the children to notice how the weather and environment changes, life cycles and scientific concepts that can be discovered first hand. I prepare for them all an eyeglass, small container for collecting things, a clipboard and pen.
The framework puts it like this: An integrated, holistic approach to teaching and learning also focuses on connections to the natural world. Educators foster children’s capacity to understand and respect the natural environment and the interdependence between people, plants, animals and the land.
"What will we find, what do you think we will see?"
Ben: "The water"
Jon: "A swan and some babies?"
Pippa: "Some piggies."
Bella: "I hope to see some fish."
When we arrive we find a spot to sit, and we organise our items. The children label their equipment; I want them to bring it each time to record what they see.
Jon is official photographer, his preferred media.
Ben is drawn to the river and discovers a "waterfall" coming out of the retaining wall. He is fascinated by the water and where it is coming from. Pippa takes off collecting straight away. Jon is busily making sure he has all his equipment as he has his big sister Ella collecting shells for him. Bella tells me not to pick a small flower as it's wild. She collects rocks and ponders with me for a moment about whether a shell she has found was ever inhabited by a living thing.
Ella says she's glad she came as she loves to be in the fresh air, she would like to come with us next week. We find the source of the waterfall, a catchment travelling from the lake under the bank and to the waters edge. Ben gazes at the rushing water, he enjoys this the most and records it later.
We stumble quietly along the pond bank, and to the children's delight there is a mother swan sitting on a nest. She looks cautiously at us. Shhhh, says Bella. Sarah and the girls get as close as they can to the mummy without upsetting her, and Ben , Jon and I go in search of the Daddy swan. He is right over the other side of the park. We meet up again and find a furry caterpillar on a gum tree that is generously dropping it's nuts. Pippa tries to feed it with a nut and Bella climbs a tree with Ella. At first she was nervous however she overcame this and was very pleased with herself.
We reflect on our journey drawing what we liked most. The drawings will be a record to remind us of what we see, or what we hear. In the car on the way back I comment about what I might see next time, however I don't think we will see any pigs, and Pippa agreed.
EYLF: Outcome 1: Children have a strong sense of identity: Children develop knowledgeable and confident self identities.
Outcome 2: Children are connected with and contribute to their world: Children become socially responsible and show respect for the environment.
Outcome 3: Children have a strong sense of well-being: Children take increasing responsibility for their own health and physical well-being.
Outcome 4: Children are confident and involved learners: Children develop a range of skills and processes such as problem solving, inquiry, experimentation, hypothesising, researching and investigating. Children transfer and adapt what they have learned from one context to another. Children resource their own learning through connecting with people, place, technologies and natural and processed materials.
