Learning Across the ELC
Preschool 'Life on Land' Inquiry
As the Preschool ‘Life on Land’ inquiry continues, we have been investigating the anatomy of plants and insects, and looking at life cycles. We watched and unpacked the UN Global Goal #6 ‘Water and Sanitation’ as well as reading ‘The little Raindrop’ to explore the water cycle. It was great to then connect this learning with the ‘Gizo Gizo’ story and discover children's concerns for polluted water and it’s impact on all living things. We have been drawing collaboratively to consolidate what we are learning and adding to our life on land art piece. It has been so fabulous that our inquiry has also connected with the Keeping Safe: Child Protection Curriculum, where we have been learning about our own anatomy, especially our private body parts, which the children added to our physiological warning signs drawing from last term. Children have been making connections to all living things, in relation to needing clean water, growing and keeping safe.
Water cycle conversations
Michael: It's from the sky.
Christina: From the clouds.
Chloe: Thunder.
Lottie: Landed on a cat.
Max: Down to the roots.
Jack: Past the mole.
Savannah: Wiggling in dirt… it worms.
Sophie: Stem.
Chloe: Leaves, flower.
Jack: To the sky.
Hugo: Because plants need water from the clouds.
Jack: The clouds dropped it down, if you even touch one it will just disappear.
Max: Rain water is made of vitamins.
Michael: I saw a fish.
Amelia: Rain is made of water.
Chloe: It gone in a rainbow and it went rainbow and it had red, yellow, green, orange, indigo, and pink in it.
Jayden: It went in water.
Molly: To the sand.
Hugo: It disappeared.
Jono: To the air.
Jayden: To the sun.
Hannah: It went up.
Max: To the clouds.
Water Sanitation - Why is it important to keep our water clean?
Ocean: “For the animals to drink”
Stevie: “If we don’t keep it clean, the animals will get sick.”
Amelia: “It’s their home”
Eve: “If the water is dirty, we taste it, we might get sick.”
Izzy: “If we don’t keep the water clean then the animals will get sick.”
Enoch: “Animals will eat the rubbish and die.”
Jono: Drinking and washing water, having a shower.
Max: We have to have a bath in clean water.
Sophie: Plants need water to grow.
Jayden: We need to keep the animals safe, they need clean water.
Hugo: Animals need water to drink, clean water or they get sick.
Ms Ollie Lauder
ELC Teacher
Learning in Banksia Gold
Diwali: Festival of Lights
Diwali is India's biggest and most important holiday of the year. The festival gets its name from the row (avali) of clay lamps (deepa) that Indians light outside their homes to symbolize the inner light that protects from spiritual darkness.
As a celebration for 'lights', the children were offered an experience to make their own fire works. During this activity, the children communicated which colour paints they would like, as well as the size of the 'fire works'. Paper towel rolls where cut in half with slits all around one end, this is what gave the spread out effect or a fire work in the night sky. The children dipped their roll into the paint provided, stamping it onto the paper provided, creating their artwork.
Alice - I saw fire works, they were very loud
Grace-Mary - They are noisy
Madeleine - I'm going to do rainbow fireworks
Sophia H - I'm doing lots of fireworks
Coconut Ladoo
Cocunut Ladoo (Nariyal Laddu) is a Diwali sweet, made out of condensed milk and desiccated coconut. The children loved this cooking experience! It was a sweet delicious snack the children enjoyed mid morning, where they were encouraged to measure and mix all the ingredients together. Our first batch didn't end up forming a ball, instead it was eaten off the spoons. By the next batch of Ladoo, we had mastered the recipe and were able to form balls of a solid consistency. The children were eager to taste test the ladoo, some not making it to the ball shape stage! Yum!
Gemma Francis
ELC Banksia Team Leader