Learning Across the ELC

Learning in Preschool

In Preschool Blue we have been investigating the story of First Creek, a creek that runs through the heart of our College grounds. We talked about in the journey of First Creek and showed photos of the key places. Children were identifying with those places, sharing their own experiences with their families.

Cleland Conservation Park - Camilla: "I been there to see the animals."
Waterfall Gully - Many children: "I seen that waterfall."
Hazelwood Park - Harvey M "I go to that playground. Leo: "I saw a lot of ducks and water at Hazelwood Park. Archie: "I saw a hundred ducks at Hazelwood Park."
Tusmore Park - Isabelle: "Tusmore Park is so close to my house, I go past it every day." Alfie: "I see that bridge. I swim in the little pool at that park."
Marryatville High School - As we were exploring in First Creek on Loreto grounds, Clementine and Poppy called out, "I see that school!"

We talked about how First Creek continues to travel under the roads and houses in Norwood and Kent Town, beyond Loreto College, all the way to 6. Adelaide Botanic Gardens, where it becomes a wetland. Many children said they have visited the Botanic Gardens with their families. All the children were very excited to hear that First Creek meets the River Torrens near 7. Adelaide Zoo.

Aurelia: "I been to the zoo before." Archie: "I went to the zoo a hundred times."

We engaged in many mapping experiences, using numbers and Indigenous symbolism to create key points in First Creek's Journey. Each map evolved, considering more elements. Eliza told us that First Creek "starts at the bottom" after we had discussed the concept of North being at the top of the map. Max was curious as to "why number 3 is so far away from number 2?" We sorted pictures of each key place into the order of the creek’s journey. Then we unpacked distance, colours and symbols on the map, noticing where the creek flows freely, where it travels under roads and houses, where blue represents water and green represents parks/grass. Children’s mark making and writing confidence continued to grow with the group working together to draw the creek system and phonetically sound out and write key words for places on our maps.

We visited First Creek a lot over the term, climbing in and exploring from where it starts at Loreto, to where it enters a "dark tunnel" under Portrush Road. The children have been fascinated by the tree roots, rocks, fallen branches, leaves, pinecones, spider webs and even noticed some litter in the creek. We used some of these found nature items to imprint clay discs and create clay characters form Sally morgan's book, The River.

There was excitement and anticipation about finding water in the creek because it had been raining one weekend. We found some small puddles of water near the bridges and a pool of muddy water near the tunnel that leads the creek under Portrush Road, where we also noticed drainpipes that connect into the creek system.