Early Learning
Possums
Some of our Possum children have been interested in helping water to travel along pipes and hoses, usually using our rainwater tank to try and build a system that reaches as far as possible. Obstacles we have run into previously have been turning corners, and trying to get water to travel uphill. This week, children were engaged in the goal of building a system that would make water travel from the tap all the way to the sandpit. They have been digging large holes in the sandpit lately and filling them with water to measure depth. Carrying the big bucket full of water to the sandpit is a heavy and difficult task, so children wanted to try to get the water to the sandpit another way.
Children problem-solved as they built their system. Lucas pointed out that the water wouldn't travel uphill. It did travel upwards from the tap down the colourful connecting tubes, but that was because the pressure was much greater closer to the tap, before leaks occurred! Children gradually added more bricks, rocks, a tree stump and a chair until their system was on a downward angle and could reach the sandpit. This goal required problem solving, team work, communication and resilience! Outcome 1 of the VEYLDF (Identity) explains that as children learn and develop, they build further on their abilities to cooperate and work collaboratively, and demonstrate initiative by asking questions and attempting new challenges.
We read the book Rosie Revere Engineer by Andrea Beatty, to highlight and celebrate the ways children showed resilience and kept trying until they achieved their goal. We also reflected on the words from Psalm 121:1-2:
"I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth."
Sometimes things are hard, but God is always there.
Beth Parker
Head of Early Learning
Echidnas
This fortnight the Echidnas have been loving the new soccer net and balls kindly given to us by the school. The Echidnas have been practicing kicking goals, stopping others from getting goals (goal keeping), and how to cope when we don't successfully score a goal.
Our recent focus on emotions and self regulation has been coming in handy, but mostly we just have lots of muddy fun!
Lately the Echidnas have also been really interested in wild creatures - especially large mammals or sharks - that live in the jungle, in the ocean, or on the African grassy plains.
We have created a jungle area where we can act out wild animal stories together, and we made a big jungle mural using paint and mixed media. Drawing large pictures together on the floor has encouraged everyone to join in and give new ideas a go in our visual communication; Liam drew a multi-level fish tank and we each added lots of our favourite animals and larger marine life to the mural.
During our rest time on longer days we have been listening to Bible Stories about large animals or fish, and colouring in a related picture as we listen and rest our bodies. We have heard the account of Daniel in the Lions' den and Jonah being swallowed by an enormous fish. The Echidnas have been enjoying this addition to our rest time routine and finding out about how God used creatures in the Bible to fulfil his plans.
Using scissors successfully has been a big goal for lots of Echidna friends, and we've seen a giant leap forward in their skills as they have enjoyed cutting out whales, making lions and exotic birds. We have also used their wild animal interest to learn about syllables, counting out the beats or syllables in different animal names. The longest animal word we could think of was Hippopotamus, with five syllables, but then we discovered a word with six: Reconciliation!
Sian Duggan
Early Learning Teacher
Signs of the Week
Harriet and Cooper from the Possum group would like to teach you the signs for hot and cold.
Beth Parker
Head of Early Learning