Finger Bones

This week we begun investigating our bodies using an x-ray window to explore and discover different body parts, bones and tendons. During group time Educator initiated discussions encouraged our children to feel their hands and share what they thought they were made of. Our children began to bend, flex, count and touch their hands.  When asked “What do you think is under the skin on your hands?” Summer replied “I can feel finger bones!” Hudson added “Bones” Obi shared “Yeah bones, they are hard” (Learning Outcome 1). 

Before turning the x-ray window on I held up and x-ray “Who has seen one of these before?” lots of little voices echoed “I have!” “I've got some of those,” “Yep I've seen them.” I asked our children “Do you know what they are called?” Santai informed everyone that “They are x-rays!” (LO1).

We then turned on our x-ray window and put an x-ray of a hand on it for everyone to see. Freya said “Wow, you can see through it!”  We took our time examining the hand in the x-ray window and collectively counted each ‘finger bone.’ As a group it was concluded that we have 27 ‘finger bones’ in each hand (LO4).

After a demonstration all of our children engaged in tracing their own hand. They referred to the hand in the x-ray window, fostering them in expressing their ideas, making meaning, and identifying the many ‘finger bones’ as they explored this drawing experience (LO5). 

Amelia concentrated as she traced her hand, looking back and forth from the x-ray window as she added each bone "Look, I did my finger bones! I counted 27!" Amelia then added some flowers to her picture as she continued to explore and understand the various ways in which concepts and ideas can be represented (LO5.4).

Obi manipulated and managed his pencil (LO3.2) as he traced around his hand and added the 'finger bones.' Obi said to the Educator "Jodi, can you  show me how to write 27 finger bones?" Jodi modelled the writing process as Obi watched on. He asked "Can I use that one you've done to write on mine?" Jodi replied "Of course." Obi demonstrated persistence with this task as he commented "This is a bit hard!" He showcased his developing literacy abilities and shared his success "Look Santai, I did the letter things!" (LO1.3).

After tracing her hand - Matilda picked up her drawing tools and moved right in front of the x-ray window "I need to see these bones properly" she said as she sat down. After closely examining the x-ray Matilda said to her Educator "I have enough finger bones. I want to do the letters. I know some letters already Jodi." Matilda then moved over to where Obi was sitting and referred to the modelled writing. "I can do a number two and a seven by myself. I just want to see the letters." Matilda drew on her knowledge and previous experiences as she constructed meaning and experimented with different ways of expressing ideas (LO5.3/4). 

Noah was a keen participant in our 'finger bone' drawing experience. He decided to trace both of his hands "Look...Gem me did two hands on mine!" On the left hand side of his drawing you can see Noah's exploration of number writing. This experience supported Noah as he explores images and approximations of letters to convey meaning (LO5.3).

Indigenous Perspectives

Indigenous Perspectives

Reflective of recently passed NAIDOC (National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee) week - As we returned to preschool this week we have been discussing, discovering and exploring the various ways our traditional landowners lived. 

Our Indigenous Educator Elaine lead a group time discussion surrounding our Traditional Landowners and how they hunted and gathered food, built different types of shelter and the various ways in which our Traditional Landowners did art and enjoyed dancing.

This generated lots of interest from all our children. We used the projector to view traditional art and dancing, this supported the children in their thinking and questioning (Learning Outcome 4). Gem shared “I know that Aboriginals used to hunt for their food!” Freya added “Yeah and picked berries to eat too."  Jasper shared “Do you know that Aboriginal people paint their faces when they go dancing?” Summer commented after watching a clip “Aboriginal people used the sand and animal skin to keep them warm instead of blankets.” Amelia added “Aboriginal people are clever when they find their food, they eat berries on trees and hunt for animals in the bush.” We also viewed and discussed traditional dot painting and how our traditional landowners made paint.

The 8 Ways Aboriginal Ways of Learning

We incorporate the 8 Ways of Learning within our program and practices. This model is used to inform, support and guide our practice.

Dot Painting

Following on from our discussions, we offered a dot painting provision which our children helped collect and set up. This included real life dot paintings, paint, along with various sized rocks and sticks. 

Zaylia and Freya began by using up-side-down paint brushes to explore making dots and lines.

After a while Zaylia decided to use a twig to make dots on a rock she had chosen.

Throughout the week various children engaged in exploring the creative art (Learning Outcome 5) of dot painting using rocks, sticks and twigs they had collected. Elaine worked with our children as she demonstrated and discussed different dot painting techniques.

Indigenous perspectives are incorporated within our inclusive play based program and embedded within our daily practices. This blog post aims to provide the reader with an insight into one of the many which we do this.

**Please note references to Traditional Landowners and Aboriginals refer to Indigenous Australian and Torres Straight Islanders

Loose parts

The beautiful natural aspects of our outside environment are a rich asset in supporting our children to explore Loose Parts play. Loose Parts can be natural or synthetic and consist of materials that can be moved, carried, combined, redesigned, lined up, taken apart and put back together in various ways. They are materials with no specific set of directions that can be used alone or combined with other materials. Recently, over the course of a week - we have been exploring Loose Parts play as we endeavor to inspire our children to explore their imagination and creativity on their own terms and in their own unique way. As you will see Loose Parts within our play spaces are open ended, encourage problem solving and are child centered.

Here is a look at the materials we offered.......

    We included coffee lids, milk bottle tops, paper plates, different sized spools, metal rods, paper plates,         long plastic tubing cardboard tubing cut into pieces, old bottles, black foam trays, large paddle pop sticks,      bits and pieces of an old fax machine along with various sized boxes.

These items were offered outdoors, providing opportunity for our children to incorporate them within their play. This generated lots of curiosity as our children arrived, they began to investigate and make new discoveries (Outcome 3: Children Have a Strong Sense of Well-being) as they explored the Loose Parts on offer.

Initially, our children moved around...slowly discovering bits and pieces of Loose Parts as they expressed wonder and interest in their preschool environment (Outcome 4: Children are Confident and Involved Learners).

Our children openly expressed their feelings, ideas and needs (Outcome 1: Children Have a Strong Sense of Identity) as Amelia requested plastic string "Because I want to use those sewing things to make a necklace." Hudson said "I'm not sure what I'm making yet, but I'm going to put all these trays together. I think I will need some sticky tape." 

Jasper agreed with Hudson "I'm going to make a mechanical dragon so I will definitely need some sticky tape." Once Jasper was armed with sticky tape rations from Lani there was no stopping him. He tapped two metal rods together and used three paper plates. "See my dragon Lani, it's got wings." Lani replied "Wow" Jasper added  "I had to use some sticks to keep the head up."  (Outcome 3: Children Have a Strong of Well-being. Outcome 5: Children are effective Communicators).

Hudson used the sticky tape to attach a metal rod to a foam tray "I think I could make a motorbike, one like my dad has. He has a Husaburg you know. I'm going to have a motorbike one day too. A real one!"

Riley and Olivia joined everyone as Lani said "You have to see me if you want some sticky tape, I can rip it for you." Olivia held up a small empty container "I could use this to keep my potion in." Riley replied "Lets go and make a potion. We have to get some flowers first." Zaylia worked quietly along her peers stacking and re-stacking her tower as she combined her gross and fine motor abilities to manipulate each piece of cardboard tubing, using trial and error to build it higher (Outcome 3: Children Have a Strong of Well-being).

Zaylia started stacking the cardboard tubing on the stage but found her tower was too high for her to reach from the ground. She then transferred it to the ground as she moved each piece of tubing from the stage and stacked them on top of one another from the ground up (Outcome 2: Children are Connected with and Contribute to their World).

Obi also had a turn stacking the cardboard tubing "I just wanna make it high so I can knock it down. That's what I like to do" he stated as he explored cause and effect assembling and re-assembling his tower.  

Obi was joined by Seth....Seth would assemble the tower and then Obi would knock it down and visa versa. The boys sat together cooperating as they took turns, responding positively to one another as they giggled when all the pieces came crashing down (Outcome 2: Children are Connected with and Contribute to their World).

Santai held the ends of the plastic tubing in either hand. He put one end up to his mouth and called "Heeelllllloooooo, can anybody hear meeeeeee?" Nathaniel stood beside him "I can" he said. Nathaniel picked up a different piece of plastic piping "Hi" he said softly into the pipe (Outcome 5: Children are Effective Communicators).

Nathaniel returned to the stage on a bike and Seth handed him one end of the plastic piping "Here you go, you can talk." Nathaniel spoke through the plastic piping "Can you hear me?" he asked as  Seth held the piping firmly to his ear with both hands. Seth smiled and said "Yep, I can hear you!" Nathaniel said "You say something in the tunnel now." Nathaniel held his end to his ear as Seth  held the 'tunnel' up he went "ROOOAAAARRRRR" with a big grin on his face. Nathaniel had a giggle. The boys continued to explore the various sounds they could make and had a good giggle (Outcome 5: Children are Effective Communicators).

Rhys and Tayla experimented with different ways of expressing themselves and their ideas as they used the plastic piping to talk to one another and make different sounds. Tayla said "Hello Rhys, this is soooo funny!" Rhys replied "Ooooooooooooo." Tayla thought this was hilarious as she held the piping up and replied with a "Oooooooooooooo." 

This is a just snippet into our Loose Parts play discoveries and experiences, in which we fostered our children in initiating and joining in play as they investigated and explored new ideas and ways of thinking. Our children enjoyed interactions with others as they problem solved, collaborated, clarified and challenged themselves in a variety of ways.