Deconstructing Machines

We have been having lots of fun pulling apart an old CD player, a sandwich maker and  a printer as we endeavored to 'see how things work.' Our children have used scissors, pliers and various sized screw drivers to cut, undo, unscrew and disassemble these old machines.

Our boys gathered around the table curiously....Gem said "It looks like a music player." Obi asked "How will we see inside it?" Noah declared, as he climbed up onto the table "We will pull it apart with the tools." Obi said "I've got the lid off, we can see down inside it now." Gem added "I'm going to get these speakers out." Santai observed "There are lots of little screws. The ones at the back are too long."

Gem collected all the screws "I'm going to keep these screws...we could use them to build something." Noah lent right down "It's like a city on this switchboard."

Nathaniel watched Gem, Noah, Santai and Obi work. Gem and Noah passed him screws "Can you put that in our container Nathaniel?" Nathaniel pointed to the sandwich maker "What is that one?" Obi replied "I think you can cook things it in." Santai said "Does it have any screws in it?" Nathaniel picked up the sandwich maker, turned it side ways and upside down "Yep, it has screws!" Santai and Nathaniel started to pull it apart with their hands. Nathaniel said "I can do it now, I've got a screw driver" as he located the screws and began to undo them and add them to the container.

Most recently we investigated an old printer. Our children took their time opening, closing, turning, pressing, sliding and lifting all the different elements of the printer. Gem finally asked "Ok, can we pull it apart now?" Obi added "Let's see how it works."

Noah concentrated as he loosened each screw “See Gem, I got it. Now turn it over.” Gem turned the printed over “There is nothing here, I’ll give it a wack." Santai collected little bits and pieces “This could be a wheel, its spins!” Santai and Noah worked together as Santai held the top of the printer still for Noah to unscrew. Gem said “There are lots of little cords” as he used scissors to cut them. Isadora had a go with a screw driver “This is a bit tricky.” 

Obi, Isadora, Killara, Jules, Noah, Olivia, Santai, Freya, Gem and Seth took their time using various tools to pull apart the printer and closely examine each intricate part.

Our Ambulance Visit

This week we had a special visit from Nick (Matilda and Frieda’s dad). 

 Nick is an ambulance officer and came to our preschool to talk with us about when we should call an ambulance and what number we have to call. We discussed that we don't usually need an ambulance for a 'little hurt' such as a grazed knee. Our children identified that we call an ambulance if we have a 'big hurt' like a broken arm.

         We were very lucky to have the opportunity to have a look inside a real ambulance. 

Some of our children had their hearts traced and were able to see their heart beat on the monitor before it was printed out. Santai looked at his heart trace on the monitor and said “Wow.”

Our children asked Nick many questions as they observed all the gadgets inside the ambulance.  

Nick showed the children the oxygen mask before we ended our tour of the ambulance with a ride on the ambulance bed for some of our enthusiastic children.

Yarrahapinni Festival

COMMUNITY LINK :

Early Years Learning Framework.

Belonging, being and becoming are integral parts of identity.

Children learn about themselves and construct their own identity within the context of their families and communities. This includes their relationships with people, places and things and the actions and responses of others. Identity is not fixed. It is shaped by experiences. When children have positive experiences they develop an understanding of themselves as significant and respected, and feel a sense of belonging. Relationships are the foundations of the construction of identity – ‘who I am’, ‘how I belong’ and ‘what is my influence?’ (EYLF).

The Pole arrives:

During the month of August, our ‘Gumnut’ and ‘Lilly Pilli’ children were introduced to a large cardboard pole. We thought about what we could do to decorate the pole as it was for a special occasion in our community, ‘The Yarrahapinni Festival.'

Following the Children’s Lead

The children had been using wool around the yard making ‘spider man’ webs and just stringing it along the boardwalk and across the yard. It felt natural to begin to wrap the pole with the odd bits of wool and that’s how it all began. Our children would sit down alongside the pole and wrap over and under with all sorts of coloured wool. We then decided to drip some glue over it to add another texture. We coloured the glue ourselves using paint, our children loved using the paint brushes to drip the glue – we sang “Drip, drip, drip, drip goes the glue.”

Wool and Glue:

Reed, Scarlet, Kane and Tahla come over to see what was happening. Helen (Educator) was wrapping wool around the pole. 

Reed picked up some wool and began to wrap over and under. Scarlet sat down and said, “blue” then wrapped her wool on the pole. Reed said,” Helen when I went to Nambucca I saw a bird’s nest with babies in it and one fell out.” Helen said, “oh dear, Reed that sometimes happens.” Sarah sat down with her glue to add some texture to the ‘pole’. Scarlet, Reed and Tahla were able to drip the glue onto the pole. Sarah said, “we need to drip the glue in little drops.” Scarlet, Reed and Tahla continued this experience until all the glue was gone.

Story Sharing

It became a place for lots of conversations between educators and children. There were many yarns spun. We especially liked Reed’s yarn about a birds nest in Nambucca where he saw a bird fall out of a nest. Kimberley shared her favourite story about Peter Rabbit. Our children became confident and involved as they engaged in this pleasurable experience.

Our Festival Story

Our families are invited to attend the march through town with the children. We are meeting early about 9.30am. Helen has invited Erin to attend and we have arrived to meet Sarah. There is a large crowd assembled in the street. Sarah, Helen and Erin (Educators), walk up and pick up the pole. Suddenly, there are children grabbing onto the pole - Santai, Zaylia, Matilda, Frieda, Jawaan and Patrick. 

The taller boys are up the front. Helen asked them to lower the pole for the smaller children and they do this. Alex is walking alongside Helen, she has her bells and is ringing them. The drum is playing an engaging beat. The tall flag poles are up the front of the march carried by the primary school children and members of the community. 

Another child joins onto the pole, it’s Isadora. Helen was given some bells to play, so she walked alongside Isadora and began to bang the bells in time with the drumming. Isadora smiles, looks ahead, and begins to nod her head in time to the beat, saying “Yeeaaah.” The people have come out of their houses to watch us march by. 

We wave to the crowd as we march along. We reach the corner shop and I recognise someone else walking towards our pole……its Jasper, Nate and his family. They all grab onto the pole and we enter the park where all the stalls and rides are happening.  Suddenly there is yahooing and clapping coming from the crowd, its Ayla and her family. We walk a little further and then it’s time to give the pole up as it is to be displayed at the front of the festival. The children say goodbye and disperse into the crowd.