CONTEXTUAL STATEMENT
This
discovery unit, ‘A Bug’s Life’, looks to use the topic of bugs and insects as a
way to explore the visual arts. The activities I have designed are aimed for
children aged birth to eight years old.
Through
visual arts, children develop a range of skills, knowledge, understanding and techniques
as artists. This is explored through imaginative engagement, making and
presenting art, craft and design works and engaging critically with these works
and processes (Shape of the Australian Curriculum, 2011). These activities aim
to help children discover this through experimenting, exploration and encouragement.
These
activities also aim to address other areas of children’s learning. The Early
Years Learning Framework lists five outcomes for learning:
- Children have a strong sense of identity
- Children are connected with and contribute to their world
- Children have a strong sense of well-being
- Children are confident and involved learners
- Children are effective communicators
CHILDREN HAVE A STRONG
SENSE OF IDENTITY
- During each activity, no matter the age group, at least one educator should be present which will allow the children to feel safe, secure and supported.
- Because each activity has no set product and focuses more on the product, children are able to develop their emerging autonomy, inter-dependence, resilience and sense of agency.
CHILDREN ARE CONNECTED WITH
AND CONTRIBUTE TO THEIR WORLD
- These activities encourage children to communicate with their peers and educators, further developing their sense of belonging to groups and communities
- They also encourage an understanding of the reciprocal rights and responsibilities necessary for active participation for community participation
- Due to the limitation of materials, children will have opportunities to take turns and practice sharing behaviours, allowing them to be aware of the fairness which occurs when interacting with others.
CHILDREN HAVE A STRONG
SENSE OF
- Interaction with the children around them when engaging in these activities will help them to become strong in their social and emotional well-being.
- This also occurs when children are comfortable and confident enough to ask peers and educator for help and assistance.
CHILDREN ARE CONFIDENT AND
INVOLVED LEARNERS
- These activities allow children to develop dispositions for learning such as curiosity, cooperation, confidence, creativity, commitment, enthusiasm, persistence, imagination and reflexivity.
- The activities also encourage children to develop a range of skills and processes such as problem solving, inquiry, experimentation, hypothesising, researching and investigating.
CHILDREN ARE EFFECTIVE
COMMUNICATORS
- The primary goal for these activities is for children to express their ideas and make meaning using a range of media
- The activities also provide an opportunity for children to interact with others and the world around them verbally and non-verbally for a range of purposes.
The
activities are designed to be modified if necessary and there is room for them
to be extended upon. Please feel free to
share these activities with other educators and stay tuned for more discovery
units from the LMST blog!
References
Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting
Authority, (2011). Shape of the Australian Curriculum: The arts. Retrieved from website: http://www.acara.edu.au/verve/_resources/Shape_of_the_Australian_Curriculum_The_Arts_-_Compressed.pdf
Department
of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations and Council of Australian Governments.
(2009). Belonging, Being and Becoming:
The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia. Retrieved from http://foi.deewr.gov.au/system/files/doc/other/belonging_being_and_becoming_the_early_years_learning_framework_for_australia.pdf
