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Paper

Thinking with Materials

Community Visit- Birrarung Marr

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Paper is everywhere. Paper is capable of doing many things such as folding, scrunching and ripping(Pacini-Ketchabaw, 2024,p24). Paper has other purposes where it has a connection to place, allows children to be creative and imaginative when exploring the paper. Paper reacts in different environments. The bottom left photo shows when paper is wet it can easily tear or ruined.

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Paper is a light and flexible material that can be folded and torn or change when we touch it or when it meets things like water or fire. Paper invites people to create, share and work together. It can break easily, but this makes interesting and open to change. Over time, paper can fade, weaken or pick up marks from its environment, showing its journey and the stories it holds( Pacini-Ketchabaw, 2024).

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Materials plays an important role in the environment of a child’s learning. Pacini-Ketchabaw describes materials as the , “ bones of curriculum” in a developmental progress from exploring to representing. As children become familiar with the materials that they are exploring, they are encouraged to communicate, represent ideas and objects such as painting with a brush on the paper. The materials that children gravitate and explore into would encourage children to create interest, facilitate self-expression, enhance creativity and learning, develop critical thinking skills and build capacity and knowledge(Pacini-Ketchabaw, 2024, p3). The environment and materials can be the third teacher for children’s learning where the materials speak, evoke memories and narrate stories.

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Loose Parts

Paint

NGV Visit

Indigenous Perspectives

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Loose parts is mainly junk that is cheap and materials with no intended purpose which can allow children to be creative in manipulating and building things( Play Scotland, n.d).

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At the start, I did not know what I wanted to create or use with these materials. I slowly created a rocket with the exploration of loose parts consisting of wood, small and medium sized cardboard tubings, tape and rope. It mainly involved constructing the materials together.

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Loose Parts Exploration Padlet Session 6

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Loose Parts Exploration Padlet Session 6

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This community visit was part of my assessment 1 which involved a mural that uses paint to construct this artwork.

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Paint can mix, stroke, colour, mark, compose, splatter and dip( Pacini, 2014). Paint invites us to communicate and collaborate with the paint and how it interacts with our bodies. Whenever we compose a painting, it is a way to express our feelings where there a meaning behind it which has a story to tell and plays a significant part of a person’s life. This is indicating whenever we are exposed to paint there are new events, new connections, new sensations emerged in paint assemblages where we are open to new creations in paint(Pacini-Ketchabaw, 2024).

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The NGV was explored in Week 2. I was inspired to use this piece of artwork which was at the NGV to create my stop motion video.

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 Indigenous Perspectives in ECE Settings Padlet

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 Indigenous Perspectives in ECE Settings Padlet

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Staines, 2021

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Clay Exploration

Clay Extension Activity

Environment of Clay

NGV Visit- Stop Motion Video

Possum Skin Pedagogy

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Clay Exploration in different environments 

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Clay Exploration in different environments 

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When we explore clay- In dry conditions, it is smooth. In wet conditions, it is soft. Different environments shows how the clay reacts. Clay is a versatile resource where it can be used in many different ways such as shrinks, attaches, breaks( Pacini- Ketchabaw, 2024).

Clay can be very different in some environments. It does get warm and dry as clay hardens first( Pacini- Ketchabaw,2024).

Clay colours, structure and draws attention to the land we are standing and living on( Pacini- Ketchabaw, 2024).

Clay also tells a different story in a different environment based on how we interact with the material(Pacini- Ketchabaw, 2024).

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Clay invites us to interact with the material in different ways through rolling, squishing, poking and touching. I extended the exploration of clay by rolling and poking and using my creativity to make a caterpillar and a cup. I then decided to paint it after making something with the clay.

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How do materials help us to tell a story

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Light exploration

Reflection/Conclusion

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This light exploration was using a candle when it involved covering the cellophane with the candle, using shadows and covering a big rock over the cellophane to see the reflection.

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The exploration of using torch light that explores different colours when we put light through cellophane colours of red and blue.

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When in the space, it is unique as not used to the light projected around you as it promotes a sense of play where you are excited.

Different kinds of lights and shapes that they use all around where it can be moving in real.

Light and technology- Light allows you to be intrigued into the artwork, create a multisensory experience that goes beyond the traditional art.

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Adventure Playgrounds(2015, May 18), (Image). jennifercyrfamilychildcare.com

Atkinson, S.(2020). Possum Skin Pedagogy: A Guide for Early Childhood Practitioners. https://www.yarnstrongsista.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Possum-Skin-Pedagogy-A-Guide-for-Early-Childhood-Practitioners.pdf

Pacini-Ketchabaw, V., Kind, S.,& Kocher, L.L.M.(2024). Clay: Ecologies. Encounters with materials in Early Childhood Education(2nd ed., pp54-64). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003322559

Pacini-Ketchabaw, V., Kind, S.,& Kocher, L.L.M.(2024). Paper: Movements. Encounters with materials in Early Childhood Education(2nd ed., pp24-33). Routledge

Pacini-Ketchabaw, V., Kind, S.,& Kocher, L.L.M.(2024). Paint: Assemblages. Encounters with materials in Early Childhood Education(2nd ed., pp44-54). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4323/9781003322559-4

Pacini-Ketchabaw, V., Kind, S.,& Kocher, L.L.M.(2024). Thinking with Materials. Encounters with materials in Early Childhood Education(2nd ed., pp1-23). Routledge

Pelo, A.(2017). General Guidelines for studio Explorations. The language of art: Inquiry-based studio practices in early childhood settings(2nd ed., 17-44). Redleaf Press.

Pelo, A.(2016). Clay. The language of Art: Inquiry-based studio practices in early childhood settings(pp92-114). Redleaf Press

Play Scotland(n.d). Loose Parts Play: A Toolkit. https://www.playscotland.org/wp-content/uploads/1-Loose-Parts-Play.pdf

Staines, J.(2021, July 16). Can non-Indigenous people do Aboriginal art? Koori Curriculum. https://kooricurriculum.com/blogs/news/can-non-indigenous-people-do-aboriginal-art

The Lume Melbourne(2025). A landmark in immersive art. https://www.grande-experiences.com/permanent/the-lume-melbourne

Wilson, P.(2010). The Playwork Primer(pp1-23). https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED511455.pdf