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How might I use this growth in my future practice of early childhood education

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How might I use this growth in my future practice of early childhood education

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I will use drama and storytelling to support children's emotional and social development, providing opportunities for them to explore different roles, emotions, and perspectives. This will help them develop their empathy, cooperation, and communication skills.

I will consistently incorporate nature-based learning into the curriculum, recognising the profounnd impact of natural environments on the children's development. Outdoor activities, nature walks, and garden projects will be integrated into my teaching practice so children can have a deep connection with the natural world.

I will create environments that encourage the children's exploration and discovery. By providing materials and open-ended prompts, I will support the children in following their curiosity and developing their own creative expressions.

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The activities inspired by the sensory-rich experience of my backyard that I explored in Assessment 2. The narrative of the "Lost Birds' Symphony" was a foundation for me to create these activities, emphasising the importance of engaging with natural environments to foster creativity and emotional development in children. Each activity will aim to immerse the children in sensory experiences and also imaginative play, mirroring the reflective and creative journey I underwent during my backyard exploration.

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Access to Children:

Plan the activities during a time when my nieces or other children are available to participate.

Activity Engagement:

Create more costumes to make the drama activity more fun and engaging.

Introduce more diverse musical instruments for the soundscape activity to enrich the auditory experience.

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Absence of Children:

Since my nieces has been on their holiday with my sister, I couldn't directly observe children's reactions and creativity during the activities.

Some activities, particularly the movement and drama sessions, lacked the spontaneous creativity that children typically bring.

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3. Drama Activity: Acting Out the Lost Birds' Symphony

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3. Drama Activity: Acting Out the Lost Birds' Symphony

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Relation to Assessment 2: Acting out the narrative of the "Lost Birds' Symphony" will allow the children to engage in imaginative and dramatic play, reflecting the emotional and narrative elements I record in my soundscape. This activity will help children to understand and empathise with the story, fostering social and emotional skills.

Theoretical Perspective: Drama and imaginative play are essential for the children's development, as they allow children to explore different perspectives and emotions (Vygotsky, 1967). By acting out the story, the children can develop their social and emotional skills so they can have ability to empathise and understand the different viewpoints.

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2. Movement/Dance Activity: Dancing with Nature

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2. Movement/Dance Activity: Dancing with Nature

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Relation to Assessment 2: This activity will encourage the children to express their sensory experiences through movement, similar to how I imagined the playful movements of the lost birds in my backyard. By embodying natural elements like the raindrops and birds, children can connect physically and emotionally with the nature.

Theoretical Perspective: Carson (2017) discuss the sense of wonder that nature evokes in children, encouraging the exploration and discovery. By translating their sensory experiences into movement, I believe that children can deepen their connection to the nature, enhancing their physical and emotional development.

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1. Music Activity: Creating a Backyard Soundscape

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1. Music Activity: Creating a Backyard Soundscape

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Relation to Assessment 2: The soundscape activity draws directly from the auditory elements in my backyard, such as the raindrops, bird songs, and rustling leaves. It will allow the children to explore and create their own soundscape, this activity mirrors my experience of capturing and appreciating the natural sounds in my backyard.

Theoretical Perspective: Wilson (2007) highlight the importance of natural environments, it promotes the creative play and cognitive development for the children. By engaging children in creating a soundscape, I will provide them with an opportunity to explore and appreciate the auditory aspects of nature, improving their creativity and auditory skills.

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3. Drama Activity: Acting Out the Lost Birds' Symphony

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3. Drama Activity: Acting Out the Lost Birds' Symphony

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Children will engage in dramatic play, acting out the narrative of the "Lost Birds' Symphony," fostering their imaginative and social skills.

Summary:
Children will listen to the story of the "Lost Birds' Symphony" and discuss its characters and events. They will then prepare by assigning roles and using simple costumes, I made this bird mask by cutting paper. Through dramatic play, children will act out the story, bringing it to life with expressive movements and sounds. The activity concludes with a performance and a reflection on their experience and what they learned from the story.

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2. Movement/Dance Activity: Dancing with Nature

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2. Movement/Dance Activity: Dancing with Nature

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Children will express their sensory experiences through movement inspired by natural elements, enhancing their physical and creative development.

Summary:
Children will begin with a warm-up and an explanation of using movement to express experiences. They will explore the backyard, drawing inspiration from natural elements like raindrops, birds, and leaves. Using scarves and leaves as props, they will create and perform a dance that represents these elements. The session will end with a reflection on their movements and the feelings they experienced.

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1. Music Activity: Creating a Backyard Soundscape

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1. Music Activity: Creating a Backyard Soundscape

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Children will explore the backyard to find and create natural and man-made sounds, ultimately composing a collaborative soundscape.

Summary:
Children will first explore the backyard, finding objects that produce various sounds. They will then use natural objects like leaves, water bottle or the recording of a raindrop sound and I will use it like a simple musical instruments, to create a layered soundscape. The process involves recording their sound creations and then, I will use the Capcut app to adjust the sound. This activity culminates in listening to the final soundscape and discussing the sounds and their meanings, relating back to the "Lost Birds' Symphony."

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‘I chose my backyard because there is no place like home, where I feel close and familiar. Birds are always singing when I enter the backyard, and I love that I can hear their songs even when I'm inside. I don't have to travel to the mountains or the countryside to enjoy the sound of birds; it's right here at home. Listen closely as the raindrops dance on the leaves and the birds sing their tales.

The trees in my backyard stand tall, their leaves a mix of yellow and green, a testament to the changing seasons. As the rain falls gently, I imagine baby birds, lost and far from home. They flew out from their safe nest in the big tree, all the way to the town, and now they are lost. The town is busy and bustling, the rain is cold and unrelenting.

In my backyard, the baby birds find comfort and joy, playing on the slide and swing, losing track of time as they delight in their newfound playground.

They chirp happily as they slide down and swing high, forgetting the way back home in their playfulness.

The baby birds seek refuge on my rooftop,

singing their song of longing,

hoping their mother will hear them and guide them back. Each raindrop carries a message,

each bird song a plea.

Can you hear their story?

Can you feel their hope?“

( From Assessment 2 )

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Wilson, R. (2007). Children, creative play, and the natural environment. In R. Wilson (Ed.), Nature and Young Children: Encouraging Creative Play and Learning in Natural Environments (pp. 1-18).

Carson, R. (2017). The Sense of Wonder: A Celebration of Nature for Parents and Children. Harper Perennial.

Gowrie NSW. (n.d.). Vygotsky theory. Retrieved May 20, 2024, https://www.gowriensw.com.au/thought-leadership/vygotsky-theory#:~:text=Vygotsky's%20social%20development%20theory%20asserts,an%20independent%20journey%20of%20discovery

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Engagement with Activities:

My partner enthusiastically participated in the activities, mirroring the expected engagement children would have.

The natural elements in my backyard provided rich sensory experiences and also anticipated.

The soundscape creation was successful, with clear recordings of natural sounds.

We had a lot of fun, it brings us back to our childhood when we done the dramatic play.

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The backyard, with its vibrant mix of natural elements and play structures, serves as a rich sensory environment for children. Inspired by my Assessment 2 creative response, these activities aim to engage children's senses and imagination through music, movement, and drama. By exploring sounds, expressing through movement, and acting out a narrative, children will connect deeply with nature, enhancing their creativity and developmental skills.

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In Assessment 2, I undertook a creative and reflective journey through my backyard, using it as a sensory-rich artefact to explore the connections between nature and early childhood education. The core of this assessment involved creating a soundscape and narrative