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Children are introduced to the concept of rhythm and tempo in music inspired by the ducks. At the outdoor area under a tree, I asked the children to listen carefully to the sounds of the ducks' quacking and the flapping of their wings from the video we took during the walk, and provided them with materials like rain sticks, paper plate tambourines, and rubber band guitars. I also show the children how to clap or stomp their feet to create a rhythm. Finally, I asked the children to perform their rhythms together, creating a musical accompaniment to the sounds of the ducks and the river. Composition is recorded and played back to the children.

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I was drawn to the melodious video of Inanay by Tiddas from Session 4 before class activities. Motivated by their music that celebrates nature and culture, just like children's country walk hearing a group of ducks playing and making different noises in the water, I created a sound and music experience incorporating different sounds and musical instruments. Bird songs, river flowing sound, ducks quacking and wind that children try to mimic using their voices and instruments they have made using everyday materials such as rubber bands, paper plates and tissue boxes. As the children created the sound and music, it reminded them of the sounds of different birds and bugs that came across during the walk.

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The children were so enthralled that they extended their learning by conducting a musical jars science experiment. The enthusiasm spilled over into mealtime, where some children used their meal bowls and spoons as drums, creating their own music. Based on the Suzuki approach, musical ability is not an inborn talent but an ability that can be developed. I want to implement Dr. Suzuki’s goal in my future teaching. I'm evoked that we do not simply develop professional musicians, but to nurture loving human beings and help develop each child’s character through incorporating more musical instrument and sensory touch in children’s learning.

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A few stations were thoughtfully set up in the outdoor area: one station had a picture of a traditional Aboriginal dance movement, another station had a picture of a duck with an Aboriginal story about the importance of ducks in their culture, and another station had coloured fabric (duck wings), a container of water with a traditional Aboriginal instrument, such as a rain stick and water drum. Children learnt a simple traditional dance step and moved in a way such as flapping their arms like wings, listening to the sound of the rain stick or water drum and moving their bodies in a way that reflected the flow of water.

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During the dance and movement learning, children were able to learn the basic movements of ducks swimming and flying in the water. They applied these movements in their dance and movement activities. What did not go as expected was that some children found it difficult and shy to dance in front of everyone, but with time and patience, they were able to overcome these challenges and participate in the activities with their peers successfully. Children were uplifted and energised after watching the video of Djuki Mala's ‘Wrong Skin’- Singing in the Rain (from Session 2 after class activities), and country walks observing ducks playing in the water. Piaget’s theory of cognitive development; children learn through their senses and through movement. This has informed me to incorporate music and movements into my teaching practice, for instance, movement activities during every group time to promote engagement and enjoyment in children’s learning process.

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The story of Umbarra the Black Duck is introduced to the children as a theme for drama. The story and its moral lesson are explained, and the children are invited to choose roles based on the characters in the story, such as Umbarra, the children, and the animals. They then practice their lines and movements, focusing on embodying their character’s personality and behaviour. For instance, those playing the animals practice moving and making sounds like the animals they are portraying. A painted backdrop of a pond and greenery is used to create a visual setting for the play, enhancing the children's immersion in the story.

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I was influenced by Michelle Hovane and Amity Culver in Sensory Storytelling by Sensorium Theatre during Session 8 with my Stations Set Up extension learning experience from ducks swimming in the river. Children get swept up in the Sensory Bear Hunt video, and I relate how we can have similar dances and movements incorporating ducks playing in the water as a theme. Sensory elements added to the dance, like water, rain sticks, and fabric, to enhance the experience. The Duck Dance song was playing. I include the children’s names in the movement and dance process to give them a strong sense of ownership.

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Inspired by the Bangarra Education Resources Mutton Bird in Session 2, which has a deep relationship between humans and the natural world, I explored the Dreamtime story Umbarra the Black Duck for similar themes to extend children’s interest in drama. I shared the Mutton Bird and Umbarra story with the children and discussed that the significant Aboriginal totem has a strong connection to the land and the people who share the land with them. During the drama practise, children slowly twist, turn, dance, swift body move forward and jump to reflect themselves as the ducks playing in the water.

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Bangarra Dance Theatre Australia. (2024). Mutton Bird (an excerpt from Mathinna). Bangarra. https://www.bangarra.com.au/learning/education-resources/classroom-resources/mutton-bird-2008/mutton-bird-an-excerpt-from-mathinna/

Gano, D., & Krull, S. (2020, July). Natural Sensory Learning. Www.communityplaythings.com. https://www.communityplaythings.com/resources/articles/natural-sensory-learning

hopenleec. (2010). Inanay - Tiddas [YouTube Video]. In YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xGWMFBfKi8

Suzuki Association of the Americas. (2024). About the Suzuki Method. Suzuki Association of the Americas. https://suzukiassociation.org/about/suzuki-method/#:~:text=Suzuki%20based%20his%20approach%20on

Theatre, S. (2016, April 19). SENSORY STORYTELLING Guide: A Webinar for Teachers and Parents. Vimeo. https://vimeo.com/163371099

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In the article Natural Sensory Learning (Diann Gano, Sharron Krull, 2020), I learnt that when children listen for and locate sounds in nature, they help them understand that space is three-dimensional. Children immediately engaged in acting out the roles of ducks and characters from the Umbarra story. However, some children became overly excited and started splashing water outside of the designated drama area, which extended to a water play experience. This experience has taught me the importance of being flexible and adaptable in my future teaching, as emphasised by John Dewey, who believed that teaching should be dynamic and responsive to the needs of individual children. Additionally, Lev Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory also mentioned the importance of adapting teaching methods to meet the needs of children, in which I effectively followed the children's lead from dramatic learning to water play.

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Ducks of different sizes and colours dance and swim in the water. 