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Short Summary and Rationale [Experience 1 - Sound/Music]

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Short Summary and Rationale [Experience 1 - Sound/Music]

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I sang a song about trains and used the "choo choo" sound from what I heard in my experiences to mimic the train’s rhythm, which reflected storytelling about my morning walk. This experience taught me how to use sound and create creative responses using my surroundings.

I plan to extend this activity by creating a train sound orchestra using recycled and natural materials. I want to encourage children to learn that everyday materials can be used creatively while promoting environmental awareness. Additionally, as an educator, I can introduce Indigenous perspectives to children about how First Nations peoples create sound using natural materials.

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Short Summary and Rationale [Experience 2 - Movement]

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Short Summary and Rationale [Experience 2 - Movement]

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I used my body to imitate a train’s movement, my hand to pretend to move like a train, and my gestures represented the train's travel to arrive at its last destination. This learning experience supports children's understanding using physical elements as part of storytelling.

I plan to extend this activity by asking children to become a train themselves. Children can explore their body's part and use their imaginations as part of the learning experience. This activity promotes creative thinking and movement to support children’s development.

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Short Summary and Rationale [Experience 3 - Drama]

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Short Summary and Rationale [Experience 3 - Drama]

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I engaged in dramatic play by pretending to be a train driver. I welcomed my passengers, moving around as part of the journey, and I thanked them after joining the ride with me. This role-play activity brought together sound and movement as part of my learning experiences, which encourage imagination and creativity.

I plan to extend this activity by doing role-play for children as they have to become driver and passenger. This activity will let children learn about taking turns, listening, and following the rules, which promotes collaboration and teamwork to boost their confidence.

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Theoretical Perspectives Learnt from the Unit Material 

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Theoretical Perspectives Learnt from the Unit Material 

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Reflecting on my learning experience, when I was walking during sunrise, listening to the train pass, and being surrounded by natural sounds, it made me understand how children can learn through music, movement, and drama. Even for me, everyday moments from my routine became memorable experiences that shaped my knowledge about the world around me. Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory of learning describes that social interaction and environment take part in children’s development (Yusof, 2021). I believe that when children hear the sounds of the train and the natural environment surrounds them, such as wind, birds, trees, and so on, it will create an opportunity for children to explore their surroundings Moreover, Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences Theory (Northern Illinois University, 2020) helps me understand that children have different ways to learn. My train orchestra activity supports musical intelligence, allowing children to explore rhythm and sound using various materials. In my movement activity, children become a train themselves; they move around using their body, e.g., walking slowly or quickly, and align with bodily-kinesthetic intelligence. In my drama activity, children use their imagination to role-play as train drivers or passengers, promoting collaboration and building their confidence, which supports interpersonal and intrapersonal intelligences.

Children play naturally, it helps them prepare for future roles, develop creativity, solve problems, and build relationships with people and places around them (Wilson, 2018). Edward et al (2011) mentions teachers listen to children, support their independence, and guide them through the journey. I planned my activities based on John Dewey’s experiential learning theory, which values learning by doing through hands-on experience (Reese, 2011). Each activity allows children to observe, imagine, and express their understanding. Ord (2012, p. 55) states, “People learn best when they are personally involved in the learning experience.” In addition, Reggio-inspired educators to support children’s learning by following the child’s lead and encouraging questions (Bond, 2013). I believe children learn deeply when they engage their senses, feelings, and imagination as part of their experiential learning journey.

Moreover, I embedded Indigenous perspectives throughout my planning and reflection. I acknowledged that the land on which I observed the train and experienced the sunrise is Aboriginal land. In the train orchestra, I encouraged children to include natural sounds they heard (e.g., birds, wind) while they explored the sounds from recycled materials. In the movement activity, children imagined the train travelling through some places. When the train stops, I will say something (e.g., “We’ve stopped at the Birrarung River. Let’s move like the flowing water.” In the drama activity, children role-played as train drivers and passengers, and when they arrived, the driver could say, “We’ve arrived at Wurundjeri land!”. I believe that these activities will teach children to build a respectful connection with the land and promote cultural awareness in line with EYLF Outcome 2: Children are connected with and contribute to their world (AGDE, 2022).

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Lesson Steps - Activity 1: Train Orchestra

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Lesson Steps - Activity 1: Train Orchestra

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EYLF Outcome 5: Children are effective communicators (AGDE, 2022).
This activity focus on creating train sounds using voices and objects, which connects to EYLF Outcome 5.3: Children express ideas and make meaning using a range of media (AGDE, 2022, p. 61).

Materials:

Recycled items (e.g. plastic bottle, twigs, cardboard).

Optional: audio of a train (from my own video)

Steps:

Ask children: “What does a train sound like?”

Play an actual train sound from video.

Give children time to explore objects to create sounds (e.g., twigs, bottle, etc)

Guide children to create a rhythm together as a group (e.g., tapping twigs as train wheels, use voices to imitate “choo choo”)

Children perform their “Train Orchestra.”

Ask children to reflect their performance, (e.g., “How did you make the sound?”)

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Lesson Steps - Activity 2: Follow the Train

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Lesson Steps - Activity 2: Follow the Train

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EYLF Outcome 3: Children have a strong sense of wellbeing (AGDE, 2022).
This activity focus on children’s gross motor movement and strengthen their balance as children have to move their body (e.g., stomping, swaying, turning, stopping), which connects to EYLF Outcome 3.2: Children become strong in their physical learning and mental well-being (AGDE, 2022, p. 47).

Materials:

Open space or outdoor space

Train sound (or make rhythm with hands-claps)

Hats or uniform (optional)

Steps:

Explain the children about the game: “We’re going to be a train today!”

Choose one child to be the “train engine” and the others line up behind as carriages.

Move around following the leader.

Call out actions

- “Speed up!” (move faster)

- “Slow down!” (walk slowly)

- “Stop at the station!” (freeze)

- “We’ve stopped at the Birrarung River. Let’s move like the flowing water.”

Switch children so everyone gets a turn to become leader and carriages

Ask children to reflect the game (e.g., “What did your body feel while being a train?”

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Lesson Steps - Activity 3: Train Driver Role-Play

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Lesson Steps - Activity 3: Train Driver Role-Play

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EYLF Outcome 1: Children have a strong sense of identity (AGDE, 2022).
This activity focus on imaginative role-play and storytelling, which connects to EYLF Outcome 1.4: Children learn to interact in relation to others with care, empathy and respect (AGDE, 2022, p. 36).

Materials:

Chairs set up as train seats

Train tickets, hats

Cardboard box (for the engine)

Steps:

Set up a pretend “train station” with chairs.

Choose one child to be the train driver, others are passengers.

Give each child a train ticket

Encourage the driver to announce:

- “All aboard!”

- “We’ve arrived at Wurundjeri land!”

Children can pretend play, for example: looking out the window.

Ask children to reflect their play (e.g., “Where did your train go today?”)

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What went as expected?

Children were excited to explore different sounds using natural and recycled materials. They responded well to the “choo choo” sound.

What did not go as expected?

It was a bit messy at first, it took some time to find the rhythm.

What might you do different next time? (positive or negarive)

Next, I would set roles for each child (e.g., engine, whistle) to make them focus and follow the structure.

How might you use this growth in your future practice of early childhood education?

I learned that children naturally respond to music. In the future, I will include music into learning experiences to support children's communication, collaboration, and creative expression.

Link to video: https://youtube.com/shorts/o57VtLw0T4A?feature=share

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Reflection Activity 3: Train Driver Role-Play

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Reflection Activity 3: Train Driver Role-Play

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What went as expected?

Children were excited as they became train drivers and passengers, while patiently wait for their turn. Also, they confidently shouted “All aboard!” with happy face.

What did not go as expected?

Some children were shy to participate at first.

What might you do different next time? (positive or negarive)

Next, I would provide proper props like printed tickets, uniform, and maps to encourage real-life experience for children.

How might you use this growth in your future practice of early childhood education?

I learned that when children use role-play in activity, it will develop their confidence and communication. In the future, I will keep using drama activities to help children explore social roles, emotions, and boost their confidence.

Link to video: https://youtube.com/shorts/MRe12ChYmBY?feature=share

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What went as expected?

Children loved pretending to be trains. They showed various speeds and movement, using their bodies and imaginations.

What did not go as expected?

Children bumped into each other as the space was a bit small.

What might you do different next time? (positive or negarive)

Next, if possible, I would choose larger space to ensure children can move freely and safely.

How might you use this growth in your future practice of early childhood education?

I learned that movement strengthens children’s coordination and balance. In the future, I will continue to include movement into learning experience to support children both physically and emotionally.

Link to video: https://youtube.com/shorts/W9SAEzsFqTc?feature=share

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Overall Reflection: How has your perspective of music, movement and drama changed as a result of engaging with the unit content and required tasks?

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Overall Reflection: How has your perspective of music, movement and drama changed as a result of engaging with the unit content and required tasks?

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During my experience in this unit, my perspective on music, movement, and drama has slightly changed. At first I thought these were fun and simple activities. However, I now understand that these learning experiences allow children to explore the world around them while also supporting their creativity, problem-solving, balance, and coordination. I believe that temporal arts promote creative and inclusive learning experiences that support children’s understanding, being, and belonging.

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Australian Government Department of Education [AGDE] (2022). Belonging, Being and Becoming: The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia (V2.0). Australian Government Department of Education for the Ministerial Council. https://www.acecqa.gov.au/sites/default/files/2023-01/EYLF-2022-V2.0.pdf

Bond, V. L. (2013). Follow and facilitate: What music educators can learn from the Reggio Emilia approach. General Music Today (VOL. 27, PP 24-28). https://research.ebsco.com/c/6kr4lr/viewer/html/6bl77qri6b

Edward, C. P., Gandini, L., & Forman, G. E. (2011). The Hundred Languages of Children : The Reggio Emilia Experience in Transformation, edited by Carolyn Edwards, et al., Bloomsbury Publishing USA, 2011. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/vu/detail.action?docID=820317.

Northern Illinois University. (2020). Howard Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences. Northern Illinois University. https://www.niu.edu/citl/resources/guides/instructional-guide/gardners-theory-of-multiple-intelligences.shtml

Ord, J. (2012). John Dewey and Experiential Learning: Developing the theory of youth work. https://www.youthandpolicy.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/ord-yandp108.pdf

Reese, H. W. (2011). The Learning-by-Doing Principle. ResearchGate; American Psychological Association. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/275724442_The_learning-by-doing_principle

Wilson, R. A. (2018). Nature and young children: Encouraging creative play and learning in natural environments (3rd ed.). Routledge. https://go.openathens.net/redirector/vu.edu.au?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.taylorfrancis.com%2Fbooks%2Fmono%2F10.4324%2F9781315148533%2Fnature-young-children-ruth-wilson

Yusof, S. M. (2021). Vygotsky Sociocultural Theory of Child Development: More Knowledgeable Other (MKO) and the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD). ResearchGate. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.35985.40804 ‌