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I have planned three open needed experiences that incorporate science, technology and mathematics within a natural environment setting, aimed for a group of children aged between four to five years. The natural environment, includes an open park space with a range of flora and fauna, a shallow creek, rocks, mud and grassed areas. Children will be exposed to this environment which will encourage them to be open to new ideas about the world around them and learn with the more than human and challenge children’s thinking and theories by asking questions. ‘Children engage in their play in some aspects of science inquiry and its practices, this work is encouraged, guided, and deepened by adults who model, mentor, challenge, guide, and provide stimulating environments and carefully designed experiences with the natural world’ (Cohen & Waite – Stupiansky 2019, p. 7).

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Discovering animals and insects in the natural environment (Science) 

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Discovering animals and insects in the natural environment (Science) 

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EXPERIENCE 1

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Why are you carrying out this experience?

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Why are you carrying out this experience?

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Children around four to five years of age are very inquisitive about their environments and have an interest in animals, so I believe this will be a great opportunity for children to be hands on in their environment and it will influence the children’s thoughts and learning. Cohen & Waite – Stupiansky (2019) direct my thinking towards children not just being curious questioners but being active doers and thinkers, children want to make sense of their world by exploring what’s around them which is a practice of science inquiry.

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•Children to explore biological science, discover living things such as animals and insects and discover environmental science which opens up their thoughts into caring and studying the world around them.
•Children to have a sense of agency as they move through the natural environment, being curious and expressing wonder around them.
•Children to become investigators in their learning.
•Children to use their communication and share to the group about their discoveries.

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What do you want the children to learn from this experience?

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What do you want the children to learn from this experience?

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I’m carrying out this experience so children can discover and identify the animals and insects that are present in the natural environment, opening up new knowledge for the children. When children are discovering animals and insects I want them to be questioning what they are, hypothesize how it got there, where it came from, predict what it will do next, what they eat and observe the critters and watch how they live in their environment. With the children identifying different animals/insects this could lead to further learning by having discussions about life cycles. I wish for the children to explore the natural environment by walking around their surroundings, engage with the more than human elements and be hands on by manipulating objects. I want the children to grow an appreciation for the natural environment and respect for the animals and insects, relating to ‘Outcome 2.4 Children become socially responsible and show respect for the environment’ (Department of Education, 2019 p. 32). I would like the children to communicate with others about their discoveries of what they have found in the environment and express their creativity through drawing pictures of the different animals and insects they have found.

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Describe how you will carry out the learning experience

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Describe how you will carry out the learning experience

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Children will be taken to a natural environment and I will explain to children that we are focusing on discovering the animals and insects that are in place. I will conduct a conversation with the children about what they think they might find in the environment, predicting what may be there. I will break children away from the group and allow them to go off on their own to explore the environment, animals and insects. I will offer the children to draw what they have found and to come back to the group for a discussion about what they discovered and to share their thoughts and ideas.

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Provide examples of some of the teaching strategies 

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Provide examples of some of the teaching strategies 

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•Encouraging children to be hands on their environment by manipulating objects, exploring through environment and role modelling these actions for children to see.
•Asking open ended questions about what children have discovered ‘what animal do you think it is?’ ‘what does it eat?’ ‘What does it do?’
•Having meaningful conversations with children about the animals and insects to encourage appreciation for natural world and living things. ‘What would happen if we dumped our rubbish in the creek?’.
•I will stand back and let the children lead their own learning, letting their learning go in any direction that the children take it.
•Role model actions of exploring the environment and discovering creatures and talking about what I have found.
•Use scientific language around children (predict, observe, experiment, evaluate) ‘I’m going to predict that there will be ants near the rocks’.

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Constructing a bridge over the creek (Technology) 

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Constructing a bridge over the creek (Technology) 

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EXPERIENCE 2

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Why are you carrying out this experience?

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Why are you carrying out this experience?

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Children around this age are into construction and making things, this experience is a great opportunity for children to explore technology and to bring their creativity and thinking to life by constructing a bridge with materials while working with others and have a collaborative approach to learning.

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•For children to explore technology through creating a bridge with the use of materials (natural and man-made) and manipulate those materials.
•For children to explore ideas with their creativity, wonder, problem solving skills and hypothesising throughout this experience and bring it to life.

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What do you want the children to learn from this experience?

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What do you want the children to learn from this experience?

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I want children to explore mechanical technology, to critically think what they could use to build a bridge for the animals. I want children to solve problems and explore ideas and use many materials, some being natural materials and man-made. I wish for the children to work collaboratively with others, work as a team using their communication, negotiating skills. I want the children to be curious learners and express wonder, asking questions. ‘Responding to their observations and questions with “I wonder,” or “What’s your theory?” provided the impetus for the children to take their initial observations a step further and make a guess about what was happening or what they saw’ (Vandermaas-Peeler & McClain 2015, p.18). This comes from a research of children who engaged in a gardening experience at a Reggio Emilia preschool in America, the educators encouraged the children’s knowledge to go further by asking them open ended questions to extend on what they already knew and to challenge their thinking. I believe this would link with this experience provided to the children by asking the children further questions to encourage their critical thinking, to question what they are doing and to learn from the world around them.

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Describe how you will carry out the learning experience

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Describe how you will carry out the learning experience

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To start off this experience and to capture the children’s attention I would pose the question ‘How do the animals get from one side of the creek to the other?’. I would let them ponder then share their ideas. I would then suggest to the children if it hasn’t already been shared to create a bridge. I would let children aware of the recycled materials I have brought to the area, such as cardboard, popsicle sticks, tape and the natural materials in the area such as sticks, bark, stones etc. I would leave it up to the children on how they wish to create a bridge over the creek, letting them work individually or in groups. I will offer support to children if they need it but want the children to have a sense of agency, being independent and display their creativity and problem-solving skills whilst constructing the bridge. Once the children are finished I would have a share time where the children can showcase what they have created and talk about it.

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Provide examples of some of the teaching strategies 

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Provide examples of some of the teaching strategies 

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•Begin creating my own bridge to model my creativity for the children to observe, talking out loud and asking things such as ‘I wonder what will happen if I put this stick on this, will it be strong enough to hold?’, This is to encourage children to participate and be hands on.
•Offer support and encouragement to children whilst they construct the bridge.
•Asking children questions to promote critical thinking ‘what will happen if you do this, ‘what will happen next’
•Providing a safe and stimulating environment for the children to explore and engage with technology.

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Scavenger hunt, identifying shapes in the environments (Maths) 

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Scavenger hunt, identifying shapes in the environments (Maths) 

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EXPERIENCE 3

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Why are you carrying out this experience?

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Why are you carrying out this experience?

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After noticing the children being interested in shapes in their current learning and mindful of kindergarten children being very curious learners at their age, it’s a fantastic opportunity for the children to use their curiosity and independence to explore the natural world and find different shapes objects whilst learning and discovering new mathematical concepts.

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•Children to discover shapes, the names, what they look like, how many sides etc.
•Children to be capable and independent in their learning and discoveries while engaging in maths.
•Children to be curious, competent and active learners in this experience, independently and working in small groups to discover shapes in the environment.
•Move around the environment safely and confidently, demonstrating spatial awareness.

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What do you want the children to learn from this experiences?

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What do you want the children to learn from this experiences?

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The children to identify shapes, the different sizes, the way they look and find a range of different shaped objects in the environment. I want the children to be confident in exploring their environment, discovering different objects in the space. Children will be encouraged to use their language as they can discuss what they have found and talk about the objects, size, shape and colours to teachers and peer and to identify and describe attributes of objects they notice in their environment. ‘With social interaction providing support and the play context creating a situation where innovation, risk taking and creative problem solving can all be encouraged, young children learn a great deal about themselves, others and the world in which they exist’ (Perry & Dockett 2007, p.2). This comes from an article explaining how children explored different maths concepts through play in their environments while learning about their world and what they could be capable of. I link it with this maths experience provided for the children, if children are making risks in their environment, being curious and investigating their surroundings they will learn more about themselves and the place they are in.

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Describe how you will carry out the learning experience

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Describe how you will carry out the learning experience

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I will read a book about shapes to the children, so the children can understand what shapes are and what they may look like. I will then ask the children if they can look around the environment for different shaped items and to collect them. Children will go off and look for shapes for a while, I will then call the children back to have a chance to share and discuss what they have found in the environment so everyone has the chance to share their unique findings.

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Provide examples of some of the teaching strategies 

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Provide examples of some of the teaching strategies 

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• Asking children to describe what they have collected ‘can you tell me what that rock looks like’.
• Asking children open ended questions ‘what kind of shapes do you think you will find’ ‘What objects will look like a square shape’.
• Encouraging children to use the whole outdoor space to search and investigate ‘why don’t you look closer near the water to find a rock’.
• Getting involved in this experience, looking for shapes in the environment and demonstrating to children.
• If some children are feeling lost about the experience, encouraging them to work as a group to find shapes together.

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Australian Government Department of Education and Training, 2019, Belonging, Being & Becoming, The Early Years Learning Framework For Australia, viewed 26 May 2021,
<https://www.acecqa.gov.au/sites/default/files/2018-02/belonging_being_and_becoming_the_early_years_learning_framework_for_australia.pdff

Cohen, L.E. and Waite-Stupiansky, S. eds., 2019. STEM in early childhood education: How science, technology, engineering, and mathematics strengthen learning. Routledge.

Perry, B. and Dockett, S., 2007. Play and mathematics. Adelaide, Austalia: Australia Association of Mathematics Teachers.

Vandermaas-Peeler, M. and McClain, C., 2015. The Green Bean Has to Be Longer than Your Thumb: An Observational Study of Preschoolers' Math and Science Experiences in a Garden. International Journal of Early Childhood Environmental Education, 3(1), pp.8-27.