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Activity: Creating or own interpretation of what wind sounds like using musical instruments, and laminated paper

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Activity: Engaging in a game of Simon’s says, reflecting from things we have noticed from the Artefact Video.

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Activity: Expressing ourselves by decorating and creating our very own bird which we heard from the video. Creating a display of our birds so they might “fly” in the wind

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Images of the resources and tools used

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Floating birds, made with painted laminated paper, hung up on fishing string so that children might be able to watch the birds fly in the wind. Another image located to the side to show another example of the display ➡️

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Simon says audio

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From 26 seconds a discussion is created about what noises the children hear

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The video from Murray Schafer had stood out to me while engaging in this unit, his description of the sounds around us being a musical symphony resonated with my heart (Canada, 2009). This allowed me to rewatch my artefact and notice how all the noises could be recreated and expressed through music, creating my own symphony of sounds.

After watching the video Learn how to create foley art (Children’s Theatre Company, 2020). I discovered the art of sound effects, and how we can use everyday objects to create music and noise. This inspired my activity of wanting to allow children to create and make their own versions of what they hear.

I created this experience by allowing children to listen to the artefact and then use instruments and laminated paper, to sway and create their own interpretation of the artefact sound, trying to mimic and copy what they heard.

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What went as expected?

I had known that the children were going to throughly enjoy this experience. The children in my studio are of the ages 2-3, lately they have enjoyed any activity regarding sound and even guessing what different noises are.

From the moment I had shown them my video from assignment 2, the children created small discussions regarding the noises, some excitedly saying they could even hear a rooster! When I had asked the children if they would like to make their own sounds to remake the video, there was not one sound of hesitation from them.

What did not go as expected?

I did not expect the children to enjoy the experience as much as they had. They continually asked to go again, each time naming new sounds that their noises had resembled.

I first thought that the children would get uninterested of the experience and ask to do something else, or even just get up and leave.

However, I was wrongly mistaken. The children had engaged with this experience until lunch had come outdoors, new faces would appear which each new musical round created.

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What might you do different next time?

I would love to less instruments next time, incorporate other resources to imitate the sounds. Such as more laminated paper, twigs, leaves, pots, spoons, wood etc. Although having the instruments allowed for children to create sounds, expanding their understanding on musical tools. I believe using resources that aren’t musically attached will help expand children’s understanding about the creative world, as well as the possibilities of sound wherever they go.

I would love to implement rain sticks, and clapping sticks; implementing indigenous resources that allow children to connect to place while also expanding their understanding of how different sounds can be used

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

I would like to create more moments where we can introduce music and sound into the curriculum. Through this experience children were able to explore a new medium, and express themselves individually through the art of sound.

I would to foster this creative mindset, where children around able to have control over their thoughts.

Now that I am ware of this new idea, I too can focus my attention to the different sounds that surround our Place, connecting with land and our community. These sounds can provide new learning opportunities, creating open ended conversations, expanding social, emotional, language and cognitive development .

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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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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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Before partaking within this unit I believe my knowledge on music, movement and drama was very narrow minded.

Beforehand I viewed music as something that was limited, I viewed it as a song on a radio or maybe even a lullaby song by a mum. To me music was what was said and sung or the instruments that were play a symphony behind it. I never once before viewed music as the possibility of the sounds in the environment surrounded by me. After this unit and partaking in watching videos and undergoing readings about music and sounds that are around me, I now taken to consideration however every single little tap or beat or tweet are a form of expression and can be considered that symphony. A natural symphony.

This new outlook regarding music and sound excites me for the possibilities of learning opportunities that it now creates for the children in my environment. after observing how excited the children were to be able to recreate natural noises I know this is something that I want to keep undertaking and doing. The sounds that I heard aren’t just simple gusts of wind or tweets of a bird; it’s the life that surrounds me, it is beautiful and unique.

Regarding movement, are used to view it as physical activities: running, jumping, crawling and walking. I never thought how one could express themselves through free movement. After engaging within the readings I now see movement as a way to express yourself and to connect with nature as well as place. Continuously learning about yourself and new ways and the possibilities of what you might be able to achieve.

Drama, I once viewed it as a class in School , or a musical production or TV show. I thought drama was also a limited art; where only some could meet the requirements to achieve a performance. This unit has also allowed me to learn that drama is about expressing yourself through imagination, creativity and art. Drama isn’t limited, drama is open-ended. Drama can also be included with dramatic play and imaginative play that children perform every single day, drama can also be your imaginary friend Steve, it is a free spot where all can be included and not judged.

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What went as expected?

Once the children began the experience, they were so excited to imitate and copy the actions. We first created representations of what we had heard in the video, the trees, wind, birds etc.

I knew the children would copy the actions and movement, taking part in the gross motor game. This assumption was formed as the children in my space have enjoyed partaking in gross motor/physical activities and new challenge such as: duck, duck, goose - hopscotch, tug of war, skipping ropes, limbo, yoga, obstacle courses such as.

These challenges have been implemented into our studio program and even daily activities. I knew creating a space where the children would be able to engage in a new idea would excite them to eagerly join in the experience.

What did not go as expected?

My initial intention was to create a group experience in which all the children could engage with and explore the different ways of moving. However, some children didn’t seem interested in the activity, or they found interest elsewhere. This created a small group experience.

Once the experience was done, the children began to take over, recreating the movements and expressions I had stated but also throwing in some new creations - this demonstrated their interest towards the activity, but also drew some friends over. Those who were disinterested before had now created an inquiry for the experience once they saw it was led by peers.

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What would you do differently next time?

After observing how children began to approach and join the experience once they observed their peers leading the play, this has allowed me to view the experience differently.

I would like to next time begin the experience by having children decide what actions we do, and that they might be able to call them out to the group.

I think by allowing this change, it allows the children to gain control and collaborate together - it allows them to scaffold their independence but also a moment where they can feel valued and an important contributor to our group.

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

Creating experiences that encourage children to engage and connect with the life around them. Promoting more opportunities for movement and physical development activities. Fostering and implementing children’s ideas, to create child led opportunities.

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“…Let your senses and body stretch out like a welcomed season onto the meadows and shores and hills…Greet yourself in your thousand other forms…”  ~ Hafiz (The Earthbody Institute , 2017).

During our Saturday session, we read the article Movement in the Wild: Nature as a Dance Partner. This article speaks of the benefits of connecting with nature, and using this to our advantage to learn about ourselves and the place we belong. One bit in the article described the Willow tree swaying and the trickling motion of a stream, these little movements became images in my brain; thoughts of how the children in my studio could also imitate these actions. These movements provide a sensory connection to the natural element and world. It allows us to expand on our gross motor skills, well-being, while also acknowledging the presence of the world around us; becoming grateful of our surroundings (The Earthbody Institute , 2017). The Indigenous People danced all the time, connecting with place and earth. They would dance to celebrate all aspects of life, including birth, death, harvest etc. These new ways of movement have inspired me to incorporate into my own teaching, I set out with a mission to allow the children in my studio to connect with nature and move freely upon their surroundings; reconnecting themselves with earth and place.

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What went as expected

While we engaged in listening to the artefact video one thing that the children seem to have enjoyed was the sound of the birds were creating. These noises had created a discussion with the children about birds that they might hear at their own house.

Drama was the last experience we had done in regarding the artefact. The children enjoyed engaging and sound and movement, they even begins suggesting their own ideas regarding what we could do for follow up activities. One thing that each child had in common was an activity regarding birds, Some children said that we could watch the birds outside, others had said we could paint the birds, another even suggested feeding them. These were all experiences that we now want to implement within our studio to show the children that their thoughts and ideas are appreciated.

An experience I had created to meet children expressing themselves and showcasing that dramatic expression; was to first engaged in the Dreamtime story “How Birds got their Colours.” After reading this story, and observing images of birds, we began to paint our own birds showcasing their beautiful colours. We used sticks, string, brushes and leaves to paint our birds. So children might have free choice of how they would like to create their bird.

What did not go as expected?

This experience had gone beautifully, the children all thoroughly enjoyed and were so excited to paint their own bird. They enjoyed using the different materials and mediums to freely express themselves and creation. However, when we began creating a display for the birds what didn’t go as expected was the children started to input their own ideas on how they wanted to see the birds in our class. The children said they wanted their birds to be flying like the birds they could see outside.

We collaborated ideas and discussions about what we all wanted to see, it was agreed upon all of the birds should be up in the sky. We found some fishing wire to connect the birds to hang on some hooks on the ceiling, the children all enjoyed this new display; proudly showing their parents their creation.

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What would you do differently next time?

Next time, I would like to ask the children more questions of what they would like to see from the freedom of expression. In this experience, the children were able to use drama to express themselves through art. However, once the experience was finished, I seemed to have disregarded the children’s right in deciding what they would like to do with their art.

I would like to ask the children next time and see what they would like to do and the ideas they come up with to dramatically express themselves throughout our studio…Because the children’s idea of having the birds flying in the room was a lot more exciting than what I had first come up with.

How might you use this growth in future teaching?

This experience has allowed me to acknowledge that dramatic/imaginary play and freedom of expression does not stop once an activity is over, and it doesn’t finish when I think it’s done. The experience isn’t finished until children say that it is.

This activity has also allowed me to recognise the voice of the child, allowing them the right to collaborate ideas regarding an experience.

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My Initial idea for this experience, was that the children would be able to partake in a dreamtime story and then expand their understanding on the story by re-creating and expressing themselves through art.

The children had shown much interest with the sounds the birds were making, that I wanted to be able to allow them to freely express themselves and maybe even recreate what they could hear through their own imagination and their eyes.

By giving the children their own bird to create and loose part mediums that they could use to express themselves with rather than using a paintbrush; the children were able to create and transform their very own image of what they heard.

Through my imagination of how this experience would go and the linking the unit material reading: Let’s play outside (Lark Wallin, 2019).

I had envisioned this experience would be able to allow children to extend on the creativity, imagination, intensiveness, problem-solving, coordination, and cognitive development.

Something that really stuck out to me through this reading was creating an open ended inclusive environment, (Lark Wallin, 2019). Using loose materials create A new opportunity for children to consider imaginative ways of learning into their play. I knew this experience was different from the usual dramatic place scenario of children engaging in make believe play, however I believe this art experience would allow children to express themselves and create imaginative pieces.

Reflecting on once this experience had finished, the children used their creative thinking to even discuss about the possibility of getting the birds to hang off some string, so it might look like they are flying across the room, especially on windy days. This creative thought that the children had formed demonstrated that by using the freedom of expression children were able to develop and extend on social skills, confidence, understanding, interest and leadership skills (Lark Wallin, 2019).

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Canada, N. F. B. of. (2009). National Film Board of Canada. National Film Board of Canada. https://www.nfb.ca/

Children’s theatre company. (2020, May 2). - YouTube. Youtu.be. https://youtu.be/slBnlicFEA4?si=o7urUvwzPeMMwepw

Lark Wallin, M. (2019, June). The Importance of Pretend Play in Natural Settings. Www.communityplaythings.com. https://www.communityplaythings.com/resources/articles/the-importance-of-pretend-play-in-natural-settings#:~:text=When%20children%20are%20given%20the%20time%20and%20space%20to%20play

The Earthbody Institute . (2017, March 26). Movement in the Wild: Nature as Dance Partner - The Earthbody Institute. The Earthbody Institute . https://www.theearthbodyinstitute.com/2017/03/movement-in-the-wild-nature-as-dance-partner/

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https://drive.google.com/file/d/1aGaD4S6Wkoock1qsU2Oya7yrqqKGOdLN/view?usp=share_link