How I encountered and played with the materials ? by https://padlet.com/liqun_wu/k0j1if43isl7 My Digital Visual Journal en-us 2019-11-15 01:25:41 UTC 2025-04-07 20:52:35 UTC hello@padlet.com Engaging with clay liqun_wu https://padlet.com/liqun_wu/k0j1if43isl7/wish/411788242 Last Friday our teacher brought us some brown clay and white clay to the classroom for us to explore with this material. What is clay? 
It looks like a brown or white playdough. Clay is a finely-grained natural rock or soil material. It feels like a piece of mud as I played with mud and made mud balls in my childhood. Its plasticity make it flexible for us to shape it into different things.
When I picked up a piece of clay that our teacher left it on the floor in the middle of our room, the clay stick to the plastic bag and I have to try a bit of effort to tear it out. Then I pick up a wooden knife and tried to cut it smaller. “It is so hard to push my knife in.” I said to my teacher. “Yes, it resistant.” “I can’t imagine how the children can shape it. It is so hard for little hands.” I claimed. “Maybe you can add some water in and make it softer.” The teacher suggested. I put some water into my clay and it became a bit running and my hands getting dirty with the running clay. It took some time to knead it like mixing the dough until water absorbed evenly and turn into a softer clay. It is more manageable for little hands to work on it. 
]]> 2019-11-15 14:19:07 UTC https://padlet.com/liqun_wu/k0j1if43isl7/wish/411788242 Sweet memory liqun_wu https://padlet.com/liqun_wu/k0j1if43isl7/wish/411804837 I watched my dirty hands like this and my thought drifting to my childhood when I was playing with mud balls with my little playmates. My playmates and I often made mud balls then had competitions to see whose mud ball is stronger in a high school open yard while my parent working there. The mud that we played is finely grained and very sticky too. Maybe that is a sort of clay too I don’t know. In order to make my mud ball stronger, I coated it with sand, with tiny rocks, with charcoal trash that we get it from the school kitchen. It was great fun. That was absolutely fantastic memories for me. ]]> 2019-11-15 14:39:19 UTC https://padlet.com/liqun_wu/k0j1if43isl7/wish/411804837 Everyday life with clay--ceramic liqun_wu https://padlet.com/liqun_wu/k0j1if43isl7/wish/411815210 When I first thinking of this material –clay, I connected to something that I use every day in life. I know that my ceramic teapots, bowls, plates, mugs are all made out of clay. Or even my slow cooker is made of clay. After shaping the clay, it could be air-dried or we could put it into the kiln for firing until they getting hard and could not be changed again. 
Here is my tea set. I use them drinking tea everyday.]]> 2019-11-15 14:52:15 UTC https://padlet.com/liqun_wu/k0j1if43isl7/wish/411815210 Kiln liqun_wu https://padlet.com/liqun_wu/k0j1if43isl7/wish/411818696 Kiln is a type of large oven used for making clay objects hard after they have been shaped.]]> 2019-11-15 14:57:22 UTC https://padlet.com/liqun_wu/k0j1if43isl7/wish/411818696 My interest in clay and my clay man liqun_wu https://padlet.com/liqun_wu/k0j1if43isl7/wish/411819990 I saw artists making their creations in a clay studio on computer and I am very interested in it, especially making something with clay on a spinning plate. I think it is super fun and I wish I could play with it one day. Then I made a little man with a hat and a scarf with only my hands.]]> 2019-11-15 14:59:16 UTC https://padlet.com/liqun_wu/k0j1if43isl7/wish/411819990 Future planning & Inquiry liqun_wu https://padlet.com/liqun_wu/k0j1if43isl7/wish/411844362 I am thinking of in my future planning I would like to introduce this material—clay to my students as its plasticity offers great opportunities to develop children’s creation. It’s also a media to help children’s cognitive and language development as we telling stories about it and solve problems when we encounter some difficulties. Also children’s dispositions such as curiosity, persistence, resilience developed during the engaging with clay, we can also say it is a playing and learning process. 
On this Friday class I picked up a piece of dry clay and I can use it as a chalk, then after I wrote something on the table, the dry clay turned into dust, my teacher then said to me, “When the dust mix with water it turn back into clay, too.” Then I am thinking—how cool is that, it turn back to nature. So for me it means it is environment friendly. Then I am thinking of where this piece of clay belongs? It belong to somewhere in the earth. Should we take away the clay from there? Or should we give it back where it belongs? In respecting the land and the environment, I am wondering maybe we should give the things that belongs to that piece of land back.]]> 2019-11-15 15:31:18 UTC https://padlet.com/liqun_wu/k0j1if43isl7/wish/411844362 Engaing with light in class liqun_wu https://padlet.com/liqun_wu/k0j1if43isl7/wish/413795873 We had light inquiry and engaged with light at the last session. I put some items on the projector to see what is happening. I noticed that there were some shadows on the celling. I put a piece of cloth on the projector and I noticed that there is a same shape of shadow on the celling. Then I found a clear piece of plastic and noticed that there was a light shape of the plastic film.  I noticed that light is still able to go through this plastic film. So I picked up a marker and draw the sun on it. And I am surprise to found that I can see my drawing clearly on the film. It is very interesting. I reckon the children will surprise to see the shadow of her drawing on the ceiling or on the wall that is somewhere else. That is so much fun. Then I put a little fluffy ball in the middle of the sun and the light was blocked and we can see the shape of the tiny ball. It is so much fun and I think I would take this experience for children to play. ]]> 2019-11-20 03:17:43 UTC https://padlet.com/liqun_wu/k0j1if43isl7/wish/413795873 Making rainbow in the garden liqun_wu https://padlet.com/liqun_wu/k0j1if43isl7/wish/413796009 We had light inquiry and engaged with light at the last session. I put some items on the projector to see what is happening. I noticed that there were some shadows on the celling. I put a piece of cloth on the projector and I noticed that there is a same shape of shadow on the celling. Then I found a clear piece of plastic and noticed that there was a light shape of the plastic film.  I noticed that light is still able to go through this plastic film. So I picked up a marker and draw the sun on it. And I am surprise to found that I can see my drawing clearly on the film. It is very interesting. I reckon the children will surprise to see the shadow of her drawing on the ceiling or on the wall that is somewhere else. That is so much fun. 
These days were very sunny and I am still thinking of exploring the lights in different ways. Then an idea of making rainbow in the garden came out. Yes, I can do it for my children to play. I just turned on a hose and started to spay into the sunlight.“What are you doing Mummy?” my daughter asked me. “Wait and see.” I replied. At first I couldn’t see anything until I bent down and looked up to the spay. “Get down, can you see something now?” I asked my children to get down and find the rainbow. “Yeah, I see a rainbow.” Then she ran into the spay and tried to tough the rainbow. But she couldn’t get anything except water all over her head and body. They laughed and giggled and wanted to try again and again. I am thinking of after they had a lot of fun with the waterplay, maybe the little minds are thinking and questioning something I don’t know. 
]]> 2019-11-20 03:18:27 UTC https://padlet.com/liqun_wu/k0j1if43isl7/wish/413796009 Walking in the dark liqun_wu https://padlet.com/liqun_wu/k0j1if43isl7/wish/413797033 “listen with lights” for me it means I open up all my senses to see the light, feel the light, have emotions with the light. Let the light guide us to explore. Then I continue my light exploration journey with my little ones. When it is getting dark outside, I asked my children to go for a walk in my neighbourhood. I gave my son and my daughter each one a torch. They are so excited to see it’s so bright in the dark and started to look everything used their torches. They shook the torches, light went here and there very quickly. And light is able to travel as fast as you move. Then they pointed the torch to the sky and to the trees, “look, let’s see how far the light can travel?” Then my son turned the torch across the road and he told me his light can travel across the road. Then my daughter wanted her light to travel farther than her brother. “Mine is farther than yours.” She claimed. She tried her torch to light a bit further than her brother did. “I made a wolf.” My son said. I turned around and he is playing the light with his hand and there is a shadow on the ground looked like a head of a wolf. Then my daughter joined in the shadow play.]]> 2019-11-20 03:23:06 UTC https://padlet.com/liqun_wu/k0j1if43isl7/wish/413797033 Making shadow with hands liqun_wu https://padlet.com/liqun_wu/k0j1if43isl7/wish/413797892 2019-11-20 03:27:04 UTC https://padlet.com/liqun_wu/k0j1if43isl7/wish/413797892 Self inquiry liqun_wu https://padlet.com/liqun_wu/k0j1if43isl7/wish/413798239 With all the play experiences engaging with light, except having a lot of fun with the light play, children have some ideas of what light is and I think these experiences will arise children’s inquiry of some concepts about light. Light speed, the distance of light travels, light always travel straight. Where is shadow from and how it is formed? I think children can find their answers in their exploration. But my wondering is what is the role as a teacher? Is that offering the materials and setting up the experiences? Is that somewhere that students want us to help or intervene? Is that putting up a question and arise students’ curiosity and we searched for the answer together? Maybe it takes some time to explore and experiment? 
Also I will ask children about what is environemtal friendly light? What light is good for our health and what light did harm to our eyes? Maybe we may have a disscussion with children one day. ]]> 2019-11-20 03:28:38 UTC https://padlet.com/liqun_wu/k0j1if43isl7/wish/413798239 Paper History liqun_wu https://padlet.com/liqun_wu/k0j1if43isl7/wish/413804868 Paper is a thin nonwoven material traditionally made from a combination of milled plant and textile fibres. It is primarily used for writing, artwork, and packaging; it is commonly white. The first papermaking process was documented in China during the Eastern Han period (25–220 CE), traditionally attributed to the court official Cai Lun. During the 8th century, Chinese papermaking spread to the Islamic World, where pulp mills and paper mills were used for papermaking and money making. By the 11th century, papermaking was brought to Europe. By the 13th century, papermaking was refined with paper mills utilizing waterwheels in Spain. Later European improvements to the papermaking process came in the 19th century with the invention of wood-based papers.
During the Shang(1600–1050 BCE) and the Zhou (1050–256 BCE) dynasties of ancient China,  were ordinarily written on bone or bamboo (on tablets or on bamboo strips sewn and rolled together into scrolls), making them very heavy, awkward, and hard to transport.
]]> 2019-11-20 04:02:17 UTC https://padlet.com/liqun_wu/k0j1if43isl7/wish/413804868 bamboo books liqun_wu https://padlet.com/liqun_wu/k0j1if43isl7/wish/413848833 very heavy to carry from one place to the other and hard to store over time. The light material of silk was sometimes used as a recording medium, but was normally too expensive to consider. ]]> 2019-11-20 08:09:28 UTC https://padlet.com/liqun_wu/k0j1if43isl7/wish/413848833 ancient Chinese paper-making process liqun_wu https://padlet.com/liqun_wu/k0j1if43isl7/wish/413849535 The Han Dynasty Chinese court official Cai Lun (c. 50–121 CE) is credited as the inventor of a method of papermaking (inspired by wasps and bees) using rags and other plant fibers in 105 CE.  Below is the ancient Chinese paper-making process: 
1.     Cutting the bamboo, leaves
2.     Cleaning the materials.
3.     Soaking it in water to soften it.
4.      Steam it or boil it to make a mushy pulp.
5.      Mash it. 
6.      Mix it until it is creamy.
7.      Screen dipped in pulp and lift it up to dry. 
8.      Paper is pressed and dried. The paper was pressed to remove the water, then left to dry.
9.     Remove the dried paper from the screen. Then people can enjoy writing or drawing on it.
]]> 2019-11-20 08:12:01 UTC https://padlet.com/liqun_wu/k0j1if43isl7/wish/413849535 encounter with paper liqun_wu https://padlet.com/liqun_wu/k0j1if43isl7/wish/413851393 When I think of paper, it is the paper that we used as stationery, we write on it, we draw on it and we paint on it. I took it for granted that it is flat. It is easily been ripped. It is easily destroyed when it gets wet. I never think of making 3D paper craft with a very thin piece of paper. Then I googled paper artwork in class to see what people created with paper. Then I saw quite a lot of delicate 3D paper creations. That inspired me and gave me an idea of making something 3D with paper too. I took out a stack of white paper and the paper invited me to do a paper plane with it. Then I found paper is thin, light, easy carried and kept. Also it can be fold, ripped and can be folded as you desire. You can make what you like and create your own.]]> 2019-11-20 08:18:42 UTC https://padlet.com/liqun_wu/k0j1if43isl7/wish/413851393 Children''s 3D creation liqun_wu https://padlet.com/liqun_wu/k0j1if43isl7/wish/413852201 Later that afternoon I set up an experience for my little ones when they come back home from school. I put some paper on the table and some crayons and scissors to see what paper invite children to do? It turned out that my daughter made her own 3D rainbow. I think her idea was amazing. ]]> 2019-11-20 08:21:33 UTC https://padlet.com/liqun_wu/k0j1if43isl7/wish/413852201 Inquiry liqun_wu https://padlet.com/liqun_wu/k0j1if43isl7/wish/413915579 From this experience, I think children are very capable and creative, all we need to do is offering the materials like paper, scissors, crayons etc. and allow them to take time engaging with the material—paper. Then children were able to use their imagination to do their creations. Inspired by Reggio Emilia’s atelier, I really like the way children explore different kinds of materials freely in an art studio-atelier. “Atelier-- a place of research where imagination, rigor, experiment, creativity and expression interweave and complete one another” (Vea vecchi, Based Studio Practices in Early Childhood Settings, P18, View15,11,2019 ) Children engage and create what they like and discuss, share ideas and problem solved etc. Children’s ideas and interests shifts over time, teachers and educators need to deeply listen to what the children tell us. Listening should be open and sensitive to the need to listen and be listened to and the need to listen with all our senses, not just with our ears. (Rinaldi, 2011) 
As a pre-service teacher I am wondering how material like paper speak to our children and how I help children engage with it. As I noticed when we set up some experiences and children seemed not interested in them. They are not engaged with them. I think I need to do something about it and I discussed this with my teacher in class. We need to deeply listen to our children’s interest and needs (it includes that teachers read the signs and cues and emotions of the children with all our sensors not only just ears.)  “We may add something and take away something or move space to meet the interests or needs of the children if the experience is not working very well.” My teacher suggested. I totally agree with Justine’s suggestions and I think I need to modify the experiences very flexibly to better suit children’s needs.
]]> 2019-11-20 11:30:47 UTC https://padlet.com/liqun_wu/k0j1if43isl7/wish/413915579 Junk material liqun_wu https://padlet.com/liqun_wu/k0j1if43isl7/wish/413923901 When I see the word “Junk material” in early childhood education sector, my thoughts always connect it with sustainability. We tried to take good care of our mother earth and reuse resources as much as we can. We are trying to give “waste” a second life. We tried to incorporate this idea to our daily life and our future teaching experience as well. 
One man’s junk is another man’s treasure is a saying that is easily applied to the eclectic world of junk art. The wide range of variations that the found objects, discarded pieces are used for, form an interesting and long-lasting element of creativity that was born out of rebellion and a desire to demonstrate that art could be made out of anything. And by anything, this form of production literally means anything as it often employs materials that are for most of us considered as trash. (Widewallshttps://www.widewalls.ch/junk-art-history-artists-politics/ viewed 18,11,2019)
]]> 2019-11-20 11:54:44 UTC https://padlet.com/liqun_wu/k0j1if43isl7/wish/413923901 Encounter with Junk Material liqun_wu https://padlet.com/liqun_wu/k0j1if43isl7/wish/413926328 Encourter with junk, Hua and I made frogs out of the toilet rolls. It is very surprised for me that I found it so interesting and the frog looks fantastic.]]> 2019-11-20 12:02:11 UTC https://padlet.com/liqun_wu/k0j1if43isl7/wish/413926328 Beautiful memory of beautiful stuff liqun_wu https://padlet.com/liqun_wu/k0j1if43isl7/wish/413933881 With junk materials, I recalled my memories of making something from the junk material that usually people throw it away. Then I remembered that I made a container out of a beer can. It is so beautiful that you can’t even tell it was made of junk material.]]> 2019-11-20 12:24:54 UTC https://padlet.com/liqun_wu/k0j1if43isl7/wish/413933881 Early History of Junk Art liqun_wu https://padlet.com/liqun_wu/k0j1if43isl7/wish/413934550 In order to briefly describe the history of junk art we need to take a step back and mention its predecessor, found art as junk art is considered as a branch of a long-lasting tradition that was formed by the rebellious Dada movement and its most celebrated authors    Marcel Duchamp. Re-defining the idea of what art is, Duchamp as a pioneer of one of the most influential avant-garde movement and thoughts, proclaimed that art is the context and that it could be made out of manufactured objects that the author found himself. Referring to his work as ‘readymade’ Duchamp named a urinal a Fountain and so was the history of junk art born. Various authors of the 20th-century adopted Duchamp’s ideas, and we have a number of examples in a range of mix-media works that employed discarded and found pieces. Such is the case with the works of Man Ray and Francis Picabia, the collage works of Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque during the Synthetic Cubism phase, sculpture pieces of Vladimir Tatlin, known as the father of Russian Constructivism, the works of Jean Arp and of course the Arte Povera authors from Italy.  (Widewalls,https://www.widewalls.ch/junk-art-history-artists-politics/ viewed 18,11,2019)]]> 2019-11-20 12:27:09 UTC https://padlet.com/liqun_wu/k0j1if43isl7/wish/413934550 Loose part play experience liqun_wu https://padlet.com/liqun_wu/k0j1if43isl7/wish/413937036 Then I was thinking of how I may play with the junk loose materials then I took out some used chopsticks and some old newspapers, apple containers, cardboard pieces at home and also welcome my children to have a play. Then it turned out that my daughter made a creation with the used sticks. She is 4years old and doesn’t know the alphabets and what she created looked like letters or symbols. ]]> 2019-11-20 12:34:15 UTC https://padlet.com/liqun_wu/k0j1if43isl7/wish/413937036 Inquiry liqun_wu https://padlet.com/liqun_wu/k0j1if43isl7/wish/413938960 Children can do whatever they like used loose parts. When children play in a space or within a object, they experience in a unique way. They view it in terms of “affordances” rather than its common use. (Nicholson, S., "How Not To Cheat Children: The Theory of Loose Parts", Landscape Architecture, v62, p30-35,1971)
And loose parts offer great opportunities for children to use their imagination to create their new way of play. It is not teacher or adult-directed play, it is all about children’s interests and ideas and creations. With all of my experiences I am wondering as a pre-service teacher how can I engaging the children with junk materials or loose parts into children’s play. Maybe I might give out some topic and threads and let children choose what they want to do, what materials do they need and how can I help them? Or maybe I show my inquiry and let the children help me or give me some ideas? Or maybe I just provide these materials and let the children tell me?
]]> 2019-11-20 12:39:10 UTC https://padlet.com/liqun_wu/k0j1if43isl7/wish/413938960