Inspiration for this experience came from the soundscapes from Healesville video (Sound Art in Melbourne: Healesville Sanctuary Aboriginal Soundscape, 2015). I wanted the children to use natural materials to come up with their own musical soundscape.

Inviting children on an 'excursion' to the same place as I recorded my artefact, Sanatorium Lake in the Macedon ranges. The children will have the opportunity to explore the outdoors, listen to the sounds and collect materials that might mimic the sounds they hear or to create new sounds, sounds can be join together in collaborative music piece.

'I can hear a bird chirping' -Oliver

'The wind is loud, oh its gone, where did it go?' -Oliver

'Branches moving' -Maisy

I expected that the children would be able to point out clear up close sounds but was surprised when they were able to point out further sounds, feelings such as the sun on their back and smells like a nearby fire.

I think this experiences really engaged the children in the natural environment and gave them a new appreciation and perspective on natural materials and how they can be used in different ways.

Next time I would do this experience with a larger group of children, making the experience more in dept and allowing for more creative sounds joining in the music.

The children will discuss and demonstrate these movements as a group, play some nature inspired meditation music and perform these movements together. This experience is an opportunity for children to explore body movements through exploration, gain a deeper understanding of music and movement, build confidence and express themselves freely.(Dance Teaching Ideas, 2020)

While we were together at the lake, do you recall anything moving?

Can you remember some of the noises you heard while we were there, that might come from creatures that make movements?

'Yes, the birds, the big bird that flew across the water' - Oliver

'The trees and the wind' 'It was blowing loud and then slow remember' - Oliver

'Little hopping bird' - Maisy

Oliver- 'I have another one, The Kookaburra's laughing.'

Me - 'Great what do you think they look like while they are laughing?'

Me - 'What about the little hopping birds, what do you think they look like?'

Me - 'And the Heron soaring across the lake, what did that look like?' I demonstrated what I thought it looked like, and Oliver responded with 'I think it was more like gliding like this' he stretched out his arms and moved in a fast motion forward.

The children captured the movements of the animals and trees so well and in their own ways. Some movements changed as the children watched each other. Maisy tried to make the same movements as Oliver after watching how he did some of them.

'A dance' - Oliver

'A song' - Maisy

Would you like to do all the movements together and see how it turns out?

'Yes' - Oliver

Maisy was a little shy but was happy to participate if she could follow Oliver's lead.

I think this experience worked really well and I would like to include more children, such as small groups of 5 or 6 to see more creative responses to the task. Although there were moments of shyness while videoing, we built confidence through positive reinforcement, off camera there was a lot of fun being had. To further the children's learning i would have a more props to use in the dancing adding another element to the dancing.

The inspiration for this experience came from the Auslan Cranky bear video (“The Very Cranky Bear” Auslan Version, 2013). Not so much the Auslan sign language but the dramatic way she tells the story. The intention of the experience is for children to connect with nature, use their imagination and creative abilities to tell a compelling story in their own words.

Maisy talked about how she thought they were talking about us and showing us their true heart. Through the discussion we decided together that the birds were calling for their true love.

Oliver - When we get home can we do some painting for the story?

Me - What would you like to paint?

Oliver - The birds and the trees, where the bird lives.

Me- Yes you can that would add a nice element to the story.

Titi finds his true loves kiss

Once upon a time there was a bird named Titi he lived in a town with lots of trees, he wanted to find his true loves kiss (Maisy grabs her chest with both hands and tilts her head), Titi was flying high in the sky and a big owl came and took him on his ankle, Titi yelled loudly 'ahhhh' (Both children screamed loudly) as he was being pulled in the sky, the big owl dropped him and he broke his leg, he had to go to hospital, his doctor was a girl, her name was Tulu, she helped Titi get better, you will be ok she said, Titi fell in love with Tulu, he told her you are my true love. They kissed and lived together forever. (Oliver and Maisy get up dancing around with excitement)

Dance Teaching Ideas. (2020, June 7). Creative Dance for Early Childhood |. Dance Teaching Ideas. https://danceteachingideas.com/creative-dance-movement-for-toddlers/

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

Lake Cowal Bird Dance - Uncle Winnie (Winata Puru). (2020). Www.youtube.com. Retrieved March 13, 2023, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVDh_Qev-yc

Slater, O. (2020). Storying: A Reflection on Entanglements with Indigenous Australian Methodology. Cambridge Educational Research E-Journal, 7, 9–17. https://doi.org/10.17863/CAM.58324

Sound Art In Melbourne: Healesville Sanctuary Aboriginal Soundscape. (2015). Www.youtube.com. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-0mfMT8dAo

“The Very Cranky Bear” Auslan version. (2013). Www.youtube.com. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QsoglLzKtQ