Reference no: EM132197677

Foster the holistic development and wellbeing of the child in early childhood

Simulated Task: Designing and Planning

Question 1

Science Experiences

Plan a science experience for preschool children (3 - 6 years) based on the following concept:
• Things that Fly (this will allow exploration of a wide range of bugs, birds, bats and their habitats or machines that fly -helicopters, planes, jets, etc.).
NOTE:This project is a planning exercise and you are not required to implement the experiences.

Activity 1: Plan the Learning Centre
• Develop a web plan on what might children already know about things that fly.Develop a web plan of questions that you could use with children to explore their existing knowledge
• Identify the specific learning outcomes and link to the Early Years Learning Framework, providing a rationale for your choices.
• List the resources you will use, including materials, reference books, stories, songs, IT, websites etc.
• Explain how the Learning Centre will be set-up e.g. table against wall to display posters, artificial grass on table, use book shelf to display resources like a diorama (you may like to draw a picture).
• Identify key vocabulary (words, phrases) you could use and questions you could ask to promote children's learning.

Document your response on the ‘Science Web Plan' and ‘Science Planning Experience' templates.

Activity 2: Plan for Teaching and Learning
• Describe a series of four related experiences/challenges/tasks for the children to undertake that complement the Learning Centre. Ensure the experiences relate to the concept being explored and provide a rationale for your choice.

Task 1 - Activity 1
What might children already know about things that fly?

Activity 2
Experience 1: Description and Teaching Strategies:
Experience 2: Description and Teaching Strategies:
Experience 3: Description and Teaching Strategies:
Experience 4: Description and Teaching Strategies:

Question 2

Designing the learning environment
To complete this task refer to your readings:
• Spaces: Room layout for 0-5 year olds.
• Theories and Theorists: Vygotsky.

You are required to design an indoor learning environment for infants and toddlers (0-24mths). Your layout should consider the developmental needs and reflect the theories of learning appropriate to the age group.

Activity 1: Design the indoor learning environment:
i. Sketch your room layout and design elements on A4 paper (you may use the template provided or one of your own).
ii. Link each key play space to the areas of development (physical, social, emotional, cognitive, language).
iii. On your room design/layout you need to identify the following:
• Paths and boundaries.
• Storage and display.
• Furniture.
• Open-ended, natural and found materials that will be considered to resource each space.
• Areas that encourage self-help and independence of children.
Document your plan on the ‘Learning Environment Design' template, or design your own.

Activity 2: Reflect on and evaluate your design:
• Provide a rationale for the play space design - for example comment on where play materials have been situated, the selection of play materials offered to the children, how have you arranged the environment to accommodate children's need for privacy, solitude and quiet? How have you organised the space for social interaction between 1-2 children and small groups of 4?
• What safety considerations (including emotional wellbeing) have been applied in the play environment? How do the spaces encourage self-help and independence of children? How does the plan promote children's sense of belonging and connectedness?
• Applying Vygotsky's theory, what spaces will facilitate the educator to scaffold children's learning?
• How will families be included in the environment? How could families contribute to the environment?

Activity 2

REFLECTION AND EVALUATION

Provide a rationale for the play space design - for example comment on where play materials have been situated, the selection of play materials offered to the children, how have you arranged the environment to accommodate children's need for privacy, solitude and quiet? How have you organised the space for social interaction between 1-2 children and small groups of 4?

What safety considerations (including emotional wellbeing) have been applied in the play environment? How do the spaces encourage self-help and independence of children? How does the plan promote children's sense of belonging and connectedness?

Applying Vygotsky's theory, what spaces will facilitate the educator to scaffold children's learning?

How will families be included in the environment? How could families contribute to the environment?

Embed sustainable practices in service operations

001 Exploring Nature and Sustainability with Children

Activity 1
To complete this task,refer to Chapter 9 of your textbook ‘The Big Picture' and refer to your readings:
• Helping children learn to love the Earth before we ask them to save it: Developmentally appropriate environmental education for young children.
• Nature Education in Preschool.

Exploring Natural Materials
"Without continuous hands-on experience, it is impossible for children to acquire a deep intuitive understanding of the natural world that is the foundation of sustainable development. A critical aspect of the present-day crisis in education is that children are becoming separated from daily experience of the natural world"- Robin C.Moore and Herb H. Wong cited in Dimensions Educational Research Foundation, (2005).
For this task you are required to conduct a small group experience (6-8 children) with children aged between 2-6years that engages them in exploring the natural environment using their senses. You may refer to the readings for ideas about types of suitable experiences. Consider also discussing with your colleagues.
Complete an experience plan priorto undertaking this experience. Your experience plan must be approved in writing by the Workplace Supervisor at least 24 hours prior to implementation. Your plan must include:
• A rationale for how the experience and goals support the children's development.
• Link to the EYLF.
• Consideration of how you will assess children's learning and development in this area.

Once you have implemented your plan, evaluate how the experience went and whether the goal was achieved. Reflect on your role in the experience and how you managed the group. Discuss with your Workplace Supervisor and use their feedback to assist you in developing a goal for your future professional development.

Activity 2
To complete this task, refer to Chapter 9 of your textbook ‘The Big Picture' and refer to your readings:
• Helping children learn to love the Earth before we ask them to save it: Developmentally appropriate environmental education for young children.
• Nature Education in Preschool.

Sustainability Explorers
This task requires you to implement a small group experience (6-8 children) with children aged between 2 - 6years encouraging them to engage in exploring the sustainable environment.
To complete this task, you will need to:
• Tell the children they are going to be environmental explorers. Talk to them about being an explorer - what does this mean?
• Discuss sustainable practices in the service and at home and how we can care for our environment e.g. recycling, not wasting water, and growing food etc.
• Record the children's responses on a large sheet of paper.
• Before you explore your service with the children you may like to provide clipboards for the children with pictures of what they might find (if age appropriate). You may use the template provided or develop one of your own. Or with younger children, you could use this template as a prompt for the whole group. You could give them some blank paper to draw what they have found. Refer to the reading for further ideas/examples for developing this experience.
• Guide the children to walk through the environment identifying the sustainable practices they see.
• Gather the children together to share what they have discovered. Refer to the list previously developed by the children - did they see all of these things? Add to the list.What things were not seen that you could work on together to change?
• Suggest a follow-up experience.

002 Sustainability in Practice

Activity 1
To complete this task,refer to (pp. 355 - 356) of your textbook ‘The Big Picture' and refer to your reading:
• Guide to the National Quality Standard - See Standard 3.3The service takes an active role in caring for its environment and contributes to a sustainable future.

Review of philosophy, policy and practices
This task requires you to access and review the services philosophy and sustainability policy. If your service does not have sustainability policy, use the Example Environmental Sustainability Policy (‘The Big Picture', pp. 355 - 356). In your review you will need to answer each of the following questions.

Philosophy and policies promoting sustainability:
• Does the policy reflect the service philosophy in terms of sustainability?
• How does the philosophy and policy promote sustainable practices in the immediate service environment and beyond and foster respect and care for the environment?
Service Practices and Sustainability:
• What practices are being implemented within the service that are consistent with the policy?
• Are there any practices discussed within the policy that are not currently being implemented within the service?
• What practices are being implemented within the service that are not consistent with the policy?
• How are children involved in the sustainable practices being implemented at the service?
• How has the service addressed any ethical issues in relation to sustainable practice, for example buying in bulk rather than shopping locally which may cost more, printing photographs for children's portfolios using costly ink/resources?
Feedback and Communication about Sustainability:
• How does the service share information and ideas with families and the community about sustainability?
• How does the service gain feedback, suggestions and ideas for change in regard to the sustainability policy?

Consider what you have found in your review of the service philosophy, policy and practices in regards to sustainability. Discuss your findings with your workplace supervisor and make recommendations for changes or updates to the philosophy, policy and/or practices.

Activity 2
To complete this task,refer to (pp. 355 - 356) of your textbook ‘The Big Picture' and refer to your reading:
• Guide to the National Quality Standard - See Standard 3.3 The service takes an active role in caring for its environment and contributes to a sustainable future.

Implementing Changes to Policy
For this activity you are required to develop an action plan to implement a change or update to the service Sustainability Policy based on your findings and recommendations from Activity 1.
Please Note: You do not need to actually implement this change or update but should provide a copy to your service for their information.

From your recommendations, choose one area of the policy that could be updated or changed to enhance environmental sustainability in the service. Provide a rationale for your chosen change/update.

Develop a brief action plan detailing the steps you would take to update the policy, including:
• The strategies you would use to involve and consult with children, families, colleagues and the community to change/update the policy.
• How you would implement the change within the policy and service.
• How you would inform others of the changes after the consultation process.
• At least two references and/or resources related to sustainability that can be used to inform the policy and practices in relation to your chosen area.

001 Defining Sustainability

Question 1 (1)
To complete this task, refer to (p. 350) and the Glossary of your textbook ‘The Big Picture'.

There is no one definition of sustainability however; Morrison-Saunders & Hodgson (2009) as cited in your text, suggest a number of principles of Sustainability.

Provide a definition for each of the principles of sustainability.

Principle
Ecological integrity and maintaining biological diversity.
Integrating environmental, social and economic considerations in decision making.
Non-renewable resources.
Precautionary behaviour.
Involving the community.
Continual improvement.
Equity for each generation, and between generations.
Democracy and governance.

Question 2 (2)
To complete this task, refer to (p. 10) of your reading:
• Guide to the National Quality Standard.

List the National Quality Standard that guides services in implementing sustainable practices.

Question 3 (3)
To complete this task, refer to (pp. 99 - 104) of your reading:
• Guide to the National Quality Standard.

What are the main elements of NQS 3.3?

002 Strategies for Sustainability

Question 1 (4)
To complete this task, refer to (p. 353) of your textbook ‘The Big Picture'.

List five organisational goals for sustainability.

Question 2 (5)
To complete this task, refer to your reading:
• Sustainable Practices.

a) According to the reading, what are some of the ways that services can embed sustainable practices within their operations?

b) According to the reading list six ways children can be supported to become environmentally responsible and show respect for the environment?

Question 3 (6-7)
To complete this task, refer to (pp. 351 - 352) of your textbook ‘The Big Picture'.

a) Provide an example of sustainable practices that may be implemented within each of the following areas within a children's service.

Service Practice
Administrative practices.
Use of utilities.
Purchasing.
Use of recycled materials.

b) How can the educator engage children to explore environmental sustainability through nature?

Question 4 (8)
To complete this task, refer to (p. 359) of your textbook ‘The Big Picture'.

Define the central focus of the Sustainability Curriculum Framework and why it is relevant to the Early Childhood setting.

Question 5 (9-10)
To complete this task, refer to your reading:
• Starting Early: Environmental Education During the Early Childhood Years

The following website may also assist you:

a) List the two premises that Wilson (2014) gives for the importance of environmental education in the early years.

Wilson, in her guidelines for an environmental education program, highlights the focus on ‘experiencing' versus ‘teaching'.
b) Define what this means for young children.

c) Using the ‘experiencing' approach to the children's environment, list three natural materials and three recycled materials that you could add to the indoor or outdoor environment and describe how the addition of the materials you have selected will support the child's understanding and respect for the natural environment.

003 Children and Nature

Question 1 (11-12)
To complete this task, refer to your reading:
• Nature Education in Preschool.

An emerging body of research shows the harmful effects of children's separation from nature and the benefits of strengthening those ties, by including nature in the curriculum.
a) In the table below list two ways children's development is being negatively affected because of their lack of connection with nature.

b) According to the reading, list three ways children's intellectual development benefits from increased time and space to play in the natural environment.
Question 2 (13)

This article highlights the need to approach an environmental program from a child's perspective rather than from an adult's perspective. Provide four reasons behind this statement in relation to cognitive development.

Question 3 (14)

Using the reading as a guide, develop a sustainability plan for
i. Energy use.
ii. Waste Management.
iii. Water usage.
Your plan will have three strategies that will focus on experiences, materials and the involvement/ contribution by the children, families, educators and the community.

004 Sustainability Goals

Question 1 (15)
To complete this task, refer to (pp. 353 - 356) of your textbook ‘The Big Picture'.

a) The example Environmental Sustainability Policy includes role-modelling as an educator strategy for sustainable practice. List three ways an educator could role model sustainable practice.

b) List four ways the children's service can meet their sustainability goals in relation to chemicals and reducing toxins.

005 Plan a Learning Experience

Question 1 (16)
To complete this task, refer to your readings:
• Belonging, Being and Becoming: The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia.
• Educators' Guide to the Early Years Learning Framework for Australia.
• Guide to the National Quality Standard.
• Guidelines for Planning.

Plan a hands-on learning experience with a group of preschool children to explore the natural environment and the interdependence between people, plants, animals and the land. Your focus should be on lifecycles, growth and change. Use the attached template tocomplete this task.

Attachment:- Assignment.rar