Does Air Move Through Space Essay

Air is a particularly hard topic to explain to children as it cannot be seen. This learning experience aims for children to be challenged with questions such as ‘How do objects move through space?” and “How much space does air take?”. The learning experience is underpinned by the Early Years Learning Framework (DEEWR, 2009), and the socio-cultural perspectives of learning. The activities also relate themselves to the 5Es teaching and learning model suggested by Primary Connections (2008). As this activity requires the following of instructions and answering of questions, this learning experience is developmentally appropriate for those in the toddler-preschool age group as suggested by ACECQA (Australian Children’s Education & Care Authority,

We can see this in the balloon race activity. After they have observed how air works in the two previous activities, children are able to use their prior schemas to predict what may happen in the third activity. This time, increased interest in learning can be seen as children are active participants in the activity. This activity also allows them make predictions about what may happen which is also another central idea to outcome 4 of the EYLF (DEEWR, 2009, p. 35). By making predictions, children are also showing that they are expressing their ideas about the world around them and becoming effective communicators. By expressing their ideas about their world, children are that they are becoming effective communicators through verbal expressions, which is outlined in Outcome 5 of the EYLF (DEEWR, 2009, p. 40). By showing that they are effective communicators, children also show that they are feeling safe, secure and supported through their confident expression of ideas of their world. The importance of this is also outlined in Outcome 1 of the EYLF (DEEWR, 2009, p. 20). The balloon race can be seen as a way of exploratory play children bring their prior schemas of knowledge to explain new encounters which supports their skill development in observation, prediction, hypothesis, and interpretation (Campbell et al., 2015, p.