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EDF2303 Assignment 1 --- Part 2 Justification

Introducti on
Currently, there are increasing calls for taking children outdoors as playing outdoors
provides a method of bringing curricula alive, and assist children to understand our
environment, also brings well-being benefits (Beams et al, 2012). There are
opportunities for each individual child to experience a sense of achievement and to
explore their particular interests and abilities while children are in the natural play-
space. Therefore, in my proposal, I chose the zone 3 for grade 2 children-- day
excursion in forest as my site to develop learning with integrating MEC and
sustainability concepts.
Justificati on of the zone & level
As some researches emphasis the unique of learning outside the traditional classroom
resemble forest environment and children have freedom to explore the ever-changing
environment and to take risks. Taking children into the forest gives children a direct,
intimate and tacit experience with natural world. Direct experience and personal
knowing can be a key motivating force for children when making decision about
sustainability and personalize the possibility of living sustainably in the future (Davis,
2010).
Basically, for grade 2s, this experience is learner-centered learning, children are
expected to focus on observation through different sensory to learn and personally
experience natural environment based on some prior knowledge, as a result, they have
high possibilities to obtain knowledge and understand sustainability.
Sustai nable education
Because of the rapidly growing number of people on the planet and the limited
amount of resources, it is clear for all of us, especially for children, need the
knowledge to understand these issues and have abilities to make decision and resolve
problems (Taylor et al, 2009) However, the key for promoting sustainable
development is education. Clearly, it is significant that education begins as early as
possible for individual in order to live in a more sustainable manner. In this practice,
children are able to identify sustainability within the ecosystem such as food chain
between animals and plants and what they could do sustainably in the daily life.
Otherwise, children will collect garbage and construct bird nests for sustainable
development.
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Unit of work li nking to AusVELS
English
Participating in-group work, promotes childrens reading and viewing,
interpret spoken and listening skills
Describing imaginary forest before setting off, engages childrens imaginative
and informative ability, also enhance capabilities to understand how texts are
made cohesively
Interpersonal development
Collaborating with peers in the group, help children identify roles and
diversities
Negotiating and making decision stimulate childrens communication skills in
verbal or non-verbal, and engage children to use language to express
themselves
Geography
Observing creeks, children identify how the water shapes the landscapes
Explaining to children how features of the landscape are altered by the process
of weathering and erosion
Science
Identifying and describing the structural features of living things, including
plants and animals
Identifying how these features operate together to form system that support
living things to survive in their environments
Describing human influences in the environment, which affect the survival of
living things
Design and creativity
Constructing bird nests, develop childrens creative and imaginative thinking,
and by collecting materials for constructing, children identify characteristics
and properties, and think why they are suitable for use in the products
Sharing ideas and equipment
Math
Children collecting and bringing some interesting stuffs, like leaves, provide
questions about describing and drawing dimensional shapes
Solving simple addition or division questions using the collections
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Worki ng with gui deli nes
Cross curriculum---as showed in the mind map, it is not only taking children outdoors
for play, but also integrating intended curriculum for childrens learning. Numerous
studies have found children prefer to play in the natural space where they can engage
in direct contact with natural objects, in this case, children are highly engaged and
motivated into learning (Malone, 2004).
Education for sustainability---no matter taking children outdoors or keeping them
inside, it is vital to teach children to live towards ways are more sustainable due to the
severe environmental issues. Constructing birds nests, collecting garbage in the forest
and bringing natural pieces back then making artwork, that all promote childrens
identities and understandings about sustainability. These sustainable actions will be
extended to childrens school environment even neighborhood environment, which
help children take responsibilities for the environment.
Learning through local landscape---through experiencing forest environment, children
have opportunities to learn how the creek being shaped and how a variety of living
things in the forest, including animals and plants share the lands. These new
knowledge stimulate childrens to think how the ecosystem work.
Harnessing students curiosity---Piaget stated, childrens curiosity starts born, and it
continues to be important throughout the developmental process and play a significant
role in achieving full potential (Engel, 2011). Especially in experiential nature context,
it is accessible for teachers to gather childrens curiosity with surrounding objects
through moving around.
Enabling students to take responsibilities---involving in various activities, children
learn to take roles and take care of each other, particularly in forest context.
Otherwise, by given awareness about sustainability, children will have the sense about
caring the environment, not only at this moment, also extend to school, neighborhood
environment.
Building community partnerships---as children have the basic needs and rights to
learn to their fullest potential within a safe and welcoming learning community
(Churchill, 2013). In this practice, children are divided into small groups and form
learning communities with peers and teachers to construct nests and collecting things.
Children have chances to freely communicate and share ideas in the group that aids
childrens learning.
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Administration and risk management---the new generation children is bubble-
wrapped, however, many risks are well worth taking because of their stimulating
effect on childrens development (Davis, 2010). Similarly, children will manage risks
to avoid experiencing hurt or lost during the excursion, or in the group, children need
to learn how to manage the emotional risk while negotiating with peers. Under
controllable risks, it seems be positive for childrens development.
Supervising people outdoors---it increases difficulties for teachers to supervise a
group of children in the forest than playground. Teachers need to manage students
primary needs in a positive manner, and try to gather all the potential risks then build
a solution scheme in advance. Each teacher will be charging a small group of children
as supervisor and co-learner.






















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Reference
Beames, S., Higgins, P., & Nicol, R., (2012). Introduction and overview. Learning outside
the classroom: theory and guidelines for practice. Retrieved from
http://readinglists.lib.monash.edu/items
Churchill, R., Ferguson, P., Godinho, P., Johnson, N., Keddie, A., Letts, W., Mackay, J.,
McGill, M., Moss, J., Nagel, M., Nicholson, P., & Vick, M. (2013). Teaching making
a difference (second edition). 42 McDougall St, Milton Qld, Australia: John Wiley &
Sons Australia.
Davis, J. M., (2010). Children in the natural world. In A. S. Elliot, Young children and
environment: early education for sustainability (43-75). Retrieved from
http://readinglists.lib.monash.edu/lists/99991CE4-450D-23E7-ACE0-
E2BE4D0DACF3.html
Engel, S., (2011). Childrens need to know: curiosity in schools. Harvard educational review,
81(4), 625-645. Retrieved from
http://www.metapress.com.ezproxy.lib.monash.edu.au/content/h054131316473115/fu
lltext.pdf
Littledyke, M., Taylor, N., & Eames, C., (2009). Why do we need to teach Education for
Sustainability at the primary level? Education for sustainability in the primary
curriculum. Retrieved from http://readinglists.lib.monash.edu/lists/99991CE4-450D-
23E7-ACE0-E2BE4D0DACF3.html
Malone, K., (2004). Holding environments: Creating Spaces to Support Childrens
Environmental Learning in the 21
st
Century. Australian Journal of Environmental
Education, 20(2), 53-64. Retrieved from
http://readinglists.lib.monash.edu/lists/99991CE4-450D-23E7-ACE0-
E2BE4D0DACF3.html

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Appendix 1.0
Activities will be held during excursion
Find out what kinds of animals and plants live in the forest
How they support or against each other
Investigate how their characteristics help them to survive
Learn how the water shapes the landscapes
How the forest influence the whole climate
How people interact with forest environment

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Appendix 2.0
Mind map