As we continue our inquiry into artifacts and the story these special objects tell, the children are developing their understanding that artifacts can come from all over the world and are often made to fit the environment they come from. This lead us to explore different parts of the world, both close and far, through an investigation into maps. To begin this investigation we asked children:
What do you know about maps?
Gabriel: It shows you each country.
Fifi: It shows you where to go.
Audrey: It shows you where you have to go if you get lost and you don’t know where to go.
Ollie: It takes you wherever you want.
Issie: It helps you go like to Paris, like a specific country.
Vader: It can tell you where the trains go.
Rafa: It tells you everywhere you need to go around the world.
Reuben: You spell map – M A P.
Coco: I shows you what to see and where to go.
June: It shows you where to go and guides you.
Teacher: What guides you?
June: The map. It guides you from where you’re going.
Art: It shows you where the landmarks are. Like Ulluaru and the Eiffel Tower.
Hazel: They show you where things are.
Teacher: Why do you think maps show where things are?
Hazel: Because if you want to see one, they show you where they are.
Artie: Because they think it’s cool to see.
Elliot: Because they are fun.
We set up a range of provocations around mapping. Children responded through drawing, writing and construction in order to share their knowledge and experiences.
Rhys: I’m drawing where I was in Brisbane.
Teacher: Why do you go to Brisbane?
Rhys: To see my grandparents. I saw two Tawny Frogmouths in a tree next to my grandparent’s house. My mum took a photo of them.
Teacher: Why do you think mum took a photo of them?
Rhys: Because they were so interesting.
Hazel H: I went to Sydney. My whole family came but my mum’s parents went first.
Teacher: Why did you go to Sydney?
Hazel: We had an anniversary and we had a family lunch. I went in November and I got a card there because I went on a tram.
Audrey: I went to Poppie’s in Mornington. (I went with) Finn, dad and mum and me. He lives there. Sometimes I go to the beach.
Artie: I went with half of my family (to Japan). I went to go to Nara and I went to lots of different hotels and motels.
Teacher: I notice you have written Japan, Team Labs. Can you tell me about that?
Artie: It’s where there’s water and plants and it teaches you things. At the entry of every room there’s a sign to tell you about it. And it’s one of those exhibitions where you can see everything. There’s a waterfall with real waterfall coming down that you can walk up. And there’s a room full of cushions and when you get to it you can sink into them. And my favourite bit was there’s a room full of water and there were fishes made out of light and they could follow you.
Hazel: I went to Sweden and I had a summer party. It’s when you have a sleepover with fun activities. I had it with my mum’s mum and dad because they live at Sweden. I was born at Sweden.
Chloe: It’s the vatican. The vatican is a big castle that has got a waterfall. When I first got there it was very hot and I got an ice cream. I think Italy was the funnest because I learnt how to jump in the pool and to swim. And my cousin was there. He’s called Elijah.
Isla: I’m on the airplane. Because my dad’s mum lives in Scotland and we’re going to see some salmon jumping in the river and lots of hares.
One provocation asked children if they could go anywhere in the world, where would it be?
Hattie: My grannie’s farm.
Teacher: What makes you say that?
Hattie: Because I really love my grandparents. They always let me go on the tractor whenever I want to. They also help me feed the animals. And they always give me lamb every night because that’s my favourite food to eat on Christmas. Because chr=istmas is a special time that we cook lamb.We kill lambs when they get so old and we sell them to the shop. Do you know if you buy lamb from the shop it might come from a farm because we actually kill and sell the lambs to the shop.
Spencer: I would go to Lorne. My grandma and grandpa live there.
April: I would go to Disneyland because it has lots of toys. My mum went to Disneyland but not my dad or my brother or me.
Teacher: When did mummy go to Disneyland?
April: A few weeks ago. She was meeting some friends from Sydney. She got my brother a jumper with a pikachu on it. And I got a dress with colourful squares on it and I got some lip balm. And we got a packet of cookies and some headbands.
Teacher: Why do you think mum brought you back some things from Disneyland?
April: Well, we said, bring back some stuff for us mum.
Teacher: Why did you ask mum that?
April: Well, because we thought they were fun.
Moving forward, we will share the children’s responses with our whole neighbourhood to find the common themes that run through the children’s experiences.