Tag: Trajectory

Pollution

  • Key idea: Human activity affects air quality and water quality – .g. Identifying vehicle soot on street signs, Involving the children in litter picking activities. (UC1.5)

Title:  Living Green and the Smoke
Author: Florian Bushy
Illustrator: Florian Bushy
Publisher:  ‎‎ Independently published
Publication Date:  2022
ISBN:‎ 979-8408393039

A story about air pollution, global warming and teamwork.

Emergent learning:

It is important that we don’t just talk about this topic we do something about it. We clean things up together, we take pride in doing it and celebrate our own, and the achievements of others in this area. We must show the children that we care. Children all over the world will be engaged in sustainable projects on Earth Day. Below you will find a link to the Earth day website and if you are planning a project you can post details on the site so that children around the world can see what you are doing.  This is important, if children learn about the efforts being made by children in other countries it will help foster co-operation and undermine prejudices.  It requires international co-operation and collaboration to solve the problems of climate change.  In cities in many countries there are air quality monitoring systems to warn the public of the dangers to health, and in teaching our children about these common problems and experiences and our efforts to solve them, we contribute towards the development of a more collaborative world in the future.  Our treatment of problems that are concerned with our Social and Cultural Environment require a similar approach to the natural environment.  

Activity recommendation:

Wiping a roadside street sign with a white cloth will identify the effects of vehicle exhausts which can also be observed from tailpipes, and engaging thechildren in filtering dirty water in tissues will show the particulates. Activities associated with hygiene and hand washing are relevant. If you put celery in coloured water this can demonstrate how pollution affects plants. The colour traveling up the stalk provides an illustration for the effect of a pollutant. Children can be engaged in street, countryside and beach Litter Picking activities. Where these involve the wider community the children learn more about solidarity and civic responsibility as well. Visits to public waste and recycling centres may be instructive

Other book recommendations:

Title:  A Story of Chimneys
Author: Liu Xugong
Illustrator:
Publisher:  ‎‎‎ Hebei Education Press
Publication Date:  2021
ISBN:‎ 978-7554567395

A Chinese Text about the pollution created by power plant and factories.

https://www.books.com.tw/products/0010817298

Transportation

  • Key idea: There are different forms of transportation – e.g. Producing a tally of the forms of transport used by children and staff, identifying more sustainable alternatives (UC6.5)

Title:  Miss Leoparda
Author: Natalia Shaloshvili
Translator: Lena Traer
Publisher:  ‎Enchanted Lion Books
Publication Date:  2024
ISBN:‎ 978-1592704125

“An ecologically minded book about a bus-loving, tree-loving, leopard”.

Emergent learning:

It might be assumed that sustainable transportation is too difficult a concept for young children to understand. But they can learn about different forms of transportation, and they can learn about sharing, and about waste, so from an emergent curriculum perspective, we provide children with the knowledge and experiences that they will be able to pull together later in their minds, to make the concept meaningful.

We can observe the progression young children make in their learning and development when we look at the increasingly sophisticated activities that they engage in during their free play.  Piaget called these activities ‘sensory motor schemes’, and there have been many books written about how adults can encourage and develop them further.  

Transportation has been identified as a particularly common scheme that children discover and find fascinating in their play. We provide more explore the idea of schemes further on our online page.

Activity recommendation:

One of the earliest Schemes that you will see children aged 2 to 4 spontaneously playing is “Containing” they often spend extended periods of time putting things into containers and then taking (dropping or pouring) them out again. If you give them the opportunity they will put themselves into containers too.  It’s a fascinating new accomplishment for them.  Another very early scheme involves following ‘Trajectories’ – This may involve throwing or dropping things, rolling things along the floor or drawing/painting lines.  When these two schemes come together in a child’s pre-verbal conception of ‘Transporting’, it involves them putting things into a container and transporting it across a trajectory.  They may be using a shopping bag, a baby stroller, a wheelbarrow or a toy truck, but once discovered, they find this combined scheme fascinating, and educators who observe the scheme can support the learning by giving them ever more varied resources to transport and to transport things in.  Most young children can be observed taking this strong interest in transporting at some point in their free play between the ages of three and five, and this provides us with an especially rich opportunity to talk about sustainable and efficient transport alternatives and about sharing public transport.

A child’s ‘Rotation’ scheme, often evident in their fascination with wheels provides another  way into the transportation topic.

Other book recommendations:

Reducing Waste through Giving and Sharing

Title: The Doorbell Rang
Author: Pat Hutchins
Illustrator:
Publisher:  Greenwillow
Publication Date:  2086
ISBN:  ‎ ‎ 978-0688052522

A fun book about sharing and friendship that also supports emergent numeracy.

Emergent learning:

The economic benefits of sharing are obvious, and if we are no longer using something it costs us nothing to give it to someone who will use it.  There are also many social and emotional learning benefits that can be gained through children sharing, they learn to build and maintain friendships, they develop patience and empathy, how to cooperate, and how to manage their emotions. 

Preschools often organise toy and book sharing libraries and the best of these projects involve the children at every stage of their planning and execution.  Extensions of this involve the sharing of outgrown school uniforms, children’s clothing, and car sharing in the transportation to and from the preschool.  All of these things can operate at any level, between individual families or whole communities.

Activity recommendation:

When we are working with children in fund raising for good causes, as adults it is important for us to recognize that there can sometimes be a downside to giving simple charity: At its worse it can encourage false notions of superiority in the donors, and of dependence for recipients.  One of the best ways to avoid that is to encourage exchange, to provide practical rather than financial support, or to provide groups or individuals with reduced interest or interest free loans that support their own efforts. This way we can empower individuals and groups to become more self reliant and sustainable. Examples include the development of mutual aid projects, community gardens, and micro-finance initiatives.
The OMEP-UK Early Childhood Education for Sustainable Citizenship Award: A Call for Partnerships – John Siraj-Blatchford – OMEP
Global Partnership Strategy for early c…od, 2021-2030 – UNESCO Digital Library

Other Book Recommendations: 

Recommendation reason:

Reducing Waste through Repairing

Title: The House Full of Stuff
Author: Emily Rand
Illustrator: Emily Rand
Publisher:  Tate Publishing
Publication Date:  2019
ISBN:  ‎ 978-1849766623

A boy befriends a neighbour who loves collecting useful junk that he uses to fix and mend things with.

Emergent learning:

Sustainable consumption requires the use and purchase of products and services that minimise the impact on the environment.  As we make these decisions as adults we can share our successes and frustrations with our children so that they become critical sustainable consumers themselves in the future. To do this we need to share and review product information.

One of the things we are up against is ‘planned obsolescence’.  As informed consumers we can exert our purchase power to discourage manufacturers  building in  early obsolescence,  and we can campaign for more sustainable alternatives.  Products are sometimes deliberately designed to have a limited lifespan to encourage us to make repeat purchases, but this can only increase a producers profits if we continue to buy the products.   Examples include the design of products that make repairs difficult or impossible,  the release of software updates that reduce the speed or functionality of older devices, and the ‘smart chips’ introduced into ink cartridges to prevent their use after a certain period or page count.

Activity recommendation:

In our preschools and at home we can share the task of making repairs – to our story books , toys and resources with the children, and we can draw their attention to the work of caretakers and other maintenance staff who care for our shared buildings, furnishings and fittings.

Popular TV series such as The Repair Shop have encouraged the development of a wide range of community repair ‘cafes’ networks and services where volunteers take pride in bringing things back to life.  Community repair projects are increasingly creating welcoming spaces to bring people together, share skills and do something positive and practical together that feels really worthwhile and good!
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08l581p

Other Book Recommendations: 

Recommendation reason:

Reducing Waste through Reusing

  • Key idea: There are better ways to deal with things that you no longer need – e.g. Involve the children in Recycling, Upcycling, Reuse, Repair, Giving and Sharing activities.
  • Key idea: Sustainable waste practices aim to keep materials in use for as long as possible – e.g. Teach children to reuse things instead of always trying to buy new items.  Second-hand swop shops for books, coats, boots, toys.  Donating outgrown clothes to others or to charities. (UC6.7)

Title: The Tale of a Toothbrush: A Story of Plastic in our Oceans
Author: M. Leonard
Illustrator: Daniel Rieley
Publisher: Walker Books
Publication Date: 2020
ISBN:  978-1406391817

What happens to all our toothbrushes when they’re no longer needed? What can we do about it? What happens to other forms of Plastic Pollution?

Emergent learning:

When an item is ‘Reused’ it often doesn’t change its original form or use – as is the case of items that are upcycled or recycled.  Reuse aims to extend an unwanted products life. Often this entails finding an alternative user for items such as scrap paper, packaging, furniture or clothing. 

Disposal is the opposite of reuse, and children can learn to recognise, and even campaign against the use of disposable products such as gift wrappings, plastic cups and cutlery, paper towels and dishcloths. Many of the alternatives such as Furoshiki Wrapping Cloths, the use of your own chop sticks or multi-use drink containers are recognised as increasingly fashionable, and they make a personal statement of good taste and values.

Activity recommendation:

Children can be involved in reusing kitchen cans and jars for storage, cutting up old fabrics for cleaning, or using coffee grounds as fertilizer. Another valuable activity is to involve them in surveying your waste. Randomly emptying and sorting out the contents of your waste bin to see what might be reduced, reused, and recycled.   An old toothbrush might, in the process, find a new life as a dolls hairbrush, for shoe cleaning or even as a paint brush.

Other Book recommendations: 

Recommendation reason:

Reducing Waste through Recycling and Upcycling

  • Key idea: There are better ways to deal with things that you no longer need – e.g. Involve the children in Recycling, Upcycling,  Reuse, Repair,Ggiving, and Sharing activities. (UC5.2)
  • Key idea: Taking climate action is urgent – e.g. Invite community leaders into the preschool to explain their climate actions. Create real or pretend sustainable bazaars, action plans, silent marches, etc

Title:  Precious Waste
Author: Neil Griffiths
Illustrator: Annette Louden
Publisher:  ‎ Red Robin Books
Publication Date: 2016
ISBN: ‎ 978-1904949152

“Refuse collector Ryan goes on a mission to change the mindset of the locals about recycling their rubbish and waste”.

Emergent learning:

Recycling is all about conserving the materials something is made from, so that it can be used to make something new.

Upcycling is completely different from recycling. It is all about taking an item that would otherwise be waste and improving it in some way to make it useful again.  A plastic bottle, for example, can be transformed into a face visor for a space suit, a plant pot, a watering can, or a bird feeder.  Upcycling is highly creative, and the only limits are our imagination and our skills.  

Recycling activities encourage economy and as they involve the children in sorting, this helps them develop their early number skills. They also learn about materials which is valuable in terms of early learning in science and design and technology.

Activity recommendation:

Upcyling activities support and encourage children’s creativity. A simple bird feeder may be improvised using a plastic bottle cut with feed holes and sticks positioned to provide a perch. Having introduced the basic idea children can be encouraged to observe their feeder in action and develop modifications for improvement. The choice of food itself is also a ‘food design and technology’ activity, and

We often use Upcyling examples from the preschools of poor countries because they provide powerful illustrations of clever and creative innovations that children can learn to respect and admire.  One popular example is the “Tippy Tap” often found in rural preschools in Africa where there is no piped running water for toilets and sanitation.  To make your own, all you need is a plastic (e.g. milk/squash) bottle that you suspend with string from its handle, another string is tied between a stick on the ground and the spout so that when you put your foot on the ‘pedal’ it pours the water.  You will see a picture on our web page and you will find it’s a good way of conserving water and providing hygiene in your garden and other outside play areas.

Other Book recommendations:

Needs and Wants

Key idea: Resources are essential and at the same time scarce – e.g. Identifying the difference between needs and wants and the importance of sharing (UC5.1).
Key idea: Material possessions do not bring a lifetime of happiness – e.g.  Making lists of needs and wants, learning about over-consumption.  Playing with upcycled, and recycled toys and materials (UC6.3).

Title:  I like Bees, I don’t like Honey!
Author: Sam Bishop
Illustrator: Fiona Lumbers
Publisher:  ‎Faber & Faber
Publication Date:  2017
ISBN: ‎ 978-0571334193

Encourages children to gain confidence in expressing their feelings, talking about individuality and respect for differences.
 

Emergent learning:

It is crucially important for us to support our children in differentiating between their Needs, and their Wants and Desires. 

Nature demands that all living creatures economise. People often think of the word ECONOMY as a noun, the news reports are constantly worrying us about the state of the economy and our national wealth.  But ECONOMY is much more importantly a verb – it is something we have to DO – nature demands that all living creatures must economise.  Whether we are human, fish, animal or plant, if we consume all our nourishment, if we destroy our environment – we will perish.  Humanity has infinite wants and desires, but we have finite resources, there are limitations to food, clean air, water, and energy.

Activity recommendation:

Around the World, parents and early childhood educators often talk about the 6 – 9  R’s of sustainable economy: Reduce (use less), Refuse (if you have had enough), Repair (rather than Replace with new), Reuse, Repurpose and Recycle . Sometimes another R – to Rethink (outside the box) is included and Rot may also be included in recognition that composing is so important, and land fill waste disposal so damaging.  These R’s of sustainability provide us with a checklist of crucially important activities that we can draw our children’s attention to, and engage with them in carrying out.

In extension to this we can usefully take the opportunity, when appropriate, to critically differentiate between what is often seen as the self-evident relationship between Technology and Progress:

Which is …the best Technology?

An aircraft that knocked 200 minutes off the time it took to transport 100 people from London to New York (Cost: £20 Million+)?

…Or a bicycle that knocked 200 minutes off the time it took to transport a day’s supply of clean water to a village (Cost: £40)?

Ref. Siraj-Blatchford, J (2008) The implications of early understandings of inequality, science and technology for the development of sustainable societies Samuelsson, I and Kaga, Y (Eds), The contribution of early childhood education to a sustainable society. Paris: UNESCO

Book recommendation:

Celebrating Sustainable Progress

  • Key idea: Human actions have long-lasting positive as well as negative impacts – e.g. Celebrating past actions such as when all the countries came together and agreed to tackle climate change, and local actions such as the day solar panels were installed on the public library (UC4.3).

Title:  Green Green: A Community Gardening Story
Author: Marie & Baldev Lamba
Illustrator: Sonia Sanchez
Publisher:  Macmillan Pub.
Publication Date: 2022
ISBN: ‎ 978-1250858535

Children inspire the community to join together and build a garden for everyone to share in the middle of the city.

Emergent learning:

Education for sustainable citizenship is all about supporting your child in seeing themselves as a responsible member of the community, its about supporting them in adopting a positive self identity as a citizen. It is all to easy to focus on the limitations and mistakes of local government and to take achievements for granted. Having a voice and a vote is itself worthy of celebration, and it is important to remember that even the smallest sustainable developments today may provide the foundations for greater progress in the future.

If we are to encourage our children to become sustainable citizens them we must show them the pride that we take in the progress that is being made (however modest it may currently be) in all of our communities. So when you are out and about with your child, point out and celebrate your neighbours and community use of renewable energies, conservation and environmental protection, the evidence of recycling, most importantly the evidence that people CARE.

Activity recommendation:

Every year the United Nations create focused days of action and celebration for a wider range of themes associated with Climate Change, Biodiversity, and Sustainable Development. You can plan your own community activity in schools, preschools or at home. Most of the UN dedicated pages provide a means by which these activities can be shared and celebrated around the world. In September on the 20th there is “World Clean Up day”. 16th October is “World Food Day”, and 26th November “World Sustainable Transport Day”.  You will find a page providing the full list of UN on our web page. https://www.un.org/en/observances/list-days-weeks
 

Other Book recommendations:

Helping Each Other

  • Key idea: Climate effects different groups in different ways – e.g. encouraging support and empathy for different groups such as the elderly, those in more vulnerable environments locally and abroad.
  • Key idea: Who we are, and the circumstances that we live in, can create more negative experiences – e.g. encouraging support and empathy for groups and individuals treated unfairly.

Title:  Whoever You Are
Author: Mem Fox
Illustrator: Leslie Staub
Publisher:  ‎:Houghton Mifflin
Publication Date: 2017
ISBN: ‎ 978-1328895813

“Although children around the world may look different, speak different languages, and live in different places, their hearts are the same. They all laugh, cry, and feel love just like us”.

Emergent learning:

In the context of education for sustainability the first key idea here is that Climate effects different groups in different ways. Who we are, and the circumstances that we live in, can create especially  negative experiences. Human interdependence is an ecological fact of nature, we all depend upon each other, we depend on our family, neighbours, and climate change has shown us now better than ever before how we all depend on everyone else around the world.  Yet competitive national, cultural and ethnic divisions often get in the way of us co-operating and collaborating properly to achieve peace and prosperity for everyone. 

But scientific evidence has repeatedly shown that there is more diversity within human populations and groups than there is between these groups.  Humanity isn’t divided into distinct biological ‘races’, and even gender might be considered more of a continuous, rather than a categorical variable. The physical differences between us provide complementary talents and capabilities.  

The latest research demonstrates the rich neurodiversity that we all share.  We may all be unique individuals and different, but in other respects we are all the same and we are equal.  It is social and cultural prejudices and fear that create barriers to our natural instincts to provide cooperation and mutual support, and for the sake of Peace and Sustainability education these false narratives must be countered from an early age.

Activity recommendation:

Being able to care for others and offer comfort, empathy is an important ability that children can begin to develop in their early years. Some excellent guidance is available to educators and parents:
https://birthto5matters.org.uk/inclusive-practice-and-equalities/
https://www.naeyc.org/resources/pubs/yc/nov2019/understanding-anti-bias

See also:
Siraj-Blatchford, J. (2018) Peace Education and Sustainability, Montessori International, Spring
Siraj-Blatchford, J (2008) The implications of early understandings of inequality, science and technology for the development of sustainable societies in Samuelsson, I and Kaga, Y (Eds), The Contribution of Early Childhood Education to a Sustainable Society. Paris: UNESCO

Other Book Recommendations:

Information and Disinformation

  • Key idea: We learn from many different information sources – e.g. Support the child in their critical awareness of the adult world: Consider teaching them, for example, if they are ever lost, that they should ask another parent with a child for help, and that they should give them their full name.

Title:  Little Red Riding Hood
Author: Susanna Davidson
Illustrator: Mike Gordon
Publisher:  ‎ Usborne Picture Books
Publication Date: 2012
ISBN: ‎ 978-1409551690

Children enjoy finding out how Little Red Riding Hood outwitted the Wolf, in this quirky retelling of the classic fairy tale.

Emergent learning:

Children are never too young to begin learning about information and disinformation, they are never too young to be critical thinkers. In fact this is considered a priority for most parents when they think of the dangers of their child blindly trusting other adults. In the UK we have ‘Stranger Danger’ campaigns that have been developed to alert children of the potential dangers of interacting with adults that are not recognised. Campaigns are increasing concerned to prepare children to say “No!” to any adult potential abuser.

Little Red Riding Hood is a traditional European story that dates back to the 17th Century and it provides a moral tale of a small girl that is at risk of being fooled by a big nasty Wolf.  Children usually love the thrill and excitement of the story and take great pride in recognising that they themselves would not be so foolish to believe what the Wolf is telling them.

Moral stories have a role in helping children safely explore their fears and concerns, they help them learn about truth and honesty, and right and wrong.

Activity recommendation:

After finishing the story, you might invite your child to think a little deeper by asking: “If you were Little Red Riding Hood, would you believe what the Big Bad Wolf was saying?” A simple question like this can help children engage more with the story and also practice thinking critically.

A wider practical point to be made here is that we need to recognise that the sharing of some experiences, and picture story books might be counter productive unless they are  backed up by activities that involve the child in contributing to solutions, that counter fear and feelings of despair, and encourage optimism.  A good example of a book that could be a problem if not presented appropriately in this way is Lonely Polar Bear (Happy Fox Books) by  Khoa Lee, which is all about the dangers of the melting polar ice caps. Contrast this with How To Help A Hedgehog And Protect A Polar Bear (Nosy Crow) by Jess French.

Title:  The Lonely Polar Bear
Author: Khoa Le
Illustrator:
Publisher:  ‎ Happy Fox Books
Publication Date: 2018
ISBN: ‎ ‎ 978-1641240161

“A little polar bear wakes up alone after a furious storm”.

Title:  How to Help a Hedgehog and Protect a Polar Bear
Author: Dr Jess French
Illustrator: Angela Keoghan
Publisher:  ‎ Nosy Crow Ltd
Publication Date:  2022
ISBN: ‎ ‎ 978-1788007078

“Learn how you can save endangered animals and make the world a better place, too!”

See also:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/z7sbbdm

Book recommendation: