BIRAK

Educators in the Birak room believe that learning about

sustainability starts with everyday practice. Babies begin

by watching adults model these behaviours. They may

learn through song or rhyme as the adults verbalise what

they are doing. The key lies in ensuring that waste

minimisation is part of everyday life, so that our youngest

children grow up seeing these strategies as the norm.

One strategy that the educators in the Birak room have

been doing is re-using. Plastic drink bottles have been

turned into beautiful shakers, filled with objects such as lost

buttons, coloured sand, beads and Christmas baubles.

Cardboard boxes have also been introduced into the

environment for children to stack, hide things in and use in

other imaginative ways. When we reuse objects like this

we give value to discarded materials in order to reinvent

their uses and provide new opportunities for creativity and

communication.

As momentum around early childhood education for sustainability has built over the last decade, it has become evident that starting sustainability in early childhood is not only possible, but also necessary. I believe early childhood educators have a moral and ethical responsibility to promote lifelong learning towards sustainability beginning at birth.

Sue Elliot

REDUCE, REUSE AND RECYCLE Welcome to our last edition of our Green News for 2015. We would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. During the months of November and December the children have been busy exploring the concepts of Reducing, Reusing and Recycling. This topic helps children to learn about our impact on the environment and how we can positively impact climate change. We have noticed that children become really engaged in this topic, as they are able to actively make a difference both within the Centre and when they are at home, or out and about. This is a great time of year to explore this topic, as National Recycling Week is held in November. With Christmas coming up, there are lots of ways that we can minimize waste… be sure to check out Planet Arks suggestions later in the newsletter.

BUNURU

The Bunuru Room has addressed the ‘solid waste issue’ by embedding composting

into their routines. The children may not be thinking consciously about how they are

conserving the environment through their actions as they go about the business of

the day; however their understanding of the reasons for their actions is reinforced on

a daily basis through discussions with educators. Every afternoon tea time is a lesson

in what can be composted, and is beginning to be monitored by the children

themselves. They engaged with technology to research what can go into the

compost and what can go into the worm farm. They discussed how the compost

needs leaves as well as food scraps to break down and then extended this into a

gardening experience. This encouraged the children to foster respect for the

environment and understand the interdependence of living things.

The beauty of composting is that children can see the entire ‘recycling’ cycle. Food

scraps change from something ‘yucky’ into something that is pleasant to handle and

is good for the soil. Contrary to the ‘out of sight, out of mind’ philosophy, children

who compost become aware of organic waste as a potential resource rather than

just as something to be thrown away and forgotten.

Reducing the amount of paper towels used during handwashing times has also been

part of this project. Educators have shown children how they can effectively dry their

hands with only one paper towel, and have noticed that they have halved their

usage in the last couple of months.

Planet Ark has some great ideas

for recycling in your home during

the festive season. To see more

click on the link below.

http://12dos.planetark.org/

DJERAN Educators and children in the Djeran room have

explored ways of reusing items. Children have

learnt that when they reuse items it reduces the

amount of stuff they are throwing away.

Educators have also shown children that these

items still have value, and have provided

opportunities for children to think creatively.

As well as learning the importance of reusing

and recycling materials, when children engage

in junk modelling they all have the opportunity

to engage with the materials differently. This

experience caters for the inventor, the artist and

the play expert that is in each child.

MAKURU Finding inventive ways to reuse materials is not a new phenomenon in the Makuru

room. Throughout the year beautiful chandeliers have been made from recycled

bicycle tyres, play spaces have been made from car tyres and electrical cable

drums are used as tables. This project allowed educators to explicitly discuss the

reasons why it is important to reuse materials rather than throwing them away,

resulting in more landfill.

Of course these conversations are best had when the children are actively

engaged in reusing materials. Krystal found a pallet, and cut it into different

lengths. The children then turned this into a beautiful Christmas tree. Mathematical

concepts were also introduced during this activity. Krystal drew dots on the boards,

and encouraged children to count and match the dots on the supporting board,

and then hammer one nail into each dot.

Another conversation starter was when the children were encouraged to bring in

an old white item of clothing for tie dying. This allowed educators to start

conversations regarding how something old can be given new life and made

useful again.

These experiences taught children that some ‘rubbish’ can be made into different

things. Educators decided to introduce children to the concept of recycling, and

looked carefully at the recycling symbol. Educators helped children understand

that when items carrying this symbol are disposed of properly they can be made

into useful products as opposed to ending up in landfill.

My son Mason who is in the Makuru

room, learnt all about recycling

yesterday. All afternoon when he got

home and this morning he has been

going through the pantry looking to

see what kind of things can be

recycled.

:)

Regards,

Meagan Shanks

DJILBA

Reducing, Reusing and Recycling has been a great follow

up topic for the children in the Djilba room as they recently

visited Tamala Park and saw first-hand what landfill looks

like, and discussed ways to reduce waste while on this

excursion. Educators noticed that the children were very

interested in recycling, and to keep the momentum

Captain Clean Up was invited to visit the Djilba children.

During his ‘Binners are Winners’ performance Captain

Clean Up stressed the importance of ensuring that rubbish

is disposed of properly, and how to sort recyclable and

non-recyclable materials. As a result the children now

have become ‘recycling super-heros’ and have five

recycling bins, correctly sorting rubbish before placing it

into the bin. Table scraps are delivered to the worm farm

or compost bin at the end of each day. Children also

used a variety of items such as cardboard boxes and

tubes as construction materials in their play.

In discussions with educators children were able to clearly

state why we need to recycle, and how we can recycle.

Why do we recycle?

“To make it harder to fill the whole at Tamala Park”

“Help keep our safe”

“To keep our planet safe and clean”

How do we recycle?

Put rubbish in the right bin”

“Instead of putting it in the bin use it for something else”

“By re-using paper for drawing”

This project has empowered children to make positive

choices regarding the ways they dispose of rubbish, and

allowed them to make a real difference even at such a

young age.