A sensory bin was set up in the classroom on a grass-textured carpet. The bin contained a variety of colourful materials, including feathers, scoops, stones, ribbons, and cups. This environment invited open-ended exploration and hands-on discovery.
The Learning
From the start, Child A was immediately drawn to the feathers. He picked one up, raised it high, and released it. As the feather slowly floated down, Child A smiled with delight. When asked why he was happy, he responded excitedly, “It is flying!”
Curious to share his discovery, Child A picked up another feather and exclaimed, “See? See?” With encouragement, the educator acknowledged his observation and asked, “Will the stone and ribbon fly too?” Child A paused, looking thoughtful, and replied, “I don’t know.”
Together, we explored this question. Child A dropped the ribbon and happily announced, “It is flying!” He then tested the stones. After releasing them and watching them fall straight to the ground, he noticed the difference. When the educator explained that the stone did not fly because it was heavy, Child A responded with understanding, saying, “Oh!”
Child A repeated the process several times, independently choosing different materials and observing how they moved. Through this repeated experimentation, he demonstrated curiosity, confidence, and persistence.
:The image of the child: A Mighty Learner and citizen
Child A demonstrated natural curiosity by asking questions, making predictions, and testing his ideas. He showed confidence in his ability to explore materials independently and make meaning from his experiences.
Through hands-on exploration, Child A engaged in inquiry by comparing materials and observing cause and effect. He experimented with gravity, movement, and weight through play.
Dispositions to Learning
Child A showed:
- I/We are playing/ playful– wondering whether other objects would fly
- I/We are seeking– repeating the experiment with different materials
- I/We are persisting– independently choosing materials and leading the exploration ad beginning to understand how weight affects movement
The open-ended sensory environment supported playful exploration, allowing Child A to construct knowledge through joyful discovery rather than direct instruction.
Possible Next Steps
- Introduce additional materials (paper, fabric, leaves, balls) to extend exploration of movement
- Explore outdoor investigations such as throwing objects into the air or observing birds
- Use simple language to introduce concepts like heavy, light, float, and fall
- Encourage drawing or storytelling about “flying” objects
