All About Australia
Source/Author: Betty Gootson, Head of The Experiential School of Tampa Bay
February 03, 2017
Continuing the Junior Kindergartners’ journey across the continents, they learned about Australia this week. Students engaged in aboriginal and kuru art, painted Australian beetles and collaborated on the creation of a wattle tree, leaving them enthusiastic about learning more about the world around them.
To satisfy their thirst to know even more about this intriguing continent, the students were introduced to and explored the Barefoot Atlas app. After learning to navigate through places, landmarks and animals of interest, the children explored Australia, chose their favorite facts and documented them through representational drawing and dictation.
To teach them more about the the lands down under, Junior Kindergarten students and teachers were happy to welcome Barry Gardner, a native Fijian and uncle of Skyler S. Mr. Gardner shared some beautiful objects made of natural wood and plants from the island nation, taught the children a few Fijian words and read a story about the beautiful coral reefs and sealife native to his land. Many thanks to Mr. Gardner who captivated the children’s interests so well!