1. Julie Hill, Gemmah Wade and Holly Bowen-Sant.
“Environmental education for the early years should be based on a
sense of wonder and joy of discovery” (Wilson, 1996)
Bottle tops
Team 7
6. Recycled Materials
• Bottle tops
Additional resources provided to for children
Cardboard boxes, cereal boxes, egg cartons, pieces of flat
cardboard, glue, bits of paper, playdough and plasticine,
tape, collected natural object from the garden such as
leaves, sticks and nuts, large shapes made from cardboard
boxes, paper plates, old baby bath, straws, popsticks.
10. This quality area of the National Quality Standard focuses on the physical environment and ensuring that it is safe,
suitable and provides a rich and diverse range of experiences that promote children’s learning and development.
Safety issues:
Children may need to be reminded not to put in the mouth as it may pose a choking hazard.
Sharp parts on bottom rim may need to be filed down to avoid cuts.
Playing on non-slip mats indoors so the bottle tops do not spread all over the room and become a tips
hazard. Bins containing the bottle tops have been placed in the shade to allow children the opportunity
to spend long periods of time engaged without the exposure to the sun.
Additionally for babies and toddlers - The small bottle tops will not be available in the baby area as
they would be a choking hazard and will be closely supervised in the toddler area. Babies will be
provided with bottle tops that a large so they can explore without the choking hazard.
Where water is available children will be closely supervised and water levels will be adequate for
exploration and investigation but low enough not to be a danger for young children.
Maintenance: Can be reused in various activities, easily cleaned and rather difficult to break or
damage. Staff will regularly evaluate the use of the bottle tops in terms of their effectiveness in the
indoor and outdoor areas and make adjustments according to their judgments (additional resources
etc.).
Quality Area 3: Physical environment
11. Open-ended interactions:Epigenesis involves an environment that is flexible and manipulatable. It is
open to change and modification by the children’s processes of self learning. (Ceppi, G. & Zini, M. 2001.)
The use of bottle tops in a learning environment contributes to this ideas, as the possible uses and
activities are endless, and children are encouraged to be creative in their use of bottletops.
The provocation provides for a range of activities that promote learning in the mathematics, science,
creativity, problem solving, literacy and communication.
Quality Area 3: Physical environment
Narration involves the visibility and transparency of the children’s
processes of research and cognition, which can be achieved with
our provocation by displaying its childrens products in and around
the classroom. Children will be free to take their creations
between the indoor and outdoor environments to explore and
investigate their uses in a variety of ways.
12. Access- There is an abundance of bottle tops and recycling them would be great for the environment.
The bottle tops are provided in storage containers that can be accessed by all the children. They are
available to the children at low and medium heights to make it easy for all children to reach. The bottle
tops are placed in various locations to stimulate children thinking about how they can be used in and
with different objects and for different tasks.
Inclusive environment- All children can be involved in using bottle tops- does not require particular
skills. All homes have bottle tops so all the children will have the opportunity to contribute to the
collection of the bottle tops.
Community- Children might be encouraged to collect bottle tops for the learning environment at home
including family members and friends. Artworks made with the bottle tops can be display in the
centre/classroom and using photographs of the children at play can be inserted into learning stories so
children can share their experiences with their family and friends.
Quality Area 3: Physical environment
13. Quality Area 3: Physical environment
Space: May be used indoors or outdoors and depending on the activity has the potential of utilising a
small amount of space, or a large amount. Children can form small groups to play games or create
artworks etc.
Multisensory - Our provocation provides a rich stimulus with various colour, size and textures. The
creations of the children provide further stimulus of senses in the combination of the bottle tops with
other objects, combining hard and soft, big and small, smooth and rough. All of these are investigated
during the creating and the playing with the bottle tops.
Aesthetics- Varied shapes, size, colours and textures. Using collected bottle caps to create a whimsical
arts and crafts the rooms take on an aesthetic beauty with colours splashed across walls and tables.
14. Relationship between environmental sustainability
and learning environments
Sustainability is about the current and future challenges of maintaining and improving the
quality of the natural environment as well as understanding our responsibilities toward it,
our communities and our way of life now, and into the future.
Sustainable living requires not only scientific and technological solutions, but new social
solutions and alternatives that blend science, sociology, psychology, health, economics,
education, the arts and politics. (Davis. 2010)
People are now living in predominantly in cities. Environmental sustainability is about a
“human system of community, relationship to each other and to place, to ideas and to
actions, and these are slow to change” so it is important to introduce the issues of
environmental sustainability to children in the early years and school. (Clarke, 2012)
Children are human “beings”, not human “becomings” and as such are already environmental
stakeholders, who as both present and future citizens are affected by environmental
decision making and have the right to be involved in it. Not only can young children learn
about environmental issues’ they can and do take action to change their behaviours in both
educational and home settings. (Davis. 2010).
15. Environmental education focuses on interactions and relationships between people and the
effects on the environment and its functioning. It requires a deep understanding of
ourselves, neighbours, societal and cultural processes and how we are connected with the
ecological systems for life. It is based on the principles of critical inquiry, empowerment,
participation, democratic decision making and taking action. (Davis. 2010)
Introducing young children to these issues will start the journey to what might be a “more
sustainable future.” (Clarke, 2012) It is in the Early Childhood Years that the foundations
are laid for the development of environmentally responsible adults and the learning
environments should encourage such responsibility. (Davis and Elliott, 2004)
In these modern times of cities we have removed some of the basic life sources - food.
There are no places where families grow food and in losing this we have lost the life that
comes along with that, the biodiversity of insects, birds and plants (Wilson, 1991). We have
lost our connection to nature and life (Clarke, 2012)
Environmental Education
16. There are some basic conditions which can provide a starting point for environmental
sustainability.
•We need to establish the understanding of why and how we care for our planet, the only
one we have.
•We need to understand the need to care for each other, so we can live harmoniously.
•We need to understand that there is a need to care for ourselves, which includes self-
discipline to learn to have what we need and not always what we want: this means
redesigning our consumption to meet the demands of the other two conditions. (Clarke,
2012)
Basic Conditions for Environmental
Sustainability Education
17. We hold a responsibility to pass on to our children to necessary knowledge, skills and
understanding to ensure they are both capable and competent to live their lives on earth
in a responsible and caring manner.
Knowledge and understanding will come through a deep relationship with nature and with
each other.
Growing food can transform human relationships with place.
•to establish new forms of creativity (from a physical relationship with the land through
growing food to a conceptual understanding of how to establish sustainable productivity)
•to the management of and enhancement of knowledge, design and management of growing
spaces.
•to the adoption of new governance models such as community interest groups.
Through this we learn to know how to nurture our growing produce, we develop conceptual
understanding of our relationship to each other, and to the soil, water, plants, light, heat
and the way they all combine to ensure that where we live is conducive to life. (Clarke,
2012)
18. Education for sustainable development is an inclusive approach including children's formal
and informal learning. It is represented by four ideas (Scott and Gaugh, 2003):
•Learning to know
•Learning to do
•Learning to live together
•Learning to be
It encourages project-based learning, multidisciplinary studies, role play, task-based
learning and cross-disciplinary problem-solving. That it’s effectiveness lies in the practical
application of children knowledge within a community of learners. One example of this is
the Forrest Schools in Finland, Norway, Sweden and Denmark where outdoor learning is
emphasised.
The children at these schools were found to have fewer days of school, better
concentration than city children, played for longer with less adult interruption and more
considerate of each other. In later schooling these Forrest school children demonstrated
stronger social skills, greater ability to work in groups, high self-esteem and confidence in
their own abilities. (Clarke, 2012)
19. Modeling of environmental behaviours and attitudes by adults, as well as experiences in
the natural environment are important in young children’s development of environmental
concerns as well as an appreciation for it. Young children can become cares of the earth
and through education can come to understand the ecological and social implications of
our interference with the natural systems of our planet. Through education children can
become empowered to act on behalf of themselves and others to create a sustainable
environment. (Campbell & Jobling. 2012)
Modeling sustainability appears to be one effective way to achieve the goals of
sustainability education. Research has shown that modeling can be an effective way to
teach knowledge, skills and behaviours, motivate students to learn and help them to
develop values. Modelling can considerably shorten and improve learning and imitative
behaviours, particularly when students are exposed to multiple models.
(Higgs and McMillan, 2006)
Teaching Environmental Sustainability through Modeling
20. Individual models such as teacher and other students:
•carpooling, biking or walking to school
•eating organic, local foods with minimal disposable waste
•wearing second hand clothes
•participating in community services
•composting, recycling and reusing
•picking up litter
•turning off lights when leaving a room
•promoting democratic classroom environments
•using appropriate conflict resolution strategies
•encouraging diverse and divergent opinions
Research has shown that students model sustainable practices for other students,
teachers model for other teachers and students model for teacher. (Higgs and McMillan,
2006)
Individuals as Models
21. School facilities as a model:
•creating there own energy, solar heating and wind generators
•establishing wetland areas that process all waste water
•collecting and storing rainwater
•enabling passive cooling of buildings using indoor plants
Students and faculty serve as the school caretakers, cleaning and collecting the rubbish,
recycling, tending the gardens, composting, preparing food and caring for the schools
animals. Each student has a responsibility to do 30 minutes of chores a day. By modeling
sustainable practice it reduces the need to preach to students. (Higgs and McMillan,
2006)
School Facilities as a Model
22. School culture: the pattern of shared assumptions, values, beliefs and norms of behaviour
that is considered valuable and is taught to all members of the group. School culture is
learned through the rituals, traditions, buildings, programs, instructional methods and
activities within the school. Schools can foster a culture of sustainability through
traditions such as whole school morning exercise, participation in sporting events as a
group, rituals that promote teamwork, perseverance and a connection to nature.
Modeling can help students transfer the concepts of sustainability from abstract ideas to
personal and tangible application. One would expect that students seeing sustainable
practices first hand will be better prepared to lead a more sustainable lifestyle. To shape
a more sustainable world young people need models of sustainability that they can emulate.
(Higgs and McMillan, 2006)
Modeling and School Culture
23. • provide learning activities for them investigate sustainability issues in their home,
school and community
•support students to develop and implement sustainability solutions or
•create opportunities to develop and demonstrate environmental citizenship and
leadership.
Sustainability can be used as a context for student learning, engagement, leadership and
increasing community participation. Sustainability and environmental education programs
in schools have the potential to improve student environmental understanding and
awareness through resource use and management, and, well designed environments in and
around the schools. (NSW Department of Education and Training. 2011)
•engage young people in the activities that help them explore and understand their environment
Our Classrooms Should:
24. Reflection
Working with different people provides the opportunity to look at things from different perspectives. Learning has been
both a process and the result of questioning, interpreting and analysing information. Using the information and our
thinking processes to develop, build and alter our meaning and understanding of concepts and ideas. Integrating current
experiences with our past experiences and what we already know about the given subject. Constructivism, is about
constructing knowledge, not receiving it. (Marlowe and Page, 1998) Julie
This assignment has allowed me to work within a group dynamic and has helped me to discover different ways of thinking
about things. I was provided with the opportunity to develop my knowledge and skills with using IT, especially google docs.
I feel by having this new knowledge I will be able to complete future assignments with much more confidence. By
observing how the other group members work and by listening to their thoughts and ideas I was able to develop my
understanding on the topic and construct new knowledge, meaning and understanding. Holly
Working within a group provides a challenge for me as I am more comfortable working alone, in my own time, but it is
necessary to step out of ones comfort zone to discover different perspectives and build on each other's knowledge.
Although group work may be challenging, I feel the final product is almost always better as it's made up of collective
knowledge and research; three heads are better than one. I know the IT aspect of this assignment will help me in
future assignments and work. Gemmah
25. References
Images
Photographs used with permission from Julie Dawn Hill
http://octaviaandvicky.com/learn/bottle-top-play
http://www.sodahead.com/living/do-you-recycle-your-bottle-caps-lids-and-tops/question-875745/?link=ibaf&q=&esrc=s
http://www.sunhatsandwellieboots.com/2012/12/creating-shapes-
with-plastic-bottle-tops.html
http://earth911.com/news/2012/03/08/plastic-bottle-caps-
recycling/
http://battlethebottlecaps.wordpress.com/category/bottle-caps-
2/
http://www.learning4kids.net/2012/05/10/sorting-colours-with-
bottle-tops/
http://www.chardbaptist.org.uk/?attachment_id=215
http://learnbuzz.blogspot.com.au/2012/06/orangutans-our-bottle-
top-art-day-1.html
http://myzerowaste.com/2011/10/5-ways-to-recycle-plastic-milk-
bottle-tops/
Music
Created and performed by Stephen Hill.
Music used with the permission of Stephen Hill.
Literature
Campbell, C., & Jobling, W. (2012). Science in Early Childhood.
New York: Cambridge University Press.
Ceppi, G., & Zini, M. (1998). Children, spaces, relations :
metaproject for an environment for young children. Washington:
Reggio Children.
Clarke, P. (2012). Education for Sustainability: Becoming naturally
smart. London: Routledge.
Davis, J. M., & Elliott, S. (2004). Mud pies and daisy chains:
Connecting young children and nature. Every Child, 10(4), 4-5.
Davis, M. D. (2010). Young Children and The Environment: Early
education for sustainability. Victoria: Cambridge University Press.
Higgs, A. L., & McMillan, V. M. (2006). Teaching Through
Modeling. The Journal of Environmental Education, 38(1), 39-53.
NSW Department of Education and Training. (2011).
Environmental Education. Retrieved from Department of
Education and Communities:
http://www.curriculumsupport.education.nsw.gov.au/env_ed/index.
htm
Scott, W., & Gough, S. (2003). Sustainable Development and
Learning: Framing the issues. London: Taylor and Francis.
Wilson, E. O. (1991). The Diversity of Life. Harvard: Harvard
University Press.
Wilson, R. (1996). Starting Early: Environmental education during
the early childhood years.
