An image of an orange Jupiter in a picturebook led to children wanting to find out more about this fascinating planet, taking them on explorations which lasted around six months as they conducted research and staff linked their interests to scientific experiments and new art techniques.
It all started when a group of two- and three-year-olds at Little Barn Owls in Horsham, West Sussex shared a fiction book that had a picture of planets in it. ‘Some of them showed that they had some knowledge of planets,’ says atelierista Amala Andrews. ‘One of the children commented that we all live on Earth and then we started to look more at planets, before children began to focus on Jupiter.’
GAS GIANT
Amala printed off a range of information and photographs of planets for the children to explore at a designated research station in the atelier space along with relevant factual books and a laptop. ‘We wanted the children to physically experience different types of research skills and how we can use technology to get information as well as books,’ she explains.
Children started to have increasingly more questions about Jupiter, such as why it is ‘swirly’, why it was depicted as orange in the book and ‘what’s the big circle on Jupiter?’.
Finding out the answers to the children’s queries led to more questions and investigations. For example, when looking into why Jupiter is orange, they found out that the planet’s outer atmosphere is made up of gas – mostly hydrogen and helium – along with some water droplets, ice crystals and ammonia crystals. It is these elements that combine to form clouds and create Jupiter’s orange, yellow and brown shades.
‘The children were curious about what gas is and we had to explain the difference between gas and solids,’ says Amala. ‘What is gas is such a big concept. I found an experiment to help demonstrate this by mixing baking soda and vinegar to create a gas and putting a balloon by it. The children helped me to do this and could see for themselves as the balloon blew up, which demonstrated that gas is all around us but you can’t see it.
‘One boy showed his understanding by saying if we tried to stand on Jupiter, we’d fall and get an “ouchy”, so he knew that it wasn’t possible to stand on the planet.’
The experiment created a ‘wow’ moment for the children as they saw the balloon expanding without anyone physically doing anything to it.
CELESTIAL BODIES
Staff and children researched the intriguing circle together and found out that it is called the Great Red Spot and is actually a storm. They watched YouTube videos. ‘The children were fascinated by it because it is so different to Earth,’ says Amala.
‘While we were investigating the swirls, the children really embodied them and we discussed them and linked them to mark-making. We started off doing some large-scale mark-making, which led to the children twirling and moving their bodies around and they were spinning and rolling around.’
NEW SKILLS
Amala decided to introduce some new art techniques for the children to replicate the swirly appearance of Jupiter – tie-dye, marbling and drip painting. ‘We really slowed down these techniques so that the children could concentrate on the skills needed, such as the tricky fine motor skills needed to tie things onto fabric for tie-dying, and learning to squeeze and unsqueeze the teat pipettes for drip painting.’
Children mastered the teat pipettes, but some continued to struggle with tying things, so staff introduced elastic bands to secure the fabric. They continued to look at different ways to make knots and some of the two- and three-year-olds did achieve this complex skill.
HANDS ON
‘All of these processes, from the experiments to the art techniques, involved educators and children learning together,’ says Amala. ‘It is really lovely to experience the journey with the children and show that as educators we are still learning about these things too.
‘For example, the paper marbling wasn’t working and we didn’t understand why the ink was not sticking to the paper. It took a while to realise that we needed a different type of ink. This helped the children to experience that not everything works on the first time and that we have to try again. It is good for their problem-solving skills and they saw me persevering as well.’
Amala modelled her thought processes by using simple questioning: ‘Why is it not working?’; ‘What will happen if…?’
One child suggested they try their marbling techniques on fabric, which they experimented with and found that it was effective.
It was decided to look at all the different art techniques they had used and vote for which visually represented Jupiter the most. ‘This gives the children the opportunity to give their opinions and exchange feedback on their work, allowing them to take the lead in their learning,’ explains Amala. ‘It also helps them to know that they can have an opinion and their opinion matters.’
After voting, children used their chosen technique to collaborate on a large-scale canvas representation of Jupiter.
TAKING PHOTOS
During the investigations, some children became interested in using a digital camera. They extended their interest in swirls by taking the camera and a tripod into the garden and looking for swirly patterns to photograph. ‘The children were absorbed in learning how to use the camera, right down to turning it on and pressing the button to take a picture,’ says Amala. ‘They learned that if they were too close to an object then the camera would not focus and they couldn’t take a picture, so I would suggest to maybe move back. It was amazing how much they found to photograph – now we see swirls everywhere! They found swirls in the wood and the water container and the humidifier in nursery.’
The group held a reflective meeting to discuss whether their photos looked like Jupiter. One of the children said that the wood looked like Jupiter but didn’t have the planet’s colours. ‘We decided to do a digital drawing over the photograph on the iPad, so they learned another technique right at the end of our final reflection,’ says Amala.
‘The children involved have now moved to the older pre-school group. They have the basic skills to use these techniques and materials and now they are using them in their own way.’
BOOK CORNER
My First Book of Planets: All about the solar system for kids by Bruce Betts
Small astronomers can explore space, from the bright and burning sun to our own blue Earth to ice-capped Pluto and every planet in between.
Look Inside Space by Rob Lloyd Jones, Benedetta Giaufret and Enrica Rusina
An enticing flap book packed with interesting information about space, and the amazing things that float through it – stars, moons, comets, and the planets of our solar system.
Jupiter by Steve Foxe
Everything about Jupiter is big! Get the big and small facts about this gas giant.
8 Little Planets by Chris Ferrie and Lizzy Doyle
Travel around the solar system and celebrate what makes each planet unique in this fact-filled planetary tale.
Look Up! by Nathan Bryon and Dapo Adeola
Jamal is only interested in looking down at his phone. Can Rocket persuade him to look up at the stars?
Suzy Orbit, Astronaut by Ruth Quayle and Jez Tuya
A humorous, inspirational picturebook that shows how determination and resourcefulness can save the day!
You Choose In Space by Pippa Goodhart and Nick Sharratt
Grab your spacesuit and put your helmet on – you’re going on an adventure in space.