Learning about bushfires

Session: Types of Fires

Early Years (3 to 5 year olds)

Time: 50 minutes* (approximately)

Addresses the following Victorian Early Years

Learning and Development Framework outcomes

1. Identity

Children feel safe, secure and supported. Children develop their emerging autonomy,

inter-dependence, resilience and sense of agency.

3. Wellbeing

Children take increasing responsibility for their own health and physical wellbeing.

4. Learning

Children develop a range of skills and processes such as problem solving, inquiry, experimentation, hypothesising, researching and investigating.

Children transfer and adapt what they have learnt from one context to another. Children resource their own learning through connecting with people, place, technologies and natural and

processed materials.

Overview of session:

This session will help children understand different types of fires and that some fires are helpful and others can be dangerous.

Suggested resources:

Whiteboard or butcher’s paper Appropriate markers to record on the medium used Picture books, non-fiction books Visual arts materials Dramatic and imaginative play resources Images from Resources/ Bushfires Education website Linked resources

Activities

Starting

Facilitate group discussions to explore prior knowledge.

What do you know about fire? What words would you use to describe fire? What does a fire do? Why do we need to be careful around fire?

Encourage children to share their ideas and experiences. Reflect on ideas and discussion from ‘What is fire safety?’ session.

* For details, please refer to the ‘Introduction’ on the Early Years section, Bushfires Education website

© Victorian Curriculum and Assessment A uthority 2015

Learning about bushfires

Record children’s ideas and use for ongoing discussion and extension.

Exploring

Helpful and dangerous fires

Lead a discussion on helpful fires using images such as a camp fire, gas stove, barbecue or birthday candles.

How do these fires help adults? Who lights the barbecue or candles? What should children do? Who puts the fire out?

Invite children to suggest other examples of helpful fires and share their experiences. Discuss the role of adults and children when using helpful fires.

Revisit the idea of fire safety and ask:

Are all fires helpful? Why do we need to be careful around fire? Introduce the terms ‘danger’ and ‘dangerous’ When might a helpful fire become a dangerous fire?

Bushfires

Introduce the topic of bushfires if it has been raised in previous discussions with children. Consider children’s prior knowledge and contextual factors when discussing this topic.

Clarify children’s ideas about bushfires and address any misconceptions they may have.

Bringing it together

Use the following learning experiences to encourage further discussion and understanding of key concepts.

Use visual images and photos for describing, matching, sorting and guessing games about helpful and dangerous fires.

Set up areas for dramatic and imaginative play that encourages children to explore helpful and dangerous fires.

Provide pictures books and other texts that discuss different types of fires. Include books on bushfires.

Provide a range of visual arts materials and encourage children to express their ideas about different types of fires.

Continue to record children’s ideas during discussions and use this information to extend on children’s learning.

Engage community members to visit the setting and discuss different types of fire, and how to stay safe around all fires.

Extending

N/A

© VCAA 2015 Page 2