In MA4 it is essential that a module is selected for you to study alongside your studies. I chose the module of social studies. Within this module we have learned many things, one of which I found particularly interesting was the use of the thematic approach when teaching social studies. When discussing the thematic approach to social studies one theme that stuck out to me was refugee immigration.

Upon reading I began to see that in order to make learning engaging for the children the learning had to be made relevant. I began to think how I could possibly make refugee immigration relevant to children, particularly in the early years when many had not so much as even moved house yet.  I was perplexed and unsure of how I could possibly make the theme of immigration and refugees relevant to the life of a child.  I decided to put this to the back of my mind and leave it until I was really pressed and had to make a connection. So I went about my daily life, watching tv, swimming, going to the gym and doing the food shop. It was here in the supermarket that I had my moment.

On the shelves sat a small tin suitcase, to begin I just thought it looked interesting. I looked a little closer the suitcase had the loveliest bear on it saying “all the way from Darkest Peru”.

“PADDINGTON BEAR”- I exclaimed to passersby.

I was met with blank faces, but here I knew that I could make a connection between refugee immigration with a childhood story of Paddington bear.

Paddington bear was a story that captured the imagination of many and was the story of a little bear who was sent from the darkest part of Peru where it was unsafe for him to stay and he travelled very far to London by boat. I thought about how I could take this concept of immigration and apply it to the story of Paddington Bear. I began to think of how I could use this concept in lessons. I feel this would best work in the early years as the Paddington Bear story is directed at this age group, however, I would be open to trying this with upper stages of primary school as an introductory lesson.

Lesson one would need to consist of the children learning about immigration, the teacher to begin would need to assess the level of knowledge the children already had. After a clear understanding immigration was made, the story of Paddington Bear could be read to the children. The next lesson would consist of the children learning about where Paddington came from and his home country and why did he have to move. A drama activity of hot seating, letting the children take on the role of Paddington could be used here. The children could ask Paddington the following questions…

• How do you feel about moving?
• What was your home like?
• Why did you have to move?
• What was the journey like?
• Why did you come to London?
• What was your transport like?
• Was anyone else in the boat with you?
• Were you scared?
• Why did your Aunt stay in Peru but made you travel to London?
• Why couldn’t you just stay at home?

Once the children have completed drama activities and all children have had a chance within their peers or groups to take on the role of Paddington Bear the children could complete a number of activities surrounding Paddington Bear from the questions they have asked.

They could explore his home land, and why it was not safe for him there anymore. They could discuss how hard they feel the journey would have been by a small boat and finally the children could research all the things we have in the United Kingdom that would make Paddington want to choose to live here.

Thereafter, the children could be read an article on refugees immigrating to the United Kingdom, one of which many children will have heard about is the Syrian Refugees. They could compare the article to the story of Paddington Bear and complete a similar exercise like hot seating and role play to embody the role of a refugee.

This is a clear way in which a connection can be made for the child to understand what a refugee is and why this cause immigration. It also helps the children understand why in the United Kingdom we are a very privileged country.

To conclude, this small artefact of a children’s story we have begun to see how this can develop into a series of social studies lessons that provide knowledge and understanding of many concepts within social studies.

Information in this piece has been taken from Mathematics and Science in Preschool: Policy and Practice by Kimberly Brenneman, Judi Stevenson-Boyd and Ellen C. Frede ; unless otherwise specified,

Through play children begin to learn and explore many things for example when a child is presented with a jack-in-the-box-type toy, and the mechanism that causes the doll to spring from the box is clear, children stop playing with the jack-in-the-box as soon as a new toy is presented. However, when it is unclear exactly how the first toy works, they continue to explore it, even when a new toy is available. This shows that appropriate materials within mathematics and science caneven be in the form of a toy, therefore showing that the two are everywhere.

Curriculum and Classroom Practices:

Mathmatics- a space to provide thikning and reasoning. Thinking about numbers and investagations.A quality curriculum supports skills that relate to later achievement. For mathematics, it provides experiences that not only encourage thinking and reasoning about numbers but support investigations into size, quantity, properties of objects, patterns, space, and measurement. Preschoolers learn mathematics through concrete experiences with materials and through intentional interactions by their teachers to extend their thinking.⁴⁴ In most high-quality preschool programs, mathematical thinking and reasoning are encouraged as children engage in activities such as counting, measuring, constructing with blocks, playing board and card games, and engaging in dramatic play, music, and art.⁴⁵ By providing children with an environment that is mathematically rich, teachers lay the foundation for their students’ future success at learning school mathematics

After making the models we add the modules height, depth and other measurements into a spread sheet. This is therefore cross curricular learning with brining elements of ICT into the lesson.

When measuring the airplanes using the child’s mathematical skills- the child when then throw the airplane off of a high surface. This will then bring in elements of science as you can talk about gravity, up thrust and many different forces.

This talk of maths and science together in lessons shows how closely lessons of both can be linked together. Using such a easy and simple idea.