Teaching sequence

Work through this resource material in the following sequence:

10 minutes

Tune In: Watch the episode

25 minutes

Find Out: Exploring materials

20 minutes

Take Action: Create new objects

5 minutes

Reflection

Learning intentions

Students will:

explore the properties of everyday objects
investigate different uses for recyclable materials.

Success criteria

Students can:

describe and compare the properties, colour, size, shape and material of everyday objects
design and create something new from recyclable materials
participate in dramatic play.

Tune In: Watch the episode

Step 1

Share the Bluey episode Flatpack with your students.

Bluey 'Flatpack' - Clickview (clickv.ie/w/ASI0)

Flatpack synopsis: While Mum and Dad struggle to build new flat-pack furniture, Bluey and Bingo transform the box into their own new world.

Step 2

Facilitate a class discussion about the episode.

Consider the following questions in your discussion:

What was happening at the start of the episode? What was happening at the end? I wonder if anything changed in between?
There were two pairs of characters working on projects - Mum and Dad, and Bluey and Bingo. How were their projects similar? How were they different?
I wonder whether Mum and Dad were having as much fun as Bluey and Bingo? Why do you think that?
I wonder how the situation would be different if there was only one person on each project? Could Dad finish building alone? Could Bluey play on her own? Why do you think that?
I wonder what would happen if Bluey helped Dad and Mum played with Bingo? Would they get the job done? Would they have as much fun? What do you think would happen?

Find Out: Exploring materials

Step 1

Take an everyday item that you have brought to class, for example, the cardboard roll from the inside of a roll of paper towels. Ask the students to describe the object, using language such as:

tall, short, long, wide
round or square
hard or soft
dull or shiny
flat or fluffy/puffy.

Create a vocabulary list on the board.

Strong oral language skills help children to communicate effectively and become successful learners. Oral language interventions emphasise the importance of spoken language and verbal interaction in the classroom, explicitly extending students’ spoken vocabulary through the use of purposeful, curriculum-focused dialogue and interaction. Oral language interventions aim to support learners’ articulation of ideas and spoken expression. Find out more and here.

Step 2

Ask students what the object could represent outside of its actual, mundane use. For example, the hand towel roll could be a telescope.

Step 3

Introduce that you have another object to show them - it’s the same object! What do they think it could be this time? Perhaps a trumpet, or a corn on the cob. Playfully continue the cycle. Students should enjoy the absurdity and may point out that it is the same object. Use these opportunities to suggest that we can use our imagination and creativity to use the same object to represent different things, just like Bluey and Bingo did in the episode.

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Step 3

Select a new object from your pile, and repeat steps 1 - 3. For example: a bottle cap is small, flat and shiny. These properties are similar to coins. It is also round. Buttons are also round. It could be a button to sew onto a shirt, or a button that makes a funny noise when pressed.

Step 4

Split the class into groups of 3 or 4. Give them each a selection of items, as well as a large cardboard box. Instruct them to play with the objects and try to create play scenarios like in the episode.

Facilitate thinking and help model opportunities within each group, giving prompts to collaborate, share ideas and accept offers. Statements that support offers can take the form of:

"Tim is pretending to be a dentist, how might your object fit in with that setting?"
"Jazmin is using this like a hammer. What kind of job uses a hammer?"
"Edith is playing a cashier at a store. Who else might be in the store? What might they be doing? Is there an object that fits that?"

Socio dramatic play is the pinnacle of play and drives the heart of the show. Socio dramatic play is anything where you have more than one child recreating a café, or a shop, or a game that requires them to put some of their needs on hold for the good of the others in the game. This type of play sees kids working at their highest level of imagination, cooperation and group interaction.
- JOE BRUMM, Bluey Creator

Play-based learning naturally encourages talking, listening and thinking. Different types of play each have different benefits for a child. For example - role-play helps with personality development and imagination, and collaborative play helps with communication and socialising skills. Find out more he r e.

Step 5

After ten minutes, ask students to put the objects back in the box. Rotate the box to a new table and start the process again.

Step 6

Ask students to select their favourite item and bring it to the floor to share with the whole class how they used that item in new and creative ways.

Then invite students to reflect on the activity they took part in. Ask students:

What do you think we were practising?
Why do you think that? When did you do this during the game?
What does it mean to be curious?

Take Action: Create new objects

Direct students to all the objects used in the game and encourage them to think of ways to repurpose and up-cycle some common items.

For example, could a toilet roll be turned into a pencil holder? Some ribbon into a pencil case ornament? A bottle cap into a badge for your bag?

Use some craft time to support these transformations and turn waste into a useful and personalised item again.

Reflection

Invite students to participate in a class discussion around the following questions:

What was the best part of this lesson?
What did you find challenging? How did you overcome this challenge?
What would you do differently next time?

Curiosity and Questioning - Thinking Outside the Box

Summary

Lesson Guides and Printables

Curiosity and Questioning - Thinking Outside the Box

Summary

Lesson Guides and Printables