8th PROJECT 2014/2015
One day, as the children were catching the last rays of the sun, something suddenly flew overhead. It moved erratically, turned upside down, and finally flew away. Amazed and surprised, the children watched a real drone and a round object perched on it. What was that? Where did it go? Their curiosity was certainly piqued.
The next day, while playing outside, the children were interrupted again. They heard someone calling for help. What was it? Where did it come from? Whose voice was this? Who needed help? Soon, they spotted her, trapped in a tree. Her name was Ro, and she was terrified, looking around, hoping someone had heard her.
Relieved that she had attracted the children’s attention, she managed to get down of the tree with their help. She looked around and wondered: “Where did I land this time? Do I still have the glow?”
In total surprise, she noticed many curious and questioning eyes gazing at her. Despite her predicament, she soon relaxed and started a lively conversation with the amazed children. Enthusiastically, she told them about her magical journeys. She travelled across lands with high trees, hot deserts, cold landscapes, steep mountains, and deep valleys, through the realm of pixies, elves, and other fairy-tale beings. The children listened to her with open mouths.
Ro and the children eventually became best friends. They spent a lot of time together, getting to know each other and growing more attached. One day, the children noticed that Ro was getting slower and not jumping around as she use to. She tired quickly, her energy was low, and she wasn’t as happy as before. What was wrong? What was happening to her? How could they cheer her up and help her be herself again?
Ro and the children explored all year long, and thanks to their creativity, they found a solution. They made a frame for Omikron, a special device for Ro, and prepared an impressive performance to which they also invited their parents. Full of anticipation, we ran the Omikron and crossed our fingers for the device to work. Omikron suddenly closed, and a strong light appeared. Everything began to twist and turn, and a loud sound was heard. We really did it! Together, we helped Ro return to her magical land.
Research areas: Mathematics – in relation to other curricular areas such as science, society, movement, language, and social curriculum
The story about Ro and her Omikron took the children, educators and parents into the world of mathematics. This area plays an important role in children’s lives as they are constantly in contact with it. The project’s goal was to involve the children as active participants in the process, allowing them to gain various new experience and knowledge while also learning that some tasks and problems can be solved more efficiently using mathematical thinking strategies. We aimed to support children in finding challenging situations to test the suitability of their solutions, receiving positive feedback for their way of thinking, and feeling happy about it. The entire story about Ro was presented to the parents and the wider community, unfolding as a journey through time with a time machine that took us to the fairy-tale land of thousands of forms and rainbow colours.
