Wanting to understand the children’s connections to the turtles and fish, we redesigned different areas in our classroom environment. The light table was transformed with natural materials to mimic a habitat and included images of Cody, Squirt, and the fish.
We also filmed live footage of them in the tank and projected these videos onto the ball-pit. With these changes in mind, we asked ourselves, “How can digital technology be used to reveal the children’s relationship with the turtles and the fish?”
While immersed in the video of the aquarium we heard:
Elliot: What makes a turtle world special?
Rufus: I think they love each other. They welcome the fish and they give hugs to each other.
Mars: The fish makes the turtles special because together they stay in NSW with the teachers.
Teacher Adriana: How do you think they met?
Mars: Well, when someone put the fish inside the tank, the fish swam and swam. Cody and Squirt saw the Fishy and they splash at each other.
Elliot: They were swimming next to each other.
Livio: I know! I think they met with food. They both started to throw the food and play with it. (Big Smiles) They opened and closed their mouths and said hello to each other. Levi: Oh look! Look, Elliot! Cody is inside with us. We are swimming with them.
Elliot: Which one is Cody?
Adriana: I’m not sure. We might have to look at them very carefully.
Levi: I think I’m playing with Squirt! I wish I could swim in the tank. Chloe: And what about the fish? What is the fish’s name?
Observations made near the turtle tank showed us general labeling of these community members:
Poppy and Golda call out to the turtles: Turtles, turtles, turtles!
Teacher Susan: I wonder if they hear you.
Poppy: They’re quiet. Turtles come here. Wow, they’re good swimmers.
Golda: So is the fish.
Rondie: Hi, turtles. (He dips his hand in the tank and waves)
Teacher Susan: What do you want the turtles to do?
Rondie: To say hi to me.
Jack: Maybe they wave those stuff. The things they use to swim.
Poppy: Look, they waved!
Rondie: The turtles said hi to me!
Because relationships start with knowing individuals, does the act of naming bring us together?
Our next steps involve the children creating habits of observation and communication to bring this interest to the whole group. Using digital cameras, children will photograph the turtles and fish. Together, we will study these images and look for attributes that support us in identifying Cody and Squirt and in identifying the fish with a befitting name. By learning to distinguish them, we will practice going beyond what we assume about a group to know the individuals within. In this way, we deepen our relationship. Some of the questions we will ask are: What are their unique characteristics? What makes each of these members special? What makes you special? Can you describe your friend? What is important about a name?
We are also asking our families to share the stories behind the names they gave the children with the hope that this process will inform them in the naming of the fish.