OUR CARD PROJECT

WITH
RXXX, JXXX, OXXXXX, MXXXXXXX AND EXX

Step 1- Engagement- July 17th till August 7th

The Educator asses the learners prior knowledge and helps them become engaged in a new concept through
the use of short activities that promote curiosity and elicit prior knowledge.

During this stage the children and I explored many different games, both card games and
board games. We did this so as to begin their interest in small group activities that were
focused on one outcome. We did not focus on the rules of the games to a great extent; we did
focus on matching, similarities and building our vocabulary around objects commonly used
in games.
Step 2- Exploration- August 14th till September 4th
Exploration experiences provide students with a common base of activities within which current concepts,
processes, and skills are identified and conceptual change is facilitated.

During this stage of the project we started to focus in on four specific card games. We looked
at Uno, Snap, Go Fish and Memories. All of these games used comparing, matching and
strategy skills that the children needed to utilise in the games. The games were completed in
varying degrees of success and some rules needed to be modified in order to make the games
accessible to the children.
Step 3- Explanation- September 11th till October 9th
The explanation phase focuses students attention on a particular aspect of their engagement and exploration
experiences and provides opportunities to demonstrate their conceptual understanding, process skills, or
behaviours.

While in stage 3 of our project the children and I started to discuss the characteristics of the
games we were playing. Their similarities; all cards in a deck have the same backs and all of
the games were played with cards. Their differences; some cards were pictures, some were
coloured numbers, the cards of the different games were different sizes to each other. As by
this stage there was a clear interest in snap over the other games we focused on playing snap
and looking at different versions of the same game.

Hannah Stacey

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Step 4- Elaboration- October 16th till November 6th

The educator challenges and extends students conceptual understanding and skills. Through new experiences,
the students develop deeper and broader understanding, more information, and adequate skills. Students apply
their understanding of the concept by conducting additional activities.

During this the final stage the children and I looked into designing our very own cards. Using
the information we had talked about in stage 4 of the project we designed a picture to be on
the back of the cards, we chose pictures that would go on the front of the cards and then when
they were all put together we tested out our new sets of cards.
Step 5- Evaluation
The evaluation phase provides an opportunity for the educator to evaluate the students progress toward
achieving the educational objectives.

In this project we learnt about similarities and differences in pictures and how to recognise
them. We practised these skills slowly in games of memory, building up our skills in Uno and
finally working quickly in snap. The fast paced nature of the game seemed to be a favourite
of the group and so it was this game we chose to make for ourselves. When making the
personalised snap games we used and extended on our skills with planning and following
through with these plans. This project was a lot of fun and having a small session every
Friday ment we were able to extend on our learning with time in between to consolidate what
we were thinking. I really enjoyed running a project and look forawrd to more into the future.

Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework

Outcome 1: Children have a strong sense of identity
The children showed me how they felt safe, secure, and supported in room 2 when they were
open with sharing and listening to ideas in a group and gaining knowledge from their peers.
Outcome 2: Children are connected with and contribute to their world
While the children were sharing ideas they were also developing their sense of belonging to a
group they worked with an understanding of the reciprocal rights and responsibilities
necessary for active participation with in that group.
Outcome 3: Children have a strong sense of wellbeing
When playing the different games the children strengthened their social and emotional
wellbeing, they practiced their resilience every time they either won or lost.
Outcome 4: Children are confident and involved learners
The children developed their dispositions for learning such as curiosity, cooperation,
confidence, creativity and imagination when they were developing their very own cards.
They also worked on developing a range of skills and processes such as problem solving and
inquiry. The children transferred and adapted a great deal of knowledge that they had gained
from different contexts.
Outcome 5: Children are effective communicators
The children interacted verbally and non-verbally while playing the games as well as
designing them, they engaged with the cards as a text from which they gained meaning. The
children also begin to understand how symbols and pattern systems work while reading and
interpreting the cards.

Hannah Stacey

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