A Process-Driven, Inquiry-Based Learning Approach
Age Group: 3-5 years
Focus: Inquiry-Based Learning, Resilience, Problem-Solving, and Movement
Big Inquiry Question:
🕷 “What makes someone brave?”
💧 “What do we do when things don’t go as planned?”
🌞 “How do we learn from challenges?”
Entry Point: The Garden & the Waterspout
- Facilitator-in-Role as a Gardener:
- Introduce the space as a garden and ask: “What do we find in gardens? Who might live here?”
- Show them a large fabric tube or scarf and ask: “What could this be?” Guide them towards identifying the waterspout.
- Inquiry Prompt:
- “I heard that a tiny creature wants to climb this spout! What kind of creature do you think it is?”
- Let them guess before revealing, “It’s a little spider named Itsy! How do you think she feels about climbing?”
Exploration: Becoming Itsy
- Invite the children to become Itsy the Spider through movement:
- Exploring Climbing: “How do spiders climb? Can you show me?”
- Feeling the Height: “What does it feel like to be way up high?”
- Inquiry Prompt:
- “What might happen if it started to rain while she’s climbing?”
- Let them respond with movement (pretending to slide down).
Challenge: Facing the Rain & Waterfall
- The Rain Comes!
- “What does rain sound like?” (Let children create sound effects.)
- “What happens when the raindrops hit Itsy?” (Guide them to move as if being washed down.)
- Inquiry Prompt:
- “What should Itsy do now?” Encourage them to brainstorm solutions.
- “Should she try again? What can she do differently?”
- The Slippery Waterfall:
- Introduce the next challenge: “The spout is now even more slippery! How will Itsy move now?”
- Encourage problem-solving movement (maybe crawling slower, using extra sticky legs, or waiting for the sun).
Resolution: Reaching the Top
- Guide them in small groups to act out Itsy’s final attempt.
- Inquiry Prompt:
- “What helped her succeed this time?”
- “How do you think Itsy feels now? How do you feel when you try really hard and finally do something?”
- Celebrate by making cheering sounds and acting as the sun shining down on her success.
Reflection: What Did We Learn?
Inquiry Discussion:
- “What did Itsy teach us about trying?”
- “Have you ever tried something over and over? How did it feel when you finally did it?”
- “What will you do next time something is tricky?”
Process-Led Drama Extensions
🎭 Hot-Seating the Weather: Let some children be the Rain, Sun, or Waterfall and answer questions in-role.
🌿 Nature Art Response: Use found materials to create webs or draw Itsy’s journey.
🎶 Soundscape Storytelling: Let children create the sound of the garden, the rain, and the climbing.
