1,2,3 Grow
A Melbourne Museum Education Program
for the Early Years
Acknowledgements
Program development
John Stewart, Liza Dale, Ingrid Tadich,
Lorraine Langmuir, Scott Killeen and
Anthony Balla, Museum Victoria.
Particular thanks to Kath Stewart,
Paul Stevens and Jack WiseTeachers
and children from Meadowglen and
Carlton Gardens Primary Schools.
Illustration:
Kate Nolan, Tracie Grimwood and
Michelle Katsouranis.
First published February 2001,
revised 2006.
© Museum Victoria 2001
Teachers may copy the material in
this package for education purposes.
Thanks Many teachers have
contributed their time and expertise
to this project.
A Museum Victoria experience.
Content
The education program
1,2,3 Grow
The Children’s Gallery education program
Preparation for a visit to 1,2,3 Grow
2
3
Curriculum connections
4
Exhibition guide
Exhibition map
1,2,3 Grow exhibition guide
7
8
School based activities
Overview of school activities
18
Pre-excursion activities (Pdf)
20
Post-excursion activities (Pdf)
34
Background information
45
An Indigenous perspective on growth
51
Resources
54
The Children’s Gallery has been especially designed for
children aged 3 to 8.
It has three components.
• An exhibition entitled 1,2,3 Grow that explores the
many ways in which things grow.
• The Early Learning Environment is a changing
space that encourages children to explore topics
through imaginative and explorative play, whole body
experiences and creativity.
• The Tattersall’s Children’s Garden is an outside space
in which to take part in activities and performances.
This program contains an overview of the exhibition
and a detailed exhibition guide. The guide describes
each exhibit and suggests ways to enhance students’
experiences during their visit.
School based activities contained in the program provide
classroom ideas for pre and post excursion activities.
Information has been included to provide more detail of
the exhibition and background to the exhibition themes.
exhibition guide
background information
pre-visit
creation stories
post-visit
Melbourne Museum 1,2,3 Grow
A Museum Victoria experience.
2
Preparation for a visit to 1,2,3 Grow
Teacher preparation before the excursion
Divide the class into groups of 4 – 6 students.
Allocate an adult helper to each group. Their role is to guide students through the exhibition
and encourage them to interact with the displays.
Photocopy the map and 1,2,3 Grow exhibition guide for each adult helper.
Discuss the exhibition guide with your adult helpers. It is important that they understand the
nature of the experience.
At the 1,2,3 Grow exhibition
exhibition guide
Melbourne Museum staff will deliver a short orientation that introduces children to the themes
of the 1,2,3 Grow exhibition. This session will encourage children to look, touch, listen, imagine
and involve themselves in physical activity.
After the orientation, adult helpers and classroom teachers from your school will assist groups
of children in the exhibition.
Also:
The Early Learning Environment is designed to encourage children to explore topics through
real objects and facsimiles, created play experiences, puppets, books and puzzles. Themes are
related to natural history and social science disciplines related to the museum collection and
exhibitions. These change on a regular basis.
The Tattersall’s Children’s Garden outdoor space contains a selection of children’s
games and activities.
Other exhibitions that relate to the theme of growth
Forest Gallery
The Forest Gallery is a large outdoor gallery containing transplanted forest trees and a variety
of live animals. It provides an excellent opportunity to follow up many of the growth themes of
the Big Box.
Southern Diversity
This exhibition displays the diversity of Australian animals and the environments in which they
are found.
Dinosaurs in Time
Dinosaurs grew – very big! This exhibition provides children with another perspective on size.
Melbourne Museum 1,2,3 Grow
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Curriculum connections
This education program has been specifically developed for VELS and CSFII Levels 1 & 2, with a major focus on Science.
It provides an opportunity for the integration of Health and Physical Education, Maths, English and The Arts.
Victorian Essential
Learning Standards
123 Grow!
Exhibition
(self lead)
Tattersalls
Children’s Garden
(outdoor play)
Personal learning
and learning with others, take risks/ask questions,
begin to solve problems
✓
✓
Science
Use their senses to observe and describe the
world around them. Identify, sort, classify, collect,
record and start using scientific language.
✓
Movement and physical activity
Basic motor skills, follow simple rules and instructions.
Personal identity and physical change as people grow
and develop. Health
✓
Design and Creativity
Understanding man made and natural products,
and language to describe them. Design and create
independently and collaboratively
✓
Thinking Skills
Use senses to observe and document. Look for simple
patterns by classifying and seeing similarities and
differences. Use a range of simple tools to gather
and process information.
✓
✓
Interpersonal
Building positive relationships working in groups,
taking turns, understanding and respecting others.
✓
✓
✓
✓
Communication
Listening skills, asking questions, taking turns to speak,
oral presentations and the use of visual aids.
Civics and Citizenship
Develop a sense of belonging and understanding
rules and responsibilities. Learn about special
cultural and community events.
Melbourne Museum 1,2,3 Grow
A Museum Victoria experience.
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Multiple Intelligences
123 Grow!
Exhibition
Tattersalls
Children’s Garden
(outdoor play)
Linguistic
reading, writing & speaking
✓
✓
Logical Mathematical
Numbers, sequence & science
✓
✓
Spatial/visual
Perceive, manipulate and recreate forms
✓
✓
Bodily Kinaesthetic
Body control and skilled handling of objects
✓
✓
✓
Musical
making & listening to music
Interpersonal
Building relationships and understanding of others
✓
✓
Intrapersonal
Understanding of self
✓
✓
Naturalistic
Intrinsic interest in nature/the natural world
✓
✓
Science
‘Science activities can be integrated into classroom
themes or become the context for language and
number work’ (CSF II).
At Levels 1 & 2, children:
‘develop the language and literacy skills to describe
their explorations in science’
‘show responsibility in caring for animals’
‘compare, order and classify, recognising a
number of alternative classification methods’
‘consider changes that occur, for example,
life cycles of plants and animals’ (CSF II).
‘use their senses to form the basis of scientific
investigative skills, for example, by looking,
touching, listening’
The 1,2,3 Grow Education Program provides a breadth
of curriculum opportunities through the world of plants,
animals and minerals. It specifically addresses
Science Learning Outcomes at Levels 1 and 2:
‘relate appropriate words to scientific ideas, discuss
their discoveries, draw comparisons, recount events,
ask questions and draw pictures
SCSC 0101 Describe, using appropriate language,
scientific explorations of the chemical,
physical and natural world.
‘describe their explorations and write or dictate
simple generalisations’
SCSC 0201 Identify simple patterns in observations
arising from explorations of readily
observable phenomena.
‘link observations according to similarities and
differences, how things affect each other and
how things change over time’
Melbourne Museum 1,2,3 Grow
A Museum Victoria experience.
5
Health and Physical Education
English
In the Self and Relationships strand at Levels 1 and
2 children
Opportunities are provided in the 1,2,3 Grow education
program for experiences in each of the English strands.
Teachers are encouraged to integrate speaking and
listening, reading, and writing into their unit of work.
‘consider what is associated with growing up
and new things they can do’
‘compare self with younger or teenage siblings,
with parents and care givers, and with grandparents
to identify similarities and differences’.
‘identify they not only change in size and shape, but
also in the physical things they can do’ (CSF II)
The 1,2,3 Grow exhibition and school-based activities
encourage children to compare their growth with others
and with growth in the natural world. The program assists
teachers to evaluate the following Learning Outcomes.
HPSR 0101
Describe self in personal, family and
community terms.
HPSR 0201
Describe how individuals and
groups share characteristics
and are also unique.
Mathematics
This education program presents activities that assist
teachers to integrate the Measurement and Space (shape)
strands of Maths into a unit of work. These include
• measurement of human growth and physical
capabilities
• measurement of plant and animal growth
• sorting and classifying using a variety of spatial
attributes
In the speaking and listening strand,
‘teachers provide support for listening
through visual materials and guiding
questions. Recounting activities, articulating
ideas and imaginative play are all activities
which help students to make meaning of
their experiences’ (CSF II).
In the reading and writing,
‘shared reading, language experience and
modelled writing’ introduce children to
‘representing ideas, feelings and information’
(CSF II).
The Arts
A variety of performing and visual arts activities are
included in the education program. In the performing arts
children are encouraged to
‘experiment with dramatic forms, such as
mime and puppetry’ (CSF II).
In the visual arts students
‘create two- and three-dimensional art
works’ (CSF II).
Learning outcomes addressed in the measurement and
data strand include.
MAMA 0102 Estimate, measure and compare
the size of objects using informal
methods.
MAMD 0203 Make comparisons of the relative size
of two or more objects.,
MAMD 0204 Use uniform informal units to estimate,
measure, compare and order the sizes
of objects.
Melbourne Museum 1,2,3 Grow
A Museum Victoria experience.
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Exhibition map
Zone 3
Changing
shape
Zone 5
Plant and
animal
growth
Zone 2
Animal
Growing
Stories
Zone 4
Animal
display
Zone 7
Human
growth
Zone 6
Mineral
growth
Zone 1
Animal
parade
Melbourne Museum 1,2,3 Grow
A Museum Victoria experience.
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exhibition guide
1,2,3, Grow exhibition guide
The exhibition guide
This guide has been prepared for adults to assist children in the exhibition.
It contains:
• a brief description of each section;
• examples of things children can do and see;
•
suggested questions to ask.
Questions stimulate children to think, encourage their curiosity and promote discussion of their
experiences. It is not necessary to provide answers for all questions. Many can be followed up
at a later time.
Moving through the exhibition
You will be allocated a place (zone 1–7) in the exhibition to begin with your group. It is suggested
you circulate through the exhibition using the pattern indicated to avoid overcrowding particular
sections of the exhibition.
Children learn from the ideas, and are stimulated by the enthusiasm, of other children.
By keeping the group together you will encourage children to:
• share their ideas;
• respond to the ideas of other children.
The age of your group and purpose of your visit will influence the amount of time spent in
each section of the exhibition. Allow sufficient time for children to enjoy and learn from their
experiences. It is suggested that you spend 15 – 20 minutes using the exhibition guide and then
re-visit sections to follow up children’s specific interests.
With your group
The Big Box is a place for children to learn through play and discovery.
Encourage children in your group
to talk
to look
to do
to imagine
to touch
to ask questions
to listen
In each section of the exhibition, also allow children time to
• express their own thoughts
• interact in their own way
There are many areas in the Big Box where children can interact and learn by discovery.
Discovery areas include a story wall, platypus burrow, reading area, light box and an interactive
display labelled ‘Whose egg?’
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Zone 1: Animal parade
What’s here?
Scattered throughout the Children’s Gallery and leading into the Big Box is an animal parade with life-sized
sculptures of adult animals and their young. The parade includes a turtle, mountain duck, penguin, wombat, seal,
kangaroo and giraffe.
Zone 2: Animal growing stories
All the colours of the rainbow
Animals and plants live and grow in all the colours of the rainbow.
Yellow, blue, red and green. what other colours have you seen?
Zone 3: Changing shapes
What’s here?
Some animals undergo dramatic changes in body shape as they grow. The exhibition displays examples of
animals that undergo metamorphosis. Children can sit on a giant caterpillar and watch the amazing butterfly life
cycle on a large screen, or gaze up at the enormous Wanderer Butterfly. Lobsters, flounder and a live frog display
help to illustrate different ways animals change as they grow.
Zone 4: Animal families
What’s here?
This is a display of animals that would not normally be found together. Children can look at a variety of young
and adult animals including a hippopotamus, ostrich and giraffe. They are also able to look through viewers to
find smaller, camouflaged animals in the display.
Zone 5: Plant and animal growth
What’s here?
This zone shows the cycle of growth from seed to plant to fruit. It includes seeds of many shapes and sizes.
The sea horse, paper nautilus and animals that shed their skin provide some animal growth stories.
Taped Aboriginal creation stories explain Aboriginal life, the creation of the world and the relationships between
living things.
Zone 6: Rocks and minerals
What’s here?
Rocks and minerals are not living but they do change in size. This zone has a collection of rocks and minerals that
displays their beauty, structure and diversity. Children can see stalactites and stalagmites, build their own
stalagmite and touch a real stalactite. They can see fluorescent minerals glow under ultra-violet light.
Zone 7: Human growth
What’s here?
This area is about human growth. A full set of ‘first’ teeth on display is a reminder that our bodies change as we
grow. Children are able to measure their height and compare their weight with a variety of animals. A pinboard
provides an opportunity for children to make their own body impressions.
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exhibition guide
Self-guided trails – Children’s Gallery
There are two versions of this self-guided trail - one for Kinder/Prep groups and one for Years 1 & 2.
Choose the one that best suits your group.
Children’s Gallery – Kinder/Prep trail
Look at your map and decide which Zone you wish to start in.
Discussion starters for your group
Zone 1: Animal parade
•
•
Which animal is the same size as you when you:
stand on your toes, kneel down, curl into a ball?
How many ears do you have? Find an animal that has no ears
visible. Do you think it can still hear? How?
Zone 2: Animal growing stories
•
•
•
•
Find your favourite colour on the rainbow display. Which animal is this colour?
Look for the following animals and birds that hatch from eggs:
- spider;
- seahorse;
- penguin.
What other creatures hatch from eggs?
How many leaf insects can you find? Are they hard to see? Why?
Zone 3: Changing shapes
•
•
Show me how a caterpillar moves. What changes when it turns
into a butterfly?
What sound do frogs make? Have you seen any frogs near your
house?
Melbourne Museum 1,2,3 Grow
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exhibition guide
Zone 4: Animal families
•
•
•
•
•
•
What animals can you see?
Find an animal/bird that lives in the trees.
Which of these animals can swim?
Which are bigger/smaller than you?
Why are some animals camouflaged?
Listen to the animal sounds. Make some of
these sounds.
Zone 5: Plant and animal growth
•
•
•
What does a seed need to grow?
Pretend to be a seed that has been planted. Roll into a ball. Slowly uncurl and stand up as if
you are a tree growing. How tall can you grow?
Look at the Paper Nautilus. What does it live in? What other creatures live in a shell? Do any
move to new shells? Why?
Zone 6: Mineral growth
•
Look at the rocks. What colours can you see? How many of these rocks sparkle?
Zone 7: Human growth
•
•
Measure how many wombats tall you are.
Make the shape of your hand on the pin-wall with your friends. Are all the hand prints the
same size?
Melbourne Museum 1,2,3 Grow
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exhibition guide
Children’s Gallery – Years 1 & 2 trail
Look at your map and decide where you wish to start.
Discussion starters for your group
Zone 1: Animal parade
•
Which animals are taller than you?
•
How high can you reach on the giraffe?
•
What differences can you see between the different
animals? How are they the same as you?
Zone 2: Animal growing stories
•
Look at how the colours of some animals change as they grow. Do people change colour as
they grow older?
•
How many animals can you find that hatch from eggs?
•
Emu fathers look after their young. Do you know any other animals that do the same?
•
How does colour help protect some animals?
Zone 3: Changing shapes
•
Find a tadpole and a frog. What changes can you see?
How is a frog’s life different from when it was a tadpole?
Melbourne Museum 1,2,3 Grow
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exhibition guide
Zone 4: Animal families
•
How are some of the young animals different from their parents? How are you different from
your parents?
•
How many of the hippopotamus’s teeth can you
see?
Zone 5: Plant and animal growth
•
What shapes are the seeds in the display? Can you see any seed pods?
•
Look at the wattle tree. How is it changing as it grows?
•
Listen to one of the Aboriginal creation stories. Discuss.
Zone 6: Mineral growth
•
Look at the crystal shapes in the minerals. Find crystals shaped like: needles, cubes, stars,
pyramids.
•
Feel the real stalactite. How do stalactites grow?
Zone 7: Human growth
•
How many wombats tall are you?
•
Count the number of first teeth in the display. How many first teeth have you lost?
•
Take turns to make the shape of your whole body in the pin-wall. Can you recognise your
friend’s shape?
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exhibition guide
Back-pack trails - We grow, we change
There are two versions of this backpack trail - one for Kinder/Prep groups and one for Years 1 & 2.
Please choose the version most suitable for your group (note this program must be booked prior to your
excursion to Melbourne Museum).
We grow, we change – Kinder/Prep trail
Look at your map and decide which Zone you wish to start in.
Discussion starters for group leaders
There are written prompts to tell you when to show the children each item from the backpack.
(Copies of the map and the exhibition guide are supplied in each backpack.)
Zone 1: Animal parade
•
•
Which animals are the same sizes as you when you: stand on
your toes, kneel down, curl into a ball?
How many ears do you have? Find an animal that has no ears
visible. Do you think it can still hear? How?
Zone 2: Animal growing stories
•
•
•
•
Find your favourite colour on the rainbow display? Which animal is this colour?
Look for the following animals and birds that hatch from eggs:
- spider,
- seahorse;
- penguin.
What other creatures hatch from eggs? (Backpack: Emu egg)
How many leaf insects can you find? Are they hard to see? Why?
Zone 3: Changing shapes
•
•
Show me how a caterpillar moves. What changes when it turns
into a butterfly?
What sound do frogs make? Have you seen any frogs near your
house? (Backpack: Frog life cycle in resin)
Melbourne Museum 1,2,3 Grow
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exhibition guide
Zone 4: Animal families
•
•
•
•
•
•
What animals can you see?
Find an animal/bird that lives in the trees.
(Backpack: Feather)
Which of these animals can swim?
Which are bigger/smaller than you?
Why are some animals camouflaged?
Listen to the animal sounds. Make some of
these sounds.
Zone 5: Plant and animal growth
•
•
•
What does a seed need to grow? (Backpack: Pine cone)
Pretend to be a seed that has been planted. Roll into a ball. Slowly uncurl and stand up as if
you are a tree growing. How tall can you grow?
Look at the Paper Nautilus. What does it live in? What other creatures live in a shell? Do any
move to new shells? Why? (Backpack: Shell)
Zone 6: Mineral growth
•
Look at the rocks. What colours can you see? How many of these rocks sparkle?
(Backpack: Mineral)
Zone 7: Human growth
•
•
Measure how many wombats tall you are.
Make the shape of your hand on the pin-wall with your friends. Are all the hand prints the
same size?
Melbourne Museum 1,2,3 Grow
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exhibition guide
Years 1 & 2 trail – We grow, we change
Look at your map and decide which Zone you wish to start in.
Discussion starters for group leaders
There are written prompts to tell you when to show the children each item from the backpack.
(Copies of the map and the exhibition guide are supplied in each backpack.)
Zone 1: Animal parade
•
Which animals are taller than you?
•
How high can you reach on the giraffe?
•
What differences can you see between the different animals?
How are they the same as you?
Zone 2: Animal growing stories
•
Look at how the colours of some animals change as they grow. Do people change colour as
they grow older?
•
How many animals can you find that hatch from eggs?
(Backpack: Emu egg)
•
Emu fathers look after their young. Do you know any other animals that do the same?
•
How does colour help protect some animals?
Zone 3: Changing shapes
•
Find a tadpole and a frog. What changes can you see?
How is a frog’s life different from when it was a tadpole?
(Backpack: Frog life cycle in resin)
Melbourne Museum 1,2,3 Grow
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exhibition guide
Zone 4: Animal families
•
How are some of the young animals different from their parents? How are you different from
your parents?
•
How many of the hippopotamus’s teeth can you
see? (Backpack: Hippo’s tooth)
Zone 5: Plant and animal growth
•
What shapes are the seeds in the display? Can you see any seed pods?
(Backpack: Pine cone)
•
Look at the wattle tree. How is it changing as it grows?
•
Listen to one of the Aboriginal creation stories. Discuss.
Zone 6: Mineral growth
•
Look at the crystal shapes in the minerals. Find crystals shaped like: needles, cubes, stars,
pyramids. (Backpack: Mineral)
•
Feel the real stalactite. How do stalactites grow?
Zone 7: Human growth:
•
How many wombats tall are you?
•
Count the number of first teeth in the display. How many first teeth have you lost?
•
Take turns to make the shape of your whole body in the pin-wall. Can you recognise your
friend’s shape?
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exhibition guide
Overview of school activities
School-based activities include pre-excursion and post-excursion activities. Children gain more
from a museum visit if they are thoroughly prepared for the experience, are familiar with the
exhibition space, and have an understanding of the exhibition themes. We recommend that the
pre-excursion activities be used as preparation. If time is available, many of the post-excursion
activities can also be adapted to use prior to your excursion.
Pre-excursion activities
Talk with your students about the forthcoming excursion so they see it as an enjoyable
experience. Explain
• how they will be travelling
• what they might see on the way
• procedures they will follow on arrival
Discuss children’s ideas, experiences and expectations of a museum visit.
Show a picture of the Big Box. Discuss some of the things they might see and do.
Eight activities have been provided to
• familiarise children with the exhibition
• stimulate an interest and help expand children’s understanding of growth
• encourage children to use their senses of sight, touch and hearing
Activity 1: What’s in the Big Box?
Pictures of animals in the 1,2,3 Grow exhibition are used to encourage children to share their
understandings of some of the animals they will see.
Activity 2: Stories of growth
This activity helps to familiarise children with some of the stories of growth and language used
in the exhibition.
Activity 3: Hidden animals
This activity focuses on some of the animals that children will find and provides a way to
introduce the concept of camouflage.
Activity 4: The metamorphosis game
The metamorphosis game introduces children to the concept and vocabulary needed to talk
about the life cycle of a butterfly.
Activities five to eight encourage children to observe using senses of sight, touch and hearing.
Activity 5: Mystery objects
Activity 6: Classroom museum
Activity 7: Pet rocks
Activity 8: Sounds around us
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exhibition guide
Post-excursion activities
These activities are provided to follow up themes developed in the 1,2,3 Grow exhibition.
They can be selected to suit the level of understanding of your children and your
classroom objectives.
Reviewing the exhibition experience
Activity 9 What am I?
Activity 10 Baby animals
Plant growth
Activity 11 Tree search
Activity 12 Little, big, bigger
Growth in the classroom
Activity 13 Growing seeds
Activity 14 Hatching butterflies
Activity 15 Keeping frogs and tadpoles
Activity 16 Growing crystals
Activity 17 Hatching chickens
Activity 18 Keeping guinea pigs
Human growth
Activity 19 I am growing
Activity 20 A growing baby
Activity 21 What I can do
Role-play
Activity 22 Imagine that
Activity 23 Watch me change
Activity 24 Puppet theatre
Animals and the environment
Activity 25 What lives here?
Activity 26 Playground safari
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