Anemone is not the Enemy

Selecting a story for the Conceptual PlayWorld

Story: Anemone is not the Enemy

• Selecting a story that is enjoyable to children and adults. Summary of the story.
• Building drama for the characters in the story.
• Building empathy for the characters in the story.
• A plot that lends itself to introducing a problem situation. Overview of the problem.
• Being clear about the concept(s) and its relation to the story and play plot to be developed.
• Adventures or journeys that spring from the plot (e.g., chapters).

• This book is about an Anemone who lives alone in the rock pool. Her friendship with Clownfish brings forward the concept of ‘symbiotic relationships’ during their adventures in the ocean.
• Develop empathy for Anemone who feels alone and wants friends! She finds it hard to make friends when she accidently stings everyone who comes near.
• Develop the drama experienced in friendships.
• The problem situation: The Anemone wants to make new friends to invite to her rockpool party.
• Possible plot extension: Explore the marine ecosystem. For example, travel out with the tides, meet sharks, swim with a school of fish. Travel by boat, e.g. you might have snorkelling gear.
• Concept - Symbiotic relationships are good for ecosystem health just like Anemone and the Clownfish.

Designing a Conceptual PlayWorld space

• Finding a space in the classroom/centre/outdoor area suitable for an imaginary Conceptual PlayWorld of the story.
• Designing opportunities for child-initiated play in ways that develop the play plot further or explore concepts and make them more personally meaningful.
• Planning different opportunities for children to represent their ideas and express their understandings.

• The outdoor area could be turned into an underwater ecosystem, or even a rock pool.
• What other animals are in the ocean? For example, sea star, playing friendships. Is there a local aquarium where you live? You could checkout one online.
• You could make a documentary about the interdependence of marine life. You could interview Anemone and friends. You could ask her about her life in the rockpool.

Entering and exiting the Conceptual PlayWorld space

• Plan a routine for the whole group to enter and exit the Conceptual PlayWorld of the story where all the children are in the same imaginary situation.
• Children choose characters as they enter into the imaginary situation.
• Adult is always a character in the story.

• To signify entering and existing the imaginary situation you could pretend to be high tide going out into the big ocean together, or pretend to be low tide coming back to the rockpool together.
• Children and adults could choose to be characters, such as, the Anemone feeling lonely or the Clownfish helping her. You could find other friends in the ocean, such as a crab, sea star, fish, jellyfish, stingray.
• You could pretend to be a marine ecologist from a university research unit. Maybe you could video conference with an ‘expert’ from Sea World (you could ask a colleague to be the expert).  Investigate other symbiotic relationships, such as, fruit bats and fruit trees, bees and flowers, barnacles and whales.

Planning the play inquiry or problem scenario

• Problem scenario is not scripted, but a general idea of the problem is planned.
• The problem scenario is dramatic and engaging.
• The problem invites children to investigate solutions to help the play in the Conceptual PlayWorld.
• Being clear about the concepts that will be learned from solving the problem situation. Concepts are in service of the children’s play.

• The children could find a message in the rockpool in a bottle such as: “Dear Children, I used to be so lonely before I met my friend Clownfish. Now I’m wondering if I can make more friends. Please help me find more friends in the ocean. We want to have a rockpool party with all of our new friends. Love Anemone”.
• Life in the rockpool (and the wider ocean) is exciting. Survival and interdependence are important themes in any ecosystem.
• During your play you could investigate what other organisms are symbiotic like them? The children could research the marine ecosystem. They might need a submarine, or scuba diver gear. When in the imaginary ocean you meet other animals and invite them to the rockpool party.
• Concept - Symbiotic relationships and the marine ecosystem.

Planning adult interactions to build conceptual learning in role

• Adults are not always the same character. Roles are not scripted.
• Planning of who will have more knowledge and who will be present with the children to model solving the problem. There are different roles adults can take: Adults plan their role for the Conceptual PlayWorld to be equally present with the children, or to model practices in role, or to be needing help from the children. Their role can also be together with the child leading (primordial we), where they literally cradle the child or hold their hand and together act out the role or solution.

• Adults plan their role for the PlayWorld to be equally present with the children (e.g. “Let's investigate the marine ecosystem together.), or to model practices in role (e.g. Did you know that the Anemone provides the Clownfish with protection and a home? And the Clownfish eats the algae and other food scraps from Anemone?), or to be needing help from the children (e.g. “Why is Clownfish a special friend to Anemone?”). Their role can also be together with the child leading (primordial we) (e.g. “Let’s pretend to play in the rockpool together. We can find new marine friends.”) where they literally cradle the child or hold their hand and together act out the role or solution.