Exercise 1
IN GROUP 5, STUDENTS WERE FIRST ASKED TO MAP THEIR SCHOOL GROUNDS ON A 17X11" SHEET OF PAPER WITH THE PROPERTY BOUNDARIES AND SIX MILE CREEK PROVIDED.
Exercise 2
FOR THE SECOND EXERCISE, THE STUDENTS WERE GIVEN A MAP WITH THE SCHOOL, SCHOOL BOUNDARY AND SIX MILE CREEK ALREADY DRAWN. THIS DRAWING WAS AIMED TOWARDS THE WOODED AREA AROUND THE CREEK. THE CHILDREN EXPLORED THE WOODED AREA AS THEY RECORDED VEGETATION AND TRAILS ON THEIR MAPS.
Purpose
IN THESE EXERCISES WE WERE HOPING REVEAL HOW THE CHILDREN SEE CAROLINE ELEMENTARY FROM THEIR PERSPECTIVE USING VISUAL COMPARISON.
ANALYZING
CHILDREN PERCEIVE AND REACT TO ENVIRONMENTS VERY DIFFERENTLY FROM ADULTS. OUR GOAL FROM THESE EXERCISES WAS TO ANALYZE THE DRAWINGS TO EXAMINE IF ANY OF THEM EXPOSE INFORMATION ABOUT THE WAY THE STUDENTS INTERACT WITH THE PROPERTY.
OUR GROUP HAD SIX 10 & 11 YEAR OLD STUDENTS (one of which had to leave early before finishing ex. 1), 2 BOYS AND 4 GIRLS. IN THIS CASE, THE CHILDREN WERE VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE ENVIRONMENT THAT THEY WERE MAPPING, MAKING IT EASY FOR THEM TO INDICATE ROUGHLY WHERE EVERYTHING WAS ON THE SITE. WE WERE LOOKING FOR INDICATORS THAT MAY REVEAL NEW INFORMATION ABOUT HOW THE STUDENTS VIEW THEIR SURROUNDINGS. INDICATOR'S COULD INCLUDE OVER EMPHASIZED SIZE OR PROPORTION, ATTENTION TO DETAIL OR LACK THERE OF, MISSING PIECES OR UNUSUAL THINGS THAT WE (AS OUTSIDERS) MAY NOT HAVE THOUGHT OF.
THE FACT THAT THE STUDENTS WERE OUTSIDE IN THE ENVIRONMENT THAT THEY WERE MAPPING MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE HAD AN IMPACT ON WHAT THEY DREW AND HOW THEY DREW IT AS OPPOSED TO DRAWING IT FROM MEMORY ONLY.
OUR GROUP HAD SIX 10 & 11 YEAR OLD STUDENTS (one of which had to leave early before finishing ex. 1), 2 BOYS AND 4 GIRLS. IN THIS CASE, THE CHILDREN WERE VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE ENVIRONMENT THAT THEY WERE MAPPING, MAKING IT EASY FOR THEM TO INDICATE ROUGHLY WHERE EVERYTHING WAS ON THE SITE. WE WERE LOOKING FOR INDICATORS THAT MAY REVEAL NEW INFORMATION ABOUT HOW THE STUDENTS VIEW THEIR SURROUNDINGS. INDICATOR'S COULD INCLUDE OVER EMPHASIZED SIZE OR PROPORTION, ATTENTION TO DETAIL OR LACK THERE OF, MISSING PIECES OR UNUSUAL THINGS THAT WE (AS OUTSIDERS) MAY NOT HAVE THOUGHT OF.
THE FACT THAT THE STUDENTS WERE OUTSIDE IN THE ENVIRONMENT THAT THEY WERE MAPPING MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE HAD AN IMPACT ON WHAT THEY DREW AND HOW THEY DREW IT AS OPPOSED TO DRAWING IT FROM MEMORY ONLY.
Findings
After reviewing the drawings from Exercise 1 we broke the site into the following categories based on subjects in the students drawings.
- The School
- Soccer Fields
- Playground
- The Swings
- Blacktop
- Trail
- Outdoor Classrooms
- Woods
- Creek
- Bus Area
- Garden
- Boundaries
- Courtyard
Map 1 Findings
Each icon represents a child in our group. The yellow icon indicates how many students had that category recorded on their map, the black icon indicates it was not on a map. The stars indicate how many students showed detail or interest in the topic through their representations.
This will help pinpoint popular places (The swings, The woods etc.) and not so popular places (The Courtyard, the vegetable garden). It also suggests how much of an impact the space has on a child's perception. For instance if 'Jimmy's' basketball court is drawn three times the size of the school, it may indicate that 'Jimmy' has a strong connection with this space whether it be his favorite sport or where he spends most of his time.
This will help pinpoint popular places (The swings, The woods etc.) and not so popular places (The Courtyard, the vegetable garden). It also suggests how much of an impact the space has on a child's perception. For instance if 'Jimmy's' basketball court is drawn three times the size of the school, it may indicate that 'Jimmy' has a strong connection with this space whether it be his favorite sport or where he spends most of his time.