Observational drawing reflections of ants nests

Observational drawing:
reflections of ants nests

Black felt pen and coloured pencils
PKN 2019

Pre-Kindergarten went on a
bush walk led by Tyronne
Bell – a Ngunnawal Man.
We learned about how
Indigenous People do not
use calendars to determine
the weather – instead they
use the environment. Ants
nests provide indicators to
weather changes, by the
colour of the surface
materials. After our walk,
we asked the children to
look closely at a photo of an
ant nest from Red Hill, and
then draw it. We asked
them to tell us about what
they know about ants nests.

Aksha Alana
Aarya Milo
Diya Oscar
Hugo Isaac
George Konstance
Otis Angelos
Fraser April
Ryder Savannah
Alyssa Lincoln
Mihini Maya
Grace Hugh
Aksha Austin

Aksha

The rocks are white and brown.
The ants put them on the hole,
because they make them feel
warm. The white ones make them
feel warm. The dark rocks make
them cold.

Aarya

The rocks are dark because it’s
cold. The ants are going in the
hole because it’s cold. They put
the white rocks on when it’s
warm.

Diya

The bees make the honey for the
honey ants. The rocks are yellow.
The ants collect the rocks. People
can watch them.

Hugo

We saw it when we were
bushwalking. When it’s cold they
push the dark rocks on it, and
when it’s hot they push the white
rocks. The white rocks let in the
cold and the dark let in the hot.

George

The ants push the white rocks
out, then when it turns dark,
they put them in the dirt. The
ants made a nest and laid eggs.
The ants have legs, or else they
can’t walk. The ants go out when
it’s day time.

Otis

We saw the ant nest on our
bushwalk, they push rocks in and
out, the aboriginal use it to tell if
it’s hot or cold. The dirt is brown,
the rocks are different colours,
the colour rocks keep them warm.

Fraser

The dark rocks trap the heat.

The white rocks are for when it’s
cold. The ants use them. They go
out and in.

Ryder

The white rocks reflect the sun
and when it’s cold they get the
black rocks out, and that makes
the sun come in. The Aboriginals
don’t have a calendar, so the ant
nest is a calendar.

Alyssa

I did happy ants because they love
their home. They like the shapes.
When it's summer they put the
white ones and when it’s winter
the dark ones.

Mihini

Aboriginals know ants put the
dark rocks up when it’s going to
get cold. They know that when it’s
hot the ants put the white rocks
up. The white rocks make the nest
cooler.

Grace

The ants lift the darker rocks up
when it’s warm. The aboriginal
people think it’s getting colder
then.

Aksha

The rocks are white and brown.
The ants put them on the hole
because they make them feel
warm. The white ones make them
feel warm. The dark rocks make
them cold.

Alana

Milo

The ants push the rocks up!

When the black rocks are out the
weather is warmer and when they
change to while it gets colder.

Oscar

They push the black rocks away.
The ants know when the weather
changes. The aboriginals are so
smart!

Isaac

They push the rocks in and out!
When it is hot they push the
rocks in, and push the rocks out
when it’s cold.

The aboriginals watch the ants.

Konstance

The dark rocks make them
warmer, the white rocks make
them colder. The ants move the
rocks.

Angelos

The ants are walking to all the big
rocks, the tiny rocks, the short
rocks, to find the white ones. The
black one makes it heat and the
white one makes it cool. Then they
find food.

April

The ants push the white ones in
when it’s raining. When it’s
summer they push the gold ones,
and when it’s windy and freezing
cold they push the brown ones on
their doors to keep them warm.

Savannah

The ants.

When it gets cold they put white
rocks on top so it doesn't get too
cold. And when it’s hot they put
white rocks on top too.

When it’s super hot they put
sticks on it too.

Lincoln

Ant Nest.

The ants are going in and out.
The Daddy one’s leaving the rock
to go to the nest. The Mum ant is
looking after the ant under the
dirt. The colours help them live.

Maya

The ants move like little people.
When it’s getting warmer they
put the cold rocks on top to keep
the cool in. then the white rocks.

I have made inside the ant’s nest!

The animals look after the ants.

Hugh

The ants go in their home when
it’s cold and put rocks on top.
Then it warms up and the rocks
move.

Austin

The ants go in and out. The ants
push them (the black ones) out
when it’s very hot, and then they
push the white ones in, when it’s
cold.

Term 2, week 5

Following our bush walks, we have been doing some thinking about the way
Aboriginal People identify seasons. Tyronne told us that Aboriginal People do not
use a calendar. Instead, they use the environment to determine the coming
changes. Ants are one way the coming weather changes can be indicated. This
week, the children are drawing an ant nest from Red Hill and telling us about their
understandings around seasonal changes.

EYLF: L/O: 4 – Children are confident and involved learners.

PYP Learner Profile: Knowledgeable