Last week, we received another exciting letter from Shirley Pearl that was shared with our Possum, Wombat and Bilby educators & children

In her letter, Shirley told us all about her adventure on a boat with a glass bottom. While exploring the ocean, she spotted some fascinating cuttlefish swimming beneath the boat.

Pictured are the wonderful experience setups and provocations for our older rooms to create their own cuttlefish that go with their learning & curiosity below

To extend the children’s learning, our Possum children watched some short clips about cuttlefish. They discovered that they can camouflage themselves, come in a variety of sizes, and can grow up to an amazing 10kg! The children thought they looked like a mix between an elephant and a jellyfish, which sparked some wonderful conversations and imaginations.

Shirley finished her letter by asking us a thoughtful question:

“What colour would your own cuttlefish wear?”

The Possum children were provided the opportunity to paint their own colourful cuttlefish. It was a fun, creative activity that allowed them to express what they had learnt while exploring different colours and artistic techniques.

The Bilby children worked together to create their own magical rainbow cuttlefish using a variety of colours and plenty of gold glitter.

Afterwards, the children gathered for a group discussion to answer another question from Shirley: “What other amazing sea creatures live in the oceans near where you live?” Which sparked lots of wonderful conversations.

Our Wombat children used watercolours to paint their own unique cuttlefish. Each child thoughtfully selected colours to express their creativity, with every artwork reflecting their own ideas and imagination

This experience supported the Wombat children’s creativity, imagination, and confidence in expressing their ideas through art. The children’s curiosity about Australian marine life continued to grow as they connected storytelling with hands-on creative learning, demonstrating that meaningful literacy experiences can inspire inquiry, creativity, and a deeper appreciation of the natural world

Shirley’s letter encouraged rich conversations about marine life, Australian habitats, and the wonderful diversity found in nature