Storying ourselves into the world of the disappearing thrombolites

This essay invites readers to consider new ways of approaching ecological decline and species extinction pedagogically. We document five visits to the Lake Clifton-Yalgorup Noorook thrombolites by researchers and 51 two-to twelve-year old children and their caregivers. Taking a ‘curious practice’ approach, the children storied themselves into the lives of the thrombolites through conversation, drawing, taking photos and speculating. We suggest that holding open space for children to story themselves into the world of the thrombolites cultivates the ability to respond to ecologically precarious worlds.