double spread sketchbook with a watercolour sketch of a woman spinning surrounded by children
Alessandra Fasoli, 2025. Field Sketchbook
Research Documents

Young EthnoGraphics: Participant Information  and Consent | children from 5 to 8

estimated reading time: 6 minutes

A printable PDF version of this document can be found here.

If you are a child between 8 and 15, please read this with your parent, guardian, or teacher. You will need their permission at the end of this page. 

Hello! I'm Alex 

Figure 1: Watercolour cartoon front drawing of a long-haired blond girl smiling and waving her right hand. She is wearing a purple sweater, blue trousers, and blue ankle boot.

I am a designer and illustrator. 

Figure 2: Sketch of scattered drawing tools: (from top and following anti-clockwise) yellow ruler, a red-cap marker, a mechanical pencil, a rubber, a precision compass, and a little square

I also am passionate about nature and the environment

Figure 3: Nature watercolour drawing: a yellow and blue bird lookid at its left on the bottom right, a flying butterfly with orange and black wings on the upper left, a green tree on the background.

I am doing a special project to study how people make things to help the environment. 

Figure 4: Watercolour cartoon drawing of a group of three children in front of a tree with birds around. From left to right: a child on a wheelchair holding a birdhouse, a black child standing pointing a birdhouse on the tree with her right hand, a child wearing glasses laughing and looking at the birdhouse on the tree. They all wear a yellow sweater and blue trousers
Figure 5: Watercolour cartoon drawing of three children kneeing around a garden box. From left to right: a black child, a brown child, and an Asian child laughing and smiling while planting wild flowers. They are all wearing a blue sweater and yellow trousers. Butterflies, dragonflies, and small insects are flying around the group.

I do this by drawing people while they make things together…

Figure 6: Watercolour cartoon drawing of the same blond girl in figure 1. Right profile view, she is seated and drawing on her sketchbook

…and then I speak with them about what they made.

Figure 7: Collage with the blond girl joining the children in figure 4 (at the top) and the children in figure 5 (at the bottom) to speak with them. She is taking notes

If you are between 5 and 8 years old and you are participating in a group or class making something you can help me. 
I will be drawing you and your friends while you are making.
At the end of the class, if you want, we can talk about what you made.


Figure 8: Sketch of children in a classroom listening to a teacher explaining how to make a birdhouse, coloured in shades of blue. The long-haired girl is drawing in the background, coloured in yellow

Would you like to help me with my project? 

Figure 9: Watercolour cartoon front drawing the long-haired blond girl smiling and writing on her sketchbook while looking at and speaking to the reader.

What do I have to do If I say yes?

Figure 10: Watercolour cartoon drawing of an Asian child seated on the floor with their right hand up asking a question. They have short straight hair with a fringe and wear a blue shirt, yellow trousers, and white shoes

Just do your class and follow your teacher’s instructions. I'll be drawing silently without interrupting.

Figure 11: Watercolour cartoon front drawing the long-haired blond girl smiling and writing on her sketchbook while looking at and speaking to the reader.

Do I have to say yes to take part in the class?

Figure 12: Watercolour cartoon drawing of a Black child seated on the floor with their left hand up asking a question. Their hair are styled in 2 symmetrical buns and they wear a yellow shirt, blue trousers, and white shoes

No, you don’t. You can do your class without helping me.

Figure 13: Watercolour cartoon front drawing the long-haired blond girl smiling and writing on her sketchbook while looking at and speaking to the reader.

At the end of the class, if you want, we can have a chat and you can tell me all about your creation.

Figure 14: Watercolour cartoon drawing of the long-hair girl (on the left) talking to a child on a wheelchair (on the right). The girl is taking notes. The child has short dark blond hair, wears a yellow shirt, blue trousers, and white shoes. They are showing a small bee house to the long-hair girl.

This is what I did!

I will record our conversation.

Figure 15: Sketch of a black sound recorder device with play, stop, and rec button, a screen that says 'REC' and 2 small microphone on top.

I will start by asking your name: you can decide if you want to participate with your real name or if you prefer to have a 'code name' that only you and I will know.

I might ask some questions, like your age, what you know about the environment, or how you feel after the class. But you don't have to answer if you don't want to… 

Figure 16: Watercolour cartoon drawing of the long-hair girl (on the left) talking to a child on a wheelchair (on the right). The girl is taking notes. The child has short dark blond hair, wears a yellow shirt, blue trousers, and white shoes. They are showing a small bee house to the long-hair girl.

I don’t want to answer

… And you can stop our chat at any moment.

Figure 17: Watercolour cartoon drawing of the long-hair girl (on the left) talking to a child on a wheelchair (on the right). The girl is taking notes. The child has short dark blond hair, wears a yellow shirt, blue trousers, and white shoes. They are showing a small bee house to the long-hair girl.

I don’t want to talk anymore

Before you go, don't forget to take your little present: a little colouring book I made for you.

Figure 18: Pencil sketch of paper sheets with animal drawings and coloured crayons around

This is a little present from me to thank you for your help.

Figure 19: Watercolour cartoon front drawing the long-haired blond girl smiling and writing on her sketchbook while looking at and speaking to the reader.

What happens to the drawings you made?

Figure 20: Watercolour cartoon drawing of a Black child seated on the floor with their right hand up asking a question. They have very short curly hair and they wear a blue shirt, yellow trousers, and white shoes

The drawings I made during the class will be coloured and put together with other drawings I made of other people.

You can see them on this website

Figure 21: Watercolour cartoon front drawing the long-haired blond girl smiling and writing on her sketchbook while looking at and speaking to the reader.

What about the things I told you?

Figure 22: Watercolour cartoon drawing of a brown child seated on the floor with their left hand up asking a question. They have short straight hair and they wear a blue shirt, yellow trousers, and white shoes

Everything you told me and all information you gave me will be kept safe.

Figure 23: Cartoon drawing of a yellow metal locker with chains around

Your family and teacher know that you did this project.

Figure 24: Cartoon silhouette of a group of six adults of different genders and ethnicity

 Why should I help you?

Figure 25: Watercolour cartoon drawing of a white child with glasses seated on the floor with their right hand up asking a question. They have short light brown hair and they wear a yellow shirt, blue trousers, and white shoes

This project will help adults to better understand how children feel about their environment and what they want to do to help it.

Figure 26: Drawing of all children outdoor playing on the grass with an adult in the middle with green tall trees and black silhouettes of animals and birds around them.

This will allow us adults to help back children using their imagination to make the world a better place for them, animals, and plants.

Thank you again for showing interest in my project.

This is my email:
a.fasoli@kingston.ac.uk

Thank you!

Figure 27: Watercolour cartoon drawing of the long-haired blond bowing forward.

You and your parents can always contact me for questions.
Please write to me within 20 days since our chat if you eventually decide not to be part of the study anymore.

If you want to help me with my project, please fill the form with your parent, guardian, or teacher:

Privacy and Data

All data are processed according to the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018. At the end of the research, all data collected will be appropriately archived and retained for minimum 10 years, at the end of which continued retention will be reviewed.
Kingston University’s data protection policy governing the use of personal data by the University can be found on its website: https://www.kingston.ac.uk/aboutkingstonuniversity/howtheuniversityworks/policiesandregulations/#information.
If you wish to raise a complaint on how we have handled your personal data, you can contact our Data Protection Officer who will investigate the matter. If you are not satisfied with our response or believe we are processing your personal data in a way that is not lawful you can complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) (https://ico.org.uk/). 

Contacts

Principal Researcher

Alessandra Fasoli
Postgraduate Researcher in Sustainable Design
email: a.fasoli@kingston.ac.uk
Kingston University London
Kingston School of Art
School of Creative and Cultural Industries, School of Design
Department of Critical and Historical Studies
Knights Park
Grange Road,Kingston upon Thames, Surrey KT1 2QJ

Supervisory Team

First supervisor
Dr Christoph Lueder, Kingston University London
email: c.lueder@kingston.ac.uk

Second supervisor
Dr Paul Micklethwaite, Manchester Metropolitan University

Non-academic supervisor
Zoe Dennington, Crafts Council Head of Learning

University contact for clarification or complaints about this research

Ms Amanda Ure
Grange Road,
Kingston upon Thames,
Surrey KT1 2QJ
email: m.ure@kingston.ac.uk

Explore the project further:

Get in Touch

Questions and collaboration requests are welcome