Topic:
OURSELVES
Area of Learning:
Knowledge and Understanding of the World
Early Learning Goal:
Investigate objects and materials by using all of their senses as appropriate. 1a
Find out and identify some features of living things, objects and events 1b
they observe.
Key Questions Learning Objective
What body parts do we know? To be able to name simple parts of the body.
What are the names of the different senses our To know that we eat, hear, taste, see, touch,
bodies have? move and have babies.
What do we use the different senses for? To be aware that sounds are heard when
they enter the ear.
Do we always like the different things we
smell, taste, hear, see or touch? To be aware that there are many kinds of
sounds and many sources of sound.
What is your favourite taste, smell, touch,
sound, image? To be aware that certain sounds in the
environment help us.
Suggested Activities
1. Give a feely bag to the children to use their sense of touch.
2. Sort different things into sets of what they like and dislike the taste/smell of. This activity
should be done blindfolded to allow the children to use only their sense of taste.
3. Play different games using their sense of hearing. What do they hear outside the
classroom? Ask the children to try and detect where in the room a musical instrument is
being played.
4. Sort pictures into sets of what we see inside and what we see outside.
5. Discuss which sounds in the environment help us to be aware of danger.
1
Topic:
OURSELVES
Area of Learning:
Knowledge and Understanding of the World
Early Learning Goal:
Look closely at similarities, differences, pattern and change. 1c
Key Questions Learning Objective
Who can name some of our body parts? To recognise the main external parts of the
body.
What is the name of the body part attached to
our ankle? To recognise the different uses for our body
parts.
What different ways can we move our body
parts? To be aware that there are similarities and
differences between themselves and other
What body parts can we balance on? pupils.
What do we use our different body parts for?
Suggested Activities
1. Colour the rainbow girl picture matching the correct colour to the body part.
2. Show the different movements we can make with our body parts.
3. Demonstrate the different ways we use of body parts.
4. Explore similarities and differences between each other.
2
Topic:
OURSELVES
Area of Learning:
Knowledge and Understanding of the World
Early Learning Goal:
Find out about and identify the uses of every day technology and use ICT. 3a
Key Questions Learning Objective
How is it different from dressing a teddy / To be able to move and place things on the
person in real life? screen.
Can I print out my work? To be able to use simple tools in a paint
program.
How is a digital camera different to an
ordinary camera? To be aware that some things can be
printed.
To be aware of the print icon and print out
their painting.
To have the opportunity to use a digital
camera.
Suggested Activities
1. Use Dress the Teddy program.
2. Demonstrate a simple painting program and print out results.
3. Use a program from the Internet (Can You Make The Face?). This is a drag and click
program with a print icon.
4. Use a program called Characters, where you can change the person’s clothes, facial
features etc. and type in text before you print.
5. Leaps and Bounds – Facial features, expressions, Click.
6. Use a digital camera to take pictures of friends/family.
3
Topic:
OURSELVES
Area of Learning:
Knowledge and Understanding of the World
Early Learning Goal:
Find out about past and present events in their own lives and in those of 4a
their families and other people they know.
Key Questions Learning Objective
Will we always be the same height as we are To know that there are stages of growth.
now?
Why will our body size change? What happens
to our body?
Does this happen to everybody?
Who is smaller, a baby or a grown up?
Who is small, a toddler or a teenager?
Suggested Activities
1. Sequence pictures from baby to grown up.
2. Sequence photographs of themselves from baby to the age they are now.
3. Discuss the different things we could do at different ages e.g. crawl, talk, walk.
4
Topic:
OURSELVES
Area of Learning:
Creative Development
Early Learning Goal:
Explore colour, texture, shape form and space in two or three dimensions. 1a
Key Questions Learning Objective
What colour is our hair? To understand that we have different parts
to our face and body when drawing.
What is a portrait?
To show awareness of shape when drawing
When we talk about size and proportion, what a self portrait.
do we mean?
To recognise that all colours have their own
name and to know these names.
To show an awareness of size and
proportion.
Suggested Activities
1. Draw a self portrait. Introduce vocabulary to help compare and talk about what is
required e.g. lighter, darker, thicker, thinner and shade.
2. During the rainbow girl activity they will recognise the colour names or initial letter and
match them to the colour.
3. Ask the children to arrange themselves into height order with their friends.
5
Topic: OURSELVES
Area of Learning: Creative Development
Early Learning Goal:
Recognise and explore how sounds can be changed sing simple songs from 2a
memory, recognise repeated sounds and sound patterns and match
movement to music
Key Questions Learning Objective
What is rhythm? To improve physical co-ordination.
Develop the ability to feel pulse.
To use voices and bodies experimentally.
To sing corporately with confidence.
Suggested Activities
Exploring sounds.
Action rhymes.
Moving to music.
Taking part in Harvest and Christmas productions.
6
Topic:
OURSELVES
Area of Learning:
Creative Development
Early Learning Goal:
Respond in a variety of ways to what they see, hear, smell, touch and feel. 4a
Key Questions Learning Objective
What do you think about …………..? To understand that we all have an opinion
which is valued by us all.
How do you feel about …………….?
To know that it is important to listen to
Did you like or dislike ……………..? Why? others.
To understand that it is important to discuss
things with others and to know that
discussion is speaking and listening.
Suggested Activities
1. Introduce the children to descriptive language related to their senses. Take the children
for a walk and allow them to move throughout the leaves and let the leaves ‘rustle’ as
they shuffle.
2. Support the children into expressing their opinions and introduce language such as ‘like’,
‘dislike’, ‘prefer’, ‘disagree’.
7
Topic: OURSELVES
Area of Learning: Physical Development
Early Learning Goal:
Move with confidence, imagination and in safety. 1a
Key Questions Learning Objective
What type of movements could we make in To listen to a particular sound e.g. drum and
response to the signal? commands by adult.
To use quick light skips in a happy dance or
strong stamping steps in an angry one using
appropriate music.
Suggested Activities
1. Children respond to sound by developing balance in basic action.
2. To work on speed and direction.
3. Encourage children to make a response to rhymes e.g. Head shoulders knees and toes
4 Use different types of music to encourage different actions/movements
8
Topic:
OURSELVES
Area of Learning:
Physical Development
Early Learning Goal:
Move with control and co-ordination. 1b
Key Questions Learning Objective
To help improve control and co-ordination.
Suggested Activities
Talk with the children and encourage them to practice control and co-ordination by providing
activities such as dressing/undressing the dolls in the role play area.
Encourage the children to hold their drinks at snack time with two hands and walk to the
carpet.
At lunchtime encourage the children to carry their own tray and use both knife and fork to eat
their dinner.
9
Topic: OURSELVES
Area of Learning: Physical Development
Early Learning Goal; 1c
Travel around, under, over and through balancing and climbing
equipment.
Key Questions Learning Objective
How can we show different types of rolling, Children explore the different rolls they can
jumping ,landing and balance work? do.
To travel from one piece of apparatus to
another - how to travel across the apparatus
Suggested Activities
1. Using different parts of their bodies encourage different ways of moving from or across
pieces of apparatus and the floor.
10
Topic:
OURSELVES
Area of Learning:
Physical Development
Early Learning Goal:
Show awareness of space, of themselves and others. 2a
Key Questions Learning Objective
Why must we be careful during PE lessons? To understand that they must be safe and be
aware of the space around them.
Is it safe to walk in front of others when they
are doing an activity? To recognise the space they have to move
and to work within that space.
Suggested Activities
1. Through dance and gymnastics, explore the movements our bodies can make.
2. Talk about the different body parts, teaching the vocabulary of body parts and positions
e.g. by using action rhymes such as ‘Head, shoulders, knees and toes’ and ‘Tommy
Thumb’.
3. Ask the children to pull faces in a mirror. Then ask them to pair up with a friend and take
it in turns to observe each other’s facial expressions or use the format of ‘Simple Simon
says’ pull a sad face.
11
Topic:
OURSELVES
Area of Learning:
Physical Development
Early Learning Goal:
Recognise the importance of keeping healthy and those things that 3a
contribute to this.
Key Questions Learning Objective
What things can we do at playtime to help To recognise healthy and unhealthy food.
keep our bodies fit and healthy?
To give reasons why it is important for us to
Why must we keep our bodies fit and healthy? keep our bodies healthy.
Who is responsible for keeping our bodies To recognise the importance of looking
healthy? after our teeth.
Suggested Activities
1. Look at our teeth and discuss what helps keep them healthy. Cut and stick pictures,
sorting them into sets of healthy and unhealthy.
2. Compare different exercises and how they keep our bodies healthy.
3. Look at the food we eat and how we can keep ourselves healthy with food. Make a diary
of what we eat in a week at school.
12
Topic:
OURSELVES
Area of Learning:
Physical Development
Early Learning Goal:
Recognise the changes that happen to the body when they are active. 3b
Key Questions Learning Objective
Can you feel your heartbeat? To know that exercise is good for our
bodies.
What happens to our heartbeat if we run on the
spot? To know that it is important for us to be
active on a regular basis.
How can we make our heartbeat slow down?
To recognise and discuss how our body
Is it good for our bodies to make our heart changes when we are active.
work a little harder sometimes?
Suggested Activities
1. Compare our heartbeat and how we sweat from when we start exercise to when we finish.
This will be done following gym and dance PE lessons.
2. Look at the changes that happen to our body during playtime when we play on the
scooter, run around, play football.
3. Compare how our body changes when we throw and catch a ball to when we run around
the playground.
13
Topic:
OURSELVES
Area of Learning:
Physical Development
Early Learning Goal:
Use a range of small and large equipment. 4a
Handle tools, objects, construction and malleable materials safely and with 5a
increasing control.
Key Questions Learning Objective
To have opportunities to refine existing
skills.
To be aware of how to use materials safely
and effectively.
Suggested Activities
1. Cutting and sticking activities.
2. Using and range of paintbrushes, pencils, chalks etc. to create paintings and drawings of
family members.
3. Use play dough to trace around faces and add features.
4. Use clay to produce faces.
5. Play with construction toys such as popoids to create people.
14
Topic:
OURSELVES
Area of Learning:
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Early Learning Goal:
Continue to be interested, excited and motivated to learn. 1a
Maintain attention, concentration and sit quietly when appropriate. 1c
Key Questions Learning Objective
How do you prepare to look after your baby To be aware that new experiences can be
before they are born? exciting and worrying.
How do you look after a baby? To be aware that we must listen to the
speaker.
What does it feel like to have your baby at
home?
Suggested Activities
1. Invite a parent to bring in their baby and discuss what it is like to bring up a baby. If
appropriate demonstrate bathing or feeding.
15
Topic:
OURSELVES
Area of Learning:
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Early Learning Goal:
Respond to significant experiences, showing a range of feelings when 2a
appropriate.
Key Questions Learning Objective
How did you feel when …………..? To know that we all have feelings.
What would you do next time so as not to hurt To know that our feelings make us behave
someone’s feelings again? in different ways.
How is it best to help people when they are To recognise the correct way to behave
feeling …………? towards people so as not to hurt their
feelings.
Suggested Activities
1. Share experiences which you have had with your family in a class discussion.
2. Discuss times when people have cried with laughter. Discuss why people do this and
how feelings make us behave in different ways.
3. Discuss the different feelings we have at different times towards members of our family
e.g. arguing with brother/sister, receiving present from family members.
16
Topic:
OURSELVES
Area of Learning:
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Early Learning Goal:
Have a developing awareness of their own needs, views and feelings and 2b
be sensitive to the needs, views and feelings of others.
Key Questions Learning Objective
How did you feel when ……………? To recognise how to make people happy by
things that you do.
How do you think the other person felt when
you ……………..? To recognise that role play is not what is
really happening to you but just pretending.
To recognise and learn from the feelings
that were experienced during the role play.
Suggested Activities
1. Make a birthday cake. Put candles on for someone’s birthday.
2. Role play different experiences which people might have e.g. falling out with friends,
going to a wedding, making new friends at a new school.
17
Topic:
OURSELVES
Area of Learning:
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Early Learning Goal:
Have a developing respect for own cultures and beliefs and those of other 2c
people.
Understand that they can expect others to treat their needs, views, cultures 6b
and beliefs with respect.
Key Questions Learning Objective
Why is their square special to them? To recognise that an individual has value
and is deserving of respect.
Looking at the squares, which children share
the same interests?
Suggested Activities
Class Quilt
Give each child a square of card or felt. Ask the children to take it home and together with
their parents design something that reflects their interest e.g. cars, dolls etc. Children bring
them back and they are collectively put together to make a ‘Class Quilt’. Discuss each
square.
18
Topic:
OURSELVES
Area of Learning:
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Early Learning Goal:
Form good relationships with adults/peers 3a
Key Questions Learning Objective
What do we do if we get lost? To listen to each other and explain their
action.
What should we do if a stranger comes up to
us?
Who can we turn to for help?
Suggested Activities
Invite the local police officer to speak to the children. Involve the children in writing a letter
of invitation. Share photographs, leaflets and posters to stimulate the children’s interest prior
to the visit.
To role play in the park and act how they would behave if approached by a stranger.
19
Topic:
OURSELVES
Area of Learning:
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Early Learning Goal:
Work as part of a group or class, taking turns and sharing fairly, 3b
understanding that there needs to be agreed values and codes of behaviour
for group of people to work harmoniously.
Key Questions Learning Objective
How do we behave during carpet time? To know that our behaviour is decided by
the situation we are in.
Do we talk during assembly?
To understand when and where different
Why is it important to share the toys and behaviour is appropriate.
equipment with other members of the class?
Suggested Activities
1. Through circle time activities allow the children to learn about the behaviour required to
allow us to work harmoniously. Circle time activities will take place throughout the term
looking at different objectives such as how we treat others, how to share, listening to
others.
2. Through role play in the home corner the children will practice the skills allowing them to
work together harmoniously.
20
Topic:
OURSELVES
Area of Learning:
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Early Learning Goal:
Understand what is right, what is wrong and why. Consider the 4a
consequences of their words and actions for themselves and others. 4b
Key Questions Learning Objective
Why is it important for us to follow a set of To know that there is a standard of
rules? behaviour in school by which all children
should behave.
Should all children follow the rules all of the
time? Why? To recognise what is right and wrong.
How should we behave during assembly? To understand that we must behave in a
particular way for the safety of ourselves
Why must we walk along the corridor and not and others.
run?
Suggested Activities
1. Look at our daily routine and the things we do in school and the appropriate behaviour.
2. Make class rules with the children to give them ownership of them and to help them
understand what is right and wrong.
21
Topic:
OURSELVES
Area of Learning:
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Early Learning Goal:
Dress and undress independently and manage their own personal hygiene. 5a
Select and use activities and resources independently. 5b
Key Questions Learning Objective
Why is it important that we should be able to To know we must learn to dress/undress
dress/undress ourselves? ourselves independently.
How will I learn these skills? To know the more we practice the better we
will be.
Can other people help me?
To be aware that it is important to help
other people.
To learn to select and use equipment and
resources independently.
Suggested Activities
1. To learn to change shoes daily.
2. To learn how to put on painting aprons and to know where to find them.
3. To learn to undress and dress for PE.
4. Through play, to practice skills i.e. threading, dressing dolls and putting on/taking off
dressing up clothes.
22
Topic:
OURSELVES
Area of Learning:
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Early Learning Goal:
Understand that people have different needs, views, cultures and beliefs 6a
that need to be treated with respect.
Key Questions Learning Objective
What makes a special friend? To help children to think about the
importance of being a good friend.
How are people different from ourselves?
Suggested Activities
1. Give each child a piece of card with a ribbon tied through it. Ask the children to write
down their special friend’s name and on the reverse adult scribes why this person is
special after discussing how people can be different from ourselves.
2. Friendship basket – encourage children to talk about what makes a good friend and write
it on the card and place in the box/basket. Read the cards aloud and ask the children to
give examples from their own experiences.
23
Topic:
FESTIVALS
Area of Learning:
Knowledge and Understanding of the World
Early Learning Goal:
Investigate objects and materials by using all of their senses as appropriate. 1a
Find out about and identify some features of living things, objects and 1b
events they observe.
Key Questions Learning Objective
Do you know what each object is? To be able to identify certain features in the
local area.
What is the object/artefact used for?
To be aware that some electrical appliances
Are all objects safe to touch? can be dangerous, especially if switched on.
Is it safe? To be aware that light comes from a variety
of sources, including the sun.
Do you notice any other light sources? If so,
what are they? To be aware of the dangers of the incorrect
use of electrical appliances.
Suggested Activities
1. Visit or use photographs to identify features in the local area e.g. Churches and other
places of worship.
2. Look at and examine different artefacts from different cultures. Draw or paint what you
see.
3. Look at patterns in materials and recreate them using different mediums to add texture.
4. Cut/sort pictures that need electricity in the home and in the environment.
5. Draw pictures of things that need electricity to work.
6. Make a simple electrical circuit.
24
Topic:
FESTIVALS
Area of Learning:
Knowledge and Understanding of the World
Early Learning Goal:
Look closely at similarities differences, patterns and change 1c
Ask questions about why things happen and how things work. 1d
Key Questions Learning Objective
Do we celebrate weddings in the same way. If To be aware of how different cultures
not, what are the differences? prepare for festivals and weddings.
How do different cultures prepare for festivals To be aware that people worship in different
and where do they worship? places.
What similarities do we notice between To recognise similarities and differences.
festivals?
To be aware that darkness is the absence of
Do you notice any other light sources? If so, light. Shadows.
what are they?
To be aware that light can shine through
What is a shadow? some materials.
What does reflect mean? To be aware that light comes from a variety
of sources, including the sun.
Suggested Activities
1. To look at different styles of weddings through books and photographs.
2. Ask Hindu/Muslim parents for artefacts from special events.
3. Make food which is traditional to other cultures.
4. Discuss and make shadows/puppets.
5. Look at materials and how light shines through them.
6. Discuss which surfaces reflect light: mirrors, spoons etc.
7. Discuss light sources.
25
Topic:
FESTIVALS
Area of Learning:
Knowledge and Understanding of the World
Early Learning Goal:
Find out about and identify the uses of everyday technology and use 3a
Information and Communication Technology.
Key Questions Learning Objective
Which stamps/motifs can I use for my pattern? To be able to use simple tools in a painting
package.
How do I find the stamps/motifs?
Suggested Activities
1. To use colour magic to produce patterns using stamps and motifs.
2. Take a torch apart to find out how it works.
26
Topic:
FESTIVALS
Area of Learning:
Knowledge and Understanding of the World
Early Learning Goal:
Find out about past and present events in their own lives and in those of 4a
families and other people they know.
Key Questions Learning Objective
Can you think of any festivals that people have To know that events change throughout the
recently celebrated? years.
What happens to certain streets in Leicester at To observe changes in the environment.
Christmas and Diwali?
Suggested Activities
1. Make a time line of festivals and celebrations throughout the year.
2. Make a class book or album about a festival.
27
Topic:
FESTIVALS
Area of Learning:
Knowledge and Understanding of the World
Early Learning Goal:
Observe, find out and identify features in the place they live and the 5a
natural world.
Find out about their environment and talk about those features they 5b
like/dislike.
Key Questions Learning Objective
Where do we live? To know that we live in Leicester.
What is a map and what is it used for? To know our address.
To be aware of what maps are and what
they are used for.
Suggested Activities
1. Look at photographs of their local environment, discuss them and ask the children to
match the photographs.
2. Choosing one photograph, can the children work out how they would get there from
school? After discussion ask the children to make a simple map.
28
Topic:
FESTIVALS
Area of Learning:
Knowledge and Understanding of the World
Early Learning Goal:
Gain an awareness of the cultures and beliefs of others 6a
Key Questions Learning Objective
Do we wear the same types of clothes? If not, To know that some people from different
how are they different and why are they cultures wear different clothes.
different?
To recognise that some people eat different
Do we eat the same type of food? types of food and eat with different utensils.
Suggested Activities
1. Bring in a selection of different types of fruit and vegetables from around the world. Can
they be sorted into appropriate groups? Do they know the names of each item?
2. Look at different types of clothing. Why do some people wear western dress and others
traditional dress?
3. Use role play to reflect a variety of cultures e.g. Chinese restaurant – use chopsticks and
bowls.
4. Make collages of people’s clothes.
5. Dress dolls in clothes from around the world.
29
Topic:
FESTIVALS
Area of Learning:
Knowledge and Understanding of the World
Early Learning Goal:
6a
Begin to know about our own cultures and beliefs and those of others.
Key Questions Learning Objective
What do we know about our own culture and To know that Diwali is a Hindu festival.
beliefs? To be aware of some Christian celebrations.
How are they different from other people’s To be able to talk about an event special to
beliefs and cultures in our class or school? them.
Why do Hindus celebrate Diwali? To recognise that different people celebrate
Why are candles/light important during different cultures and beliefs and be able to
Diwali? explain to people what they are.
As Christians, what celebrations are important To know that Diwali is the festival of light.
to us?
Suggested Activities
1. To discuss Christian culture and beliefs.
2. Look at Hinduism, Sikhism and Judaism by means of factual books and story books.
3. To look at artefacts to illustrate different festivals and display them.
4. To invite visitors to talk about their own experiences when appropriate.
5. Look at the Jewish festival ‘The Feast of the Tabernacle’
6. Sikh festival – Guru Nanak’s birthday. Make kindness cake. Have a kindness box.
7. All Saints Day – Candles are lit to remember those who have died.
8. Bonfire Night.
9. To create a role play area of a typical home at Diwali in the preparation for Diwali.
10. To visit local churches/places of worship – Chinese Church (off Queens Road)
30
Topic:
FESTIVALS
Area of Learning:
Creative Development
Early Learning Goal:
Explore colour, texture, shape, form and space in 2 or 3 dimensions. 1a
Key Questions Learning Objective
What equipment will I need? To be able to select and use appropriate
equipment and materials.
What is a pattern?
To know that different materials create
How do you make a pattern? different effects and textures.
What does texture mean? To learn to work creatively with different
materials.
Suggested Activities
1. Make Rangoli patterns using chalk or coloured rice. Explore geometric patterns.
2. Design own Mendhi pattern. Encourage children to recreate own patterns.
3. Make a peg doll of a Hindu person wearing a sari.
4. Make Diwali cards.
5. Using water a brusha create exploding fireworks in the sky.
6. Design your own 2D/3D firework.
7. Make flower garlands.
8. Design your own clay pot Diwas.
9. Colourful candles. Stained glass windows.
10. Make own candles.
31
Topic:
FESTIVALS
Area of Learning:
Creative Development
Early Learning Goal:
Recognise and explore how sounds can be changed.
Sing simple songs from memory 2a
Recognise repeated sounds and sound patterns
Match movements to music
Key Questions Learning Objective
Why do we sing these songs at this time of To be able to sing songs from memory and
year? match movement to music.
What do we need to do to make a rhythm? To improve physical co-ordination.
Develop the ability to feel a pulse.
To use voices and bodies experimentally.
To sing corporately with confidence.
Suggested Activities
1. Songs to be sung:
‘It’s the 5th November’ with actions
Diwali is here
Crackers on the Pavement
2. To work through Stage A of Music Materials for Leicestershire Primary Schools on
rhythm.
3. Use their imagination in art and design, music, dance, imaginative role play and stories.
4. Exploring sounds
5. Action rhymes
6. Moving to music
32
Topic:
FESTIVALS
Area of Learning:
Creative Development
Early Learning Goal:
To use their imagination in art and design, music, dance, imagination and 3a
role play and stories.
Respond in a variety of ways to what they see and hear. 4a
Key Questions Learning Objective
Which action will go with this music? To express and communicate their ideas
through role play and dance.
How does it make you feel?
Suggested Activities
1. Use a variety of music. Get the children to express themselves and use their
interpretations and express the mood of the music.
2. Make musical instruments to produce added rhythm – e.g. Bob Marley Reggae, Drums,
Indian music.
3. Make up own dance for Diwali celebrations.
33
Topic:
FESTIVALS
Area of Learning:
Physical Development
Early Learning Goal:
Move with confidence imagination and in safety. 1a
Show awareness of space. 2a
Key Questions Learning Objective
Why is it important to be quiet in PE? To know why we have rules.
Why is it important to listen carefully? To know how to find a space.
How does this music make you want to dance To listen to a particular sound e.g. drum,
and why? and commands by adult.
To use quick light skips in a happy dance or
strong stamping steps in an angry one, using
appropriate music.
Suggested Activities
1. Develop control and balance in basic action e.g. jumping/stillness.
2. To work on speed and direction.
3. Use music of different kinds and from a variety of cultures.
34
Topic:
FESTIVALS
Area of Learning:
Physical Development
Early Learning Goal:
Travel around, under, over and through balancing and climbing equipment. 1c
Move with control and co-ordination. 1b
Key Questions Learning Objective
What would be the best way to travel/move To travel and move in different ways from
around? one piece of apparatus to another.
To explore different types of rolling.
To encourage children to talk and think
about and practice the ways they move and
use resources.
Suggested Activities
1. Using the benches, find different ways of moving from one end to the other, using
different parts of the body.
2. Discuss and encourage children to use a variety of PE equipment, large and small.
3. Rolling, jumping, landing and balance work using apparatus.
35
Topic:
FESTIVALS
Area of Learning:
Physical Development
Early Learning Goal:
Use a range of small and large equipment. 4a
Handle tools, objects, construction and malleable materials safely and with 5a
increasing control.
Key Questions Learning Objective
What tools will I need to use? To have opportunities to refine existing
skills.
To be aware of how to use materials safely
and effectively.
Suggested Activities
Activities linked to Creative Development (1a)
ELG: explore colour, texture, shape, form and space in 2 or 3 dimensions.
Make clay divas
Manipulate play dough to make candles
Make chapattis
36
Topic:
FESTIVALS
Area of Learning:
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Early Learning Goal:
Continue to be interested, excited and motivated to learn. 1a
Be confident to try new activities, initiate ideas and speak in a familiar 1b
group.
Key Questions Learning Objective
Can you describe what you feel? To be interested, excited and motivated to
learn.
How could we use these objects in our role
play area – does anyone have any good ideas?
Should we be frightened or worried?
Did you like/dislike it and why?
Suggested Activities
As an introduction to the role play, place objects into a bag and invite the children to feel and
describe and try and guess what the role play area will be.
Use objects such as spiders, bats and a witches wand etc. for Halloween.
Have a selection of cultural food and invite the children to eat them. Discuss ingredients and
where in the world the food is eaten. Encourage the children to discuss their experiences.
37
Topic:
FESTIVALS
Area of Learning:
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Early Learning Goal:
Have a developing respect for their own cultures and beliefs and those of 2c
other people.
Key Questions Learning Objective
What do we mean by culture? To begin to develop respect for own and
others’ culture and beliefs.
What do we mean by beliefs?
Do we all believe the same thing?
If not, what is different?
Suggested Activities
During Circle Time:
Invite the children or a visitor to talk about their own experience
Make role play area into e.g. a Hindu home.
Ask the children to make spinners in games (Jewish children play games during
Hanukkah)
Look at different artefacts.
38
Topic:
FESTIVALS
Area of Learning:
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Early Learning Goal:
Dress and undress independently and manage their own personal 5a
hygiene.
Select and use activities and resources independently. 5b
Key Questions Learning Objective
Why is it important that we should be able To know we must learn to dress/undress
to dress/undress ourselves? ourselves independently.
How will I learn these skills? To know the more we practice the better
we will be.
Can other people help me?
To be aware that it is important to help
other people.
To learn to select and use equipment and
resources independently.
Suggested Activities
1. To learn to change shoes daily.
2. To learn how to put on painting aprons and to know where to find them.
3. To learn to undress and dress for PE.
4. Through play, to practice skills i.e. threading, dressing dolls and putting
on/taking off dressing up clothes.
39
Topic:
FESTIVALS
Area of Learning:
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Early Learning Goal:
Understand that people have different needs, views, cultures and beliefs 6a
that need to be treated with respect.
Understand that they can expect others to treat their needs, views, cultures 6b
and beliefs with respect.
Key Questions Learning Objective
How are wedding days celebrated in different To encourage children to share experiences
cultures? and develop awareness of the need to
respect and value others.
How do people prepare for special days?
To have positive self image and show that
Which religions believe candles to be they are comfortable with themselves.
important?
Suggested Activities
1. Circle time (Show and tell) – allow children to share their experiences about different
cultures with photographs etc.
2. To watch a video to illustrate different cultures and beliefs.
3. To share stories and allow discussions.
4. Discuss why some brides have money pinned to them on their wedding day.
5. Role play to re-enact a special occasion.
6. Invite visitors to speak about their experiences and encourage children to ask questions.
7. Demonstrate how to wear a sari, turban etc.
8. Discuss times when we use candles.
40
FESTIVALS
Resources
Hinduism, Judaism, Sikhism and
Christianity boxes
Diwali pack
41
Topic: CHRISTMAS
Area of Learning:
Knowledge and Understanding of the World
Early Learning Goal:
Ask questions about why things happen. 1d
To begin to know about own cultures and those of others. 6a
Key Questions Learning Objective
Why are candles/light important at Christmas? To know about Christmas celebrations in
other countries.
How do other cultures/people celebrate
Christmas? To know why we celebrate Christmas.
Where are these countries? To know that there are certain similarities in
how different countries celebrate Christmas.
Do we notice any similarities between each
cultures? To know that the candle, for Christians,
represents Jesus as the Light of the World.
Why do we celebrate Christmas?
Suggested Activities
1. Make piñatas – fill balloons with sweets. (Mexico)
2. Make peppermint creams and wrap them in gold foil and hang on the Christmas tree.
(Germany)
3. Make a Christingle.
4. Decorate the school hall Christmas tree in the British tradition. Make your own baubles
or star to place on the tree.
5. Sequence the story of Christmas using pictures.
6. Discuss the meaning of Christmas.
7. Look at specific countries and discuss and record what happens at Christmas.
8. To hear stories about different customs at Christmas around the world.
9. Make own advent wreath depicting the 5 candles.
10. Make own candles and decorate them.
42
Topic:
CHRISTMAS
Area of Learning:
Knowledge and Understanding of the World
Early Learning Goal:
Build and construct with a wide range of objects, selecting appropriate 2a
resources and adapting their work where necessary.
2b
Select the tools and techniques they need to shape, assemble and join
materials they are using.
Key Questions Learning Objective
What materials will I need? To be able to choose appropriate materials
and use simple joining techniques to allow
Is there anything I could change? movement.
What would be the best thing to use to join the Can describe some features of movement in
arms and legs so that the santa can move? the human body.
To begin to evaluate and change things to
improve them.
Suggested Activities
1. To plan and construct a moving Santa using appropriate resources.
2. When the Santas are finished, to look at them and discuss what changes if any, could be
made to improve them.
3. Make a calendar using scissors, a hole punch and a glue spreader.
43
Topic:
CHRISTMAS
Area of Learning:
Knowledge and Understanding of the World
Early Learning Goal:
Find out about and identify the uses of every day technology and use 3a
Information and Communication Technology (ICT).
Key Questions Learning Objective
How will we start our letters to Father To encourage children to help one another
Christmas? use ICT equipment.
To have opportunities to create own pictures
and print them out.
To give opportunities to develop skills with
ICT across areas of learning.
To develop familiarity of the keyboard.
Suggested Activities
1. Use the computer in the classroom or the ICT suite.
2. To design own Christmas pictures (Paint programme) (2simple-2publish)
3. To use Word and type simple letters to Father Christmas – Please may I have………..
4. To use Word to write invitations to see our play
5. To use a tape recorder to:
Record messages to Father Christmas
Listen to Christmas Stories and Songs
6. To watch their own class performance on video
44
Topic:
CHRISTMAS
Area of Learning:
Knowledge and Understanding of the World
Early Learning Goal:
Find out about past and present events in their own lives and those of their 4a
families and other people they know.
Key Questions Learning Objective
What was Christmas like when Grandma and To know that Christmas long ago was
Grandad were children? celebrated in a different way to now.
What is Christmas like now? To know that some children do not receive
presents.
Do you think Jesus and his family celebrated
Christmas in the same way as us?
How do you think it would have been different
2000 years ago?
Suggested Activities
1. Read The First Christmas and see if the children can see how Christmas has changed over
time. Ask the children to record differences then and now.
2. Ask the children to share their grandparents experiences of Christmas or any elderly
person they may know.
45
Topic:
CHRISTMAS
Area of Learning:
Creative Development
Early Learning Goal:
Explore colour, texture, shape, form and space in 2D/3D dimensions. 1a
Key Questions Learning Objective
Do I understand what a pattern is? To work creatively on a large or small scale.
Can I make a pattern? To recognise how patterns are made.
Can I explain how I made my pattern?
Suggested Activities
1. Make a 3D model of the Nativity scene with a shoebox.
2. Make a moving Santa with split pins.
3. Make Christmas displays using colour and texture from different types of materials used.
4. Design and make Christmas cards.
5. Make party hats using a patterned theme.
6. Design wrapping paper using different mediums, illustrating different festive patterns.
(Use ICT)
7. Make a pop up Santa inside a chimney.
8. Explore texture through sewing and collage.
46
Topic:
CHRISTMAS
Area of Learning:
Creative Development
Early Learning Goal:
Recognise and explore how sounds can be changed.
Sing simple songs from memory. 2a
Recognise repeated sounds and sound patterns.
Match movements to music.
Key Questions Learning Objective
Which would be the best instrument to choose To build up a repertoire of songs.
and why? Develop ability to feel pulse.
To improve physical co-ordination.
Do you recognise repeated sounds/patterns? To begin to move and play with rhythm.
To sing corporately with confidence.
Can you tap in time to a beat?
Suggested Activities
1. Sing lots of Christmas songs. (Traditional and Contemporary)
2. Choose appropriate instruments to accompany songs creating rhythm. (Use Leicestershire
Materials for Primary Schools Stage B)
3. Experience live performance. Put on Christmas play for parents/family.
4. When and if appropriate, go and watch a live show at the theatre.
5. Use circle time to clap out rhythms and patterns, e.g. My name is ……………
6. Exploring sounds.
7. Action rhymes.
8. Moving to music.
47
Topic:
CHRISTMAS
Area of Learning:
Creative Development
Early Learning Goal:
Use imagination in art and design, music, dance, imaginative role play and 3a
stories
Key Questions Learning Objective
What would we like for our role play area To work co-operatively as a group
theme?
What will we need to do in order to make it?
How will we make it?
Suggested Activities
1. Allow children to plan and construct their own role play area on the theme of Christmas.
2. To dramatise ‘The Snowman’ in mime and move around in time with the music.
3. Give children the opportunity to act out Christmas stories e.g. The Silver Christmas Tree
and illustrate the stories through drawing and painting.
48
Topic:
CHRISTMAS
Area of Learning:
Physical Development
Early Learning Goal:
Move with confidence, imagination and in safety. 1a
Move with control and co-ordination. 1b
Travel under, over and through balancing/climbing equipment. 1c
Key Questions Learning Objective
What would be the best way to move? To travel and move in different ways from
one piece of apparatus to another.
How many different ways can we think of? To explore the different types of rolls they
can do.
To listen to a particular sound e.g. drum and
commands by adult.
To use quick light skips in a happy dance or
strong stamping steps in an angry one, using
appropriate music.
Suggested Activities
1. Through dance and gymnastics move to music with imagination and expressions.
2. Use a variety of PE equipment, large and small apparatus, to offer a range of challenges
such as rolling, jumping, landing and balance work.
3. Create an obstacle course. How many different ways can we travel through, under and
over?
4. At playtime, create an area where children practice some of the above skills with barrels
and low balance beams.
5. Develop control and balance in basic actions e.g. jumping/stillness.
6. Work on speed and direction.
7. Talk about their actions and encourage them to practice ways they can move and use
resources.
49
Topic:
CHRISTMAS
Area of Learning:
Physical Development
Early Learning Goal:
Show awareness of space, of themselves and of others. 2a
Key Questions Learning Objective
Where should I stand and why? To show awareness of space, of themselves
and of others.
Suggested Activities
1. During Christmas play rehearsals and performances children need an awareness of
position and space on the limited area of the stage.
50
Topic:
CHRISTMAS
Area of Learning:
Physical Development
Early Learning Goal:
Use a range of small and large equipment 4a
Key Questions Learning Objective
What equipment will we need? Provide opportunities to develop and refine
existing skills.
Suggested Activities
1. Suggest that children load the wagon and fill it with an assortment of present for
Santa to deliver. Outside.
51
Topic:
CHRISTMAS
Area of Learning:
Physical Development
Early Learning Goal:
Handle tools, objects, construction and malleable materials safely and 5a
within increasing control.
Key Questions Learning Objective
What type of toy could we make baby Jesus? To use tools and materials effectively and
safely.
What type of tools can we use?
How do we use the tools safely?
Suggested Activities
1. Using a block of wood, encourage the children to design a toy or placque.
2. Play with the mobilo construction set to recreate the nativity scene.
3. Make dough decorations to hang on the tree.
4. Use hammer and nails to create Christmas objects.
52
Topic:
CHRISTMAS
Area of Learning:
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Early Learning Goal:
Continue to be interested, excited and motivated to learn. 1a
Be confident to try new activities, initiate ideas and speak in familiar 1b
group.
Maintain attention, concentrate and sit quietly as and when appropriate. 1c
Key Questions Learning Objective
Who’s present do you think it belongs to? To be interested, excited and motivated to
learn.
Can you guess what might be inside?
To maintain attention and concentration.
How can we find out?
Which characters have speaking parts in the
story of Christmas?
Suggested Activities
1. Pack boxes or wrap presents. Invite the children to guess who’s present it might be
and what is inside?
2. Make a Christmas cake.
3. Listen to the Christmas story and help with the speaking parts as the story unfolds.
53
Topic:
CHRISTMAS
Area of Learning:
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Early Learning Goal:
Having a developing awareness of their own needs, views and feelings and 2b
being sensitive to the needs, views and feelings of others.
Key Questions Learning Objective
Why do we give cards and presents to To know it is important to take turns and
family/friends? listen to other people’s views and feelings.
Does everyone exchange cards/gifts at
Christmas? To acknowledge and respond to other
Is Christmas a happy time for everyone? people’s feelings.
What makes people feel happy/sad?
How do we celebrate Christmas and why?
Does everyone feel happy at Christmas?
Should we be grateful or ungrateful for gifts
we receive? Why?
How do we show our thanks?
How would we feel if people didn’t
acknowledge Christmas?
Suggested Activities
1. Talk about receiving Christmas cards and gifts and how it is important to try to give to
everyone in the class so that no-one feels left out – this could involve role play.
2. Talk about how you would feel if you didn’t receive a Christmas card or5 present. Would
it make you feel happy or sad?
3. Discuss why it is important to say Thank You. How many different ways can we think of
to say thank you. Make thank you cards or notelets.
4. Talk about different ways people celebrate Christmas/birthdays.
54
Topic:
CHRISTMAS
Area of Learning:
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Early Learning Goal:
Form good relationships with adults and peers. 3a
Work as part of a group or class, taking turns and sharing fairly, 3b
understanding that there needs to be agreed values and codes of behaviour
for groups of people, including adults and children, to work together
harmoniously.
Key Questions Learning Objective
What are our rules? To know why we have rules.
How can we get on with other people in our To know it is important to get on with
class/school? adults and children.
What happens if we do not keep our rules? To be aware that we have to take
responsibility for our actions.
Suggested Activities
1. Whole class to discuss and agree classroom and playground codes of behaviour and rules.
These will be displayed on the wall.
2. To play games that require taking turns.
55
Topic:
CHRISTMAS
Area of Learning:
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Early Learning Goal:
Dress and undress independently and manage their own personal hygiene. 5a
Select and use activities and resources independently. 5b
Key Questions Learning Objective
Why is it important that we should be able to To know we must learn to dress/undress
dress/undress ourselves? ourselves independently.
How will I learn these skills? To know the more we practice the better we
will be.
Can other people help me?
To be aware that it is important to help
other people.
To learn to select and use equipment and
resources independently.
Suggested Activities
1. To learn to change shoes daily.
2. To learn how to put on painting aprons and to know where to find them.
3. To learn to undress and dress for PE.
4. Through play, to practice skills i.e. threading, dressing dolls and putting on/taking off
dressing up clothes.
56
Topic:
CHRISTMAS
Area of Learning:
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Early Learning Goal:
Understand that people have different needs, views, cultures and beliefs
that need to be treated with respect. 6a
Understand that they can expect others to treat their needs, views, cultures 6b
and beliefs with respect.
Key Questions Learning Objective
What are we celebrating at Christmas? To understand that people have different
cultures and beliefs.
To provide opportunities for child to discuss
and to be listened to.
Suggested Activities
1. Through discussion, allow children to share their experiences and the reasons for
similarities and differences.
2. Role Play – Change into the Nativity scene.
3. Ask the children to sequence the Nativity story using prepared worksheets.
57
Resources
Books from the School Library
Factual Books
The Living Festivals Series – Christmas Antony Ewens
Celebrations – Christmas
The Stories of our Christmas Customs
Festivals – Christmas
Merry Christmas – Children at Christmastime around the world
58
Topic: PENGUIN SMALL
Area of Learning Knowledge and understanding of the world
Early Learning Goal:
Investigate objects and materials by using all of their sense as appropriate 1a
Key Questions Learning Objective
How can we change the shape of a ball of To be aware that we can change the shape
plasticine? of some materials by processes including
squashing etc.
Suggested Activities
1. Investigate a ball of plasticine or dough change its shape and then make a snowman or a
snowflakes.
2. What words will best describe what we did, e.g. squash, bend, twist, stretch.
59
Topic:
PENGUIN SMALL
Area of Learning:
Knowledge and Understanding of the World
Early Learning Goal:
Find out about and identify some features of living things, objects and 1b
events they observe.
Key Questions Learning Objective
What do you know about animals that live in To find out and identify some features of
the jungle? living thins and objects they observe.
How can we find out more?
Suggested Activities
1. Look at books and posters featuring animals.
2. Make a display of jungle animals.
3. Draw your favourite animal.
4. Print off animals from the internet.
60
Topic:
PENGUIN SMALL
Area of Learning:
Knowledge and Understanding of the World
Early Learning Goal:
Look closely at similarities, differences, patterns and change. 1c
Ask questions about why things happen and how things work. 1d
Key Questions Learning Objective
What is an iceberg? To know that ice is frozen water.
What makes water freeze? To be aware of what happens if we freeze or
melt an object.
How does ice melt?
To know if something floats or sinks.
Why is it cold at the North Pole?
What is an icicle?
What is the weather like in each place that
Penguin Small visits?
How do you know if the boat is floating or
sinking?
Suggested Activities
1. Make ice lollipops and put them in the freezer.
2. Sequence with pictures how they made their lollipops.
3. Put water inside a plastic glove and freeze. Once frozen let the children handle the frozen
glove and watch what happens.
4. Use water play to look at floating and sinking.
5. Read Rumble in the Jungle and draw attention to the patterns on the animals.
61
Topic:
PENGUIN SMALL
Area of Learning:
Knowledge and Understanding of the World
Early Learning Goal:
Build and construct with a wide range of objects, selecting resources and 2a
adapting their work where necessary.
2b
Select the tools and techniques they need to shape, assemble and join
materials they are using.
Key Questions Learning Objective
What materials do we need? To be able to choose appropriate materials
and use simple joining techniques.
How can we adapt our work?
To begin to evaluate and change things to
Why do some materials float when some sink? improve them.
What can we use to stop our boat from
sinking?
Suggested Activities
Build and construct a model of the jungle and the North Pole as a contrast.
Make and design a boat for Penguin Small.
62
Topic:
PENGUIN SMALL
Area of Learning:
Knowledge and Understanding of the World
Early Learning Goal:
Find out about and identify the uses of every day technology and use 3a
information and communication technology and programmable toys to
support their learning.
Key Questions Learning Objective
What programmable toy could we use? To know that programmable toys will move
in certain directions.
How can we make that toy follow certain
directions/instructions? To use the mouse to select and move items
on screen.
Suggested Activities
1. Use a programmable toy (Roamer) from a set position in the classroom. Can Roamer find
his way to the North Pole (Role Play Area).
2. Put a penguin and a palm tree in set positions on the carpet and ask the children to move
the Roamer from one to another following either verbal instructions or cards.
3. DK ‘My First Starting to Read’ CD Rom. The program features a penguin and a polar
bear. The program includes; talking books, odd one out (click on odd one out), alphabet
scramble (click and drag), rhyme time (click and drag). CD Rom talks the child through.
4. Northumberland Grid for Learning. Build a snowman – drag and click.
63
Topic:
PENGUIN SMALL
Area of Learning:
Knowledge and Understanding of the World
Early Learning Goal: 3a
Find out about and identify the uses of every day technology.
Key Questions Learning Objective
How do I make words come on to the screen? To be aware that words can be written on
the screen.
To know that you can print out your work.
To develop keyboard familiarity.
Suggested Activities
1. To introduce unit 1b using a word bank.
2. Use: Word/Clip Art
Select a picture then type own text.
3. Alternative: Use textease.
Ongoing throughout topic.
64
Topic:
PENGUIN SMALL
Area of Learning:
Knowledge and Understanding of the World
Early Learning Goal:
Find out about past and present events in own life, and in those of family 4a
members and other people they know.
Key Questions Learning Objective
What is the weather like today and how do we
know?
How can we record our findings?
Suggested Activities
1. Make a weather diary for the week, recording our findings.
65
Topic:
PENGUIN SMALL
Area of Learning:
Knowledge and Understanding of the World
Early Learning Goal:
Observe, find out about and identify features in the place they live and the 5a
natural world.
5b
Find out about their environment and talk about those features they
like/dislike.
Key Questions Learning Objective
Look at pictures of the North Pole. How is it To be aware that different places in the
different to where we live? world are different from their own.
How are the places visited by Penguin Small To be able to name some of these
different to where we live? differences and construct simple maps.
What types of animals live at the North Pole? To be able to identify main features and
places and recognise and understand similar
Where would you most like to live and why? and different features of two contrasting
places.
Use reasoned arguments and discussion to
make informed personal choice.
Suggested Activities
1. Draw pictures of the landscape and the animals that live there.
2. Read Penguin Small and ask the children to retell the story by recording in their books.
3. Draw/paint a picture of where they live. What do they notice?
4. Make a collage of the jungle.
5. Discuss with the children what they would like/dislike about living at the North Pole or
on an island.
6. Create simple map of the route Penguin Small made on the iceberg.
66
Topic:
PENGUIN SMALL
Area of Learning:
Knowledge and Understanding of the World
Early Learning Goal:
Begin to know about their own cultures and beliefs and those of other 6a
people.
Key Questions Learning Objective
Does everyone believe that God created the To begin to be aware that one event can be
world? seen from different perspectives.
Suggested Activities
1. Read and discuss The Story of The Creation from a Christian perspective.
2. Read and discuss how other cultures/faiths believe the world began.
67
Topic:
PENGUIN SMALL
Early Learning Goal:
Creative Development
Objective:
Explore colour, texture, shape, form and space in 2D and 3D. 1a
Key Questions Knowledge and Understanding
Can I select my 2D and 3D shapes? To be able to work with 2D and 3D shapes.
To be able to design own 2D and 3D shapes.
Activities
1. Make 3D penguins out of bottles.
2. Make animal masks to illustrate the different animals in the story.
3. Make mobiles to hang from the ceiling illustrating the contrast in climates throughout the
story.
68
Topic:
PENGUIN SMALL
Area of Learning:
Creative Development
Early Learning Goal:
Recognise and explore how sounds can be changed. Sing simple songs 2a
from memory. Recognise repeated sounds and sound patterns and match
movement to music.
Key Questions Learning Objective
Which instruments make high pitch/low pitch To experience a range of sounds.
sounds?
To listen with care and discrimination.
What type of sounds can I hear?
To develop a variety of sounds to use in
What type of instruments can I play? their own composition.
Suggested Activities
1. To continue to follow Leicestershire Materials for Schools on Pitch (Section B).
2. Introduce the rainmaker instrument and see how many songs can be sung about the rain.
3. Learn a range of sounds singly and in combination and at different volumes.
4. Present an opportunity to select, handle and play instruments in a controlled manner.
69
Topic:
PENGUIN SMALL
Area of Learning:
Creative Development
Early Learning Goal:
Use their imagination in art and design, music, dance, imaginative and 3a
role-play and stories.
Key Questions Learning Objective
How would Penguin Small have felt during his To be able to display empathy with other
journey? children/characters.
To show imagination in role-play.
Suggested Activities
1. Role-play jungle or the North Pole. Get the children to re-enact the story.
2. Ask the children to describe what it felt like to be Penguin Small on his adventure.
(During Circle Time)
70
Topic:
PENGUIN SMALL
Area of Learning:
Creative Development
Early Learning Goal:
Respond in a variety of ways to what they see, hear, feel, smell and touch. 4a
Express and communicate their ideas, thoughts and feelings by using a 4b
widening range of materials, suitable tools, imagination and role play,
movement, designing and making a variety of songs and musical
instruments.
Key Questions Learning Objective
What would you like/dislike about living at the To continue to develop the vocabulary that
North Pole? enables children to communicate ideas,
thoughts and feelings.
How can we look after our world?
What are your thoughts about what you have
heard?
Suggested Activities
1. How can we look after the planet? Read Dinosaurs and All That Rubbish and discuss
findings and act out the story.
2. Read Green Peace and discuss the book. Provide craft materials for the children to
illustrate their understanding of the book.
3. Talk about the environmental damage to the polar ice cap and the rainforest e.g.
recycling.
4. After completing a creative activity invite the children at circle time to discuss with
the group what they have made by interviewing them and asking questions.
5. Create a jungle using real plants and plants they have created themselves. Act out the
story.
71
Topic:
PENGUIN SMALL
Area of Learning:
Physical Development
Early Learning Goal:
Move with confidence, imaginations and in safety. 1a
Move with control and co-ordination. 1b
Use a range of small and large equipment. 4a
Key Questions Learning Objective
What do you need to do to catch a ball To use large balls – practise throwing and
properly? catching.
What is the best way to throw a ball? To play games that involve running and
chasing.
To interpret different ways of moving
avoiding bumping into one another.
Suggested Activities
1. Practise throwing and catching, pretending object is a snowball.
2. Dodge the ‘snowball’ by running away before it hits you.
3. Musical bumps/ice statues to include running and chasing to develop spatial awareness.
4. Using Penguin Small, encourage children to explore ways of moving like the
animals/snowmen. Re-enact the story without bumping into each other.
5. Talk about their actions and encourage them to think about and practice ways they can
move e.g. walking on slippery ice, wading through frozen water, building a snowball
using two hands.
72
Topic:
PENGUIN SMALL
Area of Learning:
Physical Development
Early Learning Goal:
Show awareness of space, of themselves and of others. 2a
Key Questions Learning Objective
Where would be a good place to set up camp To be able to match space with their
and why? actions.
Are we going to make one large campsite or
several smaller ones?
Suggested Activities
Invite the children to go with Penguin Small to the Jungly land – Look at books and posters
showing people camping. Suggest that the children might like to set up their own campsite.
Discuss space and resources available.
Encourage children to dramatise their own camping stories.
73
Topic:
PENGUIN SMALL
Area of Learning:
Physical Development
Early Learning Goal:
Recognise the importance of keeping healthy and those things that 3a
contribute to this.
3b
Recognise that changes happen to their bodies when they are active.
Key Questions Learning Objective
Why is it important to dress properly? To recognise the importance of keeping
healthy.
What other ways could we keep warm?
What do you notice about your heartbeat?
Suggested Activities
1. Discuss the different types of clothing we would wear if we were to follow Penguin Small
on his journey, depending on the weather. Encourage the children to give reasons for
their choices. Make a display of the clothes.
2. Use a photocopiable sheet ‘Dressed for the Weather’. Get the children to dress the figure
according to a hot/cold climate.
3. Demonstrate with the children, different exercises that could keep them warm.
74
Topic:
PENGUIN SMALL
Area of Learning:
Physical Development
Early Learning Goal:
Use a range of small and large equipment. 4a
Handle tools, objects, construction and malleable materials safely and 5a
with increasing control.
Key Questions Learning Objective
Which tools am I going to use? To be able to show increasing control over
tools chosen.
Why have I chosen these tools?
To have the opportunity to refine skills.
Suggested Activities
1. Make clay penguins and paint them.
2. To paint pictures of snowmen using large and small brushes.
3. Bake biscuits and using an icing bag mark them in a snowflake pattern.
4. Make a penguin or whale out of paper pulp, allow to dry, and paint.
5. Take the children outside on a snowy day and make snow characters if possible.
6. Cut out snowflakes and place on black paper.
75
Topic:
PENGUIN SMALL
Area of Learning:
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Early Learning Goal:
Be confident to try new activities, initiate ideas and speak in familiar 1b
group.
1c
Maintain attention, concentrate and sit quietly as and when appropriate.
Key Questions Learning Objective
What materials will we need and who will To maintain attention and concentration.
fetch them?
To be aware that improvements can be
Will we need help? made to the models.
Why must we listen to one another and their
ideas?
Suggested Activities
1. To work in a small group, make models of the characters in Penguin Small. Encourage
the children to make up an imaginary animal that Penguin Small might have found in the
jungle.
2. Work in a small group and create a model/scene together to place animals previously
made, initiating ideas and putting them into practice.
76
Topic:
PENGUIN SMALL
Area of Learning:
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Early Learning Goal:
Respond to significant experiences, showing a range of feelings when 2a
appropriate.
Key Questions Learning Objective
How did you feel when…..? To know that we all have feelings.
How can we stop hurting our friends and To know that our actions have
classmates? consequences.
What could we do to help someone when they To be aware of the positive way to behave
are feeling …………..? towards other people.
Suggested Activities
1. To discuss the behaviour in the playground and act out different scenarios of ways of
behaving towards people and what we should and shouldn’t do.
2. To discuss various feelings that we might experience at school and discuss how we can
change negative feelings into positive feelings, i.e. someone’s crying – put your arm
around them to show that you care.
77
Topic:
PENGUIN SMALL
Area of Learning:
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Early Learning Goal:
Have a developing awareness of their own needs, views and feelings and 2b
be sensitive to the needs, views and feelings of others.
Consider the consequences of their words and actions for themselves and 4b
others.
Key Questions Learning Objective
How do you think Penguin Small felt when he To know that what we say and do can
saw his friends swim away without him? affect people.
How would you feel if you didn’t have any
friends? To be aware of our own needs and the needs
and feelings of others.
Why is having friends important?
Do we always treat our friends kindly?
What other ways do we sometimes treat our
friends and people that we know?
Suggested Activities
1. To read books expressing different feelings.
2. Go through and discuss them.
78
Topic:
PENGUIN SMALL
Area of Learning:
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Early Learning Goal:
Dress and undress independently and manage their own personal 5a
hygiene.
Select and use activities and resources independently. 5b
Key Questions Learning Objective
Why is it important that we should be able To know we must learn to dress/undress
to dress/undress ourselves? ourselves independently.
How will I learn these skills? To know the more we practice the better
we will be.
Can other people help me?
To be aware that it is important to help
other people.
To learn to select and use equipment and
resources independently.
Suggested Activities
1. To learn to change shoes daily.
2. To learn how to put on painting aprons and to know where to find them.
3. To learn to undress and dress for PE.
4. Through play, to practice skills i.e. threading, dressing dolls and putting on/taking
off dressing up clothes.
79
Topic:
PENGUIN SMALL
Area of Learning:
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Early Learning Goal:
Understand that people have different needs, views, cultures and beliefs 6a
that need to be treated with respect.
6b
Understand that they can expect others to treat their needs, views, cultures
and beliefs with respect.
Key Questions Learning Objective
What are the similarities or differences To begin to be aware that one event can be
between the stories we have heard? seen from different perspectives.
Which do you believe and why?
Suggested Activities
1. Read stories from different perspectives of The Creation. Cross link to Knowledge
and Understanding of the World.
80
Topic:
IN THE AIR
Area of Learning:
Knowledge and Understanding of the World
Early Learning Goal:
Look closely at similarities, differences, patterns and change. 1c
Ask questions about why things happen and how things work.
Key Questions Learning Objective
How do things move? To be aware of natural/man-made objects
What makes something fly? that fly.
How do gliders fly without an engine? To be aware that pushes and pulls are
What makes a hot air balloon fly? examples of forces
What is gravity? To have some understanding of how things
How do you make bubbles? work.
Why do bubbles float? To be aware of the movement of familiar
What will happen when the bubble touches things.
your hand?
Suggested Activities
1. Look at the difference between natural and man-made flight. Draw pictures to sort
findings.
2. Discuss how gliders fly on air thermals. Record findings in books.
3. Practically demonstrate how hot air balloons rise and what makes them fall. (Use a
hairdryer).
4. Practically demonstrate a parachute in the air and explain how gravity pushes it back to
the ground. Ask the children to make their own parachutes and experiment with the force
of gravity.
5. As a game, pair children up, drop things and see how long it takes them to drop to the
floor e.g. feather v cotton wool ball. Use a variety of objects. Test what happens when
you blow the objects with a balloon pump or hairdryer.
6. Make bubbles using soapy water and watch what happens to the bubbles.
7. Look at a toy windmill and watch how the air moves it.
8. Set up a blow football game. Talk about how the air from the straw moves it.
81
Topic:
IN THE AIR
Area of Learning:
Knowledge and Understanding of the World
Early Learning Goal:
Build and construct with a wide range of objects, selecting appropriate 2a
resources, and adapting their work where necessary.
Key Questions Learning Objective
Which materials will be the best to use? To be able to select appropriate materials
for their designs.
Do I need to change anything that I have
made? If so, what is it?
Suggested Activities
1. This Early Learning Goal is linked to activities in Creative Development – explore
colour, shape, form and space in 2 and 3 dimensions.
2. Using duplo and lego suggest children construct various types of objects that fly,
selecting other appropriate resources as and when necessary.
3. Ask the children to build and construct a bird using split pins or by pleating paper so that
the wings can move.
4. Encourage them to plan and construct an airport with buildings, planes and a runway for
use later with the small world figures.
82
Topic:
IN THE AIR
Area of Learning:
Knowledge and Understanding of the World
Early Learning Goal:
Find out about and identify the uses of every day technology. 3a
Key Questions Learning Objective
Which icon do I need to click onto to To become familiar with the icons on a
paint/draw? paint program.
What would happen if I clicked on to the other To be able to produce a picture and print
icons? using a paint program.
To enter text into the computer.
Suggested Activities
1. Introduction to modelling.
Using a paint program ask the children to draw and colour something that flies in the air.
2. Extension to the above for more able children: Children could try and type a caption for
their picture.
83
Topic:
IN THE AIR
Area of Learning:
Knowledge and Understanding of the World
Early Learning Goal:
Find out about past and present events. 4a
Key Questions Learning Objective
How has flight travel changed? To be aware that flight travel has changed
over a period of time.
What has made it change?
Suggested Activities
1. Look at pictures to illustrate the changes of light. Make a time line.
2. Draw and paint pictures about past and present flight.
3. Sort flight travel into past and present.
84
Topic:
IN THE AIR
Area of Learning:
Creative Development
Early Learning Goal:
Explore colour, shape, form and space in two or three dimensions. 1a
Express and communicate their ideas, thoughts and feelings by using a 4b
widening range of materials, suitable tools.
Key Questions Learning Objective
Which shapes will be best to use? To know the difference between 2D and 3D
shapes.
To be able to select appropriate materials
for their designs.
Suggested Activities
1. Design hot air balloon with basket. (3D)
2. To design and make a glider which will fly.
3. To draw and design their own 2D aeroplane.
4. Make a 3D rocket out of bottles.
5. Look at birds’ feathers and draw them. Use straws to create a 3D effect.
6. Using bird feathers as a writing implement.
7. Create a role-play area e.g. Airport, hot air balloon adventure.
85
Topic:
IN THE AIR
Area of Learning:
Creative Development
Early Learning Goal:
Recognise and explore how sounds can be changed. 2a
Sing simple songs from memory.
Recognise repeated sound patterns.
Key Questions Learning Objective
Can you recognise high and low sounds? To experience a range of sounds.
Can you make your voice high and low? To listen with care and discrimination.
What is the tune? To develop a variety of sounds to use in
their own composition.
How are instruments played?
Do all instruments sound the same?
Suggested Activities
1. Sing a song ‘Flying Kites’ to the tune of Three Blind Mice. Draw the shape of the
melody in the air. As the pitch goes higher your hand goes higher etc.
2. Draw kites and design interesting patterns. Use these kites to illustrate high and low
notes when singing.
3. Place a xylophone on its end so that the longer lower sounds are nearest to the floor. As
the children to stand up or lie down according to the note you are playing.
4. Use the activities suggested on Pitch (Stage A) from the Leicestershire Materials for
Schools.
5. Learn a range of sounds singly and in combination and at different volumes.
6. Handle and play instruments in a controlled manner.
86
Topic:
IN THE AIR
Area of Learning:
Creative Development
Early Learning Goal:
Respond in a variety of ways to what they see, hear smell, touch and feel. 4a
Key Questions Learning Objective
Can you make the movements of kites flying? To respond in a variety of ways.
What instruments do you hear that remind you
of the wind? Can you play them?
Which objects do you like to watch and why?
Suggested Activities
1. Read a story about a Windy Day and talk about the movement caused by the wind and get
the children to make their own kites to fly.
2. Allow the children to experience different movements of objects that are thrown up into
the air, e.g. feathers and leaves.
3. Experiment with a range of percussion instruments to make sounds that correspond to
their experiences of flying kites etc.
87
Topic:
IN THE AIR
Area of Learning:
Physical Development
Early Learning Goal:
Move with confidence, imagination and in safety. 1a
Move with control and co-ordination. 1b
Key Questions Learning Objective
Is the music fast or slow? To listen to a particular sound or piece of
music and commands by adult.
How can I move safely around the room?
To provide opportunities to repeat and
Which actions best suit the music? change actions to refine and improve them.
Suggested Activities
1. Act out ‘Aeroplanes, aeroplanes all in a row’.
2. Move to different kinds of music around the room as something that floats or flies. When
you clap your hands the children should change direction.
3. With music, introduce a balloon and gently pat it to a partner backwards and forwards,
fast and slow. Chase the balloon around the room moving in and out of space safely. As
the confidence grows introduce more balloons to chase in time with the music.
4. Use paper streamers attached to wrist and float and move around the room.
5. Demonstrate using 2 hands to hold a kite whilst attempting to get it to fly. (Outdoor
activity)
88
Topic:
IN THE AIR
Area of Learning:
Physical Development
Early Learning Goal:
Use a range of small and large equipment. 4a
Handle tools, objects, construction and malleable materials safely and with 5a
increasing control.
Key Questions Learning Objective
What do we need to do to make sure the balls To use large balls - practise throwing and
do not fall off the parachute? catching.
To move on to other size balls and
equipment
To have opportunities to refine existing
skills.
Suggested Activities
1. Throw beanbags/balls/balloons etc. into different sized containers.
2. Use the parachute to play games with/without ball or balloons.
3. Activities listed with Creative Development (1a).
89
Topic:
IN THE AIR
Area of Learning:
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Early Learning Goal:
Continue to be interested, excited and motivated to learn. 1a
Be confident to try new activities, initiate ideas and speak in familiar 1b
group.
Key Questions Learning Objective
On a windy day, how could we make playtime To continue to be interested, excited and
fun? motivated to learn.
Who can think of something we could make
and later play with outside?
Do you think your kite will fly? How can we
find out?
Suggested Activities
1. Make and design a kite to use in the playground.
2. Discuss with the group how they made their kite and the materials chosen.
90
Topic:
IN THE AIR
Area of Learning:
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Early Learning Goal:
To work as part of a group understanding that there needs to be an agreed 3b
code of behaviour for groups of people to work together harmoniously.
Key Questions Learning Objective
How can we work as a team? To know that it is important to work
together.
If we don’t work as a team what will happen?
Suggested Activities
1. Use the parachute. Pretend there is a wind blowing gently. Make the parachute rise and
fall. Do this in various positions e.g. sitting, kneeling, standing etc.
2. Using the parachute call out people’s names to change places.
3. Using the parachute place various objects one at a time and encourage the children to
move the objects around the parachute.
4. Reverse Activity 1 to a storm, moving the parachute accordingly.
91
Topic:
IN THE AIR
Area of Learning:
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Early Learning Goal:
Understand what is right, what is wrong and why. 4a
Consider the consequences of their words and actions, for themselves and 4b
for others.
Key Questions Learning Objective
Do you think there are enough toys for To understand right and wrong.
everyone to play with?
To encourage children to think about the
How can we make sure everyone gets a turn? consequences of their actions.
Why would it be wrong for the same children
to always play with the toys?
How would you feel if someone didn’t let you
play?
Suggested Activities
1. Put a selection of kites and gliders outside and suggest children need to take turns to
play with them.
2. Discuss the rights and wrongs of children’s behaviour and how our behaviour and
words affect other people.
92
Topic:
IN THE AIR
Area of Learning:
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Early Learning Goal:
Dress and undress independently and manage their own personal hygiene. 5a
Select and use activities and resources independently.
5b
Key Questions Learning Objective
Why is it important that we should be able to To know we must learn to dress/undress
dress/undress ourselves? ourselves independently.
How will I learn these skills? To know the more we practice the better we
will be.
Can other people help me?
To be aware that it is important to help
other people.
To learn to select and use equipment and
resources independently.
Suggested Activities
1. To learn to change shoes daily.
2. To learn how to put on painting aprons and to know where to find them.
3. To learn to undress and dress for PE.
4. Through play, to practice skills i.e. threading, dressing dolls and putting on/taking off
dressing up clothes.
93
Topic:
FAIRY TALES/TRADITIONAL TALES
Area of Learning:
Knowledge and Understanding of the World
Early Learning Goal:
Investigate objects and materials by using all of their senses as appropriate. 1a
Show an awareness of change. Ask questions – why things happen and 1d
how things work.
Key Questions Learning Objective
What materials are waterproof? To know that materials can change.
Are certain materials stronger or better than To be aware of some of the properties of
others? materials.
To be able to sort materials into groups.
How can we find out which material is best to To be aware of common types of material.
use? To be aware that there are similarities and
differences between different materials.
What makes materials change?
Suggested Activities
1. Design own Thumbelina using a cork. Place Thumbelina on a lily pad. Test to see if it is
waterproof. If not, find another way to improve the lily pad.
2. Using straw, twigs and bricks test to see which is the strongest material. Make pictures of
the Three Little Pigs houses using appropriate materials.
3. Use a feely bag and ask the children to describe what shape they feel.
4. Make porridge. What happens to the porridge when hot milk is added?
5. Make a jelly. Watch it dissolve.
6. Sort materials into absorbent/non-absorbent. Using the water tray record findings in
pictorial form.
7. With water play, explore floating/sinking. Which materials are best to use in the water?
8. Discuss how groups of materials could be sorted; hard/soft, rough/smooth.
9. Look at two materials – how are they different/the same?
10. Make milk shake.
94
Topic:
FAIRY TALES/TRADITIONAL TALES
Area of Learning:
Knowledge and Understanding of the World
Early Learning Goal:
Select the tools and techniques they need to shape, assemble and join 2b
materials they are using.
Key Questions Learning Objective
What will I need to use? To know what they need to assemble and
join materials together.
Can I find everything I need?
To be aware of different techniques for
How will I join the materials? joining materials.
Suggested Activities
1. The Elves and the Shoemaker. Cut out shoes and using needle and thread sew around the
edge of the shoe templates.
2. Make moving teddies with split pins.
3. Make a bridge structure for the Three Billy Goats to cross the water without the bridge
collapsing.
95
Topic:
FAIRY TALES/TRADITIONAL TALES
Area of Learning:
Knowledge and Understanding of the World
Early Learning Goal:
Find out about and identify the uses of every day technology. 3a
Key Questions Learning Objective
Why do I have to left click and hold down the To be able to click and select objects.
mouse?
To help develop familiarity of the keyboard.
Can I find certain letters on the keyboard?
Suggested Activities
1. Re-introduce a program (Textease/fairy tales) and ask the children to select appropriate
pictures i.e. The Three Little Pigs, and show how the mouse can be used to select and
move things on screen. (You can type text and print off)
2. Review how to type into the computer a caption for the above pictures (with adult
support).
3. My World 3 – Goldilocks and the Three Bears (drag/click) (You can also place in text)
96
Topic:
FAIRY TALES/TRADITIONAL TALES
Area of Learning:
Creative Development
Early Learning Goal:
Explore colour, texture, shape, form and space in 2D and 3D. 1a
Key Questions Learning Objective
What is a 2 dimensional shape? To know the difference between a 2D and a
3D shape.
What is a 3 dimensional shape?
To be able to experience different materials
What types of materials can I use? and textures.
Suggested Activities
1. Make a large 3D model of Hansel and Gretel’s house. Decorate it using as many 2D
shapes as possible.
2. Make group or individual 3D puppet theatres illustrating a favourite fairy story or
traditional story.
3. Make a display of the Three Little Pigs houses along with 3 dimensional pigs.
4. Make junk models of favourite characters.
5. Make 2D shape people (Tracy Triangle, Mr Square etc.). Cut/stick activity.
6. Make 2D/3D shapes using large/small construction toys.
7. Make a materials display that encourages children to feel different textures and materials.
97
Topic:
FAIRY TALES/TRADITIONAL TALES
Area of Learning:
Creative Development
Early Learning Goal:
Recognise and explore how sounds can be changed. Sing simple songs 2a
from memory. Recognise repeated sounds and sound patterns and match
movements to music.
Key Questions Learning Objective
How are sounds different? To experience a range of sounds.
Can you make different sounds with your To listen with care and discrimination.
voices?
To develop a variety of sounds to use in
their own composition.
Suggested Activities
1. Introduce the word ‘Pitch’. Examples of high and low using a variety of songs and
rhymes. Illustrate what is meant by pitch.
2. Follow the Leicestershire Materials for Schools on ‘Pitch’ at carpet time, with whole class
or small groups.
3. Learn a range of sounds singly and in combination and at different volumes.
4. Present opportunities to select, handle and play instruments in a controlled manner.
98
Topic:
FAIRY TALES/TRADITIONAL TALES
Area of Learning:
Creative Development
Early Learning Goal:
Use imagination in art and design, music, dance, imaginative and role-play 3a
and stories.
Express and communicate their ideas, thoughts and feelings by using a 4b
widening range of materials, suitable tools, imaginative and role play,
movement, designing and making a variety of songs and musical
instruments.
Key Questions Learning Objective
Can you remember the beginning, middle and To be able to act out a traditional story.
end of a story?
To begin to respond to a piece of music.
How would the characters be feeling at
different points of the story/music? To encourage children to express and
communicate their ideas.
Do any animals have different features to
humans?
What type of materials would be good to use?
Suggested Activities
1. Listen to Peter and the Wolf and act it out in the hall.
2. Opportunities for role-play. Allow the children to act out favourite stories to the class.
3. Change the role-play area to illustrate different favourite tales i.e. The Elves and the
Shoemaker, Goldilocks and the Three Bears.
4. Sing ‘When Goldilocks Went to the House of the Bears’ and get the children to act it out.
5. Ask the children to draw their favourite story and place it in a class book or display on the
wall.
6. Create 2D/3D displays.
7. After listening to various stories, encourage the children to make puppets to illustrate a
story they like. When dry, encourage the children to use their puppets to retell the story,
engaging conversation between the characters.
8. Turn the role play area into a story setting.
99
Topic:
FAIRY TALES/TRADITIONAL TALES
Area of Learning:
Physical Development
Early Learning Goal:
Move with confidence, imagination and in safety. 1a
Use a range of small and large equipment. 4a
Handle tools, objects, construction and malleable materials safely and with 5a
increasing control.
Key Questions Learning Objective
What ball is the easiest to throw and why? To be able to demonstrate different ways of
throwing and catching a ball.
How can I pass my ball to my partner? To move on to other size balls and
equipment.
What type of actions could I use to tell a To play games that involve running and
story? chasing.
To discuss with the children about their
actions and encourage them to explore
different ways of representing ideas and
actions as they move.
To have opportunities to refine existing
skills
Suggested Activities
1. To work individually or in pairs, throwing and catching a large ball showing different
ways of passing e.g. bouncing, rolling etc.
2. Work with beanbags and quoits – show different ways of travelling, balancing, rolling
etc.
3. Competing against one another, play tunnel ball – through legs, over head.
4. Manoeuvring a ball between cones using feet and hockey sticks.
5. To play games that include running and chasing.
6. Ask the children to carry out the actions of a story, interpreting different ways of moving
and carefully not bumping into each other. Out of doors.
7. Art activities linked to Creative Development (1a).
8. Sleepy Ted (4a). Construct a bed for a teddy bear.
100
Topic:
FAIRY TALES/TRADITIONAL TALES
Area of Learning:
Physical Development
Early Learning Goal:
Show awareness of space, of themselves and of others. 2a
Key Questions Learning Objective
Where is the best place to build and why? To be able to match space with their
actions.
How high should be build and why?
If my structure falls down could people get
hurt?
Suggested Activities
1. Using building blocks or cardboard boxes, suggest to the children that they make a
structure e.g. the 3 little pigs house or the beanstalk that Jack climbed. Discuss the space
around them as part of the planning for what they do. (Outdoor activity)
101
Topic:
FAIRY TALES/TRADITIONAL TALES
Area of Learning:
Physical Development
Early Learning Goal:
Recognise the importance of keeping healthy and those things which 3a
contribute to this.
3b
Recognise the changes that happen to their bodies when they are active.
Key Questions Learning Objective
If you were to invite the 3 bears to school for a To recognise the importance of keeping
snack what would you give them and why? healthy.
What did you notice about your heartbeat?
Suggested Activities
1. Ask small groups of children to prepare and plan different snacks for a character from a
story. At the end of the week invite all the groups to share their snacks with the rest of
the group, discussing choices.
2. Act out Goldilocks walking into the 3 bears’ cottage and making a comparison to her
heartbeat after running away from the cottage.
102
`
Topic:
FAIRY TALES/TRADITIONAL TALES
Area of Learning:
Physical Development
Early Learning Goal:
Handle tools, objects, construction and malleable materials safely and with 5a
increasing control.
Key Questions Learning Objective
How am I going to select my tools? To be aware that some implements can be
dangerous.
How can I change the shape of a piece of
material such as clay? To be able to demonstrate the different
ways in which tools can be used.
To know that properties of materials can
change e.g. clay goes hard.
Suggested Activities
1. Use clay to illustrate the characters from The Gingerbread Man. 2D.
2. Bake biscuits in a variety of different shapes and sizes.
3. Make play dough and cut out lots of different 2D shapes. Allow the children to explore
the possibilities of play dough through kneading, patting and cutting etc.
4. Make a bear glove puppet.
103
Topic:
FAIRY TALES/TRADITIONAL TALES
Area of Learning:
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Early Learning Goal:
Be confident to try new activities, initiate ideas and speak in a familiar 1b
group.
Key Questions Learning Objective
How do you think Jack would have felt? To encourage children to explore and talk
about new learning
How would you feel in the ‘Giant’s world’?
Suggested Activities
1. Read a story i.e. Jack and the Beanstalk – encourage the children to initiate ideas for
stories/adventures, share them with the group and create the story by using familiar
objects and small world equipment. (Puppet show)
104
Topic:
FAIRY TALES/TRADITIONAL TALES
Area of Learning:
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Early Learning Goal:
Maintain attention, concentration and sit quietly as and when appropriate. 1c
Key Questions Learning Objective
In which order do the characters speak? How To maintain attention and concentration.
will I find out?
Will they have similar voices?
Suggested Activities
1. Read the story of Goldilocks and on the second reading encourage the children to join in
with the story as appropriate.
2. Find the bear. Put a tiny bear under a beaker and ask the children if they can tell you
which of the three beakers the bear is under. Increase the level of difficulty.
105
Topic:
FAIRY TALES/TRADITIONAL TALES
Area of Learning:
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Early Learning Goal:
To have a developing awareness of own needs, views and feelings and be 2b
sensitive to the needs, views and feelings of others.
To understand what is right and wrong and why. 4a
Consider the consequences of their words and actions for themselves and 4b
others.
Key Questions Learning Objective
Which is your favourite part of the story and To be aware of other people’s feelings.
why?
To know that friends are important.
How do you think the Ugly Duckling felt?
To encourage children to think about the
Were the ducks kind or not to the Ugly consequences of their actions.
Duckling?
Is it nice to be unkind?
Why is it important to have friends?
How do you think I could make amends?
Suggested Activities
1. Circle Time. Discuss the story of the Ugly Duckling only speaking when holding a duck.
Invite the children to suggest good behaviour.
2. Circle Time. Discuss the importance of friendship.
3. Circle Time. Talk about the difference between right and wrong.
4. Choose a soft toy and play a game whereby you say unkind/kind things and discuss with
the children how the toy might feel.
106
Topic:
FAIRY TALES/TRADITIONAL TALES
Area of Learning:
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Early Learning Goal:
3a
Form good relationships with adults/peers.
Key Questions Learning Objective
How can we pretend to be these characters? To give children and adults opportunities to
listen to each other and explain their actions
How would they act or speak to Jack?
Suggested Activities
1. Read Jack and the Beanstalk and invite the children to discuss the characters in the story
using photocopiable cards.
2. Play a game where Jack goes on an imaginary journey and meets all these people who try
to encourage him to exchange the cow – eventually Jack returns to his mother with the
money. (Nursery Ed. Dec 2003)
107
Topic:
FAIRY TALES/TRADITIONAL TALES
Area of Learning:
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Early Learning Goal:
To work as part of a group or class taking turns and sharing fairly.
Understanding that there needs to be agreed values and codes of behaviour 3b
for groups of people, including adults and children, to work together
harmoniously.
Key Questions Learning Objective
What will we need to set the table? To know that turn taking is important.
Why do we need a bowl and not a plate? To know it is important to have good table
manners.
Who will site where?
Why is it important to take it in turns to speak?
Suggested Activities
1. In a group of 8 maximum, re-enact the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears at the
table about to eat their porridge. Children need to discuss what items they will need on
the table and set the table. (Good table manners).
2. During circle time, in small groups, the children take it in turns to talk about their
favourite stories and ask one another questions.
3. Circle Time. Small groups of children sharing, telling a story to each other.
108
Topic:
FAIRY TALES/TRADITIONAL TALES
Area of Learning:
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Early Learning Goal:
Dress and undress independently and manage their own personal hygiene. 5a
Select and use activities and resources independently. 5b
Key Questions Learning Objective
Why is it important that we should be able to To know we must learn to dress/undress
dress/undress ourselves? ourselves independently.
How will I learn these skills? To know the more we practice the better we
will be.
Can other people help me?
To be aware that it is important to help
other people.
To learn to select and use equipment and
resources independently.
Suggested Activities
1. To learn to change shoes daily.
2. To learn how to put on painting aprons and to know where to find them.
3. To learn to undress and dress for PE.
4. Through play, to practice skills i.e. threading, dressing dolls and putting on/taking off
dressing up clothes.
109
Topic:
THE HUNGRY CATERPILLAR
Area of Learning:
Knowledge and Understanding of the World
Early Learning Goal:
Find out about and identify some features of living things, objects and 1b
events they observe.
Key Questions Learning Objective
What is a caterpillar? To be aware that animals move, grow, feed
and use their sense to reproduce.
How do they move?
To know that some things are alive and
What do they eat? other things have never been alive.
How do we know things are alive? To be aware that animals can be grouped
according to observable similarities and
How can we put animals into groups? differences.
What other animals start off as an egg? To be aware of the names of parts of plants.
Are plants alive? To be aware that flowering plants grow and
reproduce.
How do they grow?
Suggested Activities
1. Try and find a caterpillar and place it in a magnifying jar for the children to observe first
hand what it looks like.
2. Draw a picture of what they see and record their observations.
3. Look at different types of fruit and vegetables. Sort them accordingly.
4. Sort pictures into living/non-living.
5. Discuss animal families; put them into groups.
6. Look at beans planted in light and show what happens when light is removed.
7. Label parts of a plant; cut and stick.
110
Topic:
THE HUNGRY CATERPILLAR
Area of Learning:
Knowledge and Understanding of the World
Early Learning Goal:
Look closely at similarities, differences, patterns and change. 1c
Ask questions about why things happen and how things work. 1d
Key Questions Learning Objective
Do all butterflies have the same patterns on To be aware of similarities and differences.
their wings?
Are caterpillars all the same colours? To know that plants need water and light.
How do caterpillars change into butterflies?
Does a frog look like a toad? To be aware of life cycles.
Do plants need certain conditions to grow
properly?
Suggested Activities
1. To look at a variety of butterflies and discuss their similarities and differences.
2. Sequence the life cycles of a caterpillar/butterfly.
3. Look at other animals that have an interesting life cycle e.g. frogs. Sequence and discuss
what happens.
4. Make cress heads.
5. Discuss what happens to a bean. Place a bean in a jam jar with blotting paper and water
regularly. Children should make a bean diary to record the changes that happen.
111
Topic:
THE HUNGRY CATERPILLAR
Area of Learning:
Knowledge and Understanding of the World
Early Learning Goal:
Select tools and techniques they need to shape, assemble and join materials 2b
they are using.
Key Questions Learning Objective
How can we make a caterpillar? To be aware of how they can assemble
things.
What will we need?
To be able to select appropriate tools.
How are we going to join the materials?
Suggested Activities
1. Using single egg cartons join them to make a moveable caterpillar using threading straws
to join each egg carton to the next.
2. Make a flat cut out shape of a butterfly. Design own pattern using lines and when dry,
paint using shades of colours gradually getting lighter/darker.
3. Sew butterflies or caterpillars using felt cut-outs.
4. Use wooden circles and dowelling rods to make caterpillars.
112
Topic:
THE HUNGRY CATERPILLAR
Area of Learning:
Knowledge and Understanding of the World
Early Learning Goal:
Find out about and identify the uses of every day technology. 3a
Key Questions Learning Objective
What are keys used for? To be able to use a variety of ICT
equipment and programs.
Which shapes on a video/tape recorder mean
stop/play/record? To know that information comes in a
variety of sources.
How many different ways can we get
information? To know that pictures provide information.
To select and listen to text using a mouse.
Suggested Activities
1. To watch the Hungry Caterpillar video.
2. To listen to the story on the tape recorder using headphones.
3. To use ‘2 simple’ on the computer to draw their own caterpillars/butterflies and print off
their pictures.
4. To record their own versions of the story in small groups.
5. Introduce children to a multimedia program such as Talking Books.
6. Show a selection of pictures – what does each picture tell us?
7. Animal homes – *Level 1 – drag and drop
Match the animals – *Level 2 - drag.
Animals partially hidden – *Level 3 – drag.
*Level does not mean National Curriculum Level.
8. Picture and words.
113
Topic:
THE HUNGRY CATERPILLAR
Area of Learning:
Knowledge and Understanding of the World
Early Learning Goal:
Observe, find out about and identify features in the place they live and the 5a
natural world.
Key Questions Learning Objective
What is the difference between town/country? To maintain attention and concentration.
Where do you think a butterfly and caterpillar
would rather live and why?
Suggested Activities
1. Look at information books and discuss the type of environments a caterpillar would like
to live.
2. Make models of both and using small world and plastic butterflies and caterpillars
encourage the children to decide which environment would be best and why.
114
Topic:
THE HUNGRY CATERPILLAR
Area of Learning:
Knowledge and Understanding of the World
Early Learning Goal:
Find out about their environment and talk about those features they like 5b
and dislike.
Key Questions Learning Objective
Where do caterpillars/butterflies like to live? To give opportunity to design a practical,
attractive environment.
What do you like/dislike about where you
live?
Suggested Activities
1. After discussion ask the children to design a practical environment for
caterpillars/butterflies using a large patio pot.
2. Get the children to discuss what they like/dislike about where they live or the school
playground. Give the children opportunities to design a playground that they would like
to play in.
115
Topic:
THE HUNGRY CATERPILLAR
Area of Learning:
Creative Development
Early Learning Goal:
Explore colour, texture, shape, form and space in 2D and 3D. 1a
Key Questions Learning Objective
How do colours change? To be aware of how you can change colours
and shades of colours.
What makes a colour go lighter?
To be aware that lines can join together and
What makes a colour go darker? make different shapes.
How do I draw a line? To have opportunities to use different
mediums; fingers, chalks, pens and brushes,
to create a variety of lines and marks.
Suggested Activities
1. Paint various types of fruit/vegetables starting with a light shade and gradually getting
darker.
2. Using tissue paper, cut into lines, place on to a butterfly showing the effect of light/dark
colours together.
3. Allow the children to mix their own colours.
4. Make a collage using various shades of materials to illustrate tone. First/Second page of
The Hungry Caterpillar the colour shades from the moon compared to sunlight.
5. Make frogs/toads using various shades of greens and browns.
6. Butterfly prints. Blow painting to create lines and tone and marble painting to create
tones of colours – use to create patterns on the butterfly wings.
7. Illustrate their own Hungry Caterpillar book in their work groups.
8. Draw their own representation of Van Gogh’s Sunflowers or Monet’s Lilies.
9. Make a display of a flower, labelling its parts using different materials/textures and
shades of colours.
116
Topic:
THE HUNGRY CATERPILLAR
Area of Learning:
Creative Development
Early Learning Goal:
Recognise and explore how sound can be changed sing simple songs from 2a
memory, recognise repeated sound and sound patterns and match
movements to music.
Key Questions Learning Objective
To develop a finer control of sound.
Suggested Activities
Make rhythm words, clapping rhythms and experimenting with a range of musical
commands.
117
Topic:
THE HUNGRY CATERPILLAR
Area of Learning:
Creative Development
Early Learning Goal:
Use imagination in art and design, music, dance, imaginative and role-play 3a
and stories.
Key Questions Learning Objective
How does a caterpillar/butterfly move? To begin to identify movements suitable for
different animals.
Which songs do we know that tell us about
animal lives? To be able to recite simple songs off by
heart.
Which instruments might match the
movements of a fish/caterpillar/butterfly?
Suggested Activities
1. To act out The Very Hungry Caterpillar using props from the dressing up box, musical
instruments and creating some of their own.
2. To act out The Big Bad Fish using props as above.
3. To design a storyboard to retell the story.
4. To have an interactive board of the caterpillar sequence. The food he eats during the
week.
5. To act and sing simple rhymes about caterpillars, butterflies and frogs e.g. A Butterfly
Was Flying By a Garden in July, I Went to the Cabbages One Day, and Five Green
Leaves High Up in the Tree, Five Little Speckled Frogs.
118
Topic:
THE HUNGRY CATERPILLAR
Area of Learning:
Physical Development
Early Learning Goal:
To move with confidence, imagination and in safety 1a
Use a range of small and large equipment. 4a
Handle tools, objects, construction and malleable materials with increasing 5a
control.
Key Questions Learning Objective
How can we work as a team? To be able to choose the appropriate
movement to show control.
How many ways can we think of for sending To use large ball – practise throwing and
and receiving equipment? catching.
Move on to other size balls and equipment
To be able to take part in team activities.
To have opportunities to refine existing
skills.
To be aware of how to use materials safely
and effectively.
Suggested Activities
1. Develop running, jumping and throwing activities out of doors.
2. To explore and practise a variety of ways of sending and receiving a ball/bean bag etc.
3. Play ‘The Number Game’.
4. Team games.
5. Make play dough or clay butterflies/caterpillars.
6. Make marzipan fruit shapes and paint using fine paintbrushes.
7. Make vegetable soup. Children need to prepare the vegetables - emphasise safe handling
of tools.
8. Hammer nails, construct caterpillar/butterflies. Use a variety of tools and techniques to
construct a butterfly garden.
119
Topic:
THE HUNGRY CATERPILLAR
Area of Learning:
Physical Development
Early Learning Goal:
Travel around, under, over and through balancing and climbing equipment. 1c
Key Questions Learning Objective
What type of ways could a caterpillar/butterfly To travel from one piece of apparatus to
move? another - how to travel across the apparatus.
Suggested Activities
1. To incorporate the component of travelling in their movements as butterflies/caterpillars
120
Topic:
THE HUNGRY CATERPILLAR
Area of Learning:
Physical Development
Early Learning Goal:
Recognise the importance of keeping healthy and those things which 3a
contribute to this.
3b
Recognise the changes that happen to their bodies when they are active.
Key Questions Learning Objective
If we eat too much how do you think it would To recognise the importance of keeping
make us feel? healthy.
Is it healthy to each too much like the
caterpillar?
What type of food/drink is healthy and why?
Suggested Activities
1. Looking at the different foods The Hungry Caterpillar ate, how can we sort them into
healthy and not healthy foods.
2. Encourage the children to fly around the room as a butterfly. Do they notice that their
heart is beating faster than when they were moving as a sluggish caterpillar.
3. Make up a healthy/non-healthy menu for the Hungry Caterpillar.
121
Topic:
THE HUNGRY CATERPILLAR
Area of Learning:
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Early Learning Goal:
Continue to be interested, excited and motivated to learn. 1a
Be confident to try new activities, initiate ideas and speak in a familiar
group. 1b
Maintain attention, concentrate and sit quietly when appropriate. 1c
Key Questions Learning Objective
How long will it take for changes to happen? To be aware that we have got to keep
monitoring the frog spawn over a period of
Is it a fruit or vegetable? How do you know? time to see the changes.
Can we eat it raw or does it need to be To encourage children to explore and talk
cooked? about new learning.
Suggested Activities
1. Invite the children to bring in frogspawn and discuss where they found it and what they
think is going to happen to it.
2. Observe the changes over a period of time.
3. Bring a selection of fruit/vegetables and invite the children to handle and taste them.
Discuss findings.
4. Butterfly net – watch the eggs change and develop into butterflies.
122
Topic:
THE HUNGRY CATERPILLAR
Area of Learning:
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Early Learning Goal:
Work as part of a group or class taking turns and sharing fairly.
Understanding that there needs to be agreed values and codes of behaviour 3b
for groups of people, including adults and children, to work harmoniously.
Key Questions Learning Objective
Why is it important to take turns? To know we must share and play fairly.
Which character is going to be played by To know that we have to take turns when
whom? playing games.
What is the order of the story? To be aware that games have rules.
Who will speak first?
What are the rules of the game?
Suggested Activities
1. Through role-play, re-enact The Very Hungry Caterpillar.
2. Circle Time. Encourage the children to only speak when they are holding an object to get
used to listening to one another and turn taking.
3. Playing games with small groups of children with or without dice.
4. Discuss classroom and playground rules. Use CD on rules (from the Rejoice collection).
123
Topic:
THE HUNGRY CATERPILLAR
Area of Learning:
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Early Learning Goal:
Understand what is right, wrong and why. 4a
Key Questions Learning Objective
Where would be a good place to eat our picnic To understand what is right and wrong.
and why?
What should we do with our uneaten food and
rubbish?
Suggested Activities
1. To have picnic that has been prepared by the children and discuss what we must do with
our rubbish and to think why it is important not to leave it on the floor.
2. To use a prepared sheet and encourage children to spot litter that has been dropped and to
circle them.
124
Topic:
THE HUNGRY CATERPILLAR
Area of Learning:
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Early Learning Goal:
Consider the consequences of their words and actions for themselves and 4b
others.
Key Questions Learning Objective
How can we care for wild flowers and plants? To help understand the importance of caring
for wild flowers and plants.
Suggested Activities
Bring in an assortment of wild flowers or posters of flowers to be found in the garden/park.
Can these flowers be found in books from the library? Discuss findings and ask the children
if they can think of ways of looking after flowers so they do not become rare. Perhaps they
could make a poster or make up some rules on how to behave in the countryside or shrubbery
around the playground.
125
Topic:
THE HUNGRY CATERPILLAR
Area of Learning:
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Early Learning Goal:
Dress and undress independently and manage their own personal 5a
hygiene.
Select and use activities and resources independently. 5b
Key Questions Learning Objective
Why is it important that we should be able To know we must learn to dress/undress
to dress/undress ourselves? ourselves independently.
How will I learn these skills? To know the more we practice the better
we will be.
Can other people help me?
To be aware that it is important to help
other people.
To learn to select and use equipment and
resources independently.
Suggested Activities
1. To learn to change shoes daily.
2. To learn how to put on painting aprons and to know where to find them.
3. To learn to undress and dress for PE.
4. Through play, to practice skills i.e. threading, dressing dolls and putting on/taking
off dressing up clothes.
126
Topic:
THE HUNGRY CATERPILLAR
Area of Learning:
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Early Learning Goal:
Understand that they can expect others to treat their needs, views, cultures 6b
and beliefs with respect.
Key Questions Learning Objective
What type of fruit/vegetables could we give
the caterpillar that he hasn’t already tried?
Where do you think the fruit/vegetables have
come from?
Suggested Activities
1. Look at different fruits/vegetables and discuss origins and pass pieces around for the
children to touch, smell taste and talk about.
127
Topic:
THE SEASIDE
Area of Learning:
Knowledge and Understanding of the World
Early Learning Goal:
Investigate objects and materials by using all of their senses as appropriate. 1a
Find out about and identify some features of living things, objects and 1b
events they observe.
Key Questions Learning Objective
Why do we find shells at the seaside? To be aware that some creatures live in
shells.
What living creatures do we find at the
seaside? To be aware of the living creatures found at
the seaside.
Why can it be dangerous on the beach? e.g.
sunburn, dinghies out at sea. To be aware of some of the dangers.
What materials are attracted by a magnet? To be aware that some materials are
magnetic whilst others are non-magnetic.
How does a magnet move an object?
Suggested Activities
1. Place an assortment of shells on the table. Using a magnifying glass look at the shape and
pattern and feel the texture. Get the children to discuss and record, if appropriate, what
they can see.
2. Place objects on the table e.g. starfish, seaweed, crabs, jellyfish, rocks, sand. Discuss
whether they were/are alive. Sort into appropriate sets.
3. Discuss living things that we would find in the sea and draw pictures to illustrate.
4. Place a bowl of water on the table and invite the children to make their own underwater
world using plastic creatures.
5. Talk about the dangers of getting sunburnt and what happens when people get into
trouble. Talk about lifeguards on the beach and the Coastguard.
6. Circle Time. Play atmospheric music. Children lie down and listen. In turn go around
the carpet and ask them to tell you where they imagined they were.
7. In the sand tray bury treasure that children would expect to find at the seaside. Can they
find the treasure?
8. Bring in a fish tank with fish. Let the children observe the fish swimming and draw what
they see.
9. Make a fishing game using paper clips and magnets.
128
Topic:
THE SEASIDE
Area of Learning:
Knowledge and Understanding of the World
Early Learning Goal:
Look closely at similarities, differences, patterns and change. 1c
Ask questions about why things happen and how things work. 1d
Key Questions Learning Objective
How is the seaside different to where we live? To know that there are differences between
Why can we not see the sea at the seaside where we live and the seaside.
sometimes?
Are all beaches the same? To be aware that all beaches are not the
What type of clothes do we take on holiday? same.
What do we take to the beach? To be able to compare their lifestyle at
What types of buildings do we find at the home with that of living at the seaside.
seaside?
To be aware of the seaside in the past.
Suggested Activities
1. Look at a seaside picture/book and talk about the difference between the seaside and
where we live.
2. Discuss in groups the different types of buildings we live in when at the seaside. Draw
pictures to illustrate.
3. Using a prepared sheet ask the children to pack a suitcase ready for a holiday.
4. Look at the types of clothes people used to wear on holiday and compare them to the
clothes and beachwear of today.
5. Look at the ‘big book’ on The Seaside to illustrate similarities and differences that have
taken place over a period of time.
129
Topic:
THE SEASIDE
Area of Learning:
Knowledge and Understanding of the World
Early Learning Goal:
Build and construct with a wide range of objects, selecting appropriate 2a
resources, and adapting their work where necessary.
Key Questions Learning Objective
What materials do we need to use? To be able to select appropriate materials.
Is one material better than another? If so, To be aware that we need to listen to other
why? people’s ideas.
How can we make a vehicle better?
Suggested Activities
1. Look at and discuss the sea and in small groups design a mode of transport that would
carry people in or under the water e.g. submarine, ferry boat, boat.
2. Make different types of transport that could take us to the seaside.
3. Build and construct a beach scene from a book to display or use as a role-play area.
4. Make a class 3D model of a seaside that the children will be able to then use with small
toys.
130
Topic:
THE SEASIDE
Area of Learning:
Knowledge and Understanding of the World
Early Learning Goal:
Select the tools and techniques they need to shape, assemble and join 2b
materials they are using.
Handle tools, objects, construction and malleable materials safely and with 5a
increasing confidence. (Physical Development)
Key Questions Learning Objective
Which tools will I need to use? To be able to choose appropriate materials.
How am I going to join my materials? To be aware of different techniques to join
materials.
How do I carry scissors carefully around the
classroom?
Suggested Activities
1. Make your own seaside display using a shoebox. Design your own beach or underwater
scene.
2. Using plasticine, make a whole class model of different things you would find on the
beach and display.
3. With clay or salt dough create a typical fish and chip supper. Paint and display on a plate.
4. Make your own edible fish cakes with tuna/potatoes.
5. Using paper pulp create a starfish and hang as a mobile.
131
Topic:
THE SEASIDE
Area of Learning:
Knowledge and Understanding of the World
Early Learning Goal:
Find out about and identify the uses of every day technology. 3a
Key Questions Learning Objective
How will the arrows help me to move the ship To be aware that the choices made will
across the screen? affect the outcome.
How can I listen to the sentence I have made To develop hand eye co-ordination with the
using the word bank? mouse.
To be aware that text can be selected from a
word bank and you can select and listen to
the text using the mouse.
Suggested Activities
1. The Little Red Ship
2. Bucket and Spade
3. Word Bank – Biff at the Seaside
4. Let’s Go To The Beach
5. http://ngfl.northumberland.gov.uk/ict - This is a useful resource.
132
`
Topic:
THE SEASIDE
Area of Learning:
Knowledge and Understanding of the World
Early Learning Goal:
Observe, find out and identify features in the place they live and the 5a
natural world. To use language to imagine and recreate experiences.
Key Questions Learning Objective
What do we see at the seaside? To recognise features which are typical of
the seaside.
What types of things do we do at the seaside? To be able to identify places and relate them
to different types of environment.
Can I find Leicester on the map? To encourage words to express opinions.
To know where the seaside is in relation to
Can I find the seaside on the map? their locality.
To compare their own locality with a
different locality.
To make comparisons of the seaside past
and present.
Find places and plot them on a map.
Suggested Activities
1. To cut out photographs of the seaside from holiday brochures.
2. Look at the work of famous artists who have painted pictures of the sea or drawn
illustrations of the seaside. Get the children to reproduce them.
3. Discuss and identify certain features relating to the seaside and make a class display.
4. Use a map and invite the children to say where they have been on holiday and discuss
their experiences.
5. To look at photographs and use simple maps to investigate where we live and the seaside
and sort as appropriate.
6. Look at books past and present about the seaside.
7. Use travel brochures to identify six or eight seaside places.
133
Topic:
THE SEASIDE
Area of Learning:
Creative Development
Early Learning Goal:
To explore colour, texture, shape, form and space in 2D and 3D. 1a
Key Questions Learning Objective
What is the difference between 2D and 3D? To be able to recognise some 2D and 3D
shapes.
Which shapes might be seen under water?
To be able to describe how different
textures feel.
Suggested Activities
1. Create a beautiful underwater scene using lots of different mediums to create texture and
colour.
2. Illustrate and display The Lighthouse Keeper’s Lunch.
3. Using sand for texture and tone, make 2D sand castles.
4. Display The Fidgety Fish in 2D against the wall and 3D fish hanging in front.
5. Design own postcards.
6. Create a pretend scrapbook of things you might do at the seaside.
7. Make ‘hand print’ octopuses and hang them on the line with seaweed.
8. Make own Rainbow Fish using lots of bright colours and shiny paper.
9. Illustrate the Rainbow Fish book as a group, using different tones and colours.
10. Painted beach pebbles. Illustrate a seaside them using paint and Marvin mix. These
could then be used as paperweights.
11. Create own picture gallery. Coral fish mosaics, seaside paintings with picture frames.
134
Topic:
THE SEASIDE
Area of Learning:
Creative Development
Early Learning Goal:
Recognise and explore how sounds can be changed. Sing simple songs 2a
from memory. Recognise repeated sounds and sound patterns and match
movement to music.
Key Questions Learning Objective
What type of clapping rhymes can we make? To develop a finer control of sound.
What types of movements does an octopus
make?
Suggested Activities
1. Using pieces of music get the children to move to the music to illustrate the mood of the
sea.
2. Play ‘In an Octopus’ Garden’. Get the children to sing and dance to the music. What
other creatures could they be?
3. Make rhythm word, clapping rhythms and experimenting with a range of musical
commands.
135
Topic:
THE SEASIDE
Area of Learning:
Creative Development
Early Learning Goal:
Use imagination in art and design, music, dance, imaginative and role-play 3a
and stories to express ideas through a widening range of materials, 4a
movement and music.
Key Questions Learning Objective
Which musical instruments might represent To be able to name some sea animals.
underwater scenes?
To recognise the sounds/movements which
How would sea animals move/communicate? we may associate with underwater
creatures.
Suggested Activities
1. In small groups, using appropriate props, get the children to act out their journey to the
seaside.
2. Using templates get the children to decorate them and make shadow puppets to represent
the sea at night and encourage them to tell their own story.
3. In a group of 10 maximum act out the story of the Rainbow Fish using the fish previously
made.
4. Get the children to select something that they associate with the sea. Make masks or
dangling fish, octopus etc. and then using music get the children to pretend they are under
the sea.
5. Create a role-play area of a beach scene with a dinghy etc.
6. Create a role-play area ‘Under the Sea’.
136
Topic:
THE SEASIDE
Area of Learning:
Physical Development
Early Learning Goal:
Move with confidence imagination and in safety. 1a
Travel around, under, over and through balancing and climbing. 1c
Key Questions Learning Objective
If we were on the beach what type of Using the floor and mats children explore
movements could we see? For example the sea the different types of rolls they can do.
rolling etc.
To travel from one piece of apparatus to
another and how to travel across the
apparatus.
Suggested Activities
1. Using a sea side theme get the children to show different types movements such as of
rolling waves. Jumping, landing and balance work using the floor and the apparatus.
Encourage the children to incorporate the component of travelling in their movements.
137
Topic:
THE SEASIDE
Area of Learning:
Physical Development
Early Learning Goal:
Recognise the importance of keeping healthy and those things which
contribute to this. 3a
Recognise the changes that happen to their bodies when they are active. 3b
Key Questions Learning Objective
On a hot day, why is it important to drink lots To recognise the importance of keeping
of water? healthy.
Why do we need to wear sun cream and a hat
on a hot day?
What types of clothes do you wear and why?
Suggested Activities
1. Sort clothes into hot/cold – make a display for suitable clothing depending on the
conditions.
2. Discuss how we look after ourselves depending on the weather.
3. Discuss the importance of appropriate clothing when exercising or taking part in a
sporting activity e.g. scuba diving or surfing.
138
Topic:
THE SEASIDE
Area of Learning:
Physical Development
Early Learning Goal:
Use a range of small and large equipment. 4a
Key Questions Learning Objective
What is a team? To be able to take part in team activities.
How do we play rounders? To move on to other size balls and
equipment to refine existing skills.
How do we play Kwik Cricket?
What other types of games do we play on the
beach?
Suggested Activities
1. Whole class play rounders outside if possible.
2. Whole class play Kwik Cricket.
3. Beach football/volleyball.
4. To practise games for sports day.
5. Make the sand tray interesting by adding glitter or sequins. Decorate the surface with
shells and pebbles. Get the children to dig for buried treasure or build sand castles.
6. Place plastic fish/shells in to the water tray. Turn the water blue or green. Introduce
small fishing nets. How many fish/crabs can you catch?
139
Topic:
THE SEASIDE
Area of Learning:
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Early Learning Goal:
Maintain attention, concentrate and sit quietly when appropriate. 1c
Key Questions Learning Objective
Where have people been on holiday? To know it is important to sit quietly on the
carpet.
Do we like going on holiday? If so, why?
Suggested Activities
1. Circle Time. Encourage children/adults to talk about their seaside experiences or to talk
about their holiday plans this year.
2. Read stories about going to the seaside e.g. The Bears Who Went to the Seaside, Barnaby
Bear at the Seaside.
140
Topic:
THE SEASIDE
Area of Learning:
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Early Learning Goal:
Respond to significant experiences, showing a range of feelings when 2a
appropriate.
Have a developing awareness of their own needs, views and feelings and 2b
be sensitive to the needs, views and feelings of others.
Understand what is right and wrong and why. 4a
Key Questions Learning Objective
What types of feelings can we think of? To be aware of our feelings and those of
others.
What makes us happy/sad?
To recognise the difference between right
Why did the Rainbow Fish have no friends? and wrong.
How did he make friends?
Why is it important to be kind and not selfish?
Suggested Activities
1. Discuss the different feelings that people experience, both happy and sad.
2. Circle Time. Read the Rainbow Fish. Discuss the feelings that were experienced during
the story by the Rainbow Fish and the other fish in the ocean.
3. Read the story of The Selfish Giant.
4. Circle Time. How do we treat our friends? If we upset them how can we make it better?
Give the children an opportunity to share their own experiences and express why they
sometimes behave the way they do.
141
Topic:
THE SEASIDE
Area of Learning:
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Early Learning Goal:
Dress and undress independently and manage their own personal 5a
hygiene.
Select and use activities and resources independently. 5b
Key Questions Learning Objective
Why is it important that we should be able To know we must learn to dress/undress
to dress/undress ourselves? ourselves independently.
How will I learn these skills? To know the more we practice the better
we will be.
Can other people help me?
To be aware that it is important to help
other people.
To learn to select and use equipment and
resources independently.
Suggested Activities
1. To learn to change shoes daily.
2. To learn how to put on painting aprons and to know where to find them.
3. To learn to undress and dress for PE.
4. Through play, to practice skills i.e. threading, dressing dolls and putting on/taking
off dressing up clothes.
142
Topic:
SOUND
Area of Learning:
Knowledge and Understanding of the World
Early Learning Goal:
Ask questions about why things happen and how things work. 1d
Key Questions Learning Objective
How do we hear sound? To be aware that sounds are heard when
they enter the ear.
How many sounds are around us?
To be aware that there are many kinds of
Where do sounds come from? sounds and many sources of sounds.
Which sounds help us to be aware of danger? To be aware that some sounds in the
environment help us.
Suggested Activities
1. Go on a listening walk around the school.
2. Play ‘Guess What is in the Box’.
3. Make sounds using your body e.g. clapping, stamping, and whispering.
4. Discuss which sounds in the environment help us to be aware of danger e.g. noise of
reversing vehicle.
5. Using an assortment of instruments listen to what sounds they make and discuss how the
sounds are made.
6. Sort musical instruments into different sets.
143
Topic:
SOUND
Area of Learning:
Knowledge and Understanding of the World
Early Learning Goal:
Find out about and identify the uses of every day technology. 3a
Find out about and identify some features of living things, objects and 1b
events they observe.
Key Questions Learning Objective
Do all living things make the same sounds? To know that living things as well as objects
make sounds.
How can we find out what sounds they make?
To be able to use a variety of ICT
equipment and programs.
To know that information comes from a
variety of sources.
To know that sounds and pictures convey
and provide information.
Suggested Activities
1. Play sound lotto, trying to identify the different sounds heard.
2. Use a tape recorder and record different sounds heard in school/outside.
3. Use a tape recorder to play back songs/stories.
4. Using the digital camera, get the children to take photographs of things that make sounds.
5. Leaps and Bounds (Sound Program) – once shown, children can manage unsupported.
6. Music Compose – with adult support.
144
Topic:
SOUND
Area of Learning:
Creative Development
Early Learning Goal:
Recognise and explore how sounds can be changed. Sing simple songs 2a
from memory, recognise repeated sounds and sound patterns and match
movement to music.
Key Questions Learning Objective
How can we make sound change? To develop a variety of sounds to use in
their own composition.
How can we experiment a range of musical
commands? To experience a range of sounds.
How many different sounds can we make and To develop a finer control of sound.
hear?
Suggested Activities
1. Discuss and show how different instruments can be played. Allow the children to
experiment and have a turn.
2. In small groups or at Circle Time ask the children to make up their own tunes and sounds.
Record what they do, if appropriate, with the tape recorder.
3. Using the Leicestershire Materials for Schools work through the activities on sound and
invention (Stage A).
4. Fill bottles with different levels of water. Listen to the sounds that each bottle makes.
5. Play (Apple Pie) where children disguise voices and the child ‘on’ has to guess the voice.
6. Make rhythm words, clapping rhythms and experimenting with a range of musical
commands.
145
Topic:
SOUND
Area of Learning:
Creative Development
Early Learning Goal:
Respond in a variety of ways to what they hear. 4a
Express and communicate their ideas, thoughts and feelings by using a
widening range of materials, suitable tools, imaginative and role play, 4b
movement, designing and making a variety of songs and musical
instruments.
Key Questions Learning Objective
Do all sounds make us happy? To be aware that we respond to sounds.
What sounds can we hear in the environment? To be aware that sound is all around us.
What type of instruments can we make?
Suggested Activities
1. Make a drum or musical instrument of choice that you bang to play.
2. Make a display showing different types of musical instruments.
3. Make a ‘collage of sound’ using different materials e.g. sandpaper, tin lids, crunched up
paper, wood etc.
4. Interactive sound display using every day objects e.g. saucepan lids, bottles, wood, milk
bottle tops and plant pots. Make wind chimes or sound box that you change frequently to
sustain interest.
5. Make shakers that have different sounds when played.
6. Sort sounds into appropriate groups i.e. animal/instrument/sounds you hear in the
environment.
7. Sing songs such as Old MacDonald.
8. In the hall, using a tambourine, ask the children to move according to how the tambourine
is being played e.g. fast, slow, shake – start, stop etc.
146
Topic:
SOUND
Area of Learning:
Physical Development
Early Learning Goal:
Show awareness of space, of themselves and of others. 2a
Key Questions Learning Objective
Can I find a space? To be able to find a space.
Am I ‘in a space’ if I can touch someone? To know a space is by yourself.
Suggested Activities
1. Cat and mouse.
2. Tails.
3. Stuck in the mud.
4. Freeze on one knee.
147
Topic:
SOUND
Area of Learning:
Physical Development
Early Learning Goal:
Use a range of small and large equipment. 4a
Key Questions Learning Objective
Which would be the best object to throw and To be able to use a variety of objects e.g.
why? balls and beanbags, to throw and catch.
Suggested Activities
1. In small groups throw and catch a ball in a circle.
2. Throw and catch with a partner.
3. Vary the objects thrown and the size of objects.
4. Throw an object into a hoop from a set distance.
5. Opportunities to use large PE equipment to extend existing skills.
148
Topic:
SOUND
Area of Learning:
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Early Learning Goal:
Form good relationships with adults and peers. 3a
Key Questions Learning Objective
Why is it important to listen to others? To recognise some of the characteristics of
a good listener.
How can we be good listeners?
To be able to listen and respond to a friend.
How do we feel when people do not listen to
us? To know that it is important to listen to
others.
Suggested Activities
1. Circle Time. Discuss the characteristics of a good listener e.g. remembering, looking at
the speaker.
2. With a partner and some instruments children have to repeat what their partner has done.
3. Play ‘Follow the Leader’ with instruments.
4. Circle Time Activities (Helping young children to listen).
5. Use the listening skills – Early Years Booklet.
149
Topic:
SOUND
Area of Learning:
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Early Learning Goal:
Dress and undress independently and manage their own personal 5a
hygiene.
Select and use activities and resources independently. 5b
Key Questions Learning Objective
Why is it important that we should be able To know we must learn to dress/undress
to dress/undress ourselves? ourselves independently.
How will I learn these skills? To know the more we practice the better
we will be.
Can other people help me?
To be aware that it is important to help
other people.
To learn to select and use equipment and
resources independently.
Suggested Activities
1. To learn to change shoes daily.
2. To learn how to put on painting aprons and to know where to find them.
3. To learn to undress and dress for PE.
4. Through play, to practice skills i.e. threading, dressing dolls and putting on/taking
off dressing up clothes.
150
Topic:
SEASONS
(This topic will be delivered at appropriate times throughout the year)
Area of Learning:
Knowledge and Understanding of the World
Early Learning Goal:
Investigate objects and materials by using all of their senses as appropriate. 1a
Find out about and identify some features of living things, objects and
events they observe. 1b
Look closely at similarities and differences and change. 1c
Ask questions about why things happen and how things work. 1d
Key Questions Learning Objective
What type of objects/animals do we associate To be aware of different things that can be
with the four seasons? found at different times of the year.
How are shadows made? To be aware that light comes from a variety
of sources including the sun.
Can we make a shadow outside if it is not
sunny? To be aware of the danger of looking
directly at the sun.
What makes a wind chime?
To be aware that darkness is the absence of
Where does light come from? light - shadows.
Suggested Activities
1. Ask the children to bring in things that they associate with a particular season and make a
nature table/seasonal table that they can investigate and discuss with their friends.
2. On a sunny day, go outside and discuss the children’s shadows. How are they made?
3. Using a projector and white screen, invite the children to make their shadow puppets.
4. Discuss with the class a variety of light sources around them.
151
Topic:
SEASONS
Area of Learning:
Knowledge and Understanding of the World
Early Learning Goal:
Look closely at similarities, differences, patterns and change. 1c
Key Questions Learning Objective
How can we melt ice? To understand what is meant by melting.
Why is ice dangerous when it is on the road? To know that the weather changes
throughout the year.
Which season is it when ice is normally on the
road? To be aware what happens if we freeze or
melt an object.
What type of weather do we most associate
with each season? To be aware that we change the shape of
some materials by processes including
squashing, bending, twisting and stretching.
Suggested Activities
1. Investigate the effect salt has on ice. Discuss the time of year we have ice and why it is
dangerous when it is on the road. Experiment to see what happens when salt is put on ice.
2. Make ice cubes and get the children to observe and describe what they think will happen.
Record findings in topic book.
3. Discuss the four seasons and ask the children to make a classroom display depicting each
of the seasons.
152
Topic:
SEASONS
Area of Learning:
Knowledge and Understanding of the World
Early Learning Goal:
Find out about past and present events on own life, and in those of family
members and other people they know. 4a
Key Questions Learning Objective
What is the weather like at Christmas? To recognise the changes a tree goes
through each year.
What do we wear in the Summer?
To know what weather is typical for each
What do we wear in the Winter? season.
To recognise different times of year and
link them to a season e.g. sunny, holiday,
Christmas.
Suggested Activities
1. To know the names of the four seasons.
2. Make a timeline of a tree throughout the year. Show the changes to the tree; the colour of
the leaves and the leaves falling off and growing again.
3. Use a daily weather chart and recognise what the symbols mean.
4. Measure the rainfall in the different parts of the playground. Place containers in different
parts of the playground and measure the rainfall over a week.
153
Topic:
SEASONS
Area of Learning:
Creative Development
Early Learning Goal:
Explore colour, texture, shape, form and space in two and three 1a
dimensions.
Key Questions Learning Objective
What do you notice about the trees during To know that trees change throughout the
each season of the year? year.
Suggested Activities
1. Draw, paint or collage a tree to make pictures that represent the different seasons.
2. Draw, paint or collage your favourite season.
154
Topic:
SEASONS
Area of Learning:
Creative Development
Early Learning Goal:
Use imagination in art and design, music and dance, imaginative and role 3a
play.
Key Questions Learning Objective
To have the opportunity to listen and act out
certain rhymes or poems.
Suggested Activities
1. Act out rhymes and poems e.g. 5 Green Leaves, Crocus Bulb.
155
Topic:
SEASONS
Area of Learning:
Physical Development
Early Learning Goal:
Move with control and co-ordination. 1b
Show awareness of space, of themselves and others. 2a
Key Questions Learning Objective
What are team games? To know what is meant by team game.
Why must we follow rules? To show fairness when playing all games.
Suggested Activities
1. Play games which involve dribbling the ball with different body parts and equipment e.g.
hockey stick.
2. Play relay races which involve speed, balance and control of a ball.
3. Play games which involve dodging others to get to team members.
156
Topic:
SEASONS
Area of Learning:
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Early Learning Goal:
To maintain attention, concentration and to sit quietly when appropriate. 1c
Key Questions Learning Objective
To understand why we cannot shout out in
class.
Suggested Activities
1. Sit quietly and listen with a willingness to learn during appropriate times.
2. During carpet time listen to what others have to say and put their hand up to join in the
discussion or answer a question.
157
Topic:
SEASONS
Area of Learning:
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Early Learning Goal:
Respond to significant experiences, showing a range of feelings when 3a
appropriate.
Key Questions Learning Objective
What is Summer like? To know what each season is like.
What is Winter like? To be able to say how each season makes us
feel.
What is Autumn like?
What is Spring like?
How do they make us feel?
Suggested Activities
1. Look at and discuss books/posters and poems depicting the four seasons. Using a variety
of materials ask the children to make their own seasonal picture.
158
Topic:
SEASONS
Area of Learning:
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Early Learning Goal:
Work as part of a group/class taking turns and sharing fairly understanding
that there needs to be values and codes of behaviour for groups of people, 3b
including adults and children, to work together harmoniously.
Key Questions Learning Objective
What are the rules of our game? To know that to work as a group we need to
take turns and have rules.
Suggested Activities
1. During circle time a box is placed in the centre of the circle containing seasonal objects.
A spinner is sent around the circle and when the music stops a child has to spin the
spinner and then select an appropriate object for the season and say why they have chosen
it.
159
Topic:
SEASONS
Area of Learning:
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Early Learning Goal:
Dress and undress independently and manage their own personal 5a
hygiene.
Select and use activities and resources independently. 5b
Key Questions Learning Objective
Why is it important that we should be able To know we must learn to dress/undress
to dress/undress ourselves? ourselves independently.
How will I learn these skills? To know the more we practice the better
we will be.
Can other people help me?
To be aware that it is important to help
other people.
To learn to select and use equipment and
resources independently.
Suggested Activities
1. To learn to change shoes daily.
2. To learn how to put on painting aprons and to know where to find them.
3. To learn to undress and dress for PE.
4. Through play, to practice skills i.e. threading, dressing dolls and putting on/taking
off dressing up clothes.
160