Summer Term
The first half of the summer term is all about growth. The children are currently engaging in activities that support and extend their knowledge and understanding of growth and change over time. The big question that they are thinking about and answering in different ways is ‘how did you grow?’
During the first three weeks the children will be engaging in activities linking to the story ‘Jasper’s Beanstalk’ by Nick Butterworth. They will be growing a broad bean, using a range of media to make pictures of their beanstalk, making a clay bowl to collect different kinds of leaves in, role playing in our garden centre and learning new songs about plants growing.
During the following two weeks the children will be exploring the story ‘Titch’ by Pat Hutchins. They will be comparing and ordering their heights in different ways, talking about what they would like to be when they grow up and growing grass, as hair, in a cup with their face on it.
During the last two weeks the children will be delving into the text ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’ by Eric Carle. They will be learning to retell the story using story language and actions, making caterpillars using a range of media and materials, tasting and talking about their observations of the main five fruits in the story and learning some new songs and dances about caterpillars and butterflies.
The children have also been learning and will continue to learn about how they can work with others collaboratively. This involves thinking about each other’s feelings, sharing and taking turns, sometimes with support from others. The children have toy meerkats with special tools that remind them how to do this effectively.
As well as the meerkats we have a cuddly spider called Incey. She has and continues to encourage the children to be independent learners, noticing small details, managing their distractions and sticking at things when they become difficult. She has helped them to ‘keep on trying’ so that they can learn and achieve new things.
Additional photographs will be added as the children explore, learn and progress throughout the term.
