TeacherLogs

Snails & Spirals! The 2's room combined snail exploration and mark-making to create a colourful spiral mobile. Using our index finger to practice spirals first then mark-making onto the paper plates. 

How to/Resources:

You need paper plates, pictures of snails to indicate the spiral, coloured pens. 

Support the children to understand the spiral movement by practicing with index fingers - closing in with each turn. 

Give a demonstration on the paper plate with multiple colours - the brighter the better!

Give each child a paper plate & snail photograph to share for reference. 

Give choice of coloured pen, choose a different colour per new spiral.  

Once complete, cut the paper plates into the spiral shape, group together & voila! A striking spiral mobile & wall display. 

Next Step: Try observational snail drawing.  

More Outdoor Art Ideas:

Green theme this week! We made green playdough with fresh mint and green sprinkles.

The children portrayed the transporting schema by moving the cupcakes to and from the home corner oven.

Learning intentions:

Recognise the colour green.

Use the playdough along with the cupcake cases.

Transport to the oven to bake.

How to/Resources:

Make playdough with flour, water, oil, green paint, green glitter & add fresh mint leaves.

Set out a display table with playdough mats, bowls, plates, cups and cupcake cases for the children.

Set up near the home corner to allow the children to easily transport their cupcakes to and from the oven.

Note: use sturdy cupcake cases to prevent ripping and flattening.

Invite the children over to make cupcakes.

Inspiration: green colour theme.

Learning outcomes:

All children got involved & enjoyed. 

Successfully transported to and from the oven.

Next Steps:

Introduce silicone cases & decorations.

In Practice:

Exploring bugs and making bug fossils from salt-dough.

+ bug exploration & mark-making.

Learning Intentions:

Listen to the instructions of how to make the salt dough in order to learn the process of making something new.

Select the ingredients which will help make the salt dough, knowing what they are and how much of each to use to achieve the result.

Take turns to share the making process i.e. adding and mixing ingredients.

Decorate the fossils once baked and cooled (glue and glitter).

How to/Resources:

Gather materials (large mixing bowl, large spoon, 3 cups, 1 jug, flour, salt, water, and bugs).

Recite the recipe to the children (2 cups of flour, 1 cup of salt, 1 cup of water).

Allow the children to work together gathering the ingredients for the mixing bowl, then each take turns of mixing to form the salt-dough.

Next share out the salt-dough, and demonstrate how to make the fossil (gently stamp a bug into the dough and release slowly).

Bake on low for 3 hours or high for 45 minutes.

Once cooled allow the children to decorate.

Additional activity: set up a display using bugs. Add pens, pencils and A5 paper. Let the children explore/create bug tracing pictures.

Inspiration: Child interest.

Learning Outcomes:

The children worked efficiently, showing great listening, pouring, and mixing skills. Further, recognizing when they had made a mistake within the recipe.

The children were engaged and patient throughout - all taking turns to pour and mix the ingredients.

Great language and eye-contact.

Next Steps for Learning:

Introduce scales for precise measurements.

Examples:

Curricular Links:

Literacy and English – Listening and talking.

As I listen and talk in different situations, I am learning to take turns and am developing my awareness of when to talk and when to listen. LIT 0-02a/ENG 0-03a.

I listen or watch for useful or interesting information and I use this to make choices and learn new things. LIT 0-04a.

Sciences – materials.

Mindfulness exercise plus post-it note art. The children answered question by drawing on a post-it note whilst listening to calm & relaxing music.

Questions;

Where are you happy?

What makes you happy?

Who makes you happy?

Learning Intentions:

Take turns when listening and talking, sharing materials.

Share answers with friends, communicate ideas.

Resources/How to:

Gather materials (paint, paint brushes, post-it notes, biro pens, colouring pencils, sticky tape, A4 sized white card).

Provide the children with white card, paint & brush. Ask the children what colours make them happy & paint: this is the background for the post-its.

Give each child one post-it note & pen. Ask the children a question, once finished stick the post-it on the card (should fit three in total - portrait). Once finished, distribute another post-it and ask another question. Repeat once three questions are complete.

Allow the children to add colour.

Tape down the post-it’s, handwrite/type the questions, laminate.

Inspiration: Twitter post.

Learning Outcomes:

The children enjoyed working small. They listened to each question carefully and enjoyed sharing there answers through drawing and verbally with there friends.

Next Steps:

Add mark-making/detail. 

More Examples:

Curricular Links:

Early Level Literacy and English

As I listen and talk in different situations, I am learning to take turns and am developing my awareness of when to talk and when to listen. LIT 0-02a / ENG 0-03a

Early Level Expressive Arts - Art & Design

The children listened to relaxing and calming music during this quiet mark making session. I demonstrated four A5 drawings for the children to copy. I asked the children to focus, draw slowly and enjoy the relaxing music.

We used 'Relaxing Music for Children - Be Calm and Focussed' via YouTube.

Learning Intentions:

Focus on the demonstration to somewhat replicate it on their A4 sheet. There is a main focus i.e. circles however the children should create unique outcomes.

Enjoy quiet time and respect the quiet time of their peers.

Use colours to share emotions i.e. what colour is your line? Is it wavy and blue like the ocean?.

Resources/How to:

Gather materials: A5 sheets of paper (4 for each child), biro pens, colouring pencils/crayons, iPad for music.

Give each child an A5 sheet & pen, put on the music and allow the children to relax into quiet time.

Make a demonstration: mine were;

Draw circles, big and small, very slowly.

Draw swirls and wavy lines.

Draw around your hand slowly and draw circles inside.

Draw a circle in the middle of the paper then draw lines from the circle to the end of the paper (different lines i.e. straight, wavy, zig-zag, broken).

Lastly, add colour. Prompt with questions i.e. is your wavy line blue like the ocean?

Tip: use a soft, slow tone.

Inspiration: University class

Learning Outcomes:

The children enjoyed working small. They watched the demonstration closely and were able to replicate them in uniquely. The children were respectful of quiet time and enjoyed the calming music and process.

Next Steps:

Try different mindfulness sessions.

More Examples:

Curricular Links:

Early Level Literacy and English

As I listen and talk in different situations, I am learning to take turns and am developing my awareness of when to talk and when to listen. LIT 0-02a / ENG 0-03a

Early Level Expressive Arts - Art & Design

The children answered questions by drawing on a post-it note. I added the questions on after, and laminated for the children to take home.

Some of the questions included;

What do you like to do at nursery?

What is your favourite nursery area?

What is your favourite toy at nursery?

What do you like to do in the nursery garden?

What is your favourite nursery memory?

Who do you like to play with at nursery?

What have you learned today at nursery?

Learning Intentions:

Take turns when listening and talking, sharing materials.

Share answers with friends, communicate ideas.

Resources/How to:

Gather materials (post-it notes, biro pens, colouring pencils, sticky tape, A4 sized coloured card).

Give each child coloured card, one post-it note & pen. Ask the children a question, once finished stick the post-it on the card (should fit four in total). Once finished, distribute another post-it and ask another question. Repeat once four questions are complete.

Allow the children to add colour.

Tape down the post-it's, handwrite/type the questions, laminate.

Inspiration: Twitter post. @/mrs_darl

Learning Outcomes:

The children enjoyed working small. They listened to each question carefully and enjoyed sharing there answers through drawing and verbally with there friends.

Next Steps:

Add another curricular area such as maths i.e. problem solving questions.

Curricular Links:

Early Level Literacy and English

As I listen and talk in different situations, I am learning to take turns and am developing my awareness of when to talk and when to listen. LIT 0-02a / ENG 0-03a

Early Level Expressive Arts - Art & Design

‘Farm to Fork’ Class Topic: Fairtrade.

Learning Intentions:

Take turns, contribute and engage with others during the Fairtrade discussion.

After reading the recipe, understand how much of each product to use by measuring or estimation.

Work safely and hygienically before, during and after preparing foods - for example, handle the juicer safely, holding it in place so it does not slip.

Prepare then taste both the still lemonade and sparkling lemonade, then explain the likes and dislikes of both.

How to/Resources:

Use a printout or discuss Fairtrade and it's importance to farming.

Further, discuss the Fairtrade lemonade ingredients and recipe, and health and hygiene i.e. washing hands before beginning, why the adult uses the knife to cut the lemons, why do we use the sieve to collect the lemon seeds.

Beforehand, acquire the materials needed to complete the activity i.e. jugs, bowl, plastic cups, mixing spoon, juicer.

Purchase lemons (Fairtrade if possible), Fairtrade sugar (Sainsbury's), water (2 litres), sparkling water (2 litres).

Pre-cut lemons for the children into halves.

Use the hand juicer to squeeze the lemons, pour sugar and the lemon juice into a mixing bowl, and add the water.

We made two batches, one sparkling and one still.

Inspiration: 'Farm to Fork' class topic & observation follow-up.

Learning Outcomes:

The children worked efficiently, they were great listeners and made valid contributions relevant to the topic Fairtrade.

The children were challenged as after reading the recipe they then had to figure out how much of each ingredient to use. With guidance they were able to understand the amounts either by measuring using the jugs or by estimating.

There was enjoyment from all the children during this activity, they had fun with the practical element of using the hand juicer to squeeze the lemons. They were able to explain why washing their hands and rolling up their sleeves was important for this task.

The children were given the choice to taste both the still lemonade and sparkling lemon they had made, they made personal statements on each, sharing the likes and dislikes of both. Communicating if the drink needed more or less of a certain ingredient.

Next Steps for Learning:

Introduce scales and measuring jugs. Possibly, record measures and weights.

Curricular Links:

First Level Literacy and English – Listening and Talking

When I engage with others, I know when and how to listen, when to talk, how much to say, when to ask questions and how to respond with respect. LIT 1-02a

First Level Numeracy and Mathematics – Measurement

I can estimate how long or heavy an object is, or what amount it holds, using everyday things as a guide, then measure or weigh it using appropriate instruments and units. MNU 1-11a

First Level Health and Wellbeing (Food and Health) – Keeping Safe and Hygienic

I am becoming aware of how cleanliness, hygiene and safety can affect health and wellbeing and I apply this knowledge in my everyday routines such as taking care of my teeth. HWB 1-33a

The Food Experience

Tiling using shapes.

Learning Intentions:

Create and continue repeating patterns involving shapes, and understand which shapes can and cannot tile.

Carefully draw around the shapes and select colours to create an individual piece of work - understanding to select the appropriate media.

How to/Resources:

Use A4 paper, various shapes, pencils, and colours.

Firstly support the children to understand which shapes can and cannot tile.

Allow the children to select shapes which tile, draw around these shapes to cover the A4 paper.

Lastly, colour.

Inspiration: Mentor suggestion

Learning Outcomes:

The children made great contributions and portrayed an understanding of 2D and 3D shapes, and shapes which can and cannot tile - for example, recognising that circles cannot tile as gaps appear within their tiling pattern.

Next Steps for Learning:

Move onto using two different shapes to create tiling patterns. The children will need a ruler to do this - for example, triangles within squares.

Curricular Links:

First Level Numeracy and Mathematics – Patterns and relationships

I can continue and devise more involved repeating patterns or designs, using a variety of media. MTH 1-13a

Shape, position and movement

I can explore and discuss how and why different shapes fit together and create a tiling pattern with them. MTH 1-16b

First Level Expressive Arts – Art and Design