While children will already be familiar with paper's creative possibilities, this project provides the opportunity to test its properties and explore its many different functions. Children will enjoy investigating the various ways in which paper is essential to everyday life.
Adult-led activities
Paper bags
Share the story The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch and Michael Martchenko (Scholastic, 4.99) and make some paper bags.
Key learning intentions
Listen to stories with increasing attention and recall
Talk activities through, reflecting on and modifying what they are doing
Begin to talk about the shapes of everyday objects
Select the tools and techniques they need to shape, assemble and join materials they are using
Adult:child ratio 1: up to 4
Resources
* The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch and Michael Martchenko * basket or story sack containing various props such as paper bags of different sizes, three small plastic dolls to represent the prince and princess, a toy dragon * selection of different size pieces of brown parcel paper * sticky tape * glue sticks * stapler * scissors
Preparation
* Make a paper bag dress for one of the doll princesses to wear (it is a good idea to have two princess dolls, one wearing 'expensive princess clothes' and one wearing the paper bag dress).
* Dress the prince.
* Cut the large pieces of brown paper into more manageable-sized pieces ready for the children to use.
* Set up an area in the setting to lay out the pieces of brown paper, glue sticks, stapler, sticky tape and scissors.
Activity content
* Show the children the paper bags during a group story time. Discuss with them what they are and when and where they might be used.
* Tell the children that you are going to tell them a funny story about someone who wore a paper bag.
* Read the story with the children, using the props you have gathered.
* Talk about Ronald's response to Elizabeth. Would we ever wear a paper bag? Link in with your earlier discussion about what paper bags are used for.
* Invite the children to choose a piece of brown paper each and make a bag.
* Differentiate by challenging some of your children to make the right sized paper bag for a particular object such as a favourite toy.
* Support children's problem solving skills as they fold and join their paper bags so that they will hold an item.
Extending learning
Key vocabulary
Fold, crease, join, size, big, small, paper, rectangle, sides, corners, bottom, open (at the top)
Questions to ask
* What would you use a paper bag for?
* What shape is the bag?
* How big does your bag need to be?
* Can you think of a way to fold your piece of paper so that you have a crease at the bottom?
* What are you going to use to join the sides?
* What are you going to put in your bag?
Extension activities
* Plan an opportunity for the children to retell the story of The Paper Bag Princess independently, using the props you originally gathered.
* Leave the resources for making paper bags out for the children to access independently.
* Make a display with the children using the story book, the props and paper bags.
* Use the paper bags as part of a newsagent's role-play area in the setting. * Talk about the other uses of paper in the shop: money, the till roll, posters and price tags, magazines, writing equipment, newspapers, and so on. Challenge children to think about the sizes of bags needed for the various purchases that customers make. Encourage the children to write shopping lists before they visit.
* Investigate some of the properties of paper by seeing what happens when paper bags are filled with water. Try bags made from different types of paper such as greaseproof paper and tissue paper. Which works best or holds water for the longest? What about a bag from a supermarket? (Is that made of paper?)
Write a letter
Enter into the story by using paper to communicate with the characters.
Key learning intentions
Use writing as a means of recording and communicating
Manipulate a pencil with increasing control
Have a developing awareness of their own needs, views and feelings and be sensitive to the needs, views and feelings of others
Persevere in repeating some actions/ attempts when developing a new skill
Adult:child ratio 1:whole group for discussion, 1:1 for letter writing
Resources
* Copy of The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch and Michael Martchenko * story props * white A4 pieces of paper * selection of C5 and C6 envelopes * sharpened pencils * sheet of 1p stamps * letter box
Preparation
* Arrange the resources in the writing area of your setting.
* Set up the letter box close by.
Activity content
* Read The Paper Bag Princess again, using the props as before.
* Talk with them about how the two main characters, Princess Elizabeth and Prince Ronald, must have felt at different points in the story. Look closely at the illustrations in the book for clues.
* Explain to the children that they are going to reply to a letter from Prince Ronald. The letter says, 'Dear (child's name), I have been kidnapped by a dragon! I am very frightened. Please come and rescue me. Love from Prince Ronald'.
* Scribe a response for them, encouraging them to think about how to reassure Prince Ronald. Suggest that they have a go at writing their own name at the end of the letter.
* As you write, talk about the conventions of letter writing such as the address at the top of the paper (this only needs to be simple, eg 'Prince Ronald The Dragon's Cave'. If you have used an exclamation mark in the content of the letter, talk about it with the children.
* Invite the children to put the letter into an envelope. What size envelope would they like? How are they going to fold the letter so that it will fit?
* Write a simple address on the front of the envelope and add a 1p stamp.
The children can then go and post their letter in the letter box.
* Read the letters with the children during a group storytime.
Extending learning
Key vocabulary
Feeling, feelings, happy, sad, cross, angry, upset, disappointed, letter, envelope, stamp, address, write, fold
Questions to ask
* How do you think Princess Elizabeth/Prince Ronald feels/felt now?
* What does he/she look like in the illustration?
* What makes you say that?
* What do you think you would say to Prince Ronald?
* How many times do you think you will have to fold your letter so that it fits into the envelope?
* What does the envelope need now?
Extension activities
* Add some of the letters to the display with the book, props and paper bags.
* Leave a constant supply of blank paper and envelopes in the writing area for the children to access independently.
* Change the selection of writing media regularly from pencils to colouring pencils to felt-tip pens so that children can experiment with a variety of mark-making tools and not necessarily feel that they must 'write' all the time.
* Read storybooks about letters with the children such as Katie Morag Delivers the Mail by Mairi Hedderwick (Random House Children's Books, 1.50) and The Jolly Postman, or Other People's Letters by Allan and Janet Ahlberg (Penguin Books, 12.99).
Child-initiated learning
Water area
Additional resources and adult support
* Make papier mache using a mixture of water and PVA glue and torn pieces of newspaper to create a product such as a bowl (use a plastic bowl covered in cling-film as a base to cover. The cling-film prevents the papier mache sticking to the bowl and the dried product can be easily removed). Link in to recycling.
* Encourage the children to describe how the papier mache feels to touch.
* Laminate addressed envelopes and let the children sort by factors such as size and colour.
* Encourage children to predict what would happen to the envelopes if they were not laminated.
Play possibilities
* Making a new product.
* Role play sorting office.
Possible learning outcomes
Begins to talk about the shapes of everyday objects
Investigates objects and materials using all their senses as appropriate
Manipulates materials to achieve a planned effect
Begins to describe the texture of things
Role-play area
Additional resources and adult support
* Turn your role-play area into the dragon's cave from The Paper Bag Princess. Provide dressing-up clothes for Princess Elizabeth and Prince Ronald. Make a dragon from paper with the children, either a painted 2D dragon or a 3D papier mache and chicken wire dragon, or one made from cardboard boxes (cardboard can be described as thickened paper to the children). Make a paper bag dress for Princess Elizabeth. Re-enact the story in small groups.
* Create a post office. Add letter writing resources, forms to fill in, stamps, parcels, luggage labels, weighing scales, a postbag, a postman's hat and a letterbox. Talk with the children about how much paper is used at a post office. What about a combined newsagent's and post office?
Play possibilities
* Playing alongside others engaged in the same theme.
* Responding to a story and possibly making up their own stories.
* Enacting a role in a story.
* Playing out a familiar role such as a shopkeeper or customer or postman.
* Attempting writing for various purposes, such as filling in forms and writing a shopping list.
Possible learning outcomes
Displays high levels of involvement in activities
Uses language to imagine and recreate roles and experiences
Knows information can be relayed in the form of print
Ascribes meanings to marks
Engages in imaginative and role play based on own first-hand experiences
Construction area
Additional resources and adult support
* Provide large, empty cardboard boxes. Discuss what they could be used for. Follow the children's interests and add any additional resources they may need.
* Model the use of key vocabulary such as 'in', 'out', 'inside' and 'build'.
* Ask open-ended questions about what they are doing/building, and why.
* Read the story My Cat Likes to Hide in Boxes by Eve Sutton and Lynley Dodd (Puffin Books, 4.99) or Whatever Next! by Jill Murphy (Macmillan, Pounds 4.99).
Play possibilities
* Designing and using cardboard boxes.
* Climbing in and out of boxes to hide or participate in fantasy role play.
* Being 'jack in the boxes' - use a musical instrument as a signal for when to 'pop up'.
* Exploring and investigating the way in which cardboard boxes can be used.
Possible learning outcomes
Has a strong exploratory impulse
Interacts with others, negotiating plans and activities and taking turns in conversation
Begins to use mathematical names for 'solid' 3D shapes
Uses available resources to create props
Small world play
Additional resources and adult support
* Provide a set of paper dolls and dressing-up clothes. Start with a book such as The Fabulous Book of Paper Dolls by Julie Collings (Klutz, Pounds 10.99).
* Talk with the children about the choices they are making when dressing the dolls, and why.
* Link in to thinking about how to dress according to the weather. Ask what children would wear for certain weathers.
* Use a version of Goldilocks and the Three Bears published by Ted Smart (12.99) which consists of a paper/ cardboard cottage , storybook, four moulded characters and cardboard models of a tree, grass, chairs and beds.
* Tell the story as the children discover the props and move the characters.
Play possibilities
* Dressing and undressing dolls.
* Making up fantasy scenarios for the dolls, such as getting dressed to go shopping.
* Retelling a traditional tale.
Possible learning outcomes
Retells a familiar story
Begins to use talk to pretend imaginary situations
Manipulates materials and objects by picking up, releasing, arranging them Plays in an imaginative way with small- world equipment
Resources to support the theme
* The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch and Michale Martchenko (Scholastic, 4.99)
* Katie Morag Delivers the Mail by Mairi Hedderwick (Red Fox/Random House Children's Books, 1.50)
* The Jolly Postman, Or Other People's Letters by Allan and Janet Ahlberg (Viking Children's Books, 12.99)
* My Cat likes to Hide in Boxes by Eve Sutton and Lynley Dodd (Puffin Books, 4.99)
* Whatever Next! by Jill Murphy (Macmillan, 4.99)
* The Fabulous Book of Paper Dolls by Julie Collings (Klutz, 9.99)
* Goldilocks and the Three Bears (Ted Smart, 12.99)
