Project guide The Curriculum Guidance for the Foundation Stage (page 11) emphasises the importance of providing children with a balance of adult-led and child-initiated learning opportunities. This project, therefore:
* identifies adult-led activities, to introduce or develop children's understanding of the topic through stimulating, meaningful experiences which offer challenge
* suggests ways to enhance areas of core provision, to consolidate children's learning about the theme. It is the practitioners' role to make daily observations of children's learning which inform individual child profiles and future planning. Children should be encouraged to use the resources to support their own learning. This means that the possible learning outcomes will be wide-ranging and varied.
* advocates that settings should be organised and resourced using a 'workshop' approach so that children can access resources autonomously and independently.
Adult-led activities
Sweet smells
Create a sensory garden.
Key learning intentions
To interact with others, negotiating plans and activities and taking turns in conversation
To find out and identify some features of living things
To understand that equipment and tools have to be used safely
Adult:child ratio 1:up to 6
Resources
* Plants and landscaping materials such as gravel, pebbles, paving stones * wind chimes * shovels * forks * spades * watering cans * gardening gloves * digital camera
Preparation
* Plan to develop one part of the outdoor area to create a sensory garden.
This can be on a large scale and may include boulders, new paving, pebbles and gravel with a large planted area, or on a much smaller scale with a few grow bags, raised planters and some wind chimes.
* Buy the resources needed. Aim to buy plants which stimulate all of the senses. Some good choices would be, sunflowers and pot marigolds (sight); Love-in-a-mist and bamboo (sound); silver or Jerusalem sage and lamb's ears (touch); lavender, lemon balm and curry plant (smell) and spearmint, rosemary and chives (taste). For more ideas and information see www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/gardening_with_children/plantstotry_sensory.
Activity content
* Display the plants in the outdoor area.
* Encourage the children to explore the plants using all their senses where appropriate. Discuss where the plants should be planted and dig the holes with the children.
* Support the children as they take lots of digital images of each other digging holes, then planting and watering the plants.
* Over a period of weeks, encourage the children to water the plants and notice changes to the sensory garden.
Extending learning
Key vocabulary
Smell, see, touch, hear, taste, plant, water, dig, shovel, spade, garden, soft, shiny, smooth, fluffy, rustle
Questions to ask
* Can you think of a way to describe this plant to your friend?
* Where do you think we should put this plant?
* What do you think this plant needs to grow well?
* Can you think of a way to dig a deeper hole?
* Why do you think these are good plants to have in our garden?
* If we closed our eyes could we tell the difference between the plants?
How?
Extension ideas
* Edit and print the digital images about the creation of the sensory garden, discuss these with the children and record their comments. Mount them on to A4 card and create an informative display for children and families, which can later be laminated and made into a book to record the experience.
* Plan to plant vegetable seeds and seedlings to create a 'kitchen garden', as part of the sensory area, so that children can plant, nurture, harvest and eat fresh vegetables.
Favourite tastes
Organise a tasting session for the children using a wide selection of fruits and vegetables.
Key learning intentions
To use writing as a means of recording and communicating
To begin to use the vocabulary of addition in practical activities and discussions
To investigate materials using all of their senses as appropriate
Adult:child ratio 1:6
Resources
* A selection of fruit and raw vegetables, some of which are familiar and some unfamiliar to the children * speech bubbles and a chart to plot children's selections * sticky labels * coloured markers
Preparation
* Prepare a chart using A1 card, with photographs of the six chosen fruits and vegetables fixed along the bottom.
* Prepare the food for the children to taste, and place these on plates beside the whole fruits and vegetables.
Activity content
* Encourage the children to look at the whole fruits and vegetables and then taste each in turn. Each child should choose their favourite and then record their choice on the sticky labels, using words and pictures. Act as a scribe to record the children's comments about taste in speech bubbles.
* Support the children as they fix their label into the correct place on the A1 card.
* Continue in this way until all of the children have added their chosen favourite to create a simple block graph.
* Look at the graph with the children, and discuss about how the column with the most blocks (labels) is the favourite food in the group.
Extending learning
Key vocabulary
Descriptive vocabulary and names of fruit and vegetables, for example, mango, pineapple, celery, peas, lychee, mange tout
Questions to ask
* Can you remember seeing any of the fruit and vegetables before? Where did you see them? Did you have a chance to taste them? What fruit or vegetable do you like best? Why? Can you think of one thing which is the same about any of the fruit and vegetables? And one thing that is different?
Extension ideas
* Plan to explore the whole fruits and vegetables with lenses and magnifying glasses, looking, feeling, smelling then preparing and tasting them together.
* Encourage the children to respond to their experiences using pencils, markers, pastels and paints. Create a display of 2D creations alongside the speech bubbles with the children's comments about the fruit and vegetables, and display the 'real thing' in wicker baskets for the children to revisit independently.
Child-initiated learning
Writing area
Additional resources and adult support
* Provide a range of information texts about the senses (see resources) alongside small stapled books, zig-zag books, paper in assorted sizes, scissors, markers, pens and pencils.
* Encourage children to explore and discuss the books. Model the use of information texts and how to retrieve information.
* Support the children as they draw, make marks, write and create their own books.
Play possibilities
* Exploring the properties of the graphical media
* Discussing the contents of the books
* Making connections between photographs and their own bodies and experiences
* Folding and cutting paper to create own books
* Making marks, drawing and writing
Possible learning outcomes
Makes connections between different parts of their life experiences
Knows that information can be relayed in the form of print
Uses marks to show meaning
Uses one-handed tools and equipment
Begins to use representation as a means of communication
Interactive display - smell
Additional resources and adult support
* Fill four snack pots with objects with a strong smell - for example, lemon, peppermint, coffee and lavender.
* Cover each snack pot in a different coloured paper and make small holes in the lids so that the smell is clear when the pot is shaken.
* Provide assorted markers and pencils, coloured paper to match the pots, small photos of the contents of the pots and Blu-tack.
* Display large photos of the objects, photos of noses and information texts about 'smell'.
* Support the children as they explore the contents of the pots through their sense of smell.
* Encourage the children to record their guesses about the contents of the pots, using words and drawings or by sticking photos on to the pots.
Play possibilities
* Shaking the pots and comparing the contents
* Discussing the smells, using descriptive language
* Mark-making, drawing and writing
* Using descriptive language to describe the smells
* Making comparisons with other familiar smells and connections with earlier experiences
Possible learning outcomes
Operates independently within the environment
Uses a widening vocabulary, including descriptive vocabulary
Shows curiosity
Notices similarities and differences
Malleable materials area
Additional resources and adult support
* Provide playdough in two different colours which have different scents and textures - for example yellow, lemon scented dough with sequins and blue peppermint scented dough made with coarse wholemeal flour.
* Add textured rollers, cutters, plastic pinking scissors, plastic serrated knives, cake trays and pieces of hessian to roll on.
* Encourage the children to identify the smells, textures and colours, and to experiment with mixing the dough.
Play possibilities
* Exploring the dough
* Rolling out and cutting the dough
* Making biscuits and cakes
* Role-playing picnics, parties and birthdays
* Singing 'Happy Birthday'
Possible learning outcomes
Takes turns and co-operates
Initiates conversations
Uses language such as 'more' or 'less' to compare balls of dough
Explores malleable materials by patting, stroking, poking, squeezing, pinching and twisting them
Engages in imaginative play based on own first-hand experiences
Snack area
Additional resources and adult support
* Add some simple snacks in plastic bowls to the drinks/water area.
Consider raw celery, apple, carrot and pear.
* Encourage the children to choose one or two favourite snacks to eat during a limited period throughout the session.
* Support the children as they use their senses to enjoy their chosen snacks.
* Model the use of specific language - taste, tongue, crisp, hard, chew, swallow, sweet, sharp, bitter, vegetable, fruit.
Play possibilities
* Role-playing a picnic or party
* Talking about pets and other animals that eat the same food
* Sharing the snacks
* Having general conversations in a social situation
Possible learning outcomes
Works as part of a group, sharing
Initiates conversations, attends to and takes account of what others say Notices similarities and differences
Shows some understanding of good practices with regard to eating
Shakers
Additional resources and adult support
* Provide 12 snack pots containing items that make different noises. Make up pairs of pots so that there are six sets - for example, butter beans, sand, a large stone, coins, shells and conkers. Seal the pots securely. Add unsealed pots and wicker baskets containing a variety of small objects.
* Let the children shake the shakers to hear the different sounds that are made.
* Support the children as they notice similarities and differences.
* Promote children's autonomy and independence as they make their own shakers.
Play possibilities
* Making own shakers
* Using the shakers to create rhythms
* Adding percussion instruments from the music area to create own music
* Chatting about the instruments and the noises that they make
Possible learning outcomes
Persists at an activity of own choosing
Operates independently within the environment Manipulates materials to achieve a planned effect Explores and learns how sounds can be changed Recognises repeated sounds
Resources to support the theme
* Sweet as a strawberry/Cool as a cucumber by Sally Smallwood (Zero to Ten)
* I eat fruit /I eat vegetables by Hannah Tofts (Zero to Ten)
* I will never not ever eat another tomato by Lauren Child (Candlewick)
* Senses by Peter Riley (Franklin Watts)
* Who's making that smell? by Philip Hawthorn (Usbourne)
* Smell! (also Touch!, Hear!, See! and Taste!) by Ruth Thomson (Franklin Watts)
