Not many month-long projects can claim they started with an acorn, but this is a typical inspiration in one Scottish nursery class. It began when early years worker Anne Burns told the nursery class of Strathdevon Primary School in Clackmannanshire how an acorn had hit her on the head that morning. This led to an in-depth exploration of farming that incorporated all aspects of the new Scottish curriculum.
'Anne was out collecting leaves and an acorn fell on her head. She brought in the acorn and the children thought it was highly amusing,' says nursery teacher Isla Lord.
'During discussion of this "event", one child remarked that it reminded him of the story of Chicken Licken where the acorn fell on his head. We read them the story, retold it as a puppet show and then dramatised it. The re-enactment of it was an extension of their basic learning, which we did because they became so interested. We then began discussing the other animals, the cows, ducks and so on. That's how we began farming as a topic.'
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