Natural Science Lessons for KS1We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. This costs the purchaser nothing extra. In this way I can continue to provide free resources. Thank you for your support. |
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Draw a plan of the school's area
Having first established a need for a return to the nature study method when teaching about living things in the science curriculum, the question must then be asked, 'What can we do?' and 'Where can we study nature?'
First, it will be necessary for the teachers in a school to survey the opportunities around the local area of their school. For schools in rural areas this may be easier - though not necessarily so. For this, it is not necessary to think of large places to visit. This fact makes nature study accessible to all, for even those in towns and cities will have some small places to study. Also, it is worth remembering that even a very little first-hand observation is better than many 'lessons', for this is remembered when the other has been forgotten. It would be good to draw up a plan of the school's local area so that the nature possibilities can be marked on it. Start with the ground around the school: maybe there is a 'nature' area - perhaps with a pond, or some trees/bushes/walls/areas for birds to nest. Then move into the surrounding area within walking distance. This could include such places as: parks, woods, a canal/river/stream, as well as streets/areas with front gardens and hedges/trees (note which kind), buildings/bridges with ledges where birds can perch/roost/nest, walls where insects can be found in crevices, patches of wild land, etc... Then it is worth being aware of which children in the class have access to a garden, and what is grown (if anything) in it, and/or have pets. Whatever the possibilities, remember that there are always spiders, flies, possibly beetles, daddy-long-legs, gnats as well as other insects in homes throughout the year. Do any of the town/city children get taken out to the countryside at all, or do any visit the seaside? Having drawn up the plan, the teacher will then have a good idea of what is available, though more may well be found as time goes on. Bear in mind that KS1 children will be content with small things. They are low to the ground themselves and still have a great curiosity of and fascination for any living things that they find. Making further opportunities on the school site
No school will have access to everything that is needed and so all teachers will need to see what opportunities they have to supplement the experiences available in the neighbourhood.
Flowers can be grown in boxes in the playground, or in pots in the classroom. Nesting boxes can be hung up on the school site, out of the reach of cats, the children having made them in practical lessons. In winter, a bird feeding station could be set up and would probably be the centre of attraction. A school could have an aquarium, or vivarium. Think creatively! Sometimes, twigs in bud can be brought into the classroom, or a bunch of flowers, but do remember, never to pick wild flowers, as for many species it is illegal. If you have tadpoles temporarily, then put them back where they came from. Draw up a programme
Then it would be good if a programme could be drawn up for the year. This will only be a provisional one, as so much will depend upon, for example, the weather, discoveries and the reports children bring in from their outings. In other words, it is there to give a framework to fall back on, but also ready to be altered according to circumstances. For example, I can tell you to look for bluebells in April, but they may not be out in your part of the country yet.
Learn to see opportunities yourself
Practice being aware yourself of the nature around you. Turn up stones, learn to marvel at the changes in the weather, or the bird song around you, notice when you saw the first flower of spring, or saw catkins and so on. Awaken your senses! Develop an ENQUIRING MIND: 'What is this? How does it move? What does it eat? Where does it live? Learn to LOOK. Learn to THINK and REFLECT on what you see. These are the skills that you will want to be encouraging in your pupils and so you must learn them at least with them, if not beforehand. Life will start to slow dow, you will find pleasure in things before ignored and your mind will begin to stretch. The best teachers are learners with their pupils.
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Welcome Hello, I am Lilibette (B.Ed Hons Early Years, Studies in the Environment Specialism Course), here to encourage the next generation to love the natural world, and thereby learn the necessary skills and knowledge to look after it in the years ahead. Read more... Categories
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