Topic: Animals Living Things and Their

TOPIC: ANIMALS – LIVING THINGS AND THEIR

ENVIRONMENT (SCIENCE)

Sand/Water

·  Aquatic environment and animals (pond/sea etc) add natural materials to enhance environment
·  Desert environment
·  Build animal homes and sort
·  Make burrows in the sand/ compost, put in tubes and gutters etc. Put animals and mini-beasts in burrows
·  Hide the animal
·  Magnetic fishing, estimate net catch
·  Make jungle safari in the sand/water tray. Include water hole, use natural materials and textiles
·  Polar environment (freeze ice-cream tubs for ice bergs) /

Small World

·  Farm yard and animals including pond, park/woodland area

·  Zoo/wildlife park
·  Fetch the vet story box/ small world environment
·  Percy’s Hut story box/small world environment
·  Jungle / safari match adult/ young
·  Noah’s Ark
·  Mini beast small world, plant pots
·  Dinosaur environment /

Writing

·  Information poster about animals
·  Conservation posters
·  Vet information posters
·  Zigzag books of lifecycles/ adult / young …
·  Zoo/Park map/poster
·  Animal Dictionary
·  Environmental letters
·  Percy’s / Vet / Zoo keeper job list
·  Looking after your pet list / book
·  Magazine pictures of animals to use

Outdoors

·  Bird watch Bird Table. Make simple record
·  Minibeast survey in metre area
·  Investigation box to explore environment (magnifying glass, gloves, pots, scoops, spades, camera, binocular/ telescopes/ note pad, clip board …)
·  Farm/zoo/park visits
·  Chalk animal tracks, shapes on playground
·  Large scale painting (with water) jungle area
·  Tracks treasure trail
·  Provide shelters / hides for children to observe wildlife / Role Play
·  Provide pictures of different real environments
·  Great pet sale –Mick Inkpen
·  Vets
·  Pet/ Farm shops
·  Farmer duck
·  Safari
·  Children in the jungle story acting
·  Create animal prop box linked to familiar stories. E.g. include puppets, animal tabards, dishes
·  Animal noise -name that beast
·  Bird movements – Puppet / Construction
·  Create animal environments and habitats, using a range of junk materials and construction kits. Make fences, tunnels, nests, buildings. Use plastic animals and enhance with natural materials and or textiles. E.g. arctic, farm
·  Plasticine/ clay/play dough animals
·  Recycled material animals, dinosaurs or birds
·  Flying animal mobiles
·  Animal kites
·  Make animals pens, sheds, hutches etc. /

Creative

·  Masks. Animal
·  Paper bag, plate, simple glove puppets
·  Make print blocks of animal tracks e.g. dinosaur, birds
·  Models
·  Painting
·  Collage – camouflage
·  Investigate animal skin patterns in paint, collage etc.
·  Printing paws furry pictures
·  Collage scales, for snakes, fish or other reptiles
·  Print with or /paint a feather
·  Shoe box 3D scene habitat (Diorama)Above/below ground e.g. pond, sea use to enhance small world provision

Health & Safety

·  Teach children to wash hands after handling animals
·  Safety with animals. Not feeding animals inappropriately
·  Handling. Aware of dangers of faeces /

Culture and Diversity

·  Awareness of other cultures values and beliefs regarding animals
·  How animals help us – guide dogs for the blind, pet dogs, working dogs etc.

H:\Early Years\2004 Mixed Age Planning\Continuous provision - Animals (Science).doc