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Key Stage 1 Local Studies: Our School and Local Area
Gardens

Children build upon their knowledge of plants and growing. Learn what plants need to grow, why our natural spaces are important and visit a local garden. Buzz with excitement as you learn about bees, get the chance to grow some bee friendly plants and create your own small world gardens!

Session 1 Inspiring spaces

Objectives

Art

  • Develop a wide range of art and design techniques in using colour, pattern, texture, line, shape, form and space.

Geography

  • Use basic geographical vocabulary to refer to: key physical features, including: beach, cliff, coast, forest, hill, mountain, sea, ocean, river, soil, valley, vegetation, season and weather.

Lesson Planning

Children will begin these sessions being inspired by the painting Dream of Arcadia. They will learn about conservation and be encouraged to think about natural spaces around their local area.

Teaching Outcomes
To experiment using texture and tone, use geographical language, describe different locations.

Children will:

  • Develop art techniques using brushstrokes, texture and tone.
  • Describe features of local area and understand how places are changing.
  • Describe physical features in a painting.

You Will Need

  • Drawing paper
  • Paints and pencils
  • Painting instructions
  • You will need to write a letter from the RSPB or your local wildlife trust or organise a visit from wildlife trust education officer

Session 2 Through the window

Objectives

Science

  • Ask simple questions, observe closely, identify and classify.

Geography

  • Identify seasonal and daily weather patterns in the United Kingdom, use simple fieldwork and observational skills to study the geography of their school and its grounds and the key human and physical features of its surrounding environment.

Lesson Planning

Children will go on a picture journey with the story `Window´ then find out what´s outside their classroom window. They will visit a local garden learning what grows in the local area.

Teaching Outcomes
To find out what grows in the local area, understand why natural spaces are important.

Children will:

  • Identify/find out about plants that grow in local area.
  • Create a garden plan.
  • Understand the climate affects what grows in the local environment.
  • Understand the importance of protecting our natural spaces.

You Will Need

  • Permission slips and letter to guardians
  • Extra adult support
  • Wildlife identification sheets
  • Clip-boards
  • Computer scanner and digital camera

Session 3 Save the bees!

Objectives

Science

  • Observe closely, identify and describe the basic structure of a variety of common flowering plants, including trees.
  • Identify and name a variety of common wild and garden plants.

Lesson Planning

Children will plant an imaginary seed in their class garden; they will learn why bees are so important and grow some bee friendly plants.

Teaching Outcomes
To name a variety of garden plants and to name parts of a plant.

Children will:

  • Name some common garden flowers.
  • Talk about the importance of bees.
  • Use simple scientific language to communicate ideas.
  • Name parts of a plant.

You Will Need

  • A suitable area for planting
  • Gardening magazines, scissors and glue
  • Devon Wildlife Trust Bees Resource (see page 21)

Session 4 Mary, how does your garden grow?

Objectives

Science

  • Observe closely, observe and describe how seeds and bulbs grow into mature plants, find out and describe how plants need water, light and a suitable temperature to grow and stay healthy.

Art

  • Use a range of materials creatively to design and make products.

Lesson Planning

Children will meet Mary, examine seeds and learn what they need to grow. They will create their own small world gardens and display their work in a class garden centre.

Teaching Outcomes
To describe how seeds grow into plants, design and create a small world garden.

Children will:

  • Understand that seeds make new plants.
  • Know seeds need water, light and a suitable conditions to grow.
  • Make a small world garden.

You Will Need

  • Sunflower seeds
  • magnifying glasses/hand lenses
  • Book Jack and the Beanstalk
  • Bonnet for dressing up as Mary