We're all going to the zoo Autumn 1 2023
We're all going to the zoo!
Autumn 1 2023
Science, English and Art
Thinking and Spirituality
Rationale: After receiving the message from Zoe the new zookeeper and exploring the box of goodies, the children will discover many animal related stories, games and toys but not much information. They will read the books, starting with Dear Zoo and begin to investigate zoo animals. They will use scientific ideas to sort and classify animals, learning about their groups and natural habitats. They will make fact files and information leaflets about the animals. The children will write their own version of Dear Zoo, using some of the new animals they discover. In order to help Zoe they will design a new zoo and make clay animals to fill it, showing why they are arranged in particular groups. All this information will be collated and given to Zoe to help her with her new job!
Hook: Zoo the New Zookeeper sends a video message to say that she would like Year 1/2’s help to design a new zoo. This is a brand new job which she has never had before! She will need to know as much information as possible about the animals and where they live. Zoe has sent a box of zoo goodies to get you started. Can you send everything you find out to her so she can make a good impression for her exciting new post.
Mid hook: Visit to Marwell Zoo to find out about how other zoos are organised.
We were so excited to receive Zoe's video and gifts! We have decided we are going to find out as much as we can about animals and zoos so we can help her in her new job.
As scientists, we began by identifying and naming different animals.
We have used our scientific skills of sorting and grouping animals, this time by what they eat. We learnt about carnivores, herbivores and omnivores. Did you know that humans are omnivores?
We have read Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell and talked about wild animals and pets. In our reading skills lesson we recalled the animals and what was wring with each one. Then we thought about our own perfect pet!
Next we sequenced the story by putting the animals in the order they were sent! Year 2's included the adjective that described each animal too!!
Today we became artists and learnt to use clay! First we learnt how to roll the clay into a ball, then a long snake. Next we learnt to pinch and pull the clay. After that we found out how we can use different tools to make shapes and patterns in the clay. We also discovered how to join pieces of clay together! We had so much fun and Mrs Smith was very impressed that we didn't make too much mess!!!!!!!
Matching the baby animals to the adults and finding out how they change.
Our sculpting skills are improving! The clay animals are coming along well. We have used the skills of pulling, pinching, rolling, joining and smoothing.
We had a wonderful visit to Marwell Zoo to learn more about how a zoo is organised and labelled. We looked at the skin patterns on each animal and its habitat. We talked about how its habitat it the wild would differ and what countries they would live in. It was a brilliant day of learning!
Meeting the sloth!
Our Class Zoo! We welcomed our families today to our very own class zoo, where we show cased our home learning animals, the clay animals we made while becoming artists an all our new found scientific knowledge about animals. Zoo the Zookeeper certainly will have plenty of information for her new job!
