Well it certainly did last week! What a contrast with the warmth of the previous week!
It was time to start discussing and exploring autumn. The children already knew that the leaves fell off the trees, but they didn’t know why they change colour before they fall. We talked about chlorophyll (leaf food) keeping the leaves green, then as there was less and less sunlight, the colours changed and the leaves eventually died and dropped off.
The children reaffirmed their knowledge of trees that don’t lose their leaves, ‘evergreen’, and those that do, ‘deciduous’. Though I always say, “delicious trees”, by mistake, which causes much hilarity!
The older children talked about the autumn equinox, shorter days, the weather getting cooler and being further from the sun.
Nursery and Kindy classes went on a hunt for signs of autumn, collecting different coloured leaves, pine cones and sweet chestnut casings. They ate their snack, while I read them the story of ‘Tom’s Tree’ and then they started to learn a song called ‘Five Little Leaves’.
Reception and KS1 children also went on a hunt for autumnal things. They set off in groups, with a checklist, and were asked to collect everything on the list. It wasn’t long before they returned, looking bemused, and asking “How are we supposed to collect a squirrel?”
This was my trick!
Once they had gathered their pile of autumnal things, they had to make a ‘squirrel picture’ from said bounty!
Now for a couple of thank yous…
Tuesday was a particularly wet afternoon; thanks to everyone in Year 1 for having the appropriate clothing, so the lesson could go ahead, and to Mrs Ferris and Mrs Pickard for soldiering on regardless!
Also, a huge thank you to my newly appointed Forest School helpers, Charlotte (2G) and Henry (2G), for doing a super job of clearing the pathway leading to the fire circle!
Mrs Wilson
