Year 1
Finding our feet
London Zoo
What an exciting start to the year - a trip
to London Zoo. In Science we were
studying ‘Animals’ and the London Zoo
workshop ‘Feathers, Fur and Scales’
provided a wonderful introduction to
categorising animals into families
according to certain characteristics. Hairy
mammals, scaly reptiles and feathery
birds were the target groups and set out
in 5 ‘stations’ were some of the zoo’s
magnificent collection of contraband
items seized by HM customs. Following
an introductory lecture, the children
were encouraged to rotate through the
stations and handle the items, identifying
them and matching them to other
members of their family. The giant
tortoise shell was sufficiently capacious
for children to hide beneath. The python
skin proved longer than two children
lying head to toe, and the lion and
leopard pelts were amazingly rough.
Being able to spot living animals in the
same categories after lunch helped to
consolidate the concepts being taught. It
was a great trip, giving the children a
concrete experience on which to base
their subsequent studies in Science for
the Autumn Term.
Nativity
As we approached the festive season, excitement was felt
by all. In between the singing of Christmas Carols and the
sharing of upcoming holiday plans, it was time to treat
families and friends to our traditional Nativity play. After 6
months of “finding their feet”, the children were feeling
confident to show off their singing and public speaking
skills. In front of a captive audience, they recited their wellrehearsed lines and sang the lyrics with accurate timing
and pitch. It was a lovely opportunity for our pupils to
understand the real message of Christmas and of family
love and giving.
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