Activity 1
A-L Stuck on wood
Make collages from wood and other natural resources.
Planned learning intention
To look closely at similarities, differences, patterns and change
Adult:child ratio 1:4
Resources
Flat offcuts of soft wood, magnifying glasses, files, sandpaper sheets and blocks, PVA glue, spreaders, wood shavings, small pieces of dowelling, cork, twigs, leaves, fruits from trees, such as conkers, acorns, beech nut, shells
Step by step
* Ask each child to choose a piece of wood. Is it rough or smooth? Use a magnifying glass to observe tiny patterns in the grain.
* Explore how the files and sandpaper can make the wood smoother and create hollows and marks in it. Compare the pieces of wood. Do they still look similar or have their appearances changed?
* Explore the remaining resources. Where did they come from? Explain how corks and wood shavings are made.
* Suggest to the children that they use the resources and glue to create a collage on their piece of wood.
* Display the finished creations alongside some plain pieces of wood and samples of the resources so that the children can become aware of the changes made to the original materials.
Stepping stones
* Explores objects.
* Notices and comments on patterns.
* Shows an awareness of change.
(Curriculum guidance for the foundation stage, page 88)
Extension activities
* Create animal faces using the materials.
* Try to produce patterns on a piece of wood by using a file or by glueing objects, such as acorns and corks, in sequences.
* Help the children knock nails into the top and bottom of a sandpapered block of wood, then show the children how to weave wool and other materials around the wood and in and out of the nails to create abstract patterns. Alternatively, make a simple weaving loom by knocking rows of nails into a flat piece of wood.
* Instead of wool, encourage the children to stretch elastic bands between the nails.
C-I All my own work
Make available resources so that children can further explore wood.
Resources
Sandpaper sheets and blocks, glue, resources as for the adult-led activity.
Play suggestions
* Encourage the children to explore the resources freely and to use them in different ways.
* Define how many children do the activity by supplying an apron for each child.
* Supervise the use of files at a distance without becoming directly involved.
* Site the activity close to paint and collage areas so that children can extend their ideas using additional materials.
* Include writing tools and card so that children can add their names or designs to the wood or make identity labels.
* Visit the area at intervals to encourage the children to discuss their observations.
Possible learning outcomes
* Is confident to try new activities, initiate ideas and speak in a familiar group.
* Interacts with others, negotiating plans and activities and taking turns in conversations.
* Writes their own names and other things such as labels and captions.
* Talks about, recognises and recreates simple patterns.
* Selects the tools and techniques they need to shape, assemble and join the materials they are using.
* Handles tools, objects and materials safely and with increasing control.
* Expresses and communicates their ideas by using a widening range of materials and suitable tools.
Activity 2
A-L Building a raft
Help small world people across the water by building them a raft.
Planned learning intention
To handle tools, objects, construction and malleable materials safely and with increasing control
Adult:child ratio 1:4
Resources
Reference books on boats and other craft, small pieces of dowelling, twigs, ruler, pencil, fretsaws, woodwork bench, vice, glue, play dough or clay, string, tape, card, scrap fabric
Step by step
* Set up a problem situation in the water tray where a group of small world people and animals are trying to cross from one side to the other. Discuss different types of water craft and look at pictures. Explain the word 'raft'.
* Suggest that the children might try to make rafts for the characters to cross the water using resources on a nearby table.
* Point out that the twigs and dowelling pieces they might use for their rafts are of different lengths. Would this be appropriate? How can they make sure they are all the same? Discuss how to measure the lengths with a pencil and ruler and how to cut them with the fretsaw.
* Once the wooden strips are uniform encourage the children to suggest how they might join them together using the string, glue, dough, clay or tape.
* Explore the various suggestions for cutting and joining. Always value the children's ideas, however unusual, but give the group the opportunity to decide on the most appropriate options by trying them out.
* Support the children individually as they create their rafts, helping with correct handling of tools and prompting them to think of their own ideas by appropriate questioning.
* Test the completed rafts in the water tray with a small world passenger and make adjustments if necessary.
* Suggest that the children personalise their rafts, for example, by adding a coloured fabric sail or a named flag on a lollipop stick 'mast' stuck into dough.
Stepping stones
* Engages in activities requiring hand-eye co-ordination.
* Understands that equipment and tools have to be used safely.
* Manipulates materials to achieve a planned effect.
* Uses simple tools to effect changes in the materials.
(Curriculum guidance for the foundation stage, page 114)
Extension activities
* Make other structures for 'small world' people such as wooden huts.
* Make up stories about the plastic figures and the rafts.
* Provide resources to make other forms of sea craft or transport - strips of wood for aeroplanes; small cardboard boxes, pieces of wood and wooden disks for cars, buses or trains; blocks of wood, paper and straws for small boats (for more ideas on boat building, see 'Set sail', Nursery World, 17 May 2001).
C-I A world in wood
Provide resources that the children may use to make creatures for an imaginary landscape.
Resources
Driftwood, small branches, glue, tape, string, small wood offcuts, corks, acorns/conkers, beech nut shells, large tray, compost, small rocks
Play suggestions
* Create a fantasy landscape in the tray with the compost and rocks and suggest to the children that they make some creatures to live in it.
* Present the children with a selection of branches and pieces of driftwood to form the bodies of their creatures and resources such as wood shavings, cork, twigs, leaves and fruits from trees to create limbs and features.
* Ensure that you provide the children with different ways of joining the materials such as tape, string and glue.
* Place the 'landscape' tray nearby so that the children can play with their finished creatures.
Possible learning outcomes
* Selects and uses activities and resources independently.
* Uses language to imagine and recreate roles and experiences.
* Uses everyday words to describe position.
* Selects the tools and techniques they need to shape, assemble and join the materials they are using.
* Handles tools, objects, construction and malleable materials safely and with increasing control.
* Uses their imagination in art and design, imaginative play and stories.
