15 replies to this topic

[Helen]

Hi everyone,
We are planning to offer ideas on a variety of topics, carefully linked to the stepping stones and early learning goals, and the first topic is going to be "Materials". There will be a new topic every month or so, with activities presented in each aspect within each of the six areas of learning. With me so far?
Well, I had intended to call the whole thing "topic starters", and invite members to add their own brilliant, highly original ideas afterwards
I've thought more about this over the last few days, and think it would also be fun to ask for your favourite activities prior to putting it all on the site. Of course, your contributions will be acknowledged and individuals will be specifically thanked. If this doesn't work, I'll go back to Plan A!
So, your favourite activity for a topic on materials? :D

[Magenta]

A brilliant idea Helen :)
A digital microscope is great for materials - close-up images can be printed and laminated - chn. can then match the pictures to the correct materials.
Chn. love to use the digital microscope themselves too to investigate the appearance of materials.

[Nichola]

I've done this as a toppic when I first started with my new class. Was already planned so I didn't have much say in the matter.
However we did have a really good fun session using our senses. I got loads of different materials, fabrics, woods, etc etc and let each group touch and feel them! Was great fun and we got some really good language out of it too.
We also had a fun game designing unsuitable clothes for our teddy. A paper hat, wooden jumper and the like. Again some good vocab came from this one. My class are a mixed reception/year 1 class.

[Carol]

Hi Helen

We have a scrunchie (like a giant hair band) that we use for physical activities and singing time. It is made of a varitey of materials (silk, velvet, cotton etc) we discuss the textures/feel/colour etc as we pass it round.

Carol

[glmaidment]

The Three Little Pigs is a favourite in our topic on Materials, with lots of cross-curricular opportunities.

Gail

[sjdudley]

When our topic was materials in January, we turned our role play area into a building site - large wooden bricks, tools, pieces of drainpipes, both large and small with u-bends and connectors. Order forms were made to encourage writing as the 'builders' ordered new supplies. Leaflets were obtained from local D.I.Y stores as were samples of bricks, tiles, sandpapers etc for the knowledge and understanding area. The children wore hard hats and flourescent jackets and thoroughly enjoyed the theme. Builders tape and rounders posts were used to cordon off the area.
As we had P.F.I. in our school at the time, we borrowed 'danger signs and other suitable signs to put around our building site. This opened up the aspects of the dangers around these sites and was a good topic for circle time. The children were very upset when they were told that the topic was to change.

Steph

[AOB]

We're about to launch into what used to be a moving and transport topic. The school has now decided to do a whole school cooking fortnight with a maths focus, in weeks 2 and 3 of the half term, so we can all be very cross curricular in our learning. Hard to find the links initially. We've decided to go a bit sciencey and keep with the moving theme, maybe it could tie into materials:

Ice - how to make it and how long it takes to melt in different conditions.
Jelly - looking at change, shapes and movement.
Bread - change as ingredients are mixed and rising with the yeast.
How plants take up water - white carnations and die in water to hopefully turn them a different colour.
Icing sugar painting - not really sure how this works, I know it's on hear somewhere so I'll have to check!
Hard and soft - through exploring cornflower and water mix.

Any other ideas on this theme and that might link into cooking fortnight and maths would be very welcome! :D

Angela

[Linda McDowell]

Hi Angela
To save you trawling through all the posts you can find the icing sugar idea here. It's about the 12th one down. :D
Linda

[hali]

we did the 3 little pigs on materials too.....

[Helen]

This is great guys......keep them coming! :D :D :D

[Beau]

I haven't done Materials as a topic but with World Environment Day just around the corner can I put on my eco warrier hat? Whilst talking about different materials you can teach them about recycling too. We are doing lots of junk modelling at the moment and I gathered together a variety of packets, jars and tins from the kitchen and we talked about what each were made of, sorted them into groups (glass, cardboard, plastic, tin) and then spoke about how we could recycle or reuse the packaging. On Friday we are off to the recycling bins in the car park - we get all the best trips at my group!!

A while ago we also looked at the properties of certain materials when put into water. They all loved putting the loo roll in!!! :D

[AOB]

Thanks Linda, you're a star! :D
Angela

[leo]

On the topic of recycling, I saw one activity that worked well as an assembly as well. The chidren and the teacher 'found' things that had been left in the playground that they put together in a black bin bag with soil added. In in was a banana skin. The bag was opened few weeks later and everything except the banan skin was intact. Thus proving the need to cut down of waste materials that remain in landfill sites- plastic bags,coke cans etc that the childre come across at home. The banaa peel disintegrating could be developed into a discussion of turnng kitchen waste into garden compost etc. I saw this down by a recption teacher and it went really well.

[mundia]

we used to do materials but havent done it this year. The 3 pigs being an obvious choice.
Beau agree with you regarding world environmnet day and leo the banna skin idea is great. The best thinsg I have taken into nursery lately is a paper shredder which is being used for all sorts of things. so we have had hsredded paper in the sand tray; papier mache; compost ( I use a lot of shredded paper in my compost bin); in the water, as animal nesting..etc.

when we did materials last we looked at wondow and window coverings, this produced an awful lot more work than we were expecting as we looked at different reasons for having window. (one of my children said that we have windows so that we can see the debt collector coming ad hide!!!) we then looked at the best window coverings for keeping out sun, keeping warm, still being able to see through, blocking out light etc etc. Fascinating stuff.
:D

[bubblejack]

Oh Mundia I am so glad to find someone else that puts paper shreddings on their compost,my grown -up children even bring me theirs. I cannot resist animal manure either. Fortunately we now live near a farm so I don't have to carry it so far in the car. Although I bought a friend of mine to the farm so she could bag up some. We collected 30 bags and I had to put it in my new car and her husband was horrified.It was a really hot day !!!!!