Activity Introduction
Quick summary: This activity has been developed to give children the opportunity to investigate plants in more detail. Younger children explore a range of plants according to how they look, feel and smell. Older children begin to think about how the characteristics of the plants could influence the names they are given. They are asked to ‘rename’ plants according to their physical appearances and to invent their own plant based on what they have observed about plant features and characteristics.
This activity is designed to help connect children to the wonders of the natural world through sensory and play-based learning.
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EYLF Learning Outcome |
Elaborations |
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Outcome 2: Children are connected with and contribute to their world |
3. Children become socially responsible and show respect for the environment |
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Outcome 4: Children are involved and confident learners |
1. Children develop dispositions for learning such as curiosity, cooperation, confidence, creativity, commitment, enthusiasm, persistence, imagination and reflexivity 2. Children develop a range of skills and processes such as problem solving, enquiry, experimentation, hypothesising, researching and investigating 3. Children transfer and adapt what they have learned from one context to another |
Equipment needed: Plant materials – collect a range of different plant materials with different textures, shapes, colours and smells. Consider including leaves, nuts and seeds (sealing in a tub if small), flowers, roots, bark, etc.
Supporting resources:
Other resources:
- Cool Australia Biodiversity Toolbox
- Forests Factsheet
- Cool Australia Biodiversity video (see below)
Cool Australia Presents Biodiversity on Vimeo (https://vimeo.com/77933476).
Cool Australia would like to acknowledge the support of the Seedlings Early Years Education for Sustainability (EYEfS) program.
Background information