St John with St Michael plant, build and cook during Science Week

St John with St Michael plant, build and cook during Science Week

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The children and staff at St John with St Michael CE Primary School have had a ‘Science’ themed week in school.

There were many aspects of science that they looked at and one of the firm favourites for the children was ‘The life cycle of a plant’.

We had a number of activities to support this via a creative curriculum outlook throughout the week, some of which we could continue within school over the following weeks, and also involve members of the local community in.

During the science week the children helped to develop the Early Years Unit garden/planting area. It was over grown, full of weeds and unmanageable for the smaller children.

Within groups through the week they made ‘Grass Heads’, planted broad beans, planted sunflower seeds and the Eco-School Council purchased bat boxes, bird boxes and hanging bee houses.

They learnt turn taking, sharing and team work skills.

They enhanced their fine and gross motor skills. They enriched their knowledge on why we use compost bins and how to sort green items accordingly.

Over the following weeks the children saw how the seeds rooted and grew and the vegetables that were planted were pulled up and eaten also linking to Healthy Eating within Science.

One of our parents, who is a professional gardener, came in to help us build and develop a Bug Hotel and children contributed items from home such as Pringles tubes, pipes, bricks, logs and rolled up newspaper. They have used spotter sheets to find Minibeasts within it.

This also linked in very well with a developmental area within school at the moment; the football pitch.

We have ‘Wind Farms’ being built in the area and school got a grant to develop the pitch as it was boggy, often flooded and often unusable, so it had a drainage system put in to ensure it can be used within the community also.

After this it needed re-seeding.

The children have been able to watch over the weeks the development of the pitch and we had enough money left to begin a nature area on the pitch with planters and bedding boxes.

Recently the school was left some money via a Will from an elderly lady who grew up in our area, and we used this money to buy items for planters, herb garden items and 6 bags of compost from our local garden centre at Facit.

All in all it was a fantastic week and the children have had a wonderful time.

Bailey, age 9, in year 4 commented: “I didn’t think that science could be so much fun!

“I liked watching the seeds grow and the grassheads sprouting grass hair.”

Miss Kenyon, Eco-School Council organiser also commented: “Our children love gardening and have also really enjoyed the planting and growing their own fruit and vegetables.

“Unfortunately our fruit trees have not grown any apples yet, as they are too small, but it has been lovely for the local community to also come in and link with other areas of the curriculum.”