Living Things and Their Habitats Year 3 and 4 planning and resources. Part of Creative Curriculum Topic: A World of Living Things (Living Things and Habitats). Ideal for teaching a mixed age range. Can be used as a complete scheme of work or individual lessons. Planning includes success criteria, key skills and questions, and links to other resources. Each lesson includes an introduction presentation and a Creative Learning Challenge. These are designed to allow all children to show you what they have learnt, by allowing the children to choose how they show their learning (written, drawing, drama, using technology). Driving Question: How could we, as scientists, improve the habitat in our school grounds to support a world of living things. Our planet is full of remarkable animals, it is an incredible world of living things, but what is special about something that is alive? Question, problem solve and classify. First you will discover MRS GREN and how living things are grouped according to their features. You will become a trainee zoologist and design a zoo of the future. Can you help classify the animals? What do straws and Post It Notes have to do with branching trees? What environmental dangers do living things face? Finally, can you make a positive impact to a local environment? Using your knowledge of environments, habitats and living things, redesign an area of our school grounds to change it for the better and support a world of living things. Lesson 1: How do we know something is alive? MRS GREN and the 7 life processes. Lesson 2: Can you sort living things into groups? Explore criteria for sorting living things into groups. Using Venn and Carroll diagrams. Lesson 3: Can you classify species from the wild? Similarities and differences between vertebrates and invertebrates. Generating closed questions ready for classification. Lesson 4: Straws and Post It Notes! Can you construct a branching tree? Exploring classification keys. Show the characteristics of living things in a table and create a branching tree using straws and paper. Lesson 5: How can we protect the environment? Exploring environmental dangers. Research project on an endangered species. Lesson 6: Can you make a positive impact to a local environment? Using everything they have learnt, carry out a survey on an area in the school grounds. Use tables, tally charts etc to record and then think about the environment and how could it be improved to support a variety of living things. There is a PDF and an editable version of each file (PowerPoint).

Forest School or outdoor activity for EYFS and Key Stage 1. Natural Materials activity. This open-ended activity would also be suitable for a mud kitchen, tuff tray activity. The woodland critters are buzzing with excitement for a big banquet, but oh no, they’ve been left high and dry by Sneaky Fox Caterers! It’s time for the children to roll up their sleeves and whip up some muddy delights — a naked mud burger on a leafy bed, freshly crafted woodland risotto, and mud chocolate milkshakes topped with feather cream and beech nut marshmallows. The possibilities are endless! Can they create a feast for the hedgehogs and their special guests? This open-ended activity using natural materials and mud encourages the children to investigate and ‘have a go’, to keep on trying if they encounter difficulties, and to have and develop their own ideas. The perfect recipe for a fun filled Forest School session!

Forest School or outdoor activity for EYFS and Key Stage 1. Mini shelter building activity. Topic: Seasons (Winter) and Habitats. Can be used as part of a topic on Winter, encouraging the children to think about how they can keep warm in cold weather. The activity could also be used as part of a topic on animal habitats or used to explore materials that are good insulators. Using the story ‘One Winter’s Day’ by M. Christina Butler as a stimulus, the children will help hedgehog to find the matching hats and gloves before building mini shelters for the woodland animals. This open-ended mini shelter building activity encourages the children to investigate and ‘have a go’, to keep on trying if they encounter difficulties, and to have and develop their own ideas. The perfect recipe for a fun filled Forest School session!

Homework grid to support Key Stage 2 Geography Topic on Brazil (Place Knowledge - a region within North or South America). Gives your pupils more control over their homework by allowing them to choose creative ideas from a grid. Activities in all areas of curriculum are included. Activities include: ‘The Lost World’ - Imagine you are an explorer in the rainforest. Write a poem, diary, letter or story based on the events that had taken place. Bem Vindo ao Brasil! - Sew, print or make something to represent Brazil. Snakes and anteaters! - Design and make a numbered board game on the theme of Brazil. A .PPT format is included, which can be edited.

Living Things and Their Habitats Year 5 and 6 planning and resources. Part of Creative Curriculum Topic: The Cycle of Life (Living Things and Habitats). Ideal for teaching a mixed age range. Planning includes success criteria, key skills and questions, and links to other resources. Each lesson includes an introduction presentation and a Creative Learning Challenge. These are designed to allow all children to show you what they have learnt, by allowing the children to choose how they show their learning (written, drawing, drama, using technology). Driving Question: How can I, as a visual artist, demonstrate the life cycle story of plants and animals. On 24 May 1948, Agnes Arber became the first woman to receive the Gold Medal of the Linnean Society, a world-famous institution dedicated to the study of natural history. Agnes was a botanist, and she researched and drew beautiful illustrations of plants. In 2024, The Linnean Society wants to create a new, modern collection of scientific illustrations on the theme of animal and plant life cycles. The Society wishes the collection to reflect a more modern and diverse view of art in the 21st century, incorporating all areas of the visual arts. Can you create accurate and eye-catching pieces of work that tell the life cycle story of a range of nature’s wonders? Lesson 1: How do plants spread their seeds? Parts of a flowering plant (pollination) and seed dispersal. Lesson 2: Who will win The Great Plant Debate? Advantages and disadvantages of sexual and asexual reproduction in plants and the life cycle of a plant that reproduces asexually. Lesson 3: Are the life cycles of all mammals the same? The life cycles of mammals (monotreme (for example a platypus,) a marsupial (for example a kangaroo) and a placental (rabbit). Lesson 4: What is metamorphosis? The life cycles of insects and amphibians. Lesson 5: Are all living things the same? Similarities and difference between the life cycles of plants, mammals, birds, amphibians and insects. Lesson 6: Who was Carl Linnaeus and why is he famous? Who is Carl Linnaeus was and how living things are classified using the Linnaean system and classify things using the system. Lesson 7: Can you solve the classification conundrum? Sorting, grouping and classifying animals. Lesson 8: Can you identify the evil microorganisms in the police line up? Identifying different types of microorganisms and which are helpful and harmful. Lesson 9: Bacterium, virus, or fungus? Which will you choose? Describe the characteristics of different microorganisms, and using this information to design and make your own microorganism. There is a PDF and an editable version of each file (PowerPoint).

STEAM challenge for use in your Makerspace, classroom or at home. Great activity for After School Clubs. Make great gifts, especially for events such as Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. Fun and hands-on creative activity that encourages creative thinking, problem solving, decision making, communication and collaboration through practical activity. Design and make a picture frame using lollipop sticks. A quick and simple craft activity that allows the children to make lots of creative decisions and personalise their picture frame. You can add string to the back of your frame so it can be hung, or you could choose to add magnets to the back of the lolly stick frame so it can be displayed on the fridge. PDF instructions (blueprint) includes full instructions with photos, so children can complete as an independent activity.

STEAM challenge for use in your Makerspace, classroom or at home. Great activity for Key Stage 2 project on electricity. Fun and hands-on creative activity that encourages creative thinking, problem solving, decision making, communication and collaboration through practical activity. With this STEAM Harry Potter Magic Wand project, children create their very own wand that lights up using a simple circuit. The wand includes an on/off switch. The activity allows the children to make lots of creative decisions and personalise their wand. PDF instructions (blueprint) includes full instructions with photos, so children can complete as an independent activity.

Homework grid to support Key Stage 2 Geography topic on Italy (Place Knowledge - a region in a European country). Gives your pupils more control over their homework by allowing them to choose creative ideas from a grid. Activities in all areas of curriculum are included. Activities to support: The Pasta Challenge, for example The Adventures of Penne and Rigatoni. Once upon a pasta …. create a pasta themed story. The Italian STEAM Challenge, for example What goes up must come down? The Leaning Tower of Pisa is one of the most iconic buildings in the world. Make a model of it using any materials you wish. The Venetian Carnival Challenge, for example Who goes there? Look around—there’s another mask behind you! Make a mask to wear at the Venetian Carnival. A .PPT format is included, which can be edited.

Homework grid to support Key Stage 2 History Topic on The Roman Empire and its impact on Britain (changes in Britain from the Stone Age to the Iron Age). Gives your pupils more control over their homework by allowing them to choose creative ideas from a grid. Activities in all areas of curriculum are included. Activities include: Scribo! - writing a rap or poem about the Romans Watch where you walk! - creating an edible Roman road Discover a Roman Hoard! – Design and make some Roman Coins. Make a purse or pot to store them in. A .PPT format is included, which can be edited.

Forest School activity for EYFS/KS1 - a twist on making magic potions and a great starter session for your Forest School journey. Can you help Blackberry find her magic stars? Search the woods for stars, collect natural materials, make potions and help save the animals. The perfect recipe for a fun filled Forest School session!

STEAM challenge for use in your Makerspace, classroom or at home. Fun and hands-on icebreaker, back to school group challenge. Encourages creative thinking, problem solving, decision making, communication and collaboration through practical activity. Design a freestanding tower that is as tall as possible using ten sheets of paper and pieces of sticky tape.

STEAM challenge for use in your Makerspace, classroom or at home. Fun and hands-on icebreaker, back to school group challenge. Encourages creative thinking, problem solving, decision making, communication and collaboration through practical activity. Design a paper basket with handles that can hold four tomatoes … or any other 4 objects if tomatoes are not available!