Recap and recall: We started our lesson by identifying the missing letters for our key vocabulary. It was amazing to see how many children remembered and understood words like germinate.
Main event: We discussed the meaning of a life cycle and recapped prior learning by referring to the life cycles of a butterfly, frog, and chicken completed in previous lessons. The children were encouraged to explain what they could remember about each stage, developing their scientific vocabulary and speaking and listening skills.
We then explored the life cycles of a pumpkin and a dandelion, identifying similarities and differences between animal and plant life cycles. The children discussed what plants need to grow and survive and linked this to the key vocabulary introduced earlier in the lesson.
To develop the Skills Builder focuses of listening and teamwork, the children worked collaboratively in small groups during an outdoor learning activity. They listened carefully to one another’s ideas, took turns speaking, and worked together to place the stages of the life cycles into the correct order. The groups used chalk to draw arrows to show the sequence and explained their reasoning to their peers.
When we returned to the classroom, the pupils independently completed their own life cycle diagram for either a pumpkin or a dandelion. The children then shared their work with a partner, practising active listening skills by giving feedback and discussing what they had learned about plant life cycles.
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