Last session with CLT Kingsbury for 2013

Today was my last session with the CLT prep/one students for this year. We had a close-up look at some of the invertebrates the students discovered last week. Then we coloured and labelled pictures of invertbrates - introducing the students to the idea of invertbrate body parts (we may expand on this next year).
The students had trouble imagining how many wings and legs some of the invertebrates have - especially millipedes and bees.

These 'Invertebrate Info sheets' are available as a resource for teachers.

- Juli Atkinson (education staff)

Bug Scatter!

Today I introduced the CLT prep/one students to some of the invertebrates that live in leaf litter ('Bugs that live in leaf litter' is available as a resource for teachers). The students really loved naming the invertebrates and searching for them in the leaf litter. A few students were afraid of the invertebrates or had trouble finding bugs by themselves, but most were incredibly excited! One student, Josh, who is normally difficult to engage, was absolutely enthralled by the bugs and refused to stop looking at them even when the class had moved back to the classroom. He was very gentle with them.

- Juli (education staff)

Potting-up-a-Poa

Despite a messy start to the day (an overhead Wattle tree dripped vibrant red sap all over the students) the prep/one students potted up their own native grasses (Poa) today. It was quite challenging for the students to work out how to get the roots under the soil. Students took their Poas home to be planted in their garden.  - these can be raised to be planted at school, or taken home to be planted in the garden. The stusents were amazed at the comparison between tree and grass leaves.

- Juli Atkinson (education staff)

Some Poas ready to be planted

Full grown Poa labillardieri in the LTWS

Plant Art and Craft

Today I worked with the Prep/One students at Charles La Trobe Kinsbury to reinforce their knowledge of plant parts. Using real plant parts, including leaves, bark, twigs and seed pods, the students built their own 'Plant Part Art'.

Some students were confused about how to build a trunk, some students put roots in the wrong place or grass in the tree tops (using them as ‘leaves’).

- Juli Atkinson (education staff)

Introduction to plant parts and the plant life cycle

Today was my first session at Charles La Trobe Kingsbury. I spent about 20 minutes with each Prep/One class and ran through the same activities. I used large pictures to introduce the ideas of “trees”, “grasses” and “bushes/shrubs” and plant parts: leaves, branches, trunk, roots.

Students generally knew the names of plant parts but did not really know what shrubs or bushes were. When asked ‘what do you call a small tree?’ one boy responded “bonsai”. One girl commented that fig trees had their roots above the ground.

We played a modified version of "head, shoulders, knees and toes” as trees “leaves, branches, trunk and roots” and then "Simon says” also as trees e.g. “Simon says wave your branches in the air”.
The students really enjoyed these activities.

We then ran through the plant life cycle from seed, seedling, sapling to adult tree, introducing the idea that flowers indicate an adult stage. Correlations were drawn to the human life cycle: baby, toddler, teenager, adult. Students seemed amazed at the idea that flowers indicated an adult plant, and that very small plants could be adults as well as big trees.

We then play/interpreted the life cycle by acting out the plant life cycle, growing from seeds, sprouting leaves and growing into tall trees.

With one group there was time to touch some plants that I had brought in, including a paper daisy.

The images used in 'Introduction to Plants' is available as a resource for teachers.

- Juli Atkinson (education staff)

 

Planning for Native Plants experience

I have finally heard back from Charles La Trobe College. I will be delivering education experiences at their Kingsbury campus once a week throughout Oct, Nov and Dec this year! Best of all - I will be working with the Preps and Grade Ones. So excited!

They have previously discussed  vegetables and vegie gardens, so I will be focusing on native plants - introducing the students to the different types of plants, what their parts are called and how plants can function as habitat for animals.

- Juli Atkinson (education staff)



Eucalyptus Polyanthemos flower