Planned learning intentions
To enjoy joining in with number rhymes and songs
To recognise numerals 1 to 10
To find out about, and identify, some features of living things
Resources
* Blue, white and green paper * contrasting yellow border roll * shiny coloured paper * gold and silver foil * plastic numerals from 1 to 10 * garden cane * string * Clingfilm * plastic fish * shells * sand * children's related artwork Step by step
* Sing the rhyme '1, 2, 3, 4, 5, once I caught a fish alive', and suggest creating a display about it.
* Back the display board with blue paper. Invite the children to spread glue over a piece of white paper, sprinkle it with sand and stick this into place across the bottom. Cut out green-paper seaweed and stick this to the sandy surface.
* Ask the children to stick their pictures of fish, shells and models towards the base of the display and cover this area with a Clingfilm 'ocean'.
* Make a big card fish with shiny coloured paper and foil 'shimmering scales' and glue this to the display. Make a rod from a cane and some string, and tape this to the border with the string attached to the fish.
* Stick numerals and captions to the blue paper, as shown in the photograph, and surround the whole display with a contrasting yellow border.
Activities
* Draw dot-to-dot fish outlines for the children to join up, or create paper fish in different sizes and shapes for them to draw patterns on. Glue the resulting creations to the display.
* Make a magnetic fishing game by cutting out card fish and attaching a paper clip to each mouth. Attach a small magnet to a piece of string tied to a twig. Leave the game beside the display so that the children can try catching fish.
* Put ten plastic fish in a bowl under the display and catch them in a small net one by one.
Christine Henry is nursery manager at Hurworth House School, near Darlington. She spoke to Jean Evans.
