As promised, here is part 2 of what I’ve been up to with the primary 5 class at St Mary’s primary school in Coatbridge…
Session 5 – Fact files, presentations and bug house diaries
I had hoped the planters would be delivered this week but it has been delayed until next week. The children have decided that they would like to do a presentation to the rest of the school at the end of term to tell them all about what we have been doing and learning about so we took this opportunity to work on the presentation. Some of the children decided to make bug fact files, some made bug house diaries and others wrote about what we have done each week.
Session 6 – Planting out sweet peas, nasturtiums and runner beans
The planters have been delivered!!! And the sun was shining (hooray!) so we headed outside to plant out the little sweet pea, nasturtium and runner bean plants that we planted in week 1. First we had to empty huge bags of compost into the planters – lots of mess, lots of fun! Many of the children had never planted a plant before so after a demonstration of how to remove the pot and handle the plants without damaging them everyone planted a plant.
Session 7 – Putting up canes, decorating the planters and creating an insect garden
Having missed out on a week when the planters weren’t delivered we had a lot to do this week! First, we put up canes to support the climbing plants and give them something to climb up. Next, we split into two groups – half of the class decorated the planters using wood paint and the stencils we made in week 2 while the other half transformed one of the empty planters into an insect garden.
Creating the insect garden involved planting 50 wildflower plug plants, 2 lavender plants, 6 ivy plants and various herbs. We also made small habitat areas using gravel, rotting wood, stones and little pools of water.
By the end of the session the planters were looking much more colourful and the insect garden looked very inviting to a whole host of bugs and beasties!
Session 8 – End of term assembly and treasure hunt
I still can’t believe how quickly the summer holidays have come round! On Monday morning I went along to the school to see them present to the rest of the school in the end of term assembly. The children had all made insects inspired hats to wear too! Everyone said a little something about what we have been doing, an interesting fact they had learned or something that has happened in their bug house since they put it outside. It was great to see them remembering everything we have done over the last 9 weeks and the rest of the school so interested in what we have been doing.
In the afternoon I returned to the school for an end of term treat. I had organised a treasure hunt around the school grounds with prizes for the winning teams. In three teams they were given maps that indicated where clues were hidden. The clues or questions were all about things we have been learning about over the last 9 weeks. Once they had found all 6 clues the answers spelled out a 6 letter word which won them their treasure! The children worked together really well to find and solve the clues and it was a great end to a brilliant term of activities.
Thanks to Mrs Diamond and all of the P5’s – you’ve been great fun to work with! I’ll need to find something else to do on my Tuesday afternoons now!