Understanding of the World
Understanding the world involves guiding children to make sense of their physical world and their community. The frequency and range of children’s personal experiences increases their knowledge and sense of the world around them – from visiting parks, libraries and museums to meeting important members of society such as police officers, nurses and firefighters. Listening to a broad selection of stories, non-fiction, rhymes and poems will foster their understanding of our culturally, socially, technologically and ecologically diverse world.
Early Learning Goals
Past and Present: Talk about the lives of the people around them and their roles in society. Know some similarities and differences between things in the past and now, drawing on their experiences and what has been read in class. Understand the past through settings, characters and events encountered in books read in class and storytelling.
People, Culture and Communities: Describe their immediate environment using knowledge from observation, discussion, stories, non-fiction texts and maps. Know some similarities and differences between different religious and cultural communities in this country, drawing on their experiences and what has been read in class. Explain some similarities and differences between life in this country and life in other countries, drawing on knowledge from stories, non-fiction texts and (when appropriate) maps.
The Natural World: Explore the natural world around them, making observations and drawing pictures of animals and plants. Know some similarities and differences between the natural world around them and contrasting environments, drawing on their experiences and what has been read in class. Understand some important processes and changes in the natural world around them, including the seasons and changing states of matter
Autumn term
Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 | ||
Themes Getting to know you, New beginnings and Family diversity, Science – Can we fix it?Autumn |
Enrichment activities Drama Workshop, Teddy Bear Hospital |
Themes Who am I? – personal timelines, Diwali, Christmas, Remembrance Day , Bonfire Night, Anti-bullying week |
Enrichment activities Toys – visiting year 1 toy museum, Nativity Performance, Christmas lunch |
The natural world Adopt a tree outside our classroom – observe and document changes throughout the year. |
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History: Past and Present Children will talk about past and present events in their lives and what has been read to them. |
History: Past and Present Children will know about their own life story and how they have changed. Visit to year 1 toy museum. |
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Geography: People, Culture and Communities Children explore our school inc playground, inside locations & the purposes of different areas. |
Geography: People, Culture and Communities Where do children live? Can you see your house from here? Orientation of self and school surrounds. |
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Science: Exploring a range of materials Can we fix it? |
Science: The Natural World Observing changes in the tree we’ve adopted. |
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RE What makes every single person unique and precious? |
RE: People, Culture and Communities What is our Christmas play about? |
Spring term
Spring 1 | Spring 2 | ||
Themes Who has feathers and who has fur? The differences between animals and humans Our senses Valentine’s Day Chinese New Year |
Enrichment activities Chinese New Year Parade Animal Cam/Virtual Zoo Trip |
Themes Whole school art focus Pancake Day Fairtrade Easter International Women’s Day |
Enrichment activities World Book Day Teddy Bear sleep over Teddy Bear’s picnic |
The natural world Adopt a tree outside our classroom – observe and document changes throughout the year. |
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Geography: People, Culture and Communities Love around the world I wonder what/who/how – asking sensible questions. |
Geography: People, Culture and Communities Food around the world |
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Science: The Natural World Children will make observations about animals discussing similarities and differences. Children will talk about features of the environment they are in and learn about the different environments. Children will know some important processes and changes in the natural world, including states of matter. |
Science: The Natural World Children will make observations of artefacts (fossils) using skills developed in art. |
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RE: People, Culture and Communities How can we help each other? |
RE: People, Culture and Communities What will we put in an Easter garden? |
Summer term
Summer 1 | Summer 2 | ||
Themes How does your garden grow? |
Enrichment activities Growing flowers (sunflowers, daisies) Vegetable Patch Cress Heads Trip to Blatchington Windmill Performance – our class assembly |
Themes Around our school. Where will we go and how will we get there? |
Enrichment activities Trip to the i360 Creating the Gruffalo Recipe Book |
The natural world Adopt a tree outside our classroom – observe and document changes throughout the year. |
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History: Past and Present Children will know about the past through settings and characters. |
History: Past and Present What used to happen here? Why is there a fishing museum here? What used to happen here? Why is there a fishing museum here? |
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Science: The Natural World Plants, bugs and their life cycles |
Geography: People, Culture and Communities How are we going to get to the i360? What do we see on the way? What are people doing here? What was the purpose of those buildings? Drawing simple maps. |
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RE: People, Culture and Communities How can we care for our wonderful world? |
RE: People, Culture and Communities How can we care for our wonderful world? |