Ideas for Themes in Junior Classes
- Looking at an animal, e.g. worms, slaters, snails, spiders or a small mammal if any in the classroom. Observe, describe. What questions and current answers.
- Looking at a plant (keep an eye on the seasons!), e.g. onion weed, flowering cherry, kowhai, a native, a fern (something brought from home!). Draw. What questions and current answers to research?
- A historical item. What is it? What was it used for? Draw and describe.
- Looking at a machine - a bike, a car, the lawnmower, a mechanical toy. How does it work. Draw it. What questions?
- A short walk to develop awareness - to view mountain, bush, river. Collect thoughts. Use senses.
- Encourage phrases and metaphors etc.
- A physical science mini unit, e.g. a candle, pendulum, bouncing ball, magnets. What are their questions and prior ideas.
- Sharing something brought from home. Why did you bring it? Why is it important to you? Why do people collect things?
- Talking about a personal experience. Select a memorable occasion they remember well. Why do they remember it? Remind them we all have lots of stories in our heads. Scribe write it for them if they are beginning writers.
- A looking activity (for lines, shapes, patterns, textures), After talking about what they have seen ( encouraging phrases) drawing selected shapes. An idea for a maths study?
- A walk to explore one sense, e.g. sounds, textures, sight (colour/pattern/movement)and smells (not taste!). Collect memorable phrases.
- Go solo. Sit students apart along a fence line ( or lie on back on grass) After a moments reflection get them to write (or adult scribe) their thgoughs. They could have a theme to focus on e.g. clouds.
- Environmental studies - exploring caretaker’s shed (ask him/her), exploring playground equipment, hail, wind, rain, clouds, mamaku study (tree fern), (science/maths).
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