Myra Heller with Year 3 at Newington Green

Interesting session on 25th November with the children. It's as if they have finally 'got' the concept of the 'outdoor classroom'. Much to my surprise and delight, I find that they actually like spending at least half their sessions recording their observations in their books with drawings and writing, because I expected them to want to be physically active the whole time and to find it hard to note down (some of them find it very hard to focus) their observations and learning. We have been writing weather reports the last two sessions and for some of those who find it hard to write, I have been asking them just to think of four words that sum up the weather. They have all tried hard and are understanding the value of their own looking and deducting, which is, of course, the beginning of empirical scientific study and therefore very satisfying as a learning process. We were looking at evergreens and deciduous trees and shrubs as a follow-on from hibernation and dormancy. Year 3 looked at the new buds about to break through on the apple and plum trees that are going in the new mini orchard and they planted blackcurrant and raspberry bushes.

Pictures from the Harvest Celebration at Newington Green Primary School

Year 3s at Newington Green Primary School with Myra Heller

We did hibernation and photoperiodism (though I did NOT try to get them to remember that word!). In other words, thinking about winter and cold and shorter days. So they related the wearing of coats and warm clothes to animals getting thicker furs and fattening up for winter, e.g. their central heating and shelter being leaves and holes. We also looked at this with regard to plants and planted some bulbs, covering them up in soil over winter.

We also discussed a little about how some plants and seeds actually needed to get cold and then hot to know it's spring again and to grow. They also can read the daylight length which is fascinating but a little too complicated! All this will be repeated gradually when we see the evidence in Spring.

We have bought a small self fertilizing Cox's Orange Pippin and a damson tree to put in the little orchard next to the nursery. The children continue to fill their garden notebooks. I am delighted with our little shed, and we have made a little picket fence rather proudly out of recycled pallets and decking found on the premises.