Year 1 Students Explore Seasons and Nature at Attenborough Arboretum

Hallam Fields Year 1 students went on an exciting trip to Attenborough Arboretum, where they learned about nature and the changing seasons. The trip provided the children with hands-on experiences and engaging activities aimed at deepening their understanding of the natural world. 

The children began their adventure by exploring the concept of seasons and how they impact the weather and the trees. To further enhance their learning, the class read "Flora's Flowers" by Debi Gliori and discussed what each child grew in the story and about bird’s building nests in spring. 

The children were then told their own special story as they followed the tale of two robins, exploring different locations for building their nests. 

Divided into three groups, the Year 1 class had the opportunity to rotate among three exciting activities throughout the day. One activity involved the children collecting sticks and collaboratively constructing a robin's nest. Additionally, they got their hands dirty by making handprints in mud, completing a beautiful picture of a bird on its nest. 

Another activity focused on planting seeds in pots. Each student planted their seeds and decorated a plant label, fostering a sense of responsibility and pride in caring for living organisms. 

The third activity was inside the classroom. The children were led by their teacher to create a Spring dance with green fabrics to Vivaldi’s music and then together they used leaf rubbings to add leaves to a picture of a tree outline.  

At the end of the day, the children were asked to share their first names and birthday months. Sitting together in groups based on the seasons, they replaced the number of children with sticks, employing an innovative approach to counting the number of classmates born in each season.