Wednesday

To complete today's activities, you will need:

something to draw on

something to draw with

optional- paint

optional- paint brush

optional- playdough or clay

Overview of today's activities:

  • Activity 1: We're going on a bear hunt (15 minutes)

  • Activity 2: The platypus (20 minutes)

  • Activity 3: The school playground (10 minutes)

Break

  • Activity 4: Weather symbols (10 minutes)

  • Activity 5: Sharing with others (10 minutes)

Please note, these times are an approximation only.

We're going on a bear hunt

Learning goal: Children respond to music and storytelling through movement and drama.

1. Watch the video and do the actions.

Walker Books (11 December 2018) 'We're going on a bear hunt performed by Michael Rosen' [video], YouTube, accessed 13 October 2021.

2. Watch Tash on her bear hunt.

Going on a bear hunt

Duration: 01:09

3. Go on your own bear hunt. Look at these pictures to remember where to go:

painting of figure going through grass

long, wavy grass

painted image of figure going through a river

deep, cold river

painted image of a figure in mud

thick, oozy mud

painted image of a figure in a forest

big, dark forest

painted image of a figure in a snowstorm

swirling, whirling snow storm

painted image of a cave

narrow, gloomy cave

painted image of a bear

It's a bear!

4. Draw or paint your favourite part of the bear hunt.

Too hard?

  • Do as many of the actions as you can.

  • Make a surprised face.

  • Make a scared face.

  • Growl like a bear.

Too easy?

  • Draw a map showing where the family went on their bear hunt.

The platypus

Learning goal: Children learn facts about the platypus and make a hypothesis about its features.

1. Watch the video.

Don Spencer Music (9 April 2020) 'Feathers, fur or fins...platypus' [video], YouTube, accessed 30 September 2021.

2. Think and talk about the platypus:

  • What are its features?

  • What's special about the platypus?

  • How do you think the platypus' tail helps it to swim?

3. Invent your own animal, by combining features of other animals. For example, the head of a tiger and the body of an emu.

4. Draw your creature or make it out of playdough.

5. Give your creature a name. Where does it live? What special features does it have?

Facts about the platypus

The platypus:

  • lives in rivers and is a very good swimmer.

  • uses its long claws to dig burrows in river beds.

  • has a bill and webbed feet like a duck.

  • lays eggs like a bird.

  • produces milk to feed to its young.

Too hard?

  • Tell someone your favourite thing about the platypus.

Too easy?

  • What do you think the word 'streamlined' means? How is a platypus streamlined?

The school playground

Learning goal:

A transition to school activity

When you start school you might find the playground is different from what you are used to.

1. Look at the photos below of school playgrounds.

2. Talk to someone about what you see in each photo.

3. Do you see anything in the photos that you already know about?

A school playground with nice, green grass and a large covered area. Three people are walking mid-shot with their backs to the camera.

Image owned by the NSW Department of Education under the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth)​

A school courtyard with children playing on the cement. Two children are playing hopscotch, while others play handball.

Image owned by the NSW Department of Education under the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth)​

A boy in a school uniform with an awkward smile. He is climbing up or down a thick rope.

Image owned by the NSW Department of Education under the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth)​

4. Have you seen your school playground? If so, draw some things you remember from your visit.

5. If you haven't visited, ask someone to help you look for a picture of it on the school's website.

Too hard?

  • Think about the games you like to play.

  • Tell someone what games you want to play in the playground at school.

Too easy?

  • Design a school playground that includes fun activities and is safe.

Take a break

Here are some things you might like to do:

  • have a drink of water and a healthy snack

  • play or have a rest

  • go to the toilet and wash your hands.

Weather symbols

Learning goal: Children explore symbols used to represent the weather.

1. Listen to this story about weather forecasting.

2. Weather forecasters or meteorologists forecast what the weather will be like.

They use special equipment to help them.

They also use symbols to tell us what they forecast the weather will be.

3. Look at each of these weather symbols and say what you think each means.

logo for sun
logo for rain
logo for cloudy
logo for rain, hail and sleet
logo for sunny and cloudy
logo for windy

Too hard?

  • What is the weather like today?

  • Point to the symbol showing today's weather.

Too easy?

  • Create a symbol that means it will snow.

  • Create a symbol that means there will be a storm.

  • Make a chart to record each day's weather. Under each day draw one or more symbols to show what the weather was like.

Sharing with others

Learning goal: Children develop an understanding of the importance of sharing.

Watch the video, Keeko: Episode 2- Sharing.

ABC Kids (2021) 'Keeko: Series 1, Episode 2: Sharing' [video], ABC iView, accessed 21 September 2021

1. Keeko, bird and dog find a way to share the log and play together.

2. How do you feel when someone doesn't share with you?

3. What words can you use to ask someone to share?

Too hard?

  • What are you good at sharing?

  • What are you not so good at sharing?

Too easy?

  • Why do you think it is important to share?

Extra learning activities

Child voice