Page 33: The Very Hungry Caterpillar - a series of EYFS lessons ...
My first EYFS placement part 2 post! I was so happy with how my planning and delivery of these lessons went (especially after 2 months off!) I had to already start sharing my placement based posts as I am currently having the best time and have so much to share!
For my first week of teaching which was also the start of the new half term and class read. My 'job' for the week was to introduce the classes new main text: 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar' by Eric Carle through a series of communication and language lessons.
When I found this out, the first thing I did was pop to Waterstones to get a new larger copy as I wanted to use my own for teaching, and pop into all those bits and bobs shops to get some creative inspiration and see what I could get my hands on to make my lessons as creative, practical and active as possible.
Firstly, I cannot write a post regarding 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar' and exclaim how this is an absolutely fabulous story, especially for early years pupils. There are many topics and areas that can be delved into, linking directly to the recommended objectives. Due to this being the introduction to the story, I covered a basis on general understanding and 'toe dipping' into the related theme. This provides children with a base understanding that they can excel and build upon in related lessons to come. The main topics that I chose to base the lessons upon was firstly understadning the story, lifecycle of a egg-butterfly and dive into discussing foods, determining the differences between foods that are good/ bad for you (healthy vs unhealthy)
Today I am going to share with you my series of 4 lessons that were differentiated 3 ways across as high, middle and lower ability learners (in terms of language/scaffolding/modelling).
The prime areas from the new development matters document that the lessons focussed upon were:
Objective - To use talk to organise, sequence, clarify ideas, feelings and events.
Communication and Language:
- 3 and 4 year olds will be learning to: pay attention to more than one thing at a time
- 3 and 4 year olds will be learning to: enjoy listening to longer stories and can remember much of what happens
Understanding the World:
- 3 and 4 year olds will be learning to: talk about what they say using a wide range of vocabulary
- 3 and 4 year olds will be learning to: understand key feature of the life cycle of a plant and animal (caterpillar)
- 3 and 4 year olds will be learning to: begin to understand the need to respect and care for the environment and living things
Expressive arts and design:
- 3 and 4 year olds will be learning to: join different materials and explore textures
Physical Development:
- 3 and 4 year olds will be learning to: use large and small motor skills
LESSON 1: Introduction to 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar'
The new story is being introduced. The lesson 'hook' of a egg on leaf (piece of white modelling on a leaf), explaining how we have a very exciting story and topic that all starts from a little white egg on a leaf ... (pass this around carefully between pupils to stimulate their interest and curiosity). After this initial introduction, begin to read the story. Really think and focus on the 'think about' areas to prompt discussion. (Naming, describing, re-telling and justifying). Let the children turn the pages and get fully engaged and participating when reading the story. Count the fruits on the page, and emphasise all learning opportunities. To conclude and summerise the process, to end the lessons actively, get pupils to act out the process. Set out the story line of the egg (hold ball position), caterpillar (wriggle sat down), cocoon (stay really still and stretch out to butterfly (arms up and down in flowing motion). Repeat for the pupils to become confident with actions and story.
Differentiation -
HA and MA: Higher level questioning. Get pupils to identify the name of the food before it states in the story, and count independently the fruits. When discussing the story use targeted correct vocabulary of first and last.
LA: Simple level questioning (predominantly naming and describing). Teacher to identify the food on the page, and when counting do so together emphasise counting then stating the cardinal number.
LESSON 2: Sequencing the story of 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar
Following on from the new story being introduced. Start by getting out the scheme of lessons 'hook' (leaf and egg), and ask pupils what they remember about the story. Using story sequencing cards, order the story and the multiple elements together. After sequencing the general story, move onto the days of the week sequencing (sing the says of the week song to help model first) and corresponding fruit and amount cards.
Differentiation -
HA: Pupils to be all handed a card of the sequence and work around in referencing back to the book and each others card when ordering. Pupils will have their own piece and part of the story they are responsible for. For the days, work through the same way. Again to be using the focus language of first and last.
MA: All pieces spread out in the middle so all can be clearly seen and identify all, reference back to the book when ordering. For the days, work through the same way. Again to be using the focus language of first and last.
LA: Sequence the story at the same time as re reading the book. All cards spread across floor so pupils can select and see. When regarding the days of the week lay the cards out and point whilst singing the days of the week song for some more structure and scaffolding so pupils can referring when arranging the correct fruit and amounts.
To help consolidate this learning, these cards will be placed in hungry caterpillar themse tuff tray with a range of other supporting resources and exploration opportunities.
LESSON 3: Identifying healthy and unhealthy food and sorting in the stories correct sequence
In the third lesson, delving into the food and healthy lifestyle links. Start by lying out a healthy and unhealthy sign and explain how these are foods that are good/bad for you. Go through the food cards (like flashcards), pupils to idenifty the fruit and then decide which sign it should be placed with. After the foods are sorted and the discussion has been had, re read the story to aid in consolidating understanding, and as reading 'feed the caterpillar' (using the laminated caterpillar face resource) and when doing so again highlight/emphases the language and pupils to say whether this is a healthy or unhealthy food.
Differentiation -
HA: Focus language of first and last to be used again. Let the pupils mould the conversation and discussion, encourage them to respond to each others ideas.
MA: Focus language of first and last to be used again. Let the pupils mould the conversation and discussion, encourage them to respond to each others ideas.
LA: If progressing well, introduce the terms when reading the book first and last. More teacher support and modelling of the correct talk about identifying the foods being healthy or u healthy. Model the language and aim for children to repeat "healthy foods and good for you" "unhealthy foods are bad for you". (these terms are introduced in the most simple level of good/bad.
LESSON 4: Making our own very hungry caterpillar to butterflies
This lesson is focused upon the life cycle of a butterfly. Start by recapping the lifecycle actions from the first lesson and pupils to recreate the life cycle: set out the story line of the egg (hold ball position), caterpillar (wriggle sat down), cocoon (stay really still and stretch out to butterfly (arms up and down in flowing motion). Following this, still focusing on the life cycle process using lots of hands on resources as a group make the life cycle together, surround by lots of rich talk and language. Suggestion for making, start with the egg on leaf hook, then the small caterpillar using a small pom pom head and modelling clay, larger caterpillar with large pom pom head and larger balls of modelling clay body, cocoon and butterfly out of a variety of different sizes and amounts of modelling clay. (pupils to be developing fine motor skills rolling balls and manipulating the modelling clay with their hands. To finish and link to two aspects of the lesson together, have the creation laid out n the correct order, point to e.g the egg or small caterpillar etc, and children to model the corresponding actions that they have been learning.
Differentiation -
HA: Pupils to complete more independently. focus language of first and last still a large focus when discussing the process and order of steps.
MA: Pupils to complete more independently. focus language of first and last still a large focus when discussing the process and order of steps.
LA: More structure and modelling from the teacher (particularly in linking the actions to the life cycle they have made, modelling and leading the actions)
Upon reflection of all the lessons, I am really pleased with how they went, the progress all of the pupils made moving across the weeks progression and the excitement and enthusiasm they now share for the book and interest upon the story lines and characters. It was so rewarding to see the pupils consolidating and independently working on the skills and lesson input in 'My Very Hungry Caterpillar' themed provision areas (I will be sharing this next week!). As I move onto my sharing my provision areas next week, I will end today's post with a lovely quote from Eric Carle (the author of 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar) regarding the story, which shares a simple life outlook that all should take influence from:
"The Very Hungry Caterpillar story is about hope. you, like the little caterpillar, will grow up, unfold your wings and fly off into the future" - Eric Carle
- Miss Yeoman
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