Page 76: Exciting autumn continuous provision
I love being and EYFS teacher. There are many complex factors of this, but to put it simply, I strongly believe that we have a privilege to be able to teach through continuous provision. Language, in terms of developing talk and vocabulary is the foundation that makes up a child's early years education. We are supporting the children to develop into well rounded human beings with a passion for learning. This stems from exploration - everything that early years teaching and continuous provision is based upon. Continuous provision is a range of activities and learning areas that the children have access to explore independently and with the support of an adult. Continuous provision supplements formal group teaching sessions and allows the children to reach the prime and specific areas of learning goals. An excellent provision ensures children will have the opportunity to work on the three prime areas of communication and language, physical development and personal, emotional and social development, as well as the four prime areas of literacy, mathematics, understadning the world, and expressive arts and design daily. Provision is powerful, children have the opportunity to develop and extend on these key areas of learning and through adaptive teaching approaches, all children are able to access learning happily and confidently. Heading into my second year of being an EYFS teacher, whilst planning this year, I have critically reflected upon what worked well last year, what didn't work so well, and what needs to be improved in my provision.
In today's post, I am going to share a few of my favourite provision activities we have done whilst learning all about Autumn!
1. Use of natural resource
Natural resources are key. When delving into the specific area of learning : the natural world, the use of natural resources, through hands on exploration is vital in meeting many objectives. When learning about Autumn, the children went on an Autumn walk. With the help of staff too, we collected leaves, branches, conkers, pinecones etc. This can be used across all areas of the classroom, from exploration trays to hitting multiple prime and specific areas of learning through continuous provision. Here is an example of this:
5 ways I use conkers in my classroom.
(a) Conker rolling with paint to explore colour mixing.
(b) A great addition and stimulus in any mud kitchen.
(c) To develop their mathematical 5 principle of counting skills. Children can be work on their ability to 1-1 count and subitize.
(d) Use to discuss and talk about weight such as placing different amounts in balence skills, comparing sizes and shape.
(e) Use to make patterns such as extending an ABAB pattern. Stick, Conker, Stick, Conker etc.
2. Use song (Autumn song)
In our group teaching input, I created a song (mentioned in a previous blog post), to the tune of the 'Wheels on the Bus'. The children were able to retain the knowledge facts attached to the familiar tune. This was introduced in a group learning session.
The leaves on the trees and tumbling down, tumbling down, tumbling down, the leaves on the trees are tumbling down, in autumn time.
The twigs and the branches are dry and snap, dry and snap, dry and snap the twigs and the branches are dry and snap, in autumn time.
We put our hoods up because it’s pouring with rain, pouring with rain. Pouring with rain, we put our hoods up because it’s pouring with rain, in autumn time.
I used my continuous provision to deepen the pupils understadning and wider context application through encouraging the children to draw on their song. In the role play area, the children are preparing for an Autumn walk (recreating their experience). I encourage the children through modelling to sing the song to remember the changes and stimulate our role play whilst consolidating knowledge facts taught in group teaching.
3. Honing in on 'wider skills'
In the EYFS, a key area of development is for our children is to work on and develop their fine motor skills. This lays the foundation for writing, setting a stamina to use hand muscles correctly and hold/ use equipment such as scissors, pens, pencils etc correctly. In Autumn, in a tuff tray I placed a pumpkin. Children were able to cut up their pumpkin for the mud kitchen, talk using their senses discussing colour, smell, touch and taste, but most importantly use the pumpkin develop their fine motor skills. I simply placed two pumpkins with the tops cut off in a tuff tray with spoons and large tweezers. Children were developing their pincer grip and extracting the seeds to 1-1 count and take to the mud kitchen. Simple - but very effective.
This is not an exhaustive list, just a few ideas of what has worked well across my last two years of teaching this topic and developing these skills. Feel free to check out my teachergram @_MissYeoman to see this provision in action!
I look forward to continuing to inspire and educate my children through effective continuous provision. Note - effective continuous provision explores opportunities to learning both in your indoor and outdoor classroom space. The children need to ability and resources to take control and ownership in their learning to extend their knowledge and understanding - you the teacher, is the catalyst for this.
- Miss Yeoman
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