Bug Explorers

 Autumn 1 

Bug Explorers is an after school club for children in Years 1 and 2.

In Autumn 1, after only finding a spider, woodlice, a snail and a few ants on their bug hunt, the bug explorers did some research about what they could do to encourage more insects to come into the school grounds. They collected pallets, sticks, bottles, leaves, stones, bricks and grass to build them a big bug hotel.

In the Spring term, the Bug Explorers will continue to monitor and develop the area around the Bug hotel. They will be planting bulbs and seeds to encourage more insects to come into our school grounds.

 Summer 1 

Have a look at the minibeasts we found in our School grounds.

Look at the bugs the Year 1 Bug explorers made using clay and sticks, leaves and flowers they found in the school grounds.

Bug exploring in the school grounds

Year 1 bug explorers making a log pile for the minibeasts

They also planted a Buddleia bush and some wildflower seeds to attract more bees and butterflies into our school grounds.

Year 2 painted pictures of minibeasts on wood blocks for children to find and identify in the bug hotel.

Rainbow Magic Fairies

Children from Year 1 and 2 have the opportunity to do fairy themed crafts using recycled materials found around the home and outdoors, read fairy stories and create a fairy world.

Here are our Eco fairies we made from wool, felt scraps, recycled gift ribbon, sweet wrappers, pipe cleaners and a wooden peg.

We used empty milk bottles to make houses for our fairies.

Rainbow Magic Fairies

* New craft activity for Spring 2 *

Here are some of our fairy wands we made using recycled paper and fabric.

Dino World

Children from Year 1 and 2 have the opportunity to learn all about dinosaurs through crafts using recycled materials, small world play and reading information books and stories. 

Here are the movable dinosaurs they made from cardboard boxes.

Fossils

After learning about dinosaur fossils, we pressed dinosaurs into salt dough to make our own dinosaur fossils.

Spring 2: Dino World

We used recycled cardboard, string and lolly sticks to make a hanger to display our dinosaur fossils.

Young Explorers

In Young Explorers, children found out about Brazil. They learned how to say hello and goodbye in Portugese and count. Children researched to find out about the country, climate and the Amazon Rainforest.

Children in Year 1 and 2 created a scrap book and a video showing what they had learned.

Children in years 3 and 4 further developed their research and found out all about the deforestation taking place in the Rainforest. They produced some amazing posters to inform others about how deforestation harms our planet.

Year 5 and 6  also produced posters, scrapbooks and power point presentations about Brazil and the Amazon Rainforest. 

Kids Against Plastic

Nature detectives

 Summer 2 

Year 1 went on a Nature hunt around the school grounds.

Year 1 and 2 Nature detectives collected different smells from plants and herbs around our school grounds to make their 'Scents of Summer'

Following on from the Bug hunt by the Bug explorers in the Autumn term, Year 2 nature detectives recorded how many minibeasts we have in Summer 2

Nature Explorers

Year 2 lunchtime club - Summer 2

The children were challenged to create a picture using only the sticks, stones leaves and flowers they could find around them in the Willow dome area.

Year 2 Nature explorers made butterfly feeders to hang in the school garden to help attract more butterflies into our school grounds. They are regularly monitoring and maintaining them in clubs and at playtimes throughout the day. 

Bird spotting

Following their bird spotting activity, Year 1 Nature detectives made some bird feeders to hang in the trees to feed the birds in our school grounds. 

Willow Weavers

After school club focusing on recycling and upgrading the willow around school. A heavy focus has been on a tunnel near to keystage 2 playground. 
 

Cultivating the existing willow, replanting and repopulating the areas. The children have learnt that maintenance around school and giving time back to regenerate are important, to the success of the school grounds. 
 

Accompanied by creating 3D willow sculptures.