TOPIC : LOCAL AREA (GEOGRAPHY)
Sand/Water· Include creative features from local environmental e.g. stones, plastic trees, pond, river, hills, roads, park, paths, swimming pool
· Make a playground using green sand as grass include miniature playground
· Set up a treasure hunt in the sand
· Recreate a map in the sand / Small World
· Make a reproduction of local area – use small world resources e.g. tractors, cars
· Use road mat with cars, talk about features on mat
· Use farm mats and farm animals (do the children know what a farm is?)
· Set up a small world ark (e.g. using Playmobil, Duplo etc.)
· Recreate features of the children’s locality
· Set up a small world building site (Bob the Builder) / Writing
· Addressing envelopes to people in the locality
· Include grids to draw maps
· Make postcards of local area
· Make book of the area
· Make zig zag book of places the children are familiar with
· Include a word bank of words linked to environment
· Display posters – keeping environment tidy
· Make posters about keeping the environment tidy
· Write tourist information leaflets
· Put maps/atlas/atlas books in for children to copy/cut
Outdoors
· Car wash
· Drawing maps / road layouts on playground, include road markings and parking bays
· Set up a treasure hunt, make simple maps for the children to follow
· Include role play of road works
· Develop an “Explorer” Box – (magnifying glass, binoculars, magnets, pots to collect, simple compass, water bottle, maps, lantern)
· Walk around environment, take photographs
· Tape noises in the environment (sound walk)
· Try tree hugging, how does the tree feel, use appropriate language / Role Play
· Dressing up in roles of people who work / live in the local area (walker/shopkeeper/van driver)
· Meet characters with links to the school and develop them in the role play e.g. shopkeeper, countryside ranger, farmshop garage/car wash
· Set up a Tourist Information kiosk
· Shops in the local area e.g. chemist, green grocer, supermarket etc. / Construction
· Making buildings using junk modelling and / or construction kits e.g. house, hospital, Mosque, garage, supermarket
· Encourage the children to develop buildings based on what they have recently visited
· Take photos of models built from different angles, compare
· Ask children to draw models from several angles / Creative
· Listen to sounds of the environment, keys jingling, leaves rustling, motor bikes roaring, birds singing
· Play games with eyes closed, see if the children can identify sounds and locate them
· Create logo for Tourist Information kiosk
· Take photographs of textures – recreate patterns eg stone walls, bark, grass
· Use wool, ribbon, string to create maps
· Make printing blocks of standard symbols – print
· Explore leaves, acorns and conkers in Tuff Spot, use appropriate language
· Mix colours of autumn
· Print using leaves
· Make bark rubbings
· Autumn pictures
· Use acorns/sycamore wings
Health and Safety
· Road safety – www.hedgehogs.gov.uk
· Stranger danger
· Danger from litter (syringes) / Culture and Diversity
· Visit places of worship in the community
· Retail outlets and restaurants eg Pizzeria, Chinese Take-away, Indian Take-away, try out different foods
H:\Early Years\2004 Mixed Age Planning\Continuous provision - Local Area Geography.doc