Teddy bears picnic
Early Stage One, Living world
Program overview
Kindergarten is invited by Theodore, chief teddy, to enjoy story time, environmental games, a bushwalk and other engaging, hands-on activities, before discovering their teddies have gone missing! Students then follow clues leading them discover what living things need to survive. Their adventures lead to a surprise picnic lunch spot hidden in the rainforest to enjoy with their teddies.
Inquiry and focus questions
What do we notice about living things?
Learning experiences
The day starts with the big book story which introduces the students to (P.A.W.S), plants, water, air and shelter - the four things animals need to survive.
Musical trees
This game reinforces the importance of trees in providing the needs of life. Students as native animals dance around and when the music stops every animal finds shelter in a ‘tree’. ‘Chainsaw Charlie’ sneakily cuts down trees until the animals stop him. The students explain the importance of trees and replant those cut down.
Habitat game
Working in groups, students use natural materials and plastic animals to create a model habitat for native animals. This game reinforces the needs of life: plants for food, air, water, shelter.
Earth walk
The focus of the bushwalk is to immerse the students in nature and develop sensory awareness of the
bushland environment. Students will explore the features, colours and sounds of the bush through sensory activities such as touching textures, listening to bird calls, matching colours and smelling ‘whiff tea’. Students find a special item on the forest floor to press into clay to make a take-home pendant, and use a checklist to tick the P.A.W.S features observed on the Earth Walk.
Teddy bears picnic
Groups, with an adult, will follow clues leading them on a trail to discover what the living things need to survive. The route will lead them to surprise picnic lunch spot under the trees.
