Garden Room- Big Question - Term 2.1 - What do I know about winter? 25/26

Our Big Question this half term is: “What do I know about Winter?”

We will begin by asking the children this question and creating a collaborative mind map to find out what they already know. This supports communication and language as children share ideas, listen to one another, and build on prior learning.

Throughout the half term we will explore Winter using a range of fiction and non-fiction books. We will learn about changes in the weather, what clothing we need to stay warm, and what we may notice in the world around us. This supports children’s understanding of the world as they observe seasonal change and ask questions.

As part of our learning, we will be thinking about the following questions:
• What is ice and where does it come from?
• What do people celebrate in Winter?
• What do I need to stay warm?

These questions encourage scientific thinking, deepen understanding of our community and the wider world, and support children’s development in personal, social and emotional development and physical development.

We will also introduce and explore key vocabulary linked to the season: Winter, cold, snow, ice, gloves, hat, scarf. Children will have opportunities to use this vocabulary in context, helping to build confidence and expand their communication and language skills.

Children will explore winter colours through painting and creative activities, developing their expressive arts and design skills as they experiment with materials and represent their ideas. We will also explore changes in our environment and, if it snows, investigate the properties of snow and ice through hands-on sensory play.

Throughout the half term we will learn new Makaton signs to support communication and language, and we will learn  a Winter poem to develop literacy, memory, and oracy skills.