The primary children at Queen’s College have been stepping into stories to shape their learning. The teachers have been creating opportunities to make stories and history real; this is the best way to make learning a memorable experience. Stories or events as a starting point launch so many learning journeys; they initiate role play, free writing, poems, drama, art, music and investigation …. the list could go on!
The youngest children have been reading about the runaway gingerbread man and the three little pigs. They have built houses made of straw, wood and bricks and made up their own stories about the big bad wolf and the little pigs through masked role play. The children loved making their own gingerbread men and decorating their biscuits as well as painting pictures of gingerbread people and houses.
The Reception class have been 3D modelling creating a whole village full of houses and shops. They then positioned their models on “roads” and around hillsides to try out various scenarios.
The Year 1 children have been reading a book about an Evil Pea; this naughty little character stepped out of the book and wrecked the Year 1 classrooms. The Evil Pea trapped some other vegetables in the classroom, a piece of terrified broccoli was strapped to the classroom wall. The children were very distraught and determined to find the Evil Pea!
The children in Year 2 have been learning about the life and work of Florence Nightingale in their history project. They made their own ‘before and after’ hospitals from shoes boxes demonstrating how Florence cleaned up the procedures at the Scutari hospital saving the lives of so many soldiers. The children made puppets and dressed up as Florence or soldiers for a special ‘historical’ photo shoot. The children have been using their role play area to make up Florence Nightingale stories.
The children dressed up on another occasion as they celebrated with a tea party in a Downton Abby style with scones and jam on Victorian cake stands and jam tarts on China plates washed down with a special blend of tea!
One of the best ways to learn is through books; a great story can bring characters alive and create moments that the children will never forget.
At Queen’s College we make sure that reading is valued and part of our daily routine. Stepping into stories really does open up a world of “pure imagination” to quote Roald Dahl, and he should know about that!