Early Level – ‘The Bumblebear’

HWB Focus: Mental and Emotional HWB, Relationships

Week 1

• Scavenger hunt – set a challenge to find things which are yellow throughout the day. This could be when the child is outside in the playground or if at home, in the garden or when going for a walk (always making sure that the child only picks up items which are clean and suitable given the current restrictions).

• Introduce the story, ‘The Bumblebear’ by Nadia Shireen or listen to it being read here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6ZaSM6sNGw or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tvXFif3M1o

• Perhaps the children would like to make their own Bumblebear or Bumblebee puppets – using paper - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQnjTI-lZSM or https://www.booktrust.org.uk/globalassets/resources/time-to-read/2017/paper-plate-bumblebees.pdf Or pompoms - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBDlsbP1qpw Or even wooden spoons - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TL1fsqa52-k

• Invite the children to talk about the story and recap on any learning which has been undertaken in relation to feelings (e.g. see the ‘Elmer’ pack (embed link)). How might Norman the Bear have felt when he had to leave to school and all his friends?  How did his friends feel?  Some of the children may have missed their own friends during lockdown.  Encourage them to discuss all the things which the bees missed about Norman.  How did they feel when he came back to Bee School?  What did the children miss about their friends and how did they feel when they saw them again?

• Invite the children to pick one friend or maybe a relative that they miss or missed and to make a special award for that person (just like Norman got from the bees). It might be a card, or a medal or a certificate or even a message or song which they can send over social media.  Norman got his award for being brave and kind -the children should remember to tell the special person why they are getting the award.

• Now it’s time for some honey of our own – time to make Bumblebear honey biscuits - https://www.booktrust.org.uk/globalassets/resources/time-to-read/2017/bumblebear-biscuits.pdf

• The children might enjoy sitting down to watch the story of ‘The Lost Bee’ while they have their Bumblebear biscuits - https://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/stories/melody-the-lost-bee

Week 2

• Recap on the story of ‘Bumblebear’. Parents may want to read the story again with the children or invite the children to tell them the story, using their Bumblebear or Bumblebee puppets from last week’s activities.

• Discuss with the children the times of year that they have seen or noticed bees. What do the bees look like? What sounds do they make?  To find out some more about bees and even why they sting – this clip might help - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6BFRcp2dFs

• If you are looking for a fun homework activity, invite the children to become bees? Let them explore the sound and movement of bees and maybe even create their own bumblebee dance. To help – play the music of Rimsky-Korsakov’s ‘Flight of the Bumblebee’ - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X14kC-sEH0I or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZO5KTJTwhE&list=RDxZO5KTJTwhE&start_radio=1

Maybe their parents/carers could record the dance and you can play back the dances in class with your own panel of Strictly Come Dancing Bee judges!

• Now it’s time for some art. Get a blank piece of paper and let the pen be the bumblebee. Remember not to lift the pen from the paper – where will it land? Now invite the children to colour the sections between the loops to make a funky art picture.  Here’s what it might look like - https://lwvogue.com/abstract-art-project-for-kids/

• For nursery children, have fun with a bee counting song for numbers to ten - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWUgZm_AE64

• For P1 children – they may want to explore some common 2D shapes. This resource may be helpful - https://firstlook.educationcity.com/content/index/35569 What shape makes up a honeycomb?  Can they make a bee picture using the shapes they have learned about?

• The children might enjoy helping the bees to collect the pollen from the flowers in the following interactive game - https://www.bbc.co.uk/games/embed/g758zk3wbh?exitGameUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bbc.co.uk%2Fcbeebies%2Fgames%2Fmargarets-marigolds-game

• Transition – for those children moving into Primary 1 (but even for nursery children going back to nursery after a holiday or period of remote learning), talk to them about what they think school (or nursery) will be like when they get there. This activity helps to support discussions about what the first day at school might be like and helps the children to create their own character to explore the classroom. ‘My First Day at School’ - https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/topics/zhtcvk7/articles/znc9vk7

• For P1 (and older siblings) – talk about what they missed about school when they are not present and what they most look forward to when they return. Maybe they could create a message for the new P1 children – ‘The best thing about Primary 1 is ….’ and draw a picture. 

Note in relation to the use of online resources

Where online resources have been referenced, access to the resource is currently free.  In some cases, this may be for a limited period and members should monitor their engagement on this basis. All online references have been selected on an illustrative basis for the relevant potential learning activities.  There may be other websites and platforms which will provide similar activities.  In referencing these websites, the EIS does not endorse any advertisements shown on the page, the views of those presenting or the wider content of the website.