Second Level –‘The Magic Box’ and ‘The 13 Storey Treehouse’

HWB Focus: Mental and Emotional HWB, Relationships, Food and Health

Second Level

Week 1

• Recap on the rainbows and the feelings of hope they have brought to everyone. Think about the colour pink.  How does that colour make the children feel and why?

• For many, it will make them think about things they love. As we think about the school year so far, you might want to encourage the children to think about what they love about their school community and invite them to share this with their parents/carers or brothers and sisters or even remotely with their friends.

• Now, you might like to introduce Kit Wright reading his poem, ‘The Magic Box’ - https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/clips/zd9bwmn. Invite the children to think about how they will capture the magical things about their school community to put in a magic box. Ask the children to be as inventive as possible in expressing their ideas.  It might be through a video clip, a drawing or painting, music or a piece of writing.  Maybe you could collate their messages into one book or film to create your class magic box to help remember these special things.

• For many of the children, they might be thinking about the experiences which they may have been having at school camp in the course of a ‘normal’ school year. Why not encourage them to create their own camp experience in their garden or even in their house.  They might enjoy building their own camp or den.  If it’s safe to do so (and depending on the time of year when this is undertaken), some might even want to spend a night under the stars!  For some ideas on how to do this, these websites might be useful - https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/blog/2019/10/how-to-build-a-den/ or https://www.muddyfaces.co.uk/download/Den_Building_MuddyFaces.pdf or https://www.edenproject.com/learn/for-everyone/how-to-build-your-own-den

• Even if the children can’t camp outside, maybe they could take some time on a clear night out in their den to look up and star gaze. How many of the constellations can they see?  They might even join the dots and make pictures with the stars to create their own new constellations.  What will they name them?  To help identify the main constellations, these clips might be helpful - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adKrNga8-Qs or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1sZ15SUeS9w or https://artsymomma.com/learning-constellations-crafts-activities.html

• Now can they make some of the constellations using marshmallows? To get them started, this website might help -  https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=constellations+using+marshmallows&FORM=HDRSC2 . 

• Why not build on the previous learning about Vincent Van Gogh and ask the children to paint their own versions of Starry Night. Remember to capture the swirls and sweeping brush strokes in their own impressionist style.  These images may help - https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=van+gogh+starry+night&FORM=HDRSC2

• Once they have finished, comes the treat! No outdoor campsite would be complete without toasted marshmallows and a song!  For some recipes, check these websites out - https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/collection/marshmallow and for some good campfire songs -  https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/school-radio/nursery-rhymes-the-bear-went-over-the-mountain/zmssmfr or https://www.care.com/c/stories/3343/50-great-camp-songs-for-kids/

Second Level

• Recap on the colour pink and how it made the children feel.

• Pink is traditionally associated with love, hearts and flowers. Some of the paintings in Pablo Picasso’s Rose Period help to convey those expressions of love.  Here are some images of his work during this period - https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=Flower+Picasso+Rose+Period&FORM=IRBPRS&=0.  The children might enjoy finding out a little bit more about the artist and the different styles of his work.  This clip might help to get them started - https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/clips/z6brwmn

• Maybe the children would enjoy creating their own Picasso styled painting from the Rose Period. They might want to style this on a portrait, a flower or even a heart.  For examples of how to do this, these clips might help - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2iKmH84hoZo or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=auWrjhpppmc

• Last week, the children used lots of natural resources to create their own dens and camps. Why not introduce them to Andy and Terry who live in their own cool den - ‘The 13 Story Treehouse’.  The children might want to read the book over the next few weeks or listen to it being read in the following clips - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AeVjrDd9fUM, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufLbi6Ynxno , https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LjYm-Gnt5s , and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxtecn0qtzM

• Now ask the children to design their very own 13 Story Treehouse and then to make a model of this with as many natural resources as they can find. Will it have a see-through swimming pool, a lemonade fountain or even a marshmallow machine?  Let their imaginations run wild and see what they will come up with!  Don’t forget to ask them to post pictures of their creations!

• Time now for a challenge! Whether it’s in their den or in their treehouse, the children might like a snack.  Why not ask them to make a solar oven to toast their marshmallows!  All they need is a box, a poli-pocket or clingfilm and some kitchen foil – oh and don’t forget the marshmallows and chocolate!  And the sun…These websites might help with some ideas - https://desertchica.com/diy-solar-oven-smores-kids-science-experiment/ or  https://sciencing.com/solar-powered-oven-kids-4797415.html

• For some fun facts about the sun and solar energy, listen to this clip - https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/topics/zgwxfg8/articles/z6w8jhv

• Why not finish the week with some Rainbow Fudge? Here’s a recipe which the children might like - https://www.booktrust.org.uk/globalassets/resources/blogs/2019/nadiya-holi-rainbow-fudge.pdf Enjoy!

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