Nature and Me 2
1. Go on an Ant Hunt
Take the children outside to a spot where you know ants live. Let them explore and find the ants themselves. Encourage questions and curiosity:
“I wonder what happens when I put crumbs near them?”
Place seeds and watch what the ants do, see how they carry food and touch each other with their feelers.
Link to ideas like:
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Friendship & teamwork (ants work together)
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Family (worker ants are all sisters)
2. Create Ant Masks Outdoors
Bring art supplies outside and settle in a comfortable spot. Wear the "Ant mask" from the Downloadable Materials and see how the children react, do they want to make their own?
Provide simple craft materials so they can create their own masks inspired by what they’ve seen.
3. Move Like Ants!
Now it’s time to move like ants! With masks on, lead a fun physical session outdoors. Try movements such as:
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Walking in a line;
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Touching hands and shoulders;
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Passing a ball along a line;
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Working in small teams to carry something (like ants do!);
Tip: This activity can be done on another day during PE or outdoor circle time.
4. Story Time: Ants in a Row
Back in class, read "Ants in a Row/ Nemla Wara l-Oħra" (Downloadable materials).
You may use the "Story cards" in the Downloadable materials to create characters and other props as you read. Print, cut out, stick to stiff backing and use kebab sticks to hold them up as you dramatize story together.
5. Let Ideas Grow
Encourage open discussion and let children express thoughts sparked by the story. Focus on one key idea:
“All creatures, even the tiniest ones, deserve our care.”
6. Create & Display
After reading, let the children express the story in their own way, through drawing, writing, or building. If you want, make a class frieze with a title about ants that you create together and display everyone’s work.
Resources & Equipment Needed
- Small seeds;
- Ant masks printed (Downloadable Materials);
- Coloured pens/pencils;
- Scissors & glue;
- Art and craft supplies of your choice;
- Ball (or any other big, light object);
- Kebab sticks (optionale);
You can download these instructions in PDF by clicking here: Generate PDF
Downloadable Material
Activity Sheet_Nature and me 2
PDF Document
Ants in a row (EN and ML) story
PDF Document
Ant mask
PDF Document
Make sure to take photos of:
1. Children observing ants2. Children doing physical ant-like activity with masks on
3. Children following up to ant story
Activity Photos for Inspiration
Learning Outcomes & Curriculum Integration
Subjects
- - Emergent curriculum
Learning Outcomes
1) Children who develop a strong sense of identity
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1. 1 Children who develop in a safe, secure environment which they can trust. |
2. I can initiate communication through a range of actions e.g. through eye contact, vocalization and other communicative sounds, one word utterances, simple sentences, etc. |
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3. I show that I am comfortable in the company of familiar peers and adults. |
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4. I feel safe and confident to explore my environment. |
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5. I participate in activities and interactions in the setting I am in. |
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1.2 Children who develop a sense of independence and autonomy. |
3. I feel confident to explore new experiences in a supervised environment. |
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2) Children who have a positive self-image
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2.1 Children who believe in themselves fully aware of their potential and capabilities. |
2. I show interest in my immediate and wider environment |
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3. I am confident in taking up opportunities to be creative and imaginative. |
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2.2 Children who develop positive attitudes which enable them to take the initiative and become risk- takers. |
2. I am motivated to engage with a range of learning opportunities present in my environment. |
3. 3) Children are socially adept
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à 3.1 Children who are capable of establishing relationships with others |
1. I enjoy being with familiar others |
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2. I respond positively to others’ attempt to engage with me e.g. through body language such as eye contact, facial expressions, vocalizations etc. |
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4. I can take turns in interactions |
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5. I can collaborate to achieve shared goals during play. |
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à 3.2 Children who develop empathy, respect and acceptance of different points of view |
6. I listen to others’ ideas and respect their contributions. |
4) Children who are effective communicators
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4.3 Children who are familiar with symbols and patterns and their use. |
2. I make marks with different materials e.g. crayons, finger paint. |
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4.4 who are aware of different language systems, notably L1 (first language) and L2 (second language). |
3. I listen to and understand simple stories in L1. |
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4. I hold simple conversations in L1. |
5) Children who nurture positive attitudes towards learning and become engaged and confident learners
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5.1 Children who develop a range of cognitive skills to include labelling/identifying, recognition, sorting, hypothesising, predicting, comparing, sequencing and grouping. |
3. I recognise and name common objects. |
Integration with Curriculum
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Activity name |
Topic |
Proposed Time |
Resources |
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Nature and Me 2 |
-Different habitats/homes -Insects -Working together ( team work) Ants are team workers & work together to accomplish things
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Term 1 - Autumn
This activity can be done in a spread of 2 / 3 days -Observing and making masks -Outdoor physical activity
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