Grade: Preschool and Grade R

Project Descriptor:

In Term 1, our preschool learners embarked on a joyful and enriching learning journey to explore the driving question: “How can trees give us life?” Through this project, the children discovered the many ways trees contribute to our well-being and the health of our planet.

The project began with hands-on learning experiences that sparked curiosity and wonder. A highlight of the term was the exciting excursion to Acrobranch in Melrose, where learners explored the beauty of the natural world and saw first-hand how trees provide shelter, oxygen, and a sense of adventure. The outdoor setting allowed children to connect deeply with nature and understand the importance of trees in a fun and active way.

Back at school, the learning continued as children planted their own vegetable and fruit plants, and helped to plant a tree in the preschool garden. These activities not only taught them about how trees and plants grow, but also instilled important values of care, responsibility and environmental awareness.

This term’s project laid strong foundations for environmental consciousness and helped our preschoolers understand their role in protecting and nurturing the world around them.

Subject integration:

• Language –  In this project, learners engaged with stories and books by reading literature related to trees to deepen their understanding of the theme. They also explored songs and poems, learning simple songs such as “The Green Grass Grows All Around” or creating their own tree-themed rhymes. To make learning more interactive, they added movements or dances to the songs, such as swaying like trees in the wind. Additionally, children were introduced to new vocabulary including words like bark, root, trunk, branch, leaf, forest, and seedling. They created a tree word wall to reinforce and display their growing vocabulary. 
• Mathematics –  Mathematical concepts were explored through practical, nature-based activities. Learners counted leaves and sorted various tree items such as acorns, twigs and leaves. They also measured the circumference of tree trunks using yarn, helping them develop early measurement skills and an understanding of size and comparison. 
• Life Skills –  Learners explored trees through hands-on experiences that built their environmental awareness and creativity. They observed tree features on a nature walk, learned about tree parts, and expressed their learning through art activities like leaf rubbings and hand print trees. In science, they explored textures of bark and seeds, observed how trees grow from seeds, and sprouted plants in class. To deepen their connection to nature, learners discussed why trees are important and participated in planting activities as a symbol of care and responsibility for the environment.Learners explored trees through hands-on experiences that built their environmental awareness and creativity. They observed tree features on a nature walk, learned about tree parts, and expressed their learning through art activities like leaf rubbings and hand print trees. In science, they explored textures of bark and seeds, observed how trees grow from seeds, and sprouted plants in class. To deepen their connection to nature, learners discussed why trees are important and participated in planting activities as a symbol of care and responsibility for the environment.