In this learning challenge we will investigate questions like “What are green plants? What do they need to be able to grow? Why are leaves so important to many plants? How are minerals and water taken in and used by plants? What kinds of plants can be seen growing in our parks and gardens and how do they make us feel? Why are plants so important to human survival and to the future of our planet? What is happening to some places in the world where so many trees are destroyed? What can we do to protect our trees?”

 

In English we will revisit the story of ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’ to help us develop our imagination and creative use of language. We will explore how the author devised the setting, plot and characters to make the story interesting.  Through drama, we will adapt the story to convey a range of emotions. We will also read a selection of non-fiction books to develop our skill of reading for information.

 

In Maths we will design and carry out surveys about the types of plants found in our gardens and Local Park. We will represent our findings in the form of a range of tables, graphs, charts and diagrams. We will develop our skills of estimation by working out how to measure the height of tall trees. We will also learn how to explain what our data shows and draw conclusions about the plants around us. While in Computing we will work out the best way of showing our results in a digital presentation.

 

In Science we will look at green plants. As scientists we will carry out experiments to find out the best conditions for growing plants. We will learn about the different parts of a plant and investigate the way water is transported within plants. We will also grow some plants from seed and over time will observe and record its life cycle..

 

While in Design and Technology, we will design and make our own sustainable vegetable garden within the school grounds. In Art we will look at how some famous artists use plants to express their ideas and in Music, we will find out how some famous musicians represent plants in their music.

 

Finally in Geography, we will look at the position of plants in the school grounds and in Wandsworth Park to help us develop our fieldwork skills and map skills. We will also use digital photographs to help us record the physical and human features of these locations. While in History, we will develop our knowledge of the past by looking at historical sources related to a Victorian Garden.