WORD AWARENESS : Linda took a small group of children to investigate a word.

The chosen word was nature to focus on our Terms project, Back to Nature. Linda read the dictionary meaning to the children and the children used their developing phonological awareness to determine the number of syllables in the word and the beginning sound and to make up rhyming words. They then named creatures and objects and discussed whether they are a part of nature or not.

We looked up the meaning in the dictionary : nature is everything in the world that has not been made by people or machines. Animals, plants and the sea are all part of nature, but buildings and cars are not. Syllables : na ture Two syllables Beginning Sound : nnnnnn-ature nnnnnnnnnnnnn Silly Rhyming Words : Nature - Lature Nature - Dature Nature - Zature

Can you tell me something that is part of nature? a flea; an apple; a wolf; ,a crab; trees and rabbits.

WORD AWARENESS : Linda took her small group of children to further investigate nature. We spoke about Nature is around us. and explored the concept of .

Linda asked the children what the word around meant : around like a apple. all. a head. like a apple, like a circle. something is around you.

We looked up the meaning in the dictionary : around - on every side, all round.. Syllables : a-round Two syllables

Silly Rhyming Words : Around apound Around - adound Around - amound

Beginning Sound : around aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

To reinforce the idea that Nature is around us and to demonstrate the concept of around the children used their Kid on the Block (a block with their laminated picture on it) and placed playdough around themselves. They then added tree cuttings and animals to represent nature.

WORD AWARENESS : Linda and her small group of children revisited the word nature to investigate a word which arose in previous discussions. We spoke about what is part of nature and what has been made by man .

Linda asked the children what the word man-made meant : man-made not nature. Can you tell me something that is man-made? big pencil, toys, racing car, airplane. pictures, cake, cars. books, chair, shoes. The children drew pictures of these things. Beginning Sound : manmade mmmmmmmmmmmm

We looked up the meaning in the dictionary : man-made - made by man, artificial, synthetic.

Syllables : manmade Two syllables

Silly Rhyming Words : man-made : man-dade man-made : man-wade man-made : man-pade

WORD AWARENESS : Linda and her small group of children looked back on their posters about nature and man-made to review their drawings and previous discussions. We then went exploring in the park with a camera to take photos of nature and man-made objects .

We saw : a bird in the tree, grass, magpies, ducks, flowers, snails, trees, gumnuts, more trees, branches, plants, pigeons all part of

NATURE

We saw so many

man-made
objects! Tap & dog bowl, table &chairs, fencing, playgrounds, clubhouse, cars, cricket screens, tennis courts, light poles, old roller, cricket nets, rubbish bins, the Round House, tunnel, rainwater tanks, paths, rubbish truck!

WORD AWARENESS : Linda and her small group of children looked back on their photos of nature and man-made objects taken in our park. The group then worked together to sort the photos into the categories nature and man-made . An understanding of turntaking is a foundation skill for conversation and this type of game encourages much discussion and development of vocabulary. Other children watched on and then asked to play the sorting game too thus extending their understanding of nature.

The children took turns to select a photo and supported each other to sort the objects.