Areas of Learning: Knowledge and understanding of the World, Creative Development
Context: Context: Exploring the natural environment.
Learning Intentions: To find out about and identify some features of living things and objects they observe (KUW).
To explore colour, texture, shape, form and space in two or three dimensions (CD).
To respond in a variety of ways to what they see, hear, smell, touch and feel (CD).
Success criteria: I can describe natural and man made materials.
I can sort materials in different ways.
I can join materials in different ways.
I can choose different colours and materials for a purpose.
Key Vocabulary: environment, natural, man made, recycle, artist, sculpture, feel, see, texture, colour, stone, sand, ice.

Activity One:
You will need: digital camera, IWB or data projector, digital images.
Explore sculpture by local artists or look at images of sculpture by famous artists for example Henry Goldsworthy and Andy Moore. Encourage the children to describe the materials, shapes and colours and how the sculpture makes them feel.

Activity Two:
You will need: digital microscope, magnifiers, sorting hoops, natural materials.
Use feely bag to encourage the children to describe natural materials. Explore materials using the digital microscope. What can you see looking at the material using the digital microscope that you couldn't see before? Sort the materials in different ways.

Activity One:
You will need: natural materials, magnifiers, paper, charcoal, pastels, simple paint program.
Use different media to create observational drawings of natural materials. Compare these with observational drawings using tools in a simple paint program.

Activity Two:
You will need: wire, tissue, sequins, beads, pasta, string, thread, feathers, twigs, shells, leaves.
Create a group sculpture using natural materials. Explore different ways of fixing and joining materials.

Activity One:
You will need: paper, wax crayons, charcoal.
Use wax crayons and charcoal to create rubbings on materials in the environment. Explore using different colours, thicknesses and textures of paper.

Activity Two:
You will need: natural materials, printing trays, printing ink, roller, paper, pencils.
Place natural materials on printing tray covered in ink and cover with paper to create printed images. Draw around objects using a pencil on paper placed on the printing tray.

Activity Three:
You will need: natural materials, plasticine, play dough, clay, plaster of paris.
Push natural objects into plasticine or clay to create ‘fossils'. Fill the mould with paster of paris and paint.

Thinking Questions: What is the same or different about the materials?
Can you sort the materials in the different way?
Can you describe the material using the digital microscope?
How does your sculpture make you feel?
What materials, colours or shapes can you see in the sculpture?
How does your sculpture change when the wind blows?
What other natural materials could you use?
Can you make a sculpture from man made materials?

Plenary/Recall:
Can you make a sculpture using different materials?
Why do we need to recycle materials?
How do we recycle materials?
How can we recycle materials in our setting?