In this project the children will lean about: Materials that are shiny and materials that are

not

Materials that reflect light and those that do not

The properties of man-made and natural materials in particular those that shine, glitter, twinkle, glow and reflect

•Different sources of light and how light is important in a range of different celebrations including Christmas

•The traditions of Christmas

Creative Development – the children

will: •Play with glittery play dough by rolling, folding,

tearing and cutting. •Create mosaics using small mirrored tiles or

foil. •Join in with and listen to traditional songs,

music and carols by singing, performing actions or playing simple percussion..

•Create prints and collages using metallic paints, prints, stamps and papers, fabrics and wrapping paper of different patterns and colours.

Project Overview: This project has a Knowledge and Understanding of the World focus and enables children to explore things that sparkle, glitter, glow, reflect, shine and twinkle.

Communication, Language and Literacy: In ORACY the children will:

• Think about words that describe a collection of gems and sequins, acrylic stones, gems, jewels, glass balls, orbs, baubles, ribbons, foils and streamers.

• Talk about their personal experiences of celebrations. • Use a range of mirrors to explore their faces and

features. • Talk about what they would like for Christmas.

In WRITING the children will:

•Make marks and draw letters using a range of exciting glittery pens and markers.

•Write instructions for decorating a Christmas tree using photographs taken of the initial experience as a starting point.

•Create their own emergent writing in quiet and peaceful fairy lit, lamp lit environments.

•Make their own story books to re-tell traditional stories of celebrations such as Christmas, Hanukkah or Divali..

•Think about words that could be used to describe a range of ‘Glittering treasures’ found in a mysterious treasure chest.

•Using glitter and fluorescent paints and a range of different sized brushes and rollers, create collaborative murals on to different surfaces

In READING the children will:

•Listen to and read the Christmas story/Laura’s Star •Read in spaces decorated with fairy lights, lamps,

sparkling cushions and glittery decorations to create a magical atmosphere.

•Re-tell and act out stories using shadow puppets, themselves and toys.

•Listen to stories on the theme of light e.g. Laura’s Star.

Mathematical Development- the children will: • Play with small, square edged mirrors to see what happens when

placing them on and next to different objects, patterns and shapes. • Play with and explore a range of transparent and opaque 2D shapes

on an OHP or light box. • Counting items such as glass beads, baubles, spoons, buttons, shiny

coins and mirrored tiles in and out of different containers. • Explore concepts of weight by weighing different numbers of

baubles, buttons and gems. • Explore and play with boxes and parcels of different sizes. • Take part in a ‘Star Hunt’ finding shiny stars numbered 1-10.

Encourage the children to find them in order, or find randomly then order.

Knowledge and understanding of the World – the children

will: • Explore a range of natural gem stones, minerals and crystals . • Explore tubs or buckets of different textural materials and to use words

such as ‘reflective’, ‘not reflective’, ‘shiny’, ‘not shiny’ to describe the different materials and sort in different ways according to their properties.

• Use light boxes to find out what happens as light shines through different transparent objects.

• Visit a church to see how candles are used in worship, celebration and for festival events.

Physical Development – the children will: •Play in and with brightly coloured sand •Explore and search for items hidden in clear

plastic bottles that are filled with coloured sand.

•Find small items hidden in sand and earth. •Help to decorate indoor and outdoor spaces by

hanging, tying, looping and weaving.

Personal and Social Development – the children will: •Look at pictures of people taking part in

festivals from different countries. •Take part in the traditions of Christmas

as part of the school and community traditions.