Kilrickle National School: Winter Aistear

The theme for Aistear was 'Winter' for the past 4 weeks. The children were so thrilled when the snow and ice even timed their appearance so perfectly to add to this month's learning!

We began by tuning in our 5 senses with a nature trail around the school grounds, finding snowdrops and daffodil shoots, calling to the Bug Hotel, listening to the sounds of nature, spotting a nest in the tree, and even getting caught up in a hail shower!

The children learned all about the Arctic and Antartica, and the animals that live in these places. Using the concept of blubber, we carried out an experiment to see what it felt like to be an animal with blubber. Tying a pillow around the child's middle, they had to pick up an object off the ground. We also carried out a 'hot and cold' experiment and how winter animals react to both. Using hot and cold water, the children dropped pieces of paper into the boxes and noticed that the cold water was slow to absorb water and 'sleep' like winter. The hot water absorbed the water faster and 'wakes up' like it's spring.

After watching a slideshow on the lives of Inuit people, the children listened to the story 'Mama, Do You Love Me?' and made Inuit children tucked up in their winter clothes. They made some cosy winter hats too. The children also listened to the stories 'I Love You Sleepyhead', 'Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear?' and 'Big Bear. Little Bear', and listened to the audio story of 'Tom Crean's Rabbit'. They played Winter Bingo and they also performed the 'Winter Hokey Pokey' and listened to some winter themed songs.

The children put a lot of work and effort into making their group acrostic poem about winter, as well as all of their activities in their winter booklets.

And of course, playing and having fun in our 'in house' igloo for the month, topped it all off perfectly!