EXPLICIT/INTENTIONAL
TEACHING
Mat Session: Introduction
Read book “Autumn Leaves” to
children. Ask students if they
have ever collected leaves that
have fallen off trees. What did
they do with them? (Collect
them, paint with them, dry them,
stick them in books)
Conclusion: Back onto mat, pass
around a leaf and get students to
say one describing word about
the leaf before passing it on. (Can
pass if they don’t know or ask a
friend)
Objective/s:
 Explore different parts of plants
in various activities
 Understand that
leaves/sticks/seeds all come from
plants
 Describe the properties of a leaf
OUTCOME 1: Children have a strong sense of
identity
Children feel safe, secure, and supported
Children develop their emerging autonomy, inter-
dependence, resilience and sense of agency
Children develop knowledgeable and confident self
identities
Children learn to interact in relation to others
with care, empathy and respect
CENTRE
Playdough Play: Using earth coloured
playdough (green, brown, yellow, red),
students can manipulate and create their
own shapes, imprinting them with stamps
and natural leaves/sticks.
CENTRE
Sunflower Seeds: Bring in a large dried
sunflower head and place on a large tray
with some small glass jars. Students can
explore and pick out seeds from the
sunflower and place into jars. This is a great
sensory experience and works fine motor
skills to get seeds out.
ASSESSMENT + RECORDING
 Questioning during activities (Formative)– “Where do we find these? Where do
seeds come from? Which part of the plant is this?”
 Mat activity – describing a leaf – simple checklist (tick next to name) on who could
provide and answer and who couldn’t
OUTCOME 2: Children are connected with and OUTCOME 3: Children have a strong sense
contribute to their world of well being
Children develop a sense of belonging to groups and Children become strong in their social and
communities and an understanding of the emotional wellbeing
reciprocal rights and responsibilities necessary for
Children take increasing responsibility for
active community participation
their own health and physical wellbeing
Children respond to diversity with respect
Children become aware of fairness
Children become socially responsible and show
respect for the environment
CENTRE
Leaf Stamps: Using leaves from the
garden/around childcare, children can
paint the leaves different colours and print
them onto paper to create collage and
experiment with how different
shapes/sizes create different patterns.
CENTRE
Water Bottle Discovery: Fill 4 or 5 clear
bottles with water and place different
seeds, nuts, leaves, berries, sticks (items
from plants) in the bottles. Ensure bottles
are sealed properly and cannot be undone
and allow children to roll, shake and play
with bottles to explore the contents.
OUTCOME 4: Children are confident and involved learners OUTCOME 5: Children are effective communicators
Children develop dispositions for learning such as curiosity, Children interact verbally and non-verbally with others for a
cooperation, confidence, creativity, commitment, enthusiasm, range of purposes
persistence, imagination and reflexivity
Children engage with a range of texts and gain meaning from
Children develop a range of skills and processes such as problem these texts
solving, enquiry, experimentation, hypothesising, researching and
Children express ideas and make meaning using a range of media
investigating
Children begin to understand how symbols and pattern systems
Children transfer and adapt what they have learned from one
work.
context to another
Children use information and communication technologies to access
Children resource their own learning through connecting with
information, investigate ideas and represent their thinking
people, place, technologies and natural and processed materials