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EYFS Understanding the world

These resources were created and used by parents during the pandemic. Teachers have since used them for lesson planning inspiration. We’re redeveloping our reception resources to better support day-to-day in class teaching and workload, replacing the resources shown here. This blog explains more.

At the beach

1

1
To name what I might see at the beach

2

2
To name what I need to take to the beach

3

3
To identify animals that live on the beach

Autumn

1

1
To explain the changes that happen in Autumn

2

2
To experiment with mixing colours

3

3
To create a collage

Birthdays

1

1
To understand why we celebrate birthdays

2

2
Birthday Cake

3

3
Birthday Card

Bonfire Night

1

1
To understand why people celebrate Bonfire Night

2

2
To understand how people celebrate fireworks night

3

3
To understand how fireworks work

Christmas Story

1

1
To listen to the Nativity story

2

2
To understand why Christians believe Jesus is special

3

3
To name the important people at the Nativity

Christmas Traditions

1

2
To understand how people in different countries celebrate Christmas

2

3
To look at how Christmas celebrations have changed over time

Climate Change

1

1
To understand the impact of cutting down trees on the rainforest

2

2
To understand the issue of global warming on the polar habitat

3

3
To understand what I can do about climate change

Difference

1

2
To identify key features of my appearance

2

3
To identify differences between my appearance and others'

Diwali

1

1
To understand why some people celebrate Diwali

2

2
To understand how people celebrate diwali

3

3
To create a Diya lamp

Easter (Calendar Informed)

1

1
To listen to the story of Easter

2

2
To understand how people celebrate Easter

3

3
To follow a map

Eid (Calendar Informed)

1

1
To understand why people celebrate Eid

2

2
Make moon and star Eid decorations

Feelings

1

1
To name and describe different feelings

2

2
To act out different feelings

3

3
To represent different feelings

Float and Sink

1

1
To understand what floating and sinking is

2

2
Float/sink experiment

3

3
Build a boat that floats

Growing (Babies)

1

2
To understand what humans need to grow

2

3
To sequence the life cycle of a human

Growing (Plants)

1

1
To understand what plants need to grow

2

2
To sequence the stages of a plant growing

3

3
Construct a beanstalk

Habitats

1

2
To understand what makes a good habitat

2

3
To match animals to an appropriate habitat

Hanukkah

1

1
To understand why some people celebrate Hanukkah

2

2
To understand how Jewish people celebrate Hanukkah

3

3
To learn about the food that people eat at Hanukkah

Healthy Eating

1

1
To identify foods that are healthy and foods that are not healthy

2

2
To learn about different fruits and vegetables

3

3
To create a healthy dish

Jobs

1

2
To explain how something works

2

3
To build a bridge

Journeys

1

2
To understand why people take trains

2

3
To find a train station on a map

Looking after our oceans

1

1
To understand why our oceans are becoming polluted

2

2
To understand what steps can be taken to combat polluting the ocean

3

3
To persuade people to stop polluting the oceans

Me

1

1
To choose and talk about objects that are important to me

2

2
My face in nature

3

3
To reflect on features of my home

My community/ where I live

1

2
To identify my favourite places in my community

2

3
To name important people in my community

My family

1

2
To understand what makes my family unique

2

3
To understand how life has changed over time for members of my family

My friends

1

1
To listen to a story

2

2
To understand how I can be kind to my friends

3

3
To understand how my friends are all connected

On the Farm. Growing (Animals)

1

1
To know the names for the offspring animals

2

2
To know what farm animal offspring need to grow

3

3
To sequence the life cycle of an animal

People who help us (Doctors and Nurses)

1

1
To understand what it means to have a job

2

2
To explain what a doctor does

3

3
To identify where doctors and nurses work

People who help us (Firefighters )

1

1
To understand what a firefighter does

2

2
To create an observational picture of a fire engine

3

3
To recall the key features of a fire engine

People who help us (Police Officers)

1

1
To understand what a police officer does

2

2
To identify the key parts of a police officer's uniform

3

3
To role play being a police officer

Polar Habitat

1

2
To name animals that live in polar habitats

2

3
To identify how polar animals are adapted to the polar habitat

Rainforests

1

2
To identify different animals that live in the rainforest

2

3
Rainforest animals

Space

1

2
Alien handprints

2

3
Build a spaceship/rocket

Spring

1

1
To explain changes that happen in Spring

2

2
To look closely at a flower and identify different parts

3

3
To create a Spring collage

Summer

1

1
To identify changes in the world around me

2

2
Seasons collage

3

3
Build a flower

Transitions

1

2
To identify important periods of transition

2

3
To identify key features of a classroom.

Transport

1

2
Transport Model

2

3
Construct a vehicle

Under the Sea

1

2
Junk modelling sea creatures

2

3
Build a cave

Winter: Hot/Cold

1

2
To understand how humans react differently to hot and cold

2

3
To name things that you can see outside in winter

Woodland

1

2
Construct a minibeast

2

3
To identify what habitats minibeasts like