When using themes as part of the planning process, practitioners should always identify a selection of appropriate storybooks and information texts.
This is an ideal time of year to investigate themes that include aspects of 'growing'. Practitioners in many early years settings will be planning to explore 'mini-beasts', 'plants and trees' or 'fruit and vegetables'.
Plants, trees and growing
These topics are perennial favourites, particularly after a cold, dark winter. Some children will notice the changes all around them: the warmer weather, the blossom and leaves on the trees and the spring and summer flowers. But other children need support to notice the bare branches breaking into life and the shoots sprouting from the bare earth.
Of course, nothing beats photographs of the children's actual environment so that they can compare 'now' and 'then'. But books also make wonderful starting points that will encourage children to notice similarities and differences and 'change'.
Growing fruit and vegetables has the added advantage that children can use all of their senses to support their learning. Many children have little understanding that beans or tomatoes come from plants, but both of these grow so quickly that children's interest will be maintained. For even quicker results, consider growing cress.
Understanding the world
Books about plants, trees and growing give children and practitioners lots of chances to explore different aspects of 'knowledge and understanding of the world'.
The most obvious is 'exploration and investigation', but actually growing bulbs, flower seeds or vegetables also gives children opportunities to experience 'a sense of time' in very meaningful ways. Practitioners should consider using information texts and stories as a basis for the creation of a setting version of the book.
Digital cameras can be used very easily by children and after initial adult input and support, they can use them independently. Photographs should be taken of all the resources as seeds or bulbs are planted, and then over time as the flowers or vegetables grow.
Adults and children can edit the images together and create a diary or instruction manual for others. Talking photograph albums (www.tts-shopping.com, 24.99) also allow children to record a short spoken message on every page.
Practitioner expertise
In addition to books for children, practitioners should also try to develop a small collection of reference materials for adults about growing plants and vegetables, and identifying trees.
Here are a few of the most useful:
* My Backyard Garden by Carol Lerner (William Morrow, 3.99).
* Gardening (Let's Keep it Simple) by Patricia Kite (Dorling Kindersley, Pounds 7.99).
* The Kitchen Garden: Simple Projects for the Weekend Gardener by Richard Bird (Ryland, Peters & Small, 9.99).
Additionally, practitioners should try to involve family and community members to share their expertise, or find out more from the following websites:
* www.letsgogardening.co.uk
* www.bbc.co.uk/gardening
* www.vegetable-gardening-club.com
* www.carryongardening.org.uk
* www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening Judith Stevens is an early years adviser for Lewisham Education
ecommended core titles
Look out for other books by these authors
A Seed in Need by Sam Godwin (Hodder Wayland, 6.99) Flowers - Let's Look at Series (Lorenz, 3.35)* Growing Things by Carolyn Scarce (Franklin Watts, 9.99)* Titch by Pat Hutchins (Red Fox, 4.99) Jasper's Beanstalk by Nick Butterworth (Walker, 5.99) Oliver's Fruit Salad by Vivian French (Hodder, 5.99) Ten Seeds by Ruth Brown (Anderson Press, 6.99) Growing Vegetable Soup by Lois Ehlert (Harcourt, 5.99) The Tiny Seed by Eric Carle (Aladdin Paperbacks, 4.99) Flowers by Rene Mettler (Moonlight, 6.99)*
Other titles to consider
* Tilda's Seeds by Melanie Eclare (Ragged Bears, 8.50)
* Katie and the Sunflowers by James Mayhew (Orchard 5.99)
* Jody's Beans by Malachy Doyle (Walker Books, 4.99)
* The Ugly Vegetables by Grace Lin (Charlesbridge, 9.45)
* Starting Life - Tree by Claire Llewellyn (4.99)*
* The Tree by Gailimard Jeunesse (Moonlight, 6.99)*
* Leaves by Patricia Whitehouse (Raintree, 9.50)*
* Flowers - Go Facts by Paul McEvoy (A&C Blackwell, 3.99)*
* Plants and Flowers by Lynn Huggins-Cooper and Shelagh McNicholas (Franklin Watts, 11.99)*
* Why do Plants have Flowers? by Louise Spilsbury and Richard Spilsbury (Heineman, 10.50)*
* indicates part of a series