HEI INSPIRATION FOR TEACHERS

LESSON
COLORING
THE TREE
The group starts with looking at pictures of trees with different kinds and
different colored leaves.

OBJECTIVES PREPARATIONS
Practice fine motor skills Print pictures of trees with different kinds and differ-
Support children to see and understand how the life of ent colored leaves or have them ready on your tablet.
a tree changes throughout the year You can also bring real leaves inside to show the chil-
Support children’s imagination dren, if possible.
Promote creative thinking
Practice listening Make some leaf and handprint models ready.
Support children to comprehending things on a bigger
scale

ACTIVITY FLOW
1. Gather children in a circle. 7. At the end of the lesson, clean the place
2. Show them your printed or digital pictures and together with the children. Everyone is
have a conversation about how trees change responsible for cleaning their own place.
throughout the year. You can also tell that trees Remind the children to also help each other if
have memories. there is time.
3. Show them your models or/and real leaves and
explain the following process to the children.
4. Give your models or/and real leaves to children so
MATERIALS YOU NEED
they can assess them.
5. Give instructions on what to do. Also, if necessary
Markers
you should practice using scissors. Children can
Green and yellow paper and carton
draw their own leaves by following your models
Scissors
or they can design their own leaf shapes by using
Printed, digital and/or real leaves
their imagination. They can also use their hands
to make leaves by following the outlines of their
own hand with a marker. Fingers should be
NOTE
spread apart from each other to make the drawing
easier. They draw the outlines of their hand onto
Let the children’s imagination run wild when they
the paper. After drawing leaves or handprints,
start making their art. Try not to guide them too much
children can start cutting the shapes out of the
with the final result.
paper with scissors, on their own. Make the leaves
Based on the children’s developmental levels, the
and handprints both in green and yellow paper.
children can tear out the models instead of using
6. Encourage children to use their imagination.
scissors.
Emphasize calm and attentive working, especially
when working with scissors.
The green leaves are used for the children to draw or
write what they liked about the year. The yellow leaves
are used for families to write their assessments and
feedback on the past school year.
 HEI INSPIRATION FOR TEACHERS

LESSON
WHAT DID WE
LEARN? - PART 1
Children practice to share their thoughts and feelings with each other.

OBJECTIVES PREPARATIONS
Help children brainstorm and explore the topic Get a big pieces of white paper in the room.
Enhance understanding of the topic
Promote creative thinking
Practice waiting and taking turns
Practice expressing oneself
Practice listening

ACTIVITY FLOW MATERIALS YOU NEED

1. Gather the children in a circle. Colored pencils
2. Discuss about memories and the importance of A large piece of white paper for each group
talking about them.
3. Divide the children into small groups and ask
them to think about their memories about the
past HEI Schools year.
4. Give each group one piece of white paper and
colored pencils.
5. Tell each group to create a collective drawing
about their memories during the past HEI Schools
year.
6. Place the drawings in a place where everyone can
see them.
7. Ask each group to tell about their drawings in
turns.
8. Guide the conversation with the following
questions:
What was your highlights of their year? What was
easy during the year? What was hard during the year?
What did you like during the year? What did you
dislike during the year?
9. Encourage the children to share ideas and hopes
for the next HEI Schools year. Write down their
ideas.
10. Reread what you have written. Wrap the lesson
by telling the children that you will continue this
task next time.
 HEI INSPIRATION FOR TEACHERS

LESSON
WHAT DID WE
LEARN? - PART 2
Children practice to share their thoughts and feelings about
the past HEI Schools year.

OBJECTIVES PREPARATIONS
Practice fine motor skills Have all the equipment needed for the activity.
Empower artistic skills
Promote creative thinking Have your notes on hand from the previous lesson
Practice expressing oneself about children’s memories.

Hang children’s drawings on the wall from the previ-

ous lesson.

ACTIVITY FLOW MATERIALS YOU NEED

1. Gather the children together and explain that it is Markers
time to continue the task that we did last time. Pens
2. Read the notes to the children from the previous Paint, brushes and necessary accessories
lesson. Leaves and handprints (the ones from the part 1
3. Ask everyone to take their own leaves and lesson - Coloring the tree)
handprints they made earlier.
4. Tell the children to choose their own style to put
their thoughts on the leaves and handprints.
5. They can draw, write or paint. Instruct children to
put the ready ones in the same place.
6. Circle around the children and observe if someone
needs help or has difficulties to get started.
7. At the end of the lesson clean up together.
8. Gather around the ready made leaves and
handprints, and admire and wonder the results
with the children.
 HEI INSPIRATION FOR TEACHERS

LESSON
TIME TRAVEL
PREPARATIONS
Children begin to prepare the upcoming Time Travel photo exhibition.

OBJECTIVES PREPARATIONS
Promote cooperation skills Teachers need to decide whether to arrange an exhibi-
Promote the feeling of agency in children tion either together for the whole school or separately
Promote children’s active role and participation for each group.

Make sure you have a lot of different photos from the

past months. It is also important to note that all the
children are present in the photos.

ACTIVITY FLOW
1. Gather the children to sit in a circle and tell that 7. Try to arrange the exhibition so that the photos
today you will prepare the upcoming Time Travel are in chronological order.
photo exhibition. 8. Help the children hang the photos on the wall
2. Explain that you have divided the past year´s and have the Time Travel photo exhibition at
photos according to the months when they have the end of the week where the families are also
been taken. invited to.
3. You can show one photo at a time from every
month and recall the event together with children.
Encourage the children to share their thoughts MATERIALS YOU NEED
and memories about the photo.
4. After you have gone through all the photos from Photos from the past months
every month, tell the children that it is time to
start preparing for the photo exhibition in small Tape for hanging the photos on the wall
groups.
5. After you have divided the children into small
groups, share the photos so that each group has
all the pictures from at least one month. Each
group should have one adult helping.
6. Decide together how you arrange the photos.
For example, is it possible that the photos of
a particular month are placed in one room or
separate area?
 HEI INSPIRATION FOR TEACHERS

LESSON
MY FAVORITE
MOMENT OF
THE HEI YEAR
Children express their favorite moment of the past HEI School year visually.

OBJECTIVES PREPARATIONS
Practice expressing oneself visually Make sure you have various materials that the chil-
Children plan and make art based on their imagina- dren can choose from.
tion and own ideas
Promote creativity
Strengthen hand-eye coordination
Strengthen fine motor skills

ACTIVITY FLOW MATERIALS YOU NEED

1. Gather the children to sit in a circle and tell that Blank Paper
today you will think back to the past HEI Schools Markers
year. Paint
2. Begin the activity by dividing the children into Brushes
small groups. Cameras
3. Each group walks through the Time travel Various crafting materials
exhibition which you prepared earlier, and
explores the photos together with a guidance of
the teacher. NOTE
4. After the tours, gather the children together
and explain that they get to draw, paint, craft or Observe the children and ensure that everyone gets to
photograph their favorite moment of the past HEI begin their work. You can help the children to begin
Schools year. working by asking questions.
5. Introduce all the materials and let the children
explore and use them freely. Encourage the
children to let their imagination run wild!
6. After everyone has finished their work, encourage
the children to introduce their productions.
7. The children´s art work can be hung on the wall of
the Time travel exhibition month it relates to.
 HEI INSPIRATION FOR TEACHERS

LESSON
CLEANING DAY
Children clean the classroom before the summer holiday begins.

OBJECTIVES PREPARATIONS
Promote cooperation skills Make sure you have enough cleaning equipment for
Practice helping others everyone.
Promote the feeling of agency in children
Promote children’s active role and participation
Prepare the environment for the summer holiday
Practice cleaning

ACTIVITY FLOW MATERIALS YOU NEED

1. Gather the children to sit in a circle and tell that Various cleaning equipment: rubber gloves, cloths,
today you will clean the classroom together. vacuum, etc.
2. Explain to the children that the summer holiday
will start soon, and it is nice to leave the school
clean. NOTE
3. Have a discussion with the children about the
cleaning tasks that should be done during the day. You can also agree that during the day, every child
Write down the children´s suggestions. collects their belongings and takes them home for a
4. You can also have some sort of a list about the summer vacation.
cleaning tasks, which may include for example:
- Pick up the toys and put books in a bookshelf
- Wipe the tables and shelves
- Vacuum the floor
- Pick up the trash
5. Let the children choose a task they would like to
do and encourage them to work together in pairs
or in small groups.
6. Ensure that everyone has a pleasant task
according to their own developmental level and
interest.
7. Before you start cleaning, get to know the cleaning
equipment together and how to use them
properly.
8. Observe the children and give your help when
needed but show your appreciation and do not
redo their work!