My Body Collage
Level 3 promotes critical thinking and personal responsibility. 'My Body Collage' strengthens reasoning about health and safety decisions.
- Framework: EYFS
- Unit: EYFS Health, Safety and Hygiene
- Learning area: Understanding the World
- Level: EYFS Reception
Objectives
- Analyse health decisions
- Justify reasoning
- Extend with writing or data tracking
Instructions
Materials
- Large sheets of butcher paper or poster board
- Non-toxic markers and coloured pencils
- Safety scissors and glue sticks
- Assorted magazines featuring diverse human figures
- Pre-cut labels for body parts like head, torso, arms, and legs
- Mirrors for student self-observation
Learning Objectives
- Identify and name major external body parts and their locations.
- Demonstrate fine motor control by cutting and pasting images to create a cohesive figure.
- Explain the function of specific body parts during a group discussion.
- Categorize body parts correctly based on their anatomical position.
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Gather the children in a circle and use a mirror to discuss the basic anatomy of the human body.
2. Ask students to point to their own heads, shoulders, knees, and toes as you name them to build vocabulary.
3. Provide each student with a large sheet of paper and have them trace their own hand or arm to begin the collage base.
4. Instruct students to look through magazines to find images of people or individual body parts that represent their own physical features.
5. Demonstrate how to safely cut out the images using scissors, emphasizing the importance of keeping fingers away from the blades.
6. Guide students to arrange their cutouts on the paper to form a complete human figure.
7. Assist students in gluing the pieces down, ensuring they place the head at the top and the legs at the bottom.
8. Encourage students to use the provided labels to identify and stick the names of the body parts next to the corresponding areas on their collage.
9. Invite students to share their completed collages with a partner, describing one thing their body can do, such as run or jump.
Educator Tip
To differentiate for advanced learners, ask them to draw internal organs or add labels describing the function of each body part. If a student struggles with spatial awareness, provide a pre-drawn outline on their paper to guide where the collage pieces should be placed.
Assessment
- Observe the student correctly placing labels on the corresponding body parts.
- Listen to the student describe the function of at least three different body parts during the sharing session.
- Evaluate the student's ability to assemble a recognizable human figure using the provided materials.
Educator tip
Use simple rubric; insist on justification; allow multiple correct solutions; support with exemplars/word banks.
Assessment
Assess against Early Learning Goals (ELGs). Document evidence of 'expected' or 'exceeding' descriptors. Note: independent application of skills, ability to explain reasoning, and capacity to build on prior learning. Rubric: reasoning, clarity, independence.