Detective infants search for clues to their new class books

There was great excitement in Willow Lodge as Infant 1 and Infant 2 children arrived to unusual scenes in their classrooms at the beginning of the first full week of the school year. 

In Wagtails and Woodpeckers, Infant 1 children were shocked to discover that toys had been thrown across the floor and, curiously, vegetables had been left in different locations around their classrooms. 

In Kingfishers and Nightingales, Infant 2 children arrived to find that a tiny creature seemed to have set up home in one of their classrooms. 

Using their observation skills and with clipboards and magnifying glasses in hand, the children worked together to piece together the clues and make deductions about what had happened.  

Infant 1 teacher, Miss Gardiner, explained that the morning’s excitement was actually a creative – and successful – way to introduce the children to their new class books. 

She said: “Using hooks like these is a great way to engage the children. 

“When they arrived to find that their classrooms didn’t look like they usually do, they were immediately intrigued and this always means that they are engaged with this term’s book from day one.”

Mr Blakemore, Infant 2 teacher, has used this technique with huge success for a number of years: “It is a great way to get the children interested in the class book before we have even revealed it, and it also means that they are already thinking creatively around the story and characters.”

This term, Infant 1 children will be reading Supertato by Sue Hendra and Paul Linnet. They worked hard this morning to deduce that Supertato’s arch nemesis, Evil Pea, had caused the morning’s chaos and they are now looking forward to enjoying the hero potato’s adventures. 

Miss Gardiner continued: “Supertato is a great book that also allows us to explore wider topics such as where our food comes from, healthy eating and even food from around the world.”

Infant 2, are still in the process of discovering who the creature is that has set up home in their classroom; they are small, messy and a little bit mischievous. Their book, by Leigh Hodkinson, will soon be revealed!

Click on the image below for more pictures of the infant detectives at work:

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