Spring Awakening
Animals in the spring
by Hannah Taylor
Suitable for Whole School (Pri)
Aims
To consider the importance of spring, its impact on animals and how we can be helpful in this season.
Preparation and materials
- You will need the following YouTube clips and the means to show them:
What is Hibernation? Hibernation for Kids! (Watch 0- 2.42minutes) This can be found at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDUNhiyIKOc
How Do Birds Build Their Nests? This can be found at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yc6idOtmF8o
Let’s Take to the Sky! Migration. This can be found at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FITkjd3dkS0 – (Watch from 8.38minutes)
Assembly
- Ask the question: When we think about the season of spring, what animals do we think about?
Listen to a range of answers. - Point out that some animals hibernate in the winter. Ask if anyone can name animals that hibernate.
Listen to a range of answers. - Ask the question: Does anyone know what hibernation means?
Explain that hibernation happens in the autumn/winter and it is when animals eat lots of food and then have a long sleep until spring arrives.
Show the YouTube clip ‘What is Hibernation? Hibernation for Kids!’ (Watch 0- 2.42minutes) - Discuss the clip by asking questions such as:
Who can remember some of the animals that hibernate?
What do the animals do before they hibernate?
What happens to an animal's breathing before they hibernate? - Explain that you are now going to consider what happens when animals wake up from hibernation.
- Foraging for food
After a long time sleeping, the animals first want to search for lots of food to build up their strength and energy.
This involves squirrels climbing trees in search of nuts; birds flocking to bird feeders and grass to look for insects etc. - Nesting
Spring is the time when animals want to start their own families. They look for safe places to build a nest or den and use twigs, grass and leaves to make them warm and comfy.
Show the YouTube clip ‘How Do Birds Build Their Nests?’ - Migration
Ask the children if they have watched the film Migration?
Explain that migration is when the birds fly away for winter to find a warmer place to live, and then return when the spring arrives. The film Migration shows the ducks' journey and adventures along the way, as they avoid predators and search for food.
Show the YouTube clip ‘Let’s Take to the Sky! Migration’. - How can we help animals in the spring?
There are many things we can do to help the animals in the spring. We can make bird feeders filled with seeds or plant new wildflowers to help the bees and butterflies. We can check that our gardens have no rubbish and are safe for animals. If we go for a walk, we can try to stay on the path so we don’t step where wildlife may be living.
Time for reflection
Springtime is a beautiful season.
Let’s think about how we can look after our wildlife and animals in the spring.
How will we help them?
Allow time for reflection.
Could we make a bird feeder or bug house?
Could we adopt an animal or plant new flowers?
Allow time for reflection.
Prayer
Dear Lord,
Thank you for our beautiful world,
Please help us to protect nature and the animals,
Please help us to care for the world we are in.
Amen.
Song/music
‘Migration’ sound track by John Powel. This can be found at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6PItUvC5js
‘Tidal Wave’ by Doug Horley. This can be found at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWfYpF40i8U
