Creating Bear Masks

Overview

This is Lesson 5 of 6 in the unit Goldilocks' Learning Adventure. Reception pupils will create their own bear masks using craft materials. This hands-on activity encourages creativity, develops fine motor skills, and consolidates their understanding of the story’s characters.

Duration: 30 minutes
Class Size: 36 pupils

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National Curriculum Links

Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) — Characteristics of Effective Learning & Specific Areas

• Expressive Arts and Design (Creating with Materials):
  • Use a range of small tools, including scissors and paintbrushes
  • Explore different materials, using all their senses to investigate them
  • Represent their own ideas, thoughts and feelings through design and technology, art, music, dance, role-play and stories
• Communication and Language:
  • Use talk to organise, sequence and clarify thinking, ideas, feelings and events
• Personal, Social and Emotional Development:
  • Show confidence in speaking to others about their ideas
  • Develop self-confidence and self-awareness
• Physical Development (Fine Motor Skills):
  • Use a range of small tools safely and with good control
• Understanding the World:
  • Comment on images of familiar situations in the past

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Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, pupils will:

1. Identify and describe the three bears from Goldilocks and the Three Bears.
2. Develop fine motor skills by cutting, sticking, and colouring materials to create a bear mask.
3. Express creativity by designing individual characteristics for their masks.
4. Use language to describe their bear mask and relate it to the story.
5. Demonstrate cooperative behaviour by sharing resources and ideas with peers.

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Resources

• Pre-cut mask shapes (bear face outline) made from card/paper
• Various collage materials: coloured paper pieces, pom-poms, feathers
• Crayons, felt-tip pens, washable paints
• Child-safe scissors and glue sticks
• Elastic bands or ribbon to secure masks
• Pictures of the three bears for reference
• Storybook or visual props of Goldilocks and the Three Bears

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Lesson Structure

1. Introduction and Recap (5 minutes)

• Gather pupils in a circle.
• Show the pictures of the three bears and briefly recap their names and characteristics: Papa Bear, Mama Bear, Baby Bear.
• Ask questions to engage pupils: "Which bear did you like? Why?" "What makes each bear different?"
• Explain today they will make masks to look like the bears from the story.

2. Modelling the Task (5 minutes)

• Show a completed bear mask example.
• Demonstrate how to decorate the mask using scissors to cut shapes, glue to stick on features (ears, nose), and colouring.
• Emphasise safe use of scissors and tidy table rules.
• Explain they can choose which bear to make or create their own bear design inspired by the story.

3. Mask Creation (15 minutes)

• Pupils work at tables in groups of six to allow sharing of resources and peer support.
• Teachers and teaching assistants circulate to support cutting, gluing, and encourage imaginative additions to masks.
• Encourage pupils to talk about their choices while working, e.g., "I’m making Baby Bear's nose red."
• Monitor fine motor skill development and intervene with guidance where needed.

4. Sharing and Reflection (5 minutes)

• Gather pupils back into a circle wearing their masks.
• Invite each child (or a volunteer) to say which bear they made and one thing about their mask.
• Recap the link between their mask and the story’s characters.
• Praise their creativity and use of skills.

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Assessment Opportunities

• Observe pupils’ cutting and sticking skills to assess fine motor development.
• Listen to pupils' vocabulary and sentence structure during discussions about their masks.
• Assess ability to follow instructions and work cooperatively with others.
• Note creativity and individual expression in mask designs.

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Differentiation

• Provide pre-cut shapes or additional adult support for pupils who find scissors challenging.
• Encourage more able pupils to add extra details such as patterns or background scenes on their masks.
• Use verbal prompts for those needing help to express ideas about their bears.

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Extension Ideas

• Use the masks in a role-play circle to retell or act out the story, reinforcing understanding of narrative sequence and character traits.
• Create a simple storybook or display with photos of the masks and "about my bear" captions written with adult support.

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Links to Next Lesson

The next lesson will focus on role-playing with the masks to deepen comprehension and oral language development aligned with the EYFS Communication and Language strand.

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With this fun and creative session closely linked to EYFS requirements, pupils will leave with a tangible artefact of their learning journey in the Goldilocks unit—actively practising communication, social skills, and physical coordination.