Seasons Introduction

Overview

Duration: 50 minutes
Class size: 4 students
Unit: Seasons and Living Things (Lesson 1 of 21)
Year group: Year 1
National Curriculum Reference:

• Science Programme of Study: Plants and Animals, including humans — “Seasonal changes”
• Pupils should be taught to: “observe changes across the four seasons” and “describe weather associated with the seasons and how day length varies” (DfE, National Curriculum for Science, KS1)

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Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, pupils will:

• Identify and name the four seasons: Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter
• Describe key features and changes in the environment during each season
• Recognise and verbalise what clothes they might wear and activities they might do in each season
• Develop vocabulary related to seasons and weather
• Participate actively in group discussion and observation

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Curriculum Links

• Science: Working Scientifically (observing closely, describing what they see)
• Personal, Social and Emotional Development (PSED): Taking turns in discussions, listening to others
• Communication and Language (CL): Speaking using full sentences to describe observations
• Understanding the World (UW): Recognising seasonal changes in their environment

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Resources Needed

• Large colourful laminated picture cards representing each season (trees, weather, clothing, activities)
• Real clothes or props for each season (e.g., sunhat, scarf, wellies, jumper)
• Whiteboard and coloured markers
• Printed seasonal vocabulary cards (e.g., snow, leaves, sun, rain)
• "Season Wheel" – a simple spinner with four sections labelled by season

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Lesson Structure

1. Warm-up (5 minutes)

• Welcome & Introduction: Gather pupils in a circle.
• Ask: “Can anyone tell me what a season might be?” Allow short answers.
• Introduce the lesson’s learning objective: “Today we will learn about the four seasons and what makes each special.”

2. Explore and Observe – Seasonal Picture Cards (15 minutes)

• Display the 4 laminated picture cards one by one (Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter).
• For each season, guide pupils to describe:
  • What is happening in the picture? (e.g., leaves falling in Autumn)
  • What the weather might be like? (cold, warm, rainy, sunny)
  • What clothes are people wearing? Use real clothes/props to reinforce vocabulary.
  • What activities might you do? (e.g., building a snowman in Winter)
• Encourage pupils to use descriptive language/sentences: “In Winter, it is cold, and I wear a scarf.”
• Write key seasonal words on the whiteboard as pupils contribute.

3. Interactive Activity: Season Sorting (15 minutes)

• Mix all pictures, clothes, and activity props on a table.
• Pupils work together to sort items into four groups, one for each season.
• Use the Season Wheel to spin and prompt discussion: “Which season do you think this goes to?”
• Ask pupils to explain their choices, reinforcing reasoning skills.

4. Reflect and Share (10 minutes)

• Sit back in a circle and review each season briefly.
• Use questioning to encourage recall and verbalisation:
  • “What is your favourite season and why?”
  • “What clothes do you like to wear in Summer?”
  • “Can anyone name an activity you do in Autumn?”
• Record pupils’ answers on the whiteboard in simple sentences to celebrate their contributions.

5. Plenary and Assessment (5 minutes)

• Quick verbal quiz: Show a seasonal picture or item and ask, “Which season is this?”
• Ask pupils to describe one thing they learned today.
• Provide positive verbal feedback emphasising curiosity and participation.
• Explain briefly what will be covered in the next lesson (e.g., “Next time, we will look more closely at Spring and what plants do.”)

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Assessment for Learning

• Ongoing observation of participation in discussions and sorting activity
• Use of vocabulary in context (season names, weather descriptions, clothing, activities)
• Responses in plenary quiz to check understanding of seasons’ characteristics

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Differentiation

• For more confident pupils: Encourage expanded sentences and explanations during discussions.
• For pupils needing support: Provide sentence starters and visual cues; pair with a peer for sorting activity.

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Extension Ideas

• Introduce a simple weather chart for children to complete daily at home, recording weather and date to link season with real experience.
• Create a “Season Photo Book” over the unit with drawings or pictures collected per season.

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Reflection Notes for Teacher

• Monitor how well pupils use descriptive vocabulary and grasp the concept of seasons as recurring annual cycles.
• Note any pupils struggling with observation skills or vocabulary for targeted support in future lessons.
• Consider adding a tactile seasonal sensory box next lesson to engage multiple senses.

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End of Lesson 1: Introduction to Seasons