This week, Class 1 at St Chad’s Catholic Primary School, Witton Park have been busy exploring their senses to help them describe a setting in their writing. Inspired by the beautifully rich story Anna Hibiscus’ Song, which is set in Nigeria, the children immersed themselves in sensory learning to bring their ideas to life.
Listening to the Sounds Around Us
Linked to the book’s vibrant African setting, the children used their sense of hearing to describe how birds sing. They listened carefully and thought about how the sounds could be represented in words — from gentle chirps to cheerful trills.
Using Our Eyes for Observation
The children also used their sense of sight to describe what birds look like. They discussed colours, shapes and movement, helping them build descriptive sentences full of detail.
Tasting Tropical Fruit
To deepen their understanding of Nigerian culture, we explored mangoes, just like in Anna Hibiscus’ Song. The children used their sense of taste to talk about how the fruit felt, tasted and smelled — with lots of excited reactions!
Exploring Nature Through Touch
Outdoors, Class 1 used their sense of touch to explore the texture of tree bark. They described whether it felt rough, smooth, bumpy or hard, adding new vocabulary to support their descriptive writing.
Discovering Scents in Nature
Finally, the children used their sense of smell to explore the scent of leaves. They talked about what the smells reminded them of and how they could describe them in words.
The children came up with fantastic descriptive vocabulary throughout the week, showing real creativity and enthusiasm. It was wonderful to see them so engaged as they brought the world of Anna Hibiscus’ Song to life through their senses.
We’re incredibly proud of their amazing effort and imagination!