Autumn 2

 

During the autumn term, Year 2 took part in an exciting planting project, planting two sets of cowslips around the school grounds. One set was frozen first, to see whether replicating the natural winter frost would help them grow more successfully, while the other set was planted without freezing for comparison. This investigation links to our work on protecting local wildlife, as cowslips are the main food plant for the rare Duke of Burgundy butterfly. By learning how best to grow cowslips, the children are helping to develop a stronger food network and support the survival of this special butterfly in our local environment.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  Autumn 1

Year 2 had a wonderful time visiting Winchester Wood, where they planted cowslips to help protect the special Duke of Burgundy butterfly. They worked like real junior rangers, carefully cutting back overgrown bushes and raking up the freshly cut grass. Everyone enjoyed being outdoors, helping nature, and having hot chocolate!

 

 

Our Butterflies

The children have been learning about two butterflies: the Brimstone, which is common, and the Duke of Burgundy, which is much rarer. Through discussion, they explored how the Duke of Burgundy depends on cowslip plants for survival, and how growing more cowslip can help support this threatened species. To put their learning into practice, the class worked together to plant cowslip seeds in the school grounds. Half of these seeds had been frozen beforehand to replicate the effect of a natural frost, giving them the best chance of germinating successfully. This hands-on activity helped the children see the link between their classroom learning and real-world conservation.