If the Role Play corner is set up as a flower shop, it will be a very

attractive display, but it will also give many opportunities for

intellectual and social development.
The following aspects could be introduced or developed:
Sequencing (number, shape or story)
Sorting (letters, numbers, colour, shapes)
Appropriate use of spoken language (questioning, answering, story-telling, giving
and receiving orders)
Mathematical language connected with measuring, money or shape
Appropriate use of written language (non-continuous prose such as lists, orders,
posters, receipts, messages, labels; continuous prose such as letters,
advertisements, job descriptions, instructions; notation for money)
Using information for a purpose (data handling, information retrieval)
Time management and the passage of time
Alphabetical knowledge
Knowledge about number, especially counting
Handwriting
IT skills
Measures using standard and non-standard measures of length

Initial Activities
It is a good idea to sow some seeds several weeks beforehand so that the children
will have some plants and flowers of their own to include in the shop (chives, spring
onions, lettuces, sunflowers, marigolds, not potatoes/tomatoes (leaves), nasturtiums
(seeds) or hyacinths as these are poisonous.
Arrange a visit to a local flower shop/market stall and ask the children to do the
following:
a) Plan the route, draw a pictorial map, and on return, check the plan against the
actual journey taken
b) Take photographs to tell the story of the journey and the visit; display the
photographs in sequence to tell the story of the journey and the visit; ask the
whole class to label significant features while individual children list their
special memories
1

c) Buy some flowers and compare the cost per flower for different flowers. List
the flowers bought. Draw the flowers carefully and label parts of the flower.
Count the numbers of flowers in different bunches.
d) Survey the customers what are they buying? Why are they buying? Using the
data collected from the survey, draw graphs using ICT as appropriate. Talk
about different types of anniversary
e) Question the shopkeeper where do the flowers come from? Who buys the
flowers? Talk about the answers to the questions posed to the shopkeeper.
Mark on a map where the flowers have come from
f) Survey the different flowers available and use the data collected from survey
to draw graphs using ICT as appropriate

Possible activities which are linked to setting up the shop

a) Renting the space write and send letters to the Governors and/or the Head
to be allowed to rent space to set up the flower shop
b) The Joiner letters could be written to a joiner to ask him/her to measure
and make up appropriate shelves. The children could measure alongside the
joiner, then measure in groups. The joiner could present a bill for the
measuring and the children could write a response
c) Job advertisements look at job ads (real or compiled by the teacher). Write
job descriptions for a manager and assistants and interview applicants
d) Signs make signs price lists, open/closed signs, sign over shop, labels for
flowers
e) Greetings cards and messages the children could remember the message
cards provided by the flower shop/market stall and bring into school any
birthday and Christmas cards from home. After discussion, the children can
make their own greeting and message cards to be put into the shop
f) Flowers make flowers and plants from material, paper and tissue paper, using
bought material flowers as models
g) Wrapping paper make their own wrapping paper, emphasising, repeating or
symmetrical patterns and pictures, appropriate for particular anniversaries
h) Plans make plans to suggest the layout of the Role Play shop and its contents
after discussion about the layout of the real shops
i) Contents of the shop ask the children to work in pairs or groups, to list the
items needed for the shop (flowers, pots, vases, cash register, coins, wrapping
paper, message cards
etc)

Activities outside the Role Play corner, but linked to it:

a) A catalogue of plants and flowers the children could draw, paint or cut out
of magazines, pictures of plants and flowers, then add information under
specific headings, such as: price, height, planting time, flowering time etc. This
catalogue could be used for a CD ROM database, for information retrieval skills
(scanning, skimming and use of contents and index), and for tabulations
b) A book of flower arrangements a visit could be arranged from a flower
arranger who could explain the basic shapes and techniques. The children could
then make a book which shows flower arrangements which can be ordered from
the shop
c) Message and greetings cards can be sorted according to type of anniversary,
illustration, main colour, age, numbers etc. The results of this sorting can be
recorded as a Carroll or branching diagram. The children can study and discuss
the cards, then make their own, and write the message inside
d) Calculations the children could calculate the number of days to a special day,
maybe using a time-line
e) Posters the children could study published posters, concentrating on the size
of the font, simplicity of message and clarity of illustration; the children could
make their own preferably working in pairs, as this will encourage discussion and
co-operative work
f) Seed packets lots of information is included on seed packets, which can be
analysed according to the varying abilities of the children. For many infant
children, a study of the illustration and a few details regarding planting and
care are sufficient. The packets can also be used for the following:
Estimating and counting the number of seeds
Sorting different types of seeds by shape, size, initial letter, colour etc
Matching seed packets with information in a published/childrens seed
catalogue
Making a seed packet
g) Growing plants it is a good idea to start to grow plants and flowers before the
shop is opened, so they will be available from the beginning, but caring for
growing plants can be part of the flower shop owners job description. Each
child could also keep a diary of the growth of their own plant
h) Instructions for planting seeds as an example of the importance of text
sequencing, the children can produce instructions for planting seeds, either in
pictorial form with labels, or in continuous prose
i) Visitors
Florist questions about flowers, arrangements, messages, thank you
letters
VIP for opening ceremony invitations, speeches

Gardener questions about seasonal influences, sequencing seasons,

techniques regarding planting and care, thank you letters, display to
illustrate a gardeners work according to each season
Joiner necessary for shelves working alongside the children
j) Roles discuss the characteristics of different roles
k) Reference books and materials let the children use them at their own level
for the following:
Matching live plants to the pictures, one catalogue with another,
information from two sources
Information retrieval, using structural guiders, such as the contents,
index, headings etc