It’s 10:30 am and scores of children are chasing each other on the playing field of Chester Castle All-Age School in Hanover. Jasent Plummer gazes at them for a while, before clapping to get the attention of the 30-plus fifth graders she’s in charge of. Although she’s a chain or two away, they respond almost instinctively to the faint sound and return to the hot classroom for science class.

Today, they are looking at the food chain and by the time the class is over, they’ll know much more. This is because Plummer, who has been teaching since 1974, has the perfect introduction for the lesson.

“Eat some food and grow every day, grow every day.”

The class, still high on playing field energy, quickly picks up the catchy refrain, and gets into the action of the song stretching their arms eagerly to the zinc ceiling, which is designed with several panels to admit the sunlight.

The 56-year-old Plummer, whose mobility is slightly impaired by the poliomylytis she contracted at the age of four, does the actions along with them.

After the song, she moves straight into the lesson. First, she throws out a couple of questions to find out what the class knows. Most of them understand the importance of food as a contributor to their growth and a source of energy, thanks to the song.

A few can make the connection between the sun as the main source of energy, and the role it plays in the food chain. So Plummer arranges them in five groups and gives them the task of illustrating the food chain. It’s a competition, and the group that finishes first will be rewarded.

Everybody is thoroughly engrossed in the quest for victory.

“Draw it properly man… dat nuh do good,” says a member of one of the groups, who doesn’t want to sacrifice quality for speed.

One group announces excitedly that it’s finished. Realising that the game is up, the rest finish up too. They jostle to the front of the class, eager to show off their handiwork.

Plummer smiles and settles into the role of student as they explain the illustrations. Now and then she asks them for a synonym. This for them is great fun, as they see vocabulary as an important indicator of intellectual prowess.

The lesson is over. Plummer, who will retire in the next three years, congratulates them and gives them a break. In a few minutes it will be time to move on.