The children are learning about Maps as part of their Geography curriculum this term. They all had a look at maps of the village before we left. We looked at features of a map, the key, roads, a church, bridges, footpaths, bridleways, rivers and woodlands. The Impact of the knowledge of maps they had was evident on our walk to the woods.
Using a compass and the map, the class worked out our first direction to take was West, under 2 bridges.
We looked at badgers sets along the way and learned how to identify signs that badgers were living in sets below the track we took.
“Where we walked was like walking on the roof of a whole badger city!”
We talked about how to use a compass and magnetism in the centre of the earth. They used their scientific enquiry skills by looking at the ditches and puddles along the old railway line and learned that iron in the soil, colours the water orange.
Once in the woods the children all created their own compass bearing maps out of sticks and other found resources. They worked in pairs or small groups, making their own creative decisions about how to note North, East, South, West and shared their mnemonics on how to remember it.
Some groups went on to add features to their maps, like trees and the fire circle in the woods.
Willow Class call the bridge we cross “The noisy bridge”, as they can tap and stamp on it to make rhythms. They had a go at learning the song “Three little birds” and tapping sticks along to the rhythm of the song.
After making their own maps, Willow class had all showed the impact of the skills of working with natural resources to create with. They set off into different spaces in the woods. Climbing the fallen tree, the slack line and playing in the dens they have made and making up their own imaginary play stories in groups.
The impact of Forest School can be seen through the skills, tools used, art and craft activities, observations and knowledge of the fruit, plants trees in relation to the seasons and the skills involved in learning how to play Forest School games. This week they played 1,2,3,change tree and had great fun in the process!
We ended the session, by being so quiet we could hear a great tit call and have a go at repeating it’s sound. The children successfully passed a woodland whisper along the whole class line and were great at sharing what they had enjoyed during the session.
“ I loved the game 1,2,3,change tree”.
“I loved playing with my friends in the dens”.
“ I liked the walk and talking to people along the way”.
“ I liked climbing on the fallen Oak tree…it was like my castle!”
“ I loved the slack line, it was more of a challenge to go around and in the trees”.
“ I saw a badgers set, the hole”.
