{"id":39668,"date":"2023-04-28T20:09:44","date_gmt":"2023-04-28T19:09:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pioneerfederation.co.uk\/stmarys\/?p=39668"},"modified":"2023-04-28T20:09:44","modified_gmt":"2023-04-28T19:09:44","slug":"cherry-forest-school","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pioneerfederation.co.uk\/stmarys\/cherry-forest-school\/","title":{"rendered":"Cherry Forest School"},"content":{"rendered":"

This term Cherry Class\u2019 topic is all about growing. The children played a game of \u2018you are only safe if you are touching\u2026.\u2019 to learn the names of some of the trees on the playground. We identified the silver birch, cherry and horse chestnut trees, then made tags with the tree name and picture and some illustrated the leaf shapes and some of the fruit the trees will produce. We had lots of fun hanging them in the trees and watching them twirl in the wind. Some of the class created rubbings of the tree bark with wax crayons.<\/p>\n

The children learned to use secateurs safely to cut some willow ready for making and creating. There were imaginative ideas with lovely woodland crowns and plaits and some groups made miniature dens. Fallen blossoms was used to decorate crowns and some children made inventive rings for their fingers using ivy leaves.<\/p>\n

Cherry Class also planted a cherry tree at school. They dug carefully and talked about animals such as worms living in the soil. They also shared their knowledge that trees and other plants give the world oxygen and take in C02. It was great to hear their knowledge and see them take great care of the sapling tree as they planted it.<\/p>\n

The children each chose a \u2018sit spot\u2019 and spent 5 minutes sitting and listening to environmental sounds. Some children used this time to make small collages with the fallen cherry blossom. At the end of their session each of the class played a game of \u2018Spirit of the Forest\u2019. They had to imagine being an animal in the woods and if they were tagged, they changed into a tree.<\/p>\n

At the end of the afternoon each of Cherry Class had a go at writing what they had enjoyed about the afternoon.<\/p>\n

\u201cI liked being calm on my own spot\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\u201cI liked making my miniature den\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\u201cI liked the label I made, it was for a cherry tree and I drew cherries on it!\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n