50 Shades of Green

I have honestly given up counting the amount of days or weeks that Lockdown has commandeered. School is open, for some children, and when I am in I try to do as much outdoor learning as I can, and I know other staff use the outside as much as they can. This week I had the opportunity to have a long look around and it seems the great outdoors hasn't missed us at all!

 The trees are full and vivid and the grass id full of daisies. Despite the dry April everything seems lush and vibrant and enjoying it's human free world!

 The wildlife garden is full of fifty shades of green, and the shrubs are aiming for head height! The Pond has allowed the willow to sprout and a few reeds have started to grow. The grass is growing long but isn't as patchy and the wildflowers are coming through.
The birds have cleared out all the feeders of course and the winds have demolished the bird hide roof!
So I need to do some shopping and some planning - there is wood for the hide to have a 'solid' roof, but with willow walls it's working out how to keep a roof up in the trees with no supporting walls that will take a bit of research!




The polytunnel has benefited from FOUND tools! As teachers use their time to rummage through cupboards and tidy hidden areas and here and there, squirrelled away, 'lost' after use, and harboured in a 'safe place', they found a plethora of tools for the children to use!

 The willow tunnel has burst into life and the leaves are casting shade and looking healthy. This makes me happy because the whips shooting up to the sky will be brilliant for harvesting later in the year ready to plant and use elsewhere in the school!



The hedge that will edge the story trail when it emerges is growing well. 
Of the 280 trees from the Woodland Trust that we planted across the school grounds none so far seem to be withering away.
I know I have others to thank for a good watering during our warmest weather.
The few potted ones in our literacy garden are also thriving.
They could all do with a little TLC, which I hope now that Lockdown rules have altered means I can go along and administer more often!


 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Indoor Forest School

Image
On rare occasions, we need to cover a Forest School session INSIDE. It may be because the weather prevents a session, it may be a staffing issue, it may be an introduction for children who will find the outdoors challenging, but whatever causes it, there are times when setting up activities in a classroom is suddenly needed. I've said before that I have a large IKEA blue bag that I keep certain activities in, these are not necessarily ones I can/will use in Forest School, like jigsaw puzzles, colouring, cutting out, etc. It's fairly quick to add some of the nature table items, bug ID, and bird guides, etc. into the bag to make what is basically 'nature learning' feel a little like Indoor Forest School! One week in December started with me under the duvet with a fever and headache, and a PCR test pending. School canceled Forest School because waiting each day to decide what the following day's timetable would be was too hectic. So once back in on the Wednesday indoor
Read more

Stormy weather

Image
At the risk of sounding even older than I actually am "We have way more storms than we uses to"! Which may or may not be statistically true, but definitely a lot more have impacted our Forest School since 2021 than before. (Red sky in the morning, shepherd's warning!) Often, these charge in overnight or at weekends leaving me tip-toeing onto site to see what damage has been done. Frequently they gather pace at 4pm leaving the school day clear from session, and sometimes, the gods are smiling and they blow themselves out in the morning before the first class is due on site! They always make their mark though. Torn parachutes, flapping tarps, tree debris everywhere, litter blown in, on one occasion a 6ft trampolines rolling across the school. Field... There's the risk assessment required to ensure the site is fit for use, and damage to manage or remove. We're never totally unscathed! Sitting on a plateau at the edge of the South Downs doesn't help. The wind rush
Read more

Outdoor Learning

Image
In my own head, I separate Outdoor Learning and Forest School.  They are interconnected but to me, FS offers activities and supports what the children choose to do, whereas OL has learning intentions and aimed-for outcomes. Year 3 are currently looking at the Stone Age as a theme, and I was asked if I would provide activities to support this. In doing so I would have to remove the children's usual choice, their opportunity to follow their own interests & learning outside, and the ability to respond to what they discover and expand on it. This isn't a 'bad' or 'wrong' thing, but it isn't Forest School. Hence approaching it with a different ethos. In giving 21st Century children a tiny taste of life over two million years ago the week began with a definite learning intention. I went with 6 activities that every child could try on rotation. They would end up with perhaps 10 minutes at each exercise in life long ago, after a chat at basecamp that explained w
Read more