2nd class got to explore Autumn directly after being in the Forest in the summer term in 1st class. Getting to experience the seasons is always interesting. They go looking for sticky backs (cleavers) to play sticky back tag with in Autumn and only find the seeds of the plant! Things are always changing in nature.

Click on the photos below to have a flavour of what we got up to.  And make sure you look at Liz McMahon’s blog of the sessions on DLR Creativity in the Classroom | DLR Creativity in the Classroom (wordpress.com)

The children got to know one of the trees in base camp really well from different perspectives. And they got to explore other plants too, such as the ash, elder, sycamore, horse chestnut (from which we made soap!), rose and blackberry. Some had compound leaves, some had simple leaves. They used their observational skills to notice similarities and differences and to make connections.

There was tree climbing and lots making using natural resources and games and teas and stories and exploring and observing and questioning and using their senses to get to know the world around them. 

In the classroom, when it was too windy to safely work under trees, they explored various ways to manipulate clay; pinching, poking, pulling, and rolling.  The children learned to use tools such as wooden guides or spacer sticks with wooden rollers to create even slabs. They created lots of different textures using the natural materials from the woods.  And then they used their imaginations to create fairy houses and haunted houses. 

On the last day their adults came up with them and the children got to lead them in making potions or flags or webs or wands or haunted houses!