Sticks and Ropes Forest School Sheffield
Day 1:
Our story begins on a desert island. Children create their character and discuss their role in the group. Our first project will teach children about the relationship between us and fire and the importance of it. We collect the right materials for building and lighting a fire using natural materials like twigs, bark and dry wood. Children develop the story based on their experience.
Day 2:
Children explore their surroundings and discover landmarks and look for distinctive features of the forest island. They learn ways of getting around by being mindful of everything that is alive in the woods. Children get to look at different types of maps and decide on how to create their own map of the 'island'.
Day 3:
Sign of intruders are discovered in our area. Children find out they are not alone on the 'island' and discus possibilities of how our story develops. Do we need to protect ourselves or do we reach out? Children explore sound and music as way of connection with each other.
We stop and listen to the sounds around us and look into ways of recreating these sounds vocally, by making musical instruments and sound alarms.
Day 4:
Children look at the videos captured by the cameras placed the previous week and find out what animals cohabit with us on the 'island'. We discover our powers of transformation and we all choose our animal avatar. We learn about insects, animals and birds that are part of our ecosystem and children design, build and decorate their own birdhouse. Our story takes an unusual turn...
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Day 5:
Building on the last week where we looked at cohabiting animals, children explore different shelter types used by animals. We discuss the main function of shelter, and talk about the difference between natural and 'man made' building materials. Using what we know, and have observed in nature, we create a shelter.
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Day 6:
Gradually, we learn how to work with our surroundings and we look into how to navigate our surroundings. The children will have the opportunity to design their own walking sticks with the help of visiting woods-man Neil.
We will work extensively with whittling knives, rasps, sand paper and coppiced hazel to craft these and hopefully, it will be challenging and rewarding in equal parts!
Day 7:
Our story concludes.
Children will whittle and customise their part of a totem, and we will say our goodbyes.
We will also celebrate our achievements with games, stories and food.
