Our First Week:
After over 30 years teaching in a classroom, it was a strange but wonderful experience to take all the teaching and learning out into The Forest. The children found it the most natural thing to do. After the second day, we started to see a pattern to our Forest learning. The boys liked to spend the first half an hour exploring the pond and fishing for frogs. Morning tea in The Forest became a time for a story and a discussion about all the insects that we have begun to find. This led us into the question of" how can we identify an insect?" Lunch time was a great time for literacy activities. Our numeracy and maths activities seem to happen at every opportunity.
After morning tea it was time to use the Forest white board.
Each day, there were exciting discoveries. " Treasure" at the bottom of the pond led us to a treasure hunt focusing on making a treasure map and following directions to find the hidden treasure.
Three days of hot dry weather was barely noticeable learning amongst the coolness of the Forest trees. However, water play did occupy much of our time. The boys set themselves a challenge to see how many walnut shells they could send down the water course and learned a great deal about using water as a means of transportation.
|
Our writing and reading activities next week will follow on from "how to make an ice block". Setting a time to see if they had set was a great opportunity to use the cardboard clocks and learn about how to read o'clock.
It is hard to believe that so much teaching and learning can happen in three short days. Most of this learning was led by the children. All our discussions, our literacy and numeracy arose from the discoveries made in The Forest. The children's reading books were accounts of their own adventures. They became the characters in the books. What a wonderful way to set the scene for further learning and teaching in The Forest. At the end of the three days, the children happily chose to sit at our Forest table and make their own treasure maps. Their conversation was rich with mathematical language.
Week 2
The Forest was a haven this week. We enjoyed our learning and our play under the canopy of the trees. We were joined by a number of very noisy cicada who played their part in our insect study.
In reflecting where our Discovery Learning took us this week, it is hard to know where to start.
Tuesday was Pirates' Day. We not only searched for 12 hidden pirates in the Forest but we read maps,built a Pirate Ship and walked the plank. Literacy was focused around letter P using white boards, sensory bins and treasure hunts. The opportunity to practice our numeracy skills seemed to happen all day. We counted pirates, seriated them and calculated how many were missing.
After reading Mrs Pirate who bought a pie and a patch for her eye, we couldn't stop sharing rhymes.
On Thursday we made bird pies. These will be used as part of our writing and reading during the following week.
In amongst all this, the boys continued their fascination for water power. Trial and error lead them to ensuring all our marbles sped down the water course in a wonderful clicking and clacking noise. Fortunately, their dam prevented them from landing in the pond and disturbing the frogs!
It seems that The Forest has captured the boys' imagination and our learning journey is well underway.
Week 3:
This week we met our first challenge weather wise - windy conditions! Large stones were needed to hold down paper and books. It did give us some ideas of how to cope during the coming winter.
The woodwork table has been the main focus of choice this week. We used this interest to generate problem solving activities.
Using our letter box,we received a letter from the Fairy Queen who was most concerned about the Fairy living at number 15 The Forest. The roars from her neighbours in the Dinosaur Pit were pretty scary and the children were asked to help out. They decided a fence was needed. After a great deal of measuring and hammering, a fence was erected. Not content with this, fairy lights now adorn her tree!
The children are very interested in signage. They have begun making their own signs. Now that we have a "real" letter box ( kindly donated by a neighbour) we will continue the excitement of receiving and sending letters. These are great ways to motivate young writers.
Our fascination for insects continued this week. A wasp nest was discovered and after it was dealt with safely, we dug out the eggs to have a closer look. Magnifying glasses were used a great deal this week. Each mini beast was examined to see if it really was an insect.
Numeracy and Literacy continue to fill our days in a very holistic and natural way. This week we went on treasure hunts for letters Cc and Ff. We wrote stories and made our own readers. We took every opportunity to count, to order and to solve number problems.
Our weeks are full of exploration and wonderment!
Week 4.
This week seemed to be taken up with lots of maths and science concepts. Our learners found an old balance spring in a box of tools and wanted to know all about it. We hung it from the closest tree and set about trying to see if we could make the spring extend to it's fullest capacity. Many large weights were tried but none of them were heavy enough. After lots of experimenting and lots of discussion, it was decided that perhaps all of the weights might just be needed. Success!
The balance spring had a scale written along the side .....obviously written for weighing in pounds but it was fun to read off the numerals and finally reach 22.
Our learners took a keen interest in submarines after reading a book called Super Submarines. We set to building our submarines. The first problem was to make the objects sink. Then the subs needed periscopes and other contraptions. After a great deal of experimentation the submarines were ready to take to the water. some of the designs needed modifications but the final results can be seen below. Wonderful thinking skills, problem solving and persistence!
Week 5
Longworth Forest has engaged our learners in writing mainly through two resources - our letter box and The Forest signage. We have been writing on whiteboards, paper, cardboard and shaving cream. The letter box has given a purpose to our writing and even our neighbour has supported us with a reply to our letter of thanks for the donated letter box. Once children are engaged in writing there is no going back. We have all been bitten by the bug!
At Longworth Forest , our numeracy occurs all day every day. We take every opportunity to count, add, subtract and order. All our tea party crockery and utensils needed cleaning so quite naturally we started counting them as we laid them on the table to dry. Our counting took on the pattern of "one more" as we worked our way up to 20.
We opened our new attribute set and explored the shapes. Very quickly we were drawn to the hexagon shape and made the connection with the wasp nest we had found earlier. We discovered that 6 triangles made a hexagon and asked ourselves why.
We opened our new attribute set and explored the shapes. Very quickly we were drawn to the hexagon shape and made the connection with the wasp nest we had found earlier. We discovered that 6 triangles made a hexagon and asked ourselves why.
This week we were treated to a visit from children at a local school. The Forest welcomed 19 New entrants along with their Teachers and Parents. It was a wonderful day of sharing, learning and discovering. The children brought along their frogs and set them free in our pond. We promised to take great care of them. An update on their progress will no doubt provide more opportunities to write letters.
At the end of a busy week there was nothing better than to grab a piece of cardboard and slide down the paddock. Our confidence with taking risks grows each week. |
Week 6
Another beautiful week in The Forest. We attempted to make yoyos from balloons filled with water. We measured the elastic before we attached it to the full balloon and then we measured the elastic after filling the balloon with water. Great measuring skills with teddy rulers. We understood that the amount of water in the balloon determined the stretch of the elastic. Sadly,our balloons didn't withstand the weight of the water so we enjoyed filling up lots of balloons and seeing the water spurt out. We realised it was the air in the balloon that turned it into a volcano. As the water tank was near, our learners experimented by placing the full balloon into the water. It turned into a speed boat. Through assisted discovery, we covered so many scientific ideas. Who would have thought we would have finished up with exploring air pressure.
We were very distracted at Longworth this week. A bobcat arrived to level part of the paddock. It was great fun to watch and the learners were able to climb on the bobcat pretending they were working the controls. The area had to be grassed and we discussed how we could keep the birds away. We decided on making a scarecrow. We had great fun stuffing the clothes with hay but the hardest part was to make sure the scarecrow stood upright and kept his clothes on!
Our learners have developed a high level of interest in early reading skills. These skills are practiced every day in a holistic way. We make our own readers based on all the interesting activities that happen every day.Our learners are the "stars" of the books and this is one reason why our interest levels are high. In such a short time, the Forest environment has enabled our learners to master pointing one to one, recognise letters and words and understand rhymes. We love reading our own books and poems.
After such a busy week, we still had time to paint with the help of our trees!
Week 7
We can hardly believe that Longworth Forest has been operating for 7 weeks and that it is very nearly the end of Term 1. Every week is jam packed with learning experiences and there are always new and exciting things to discover especially with the impending change of seasons.
This week we tackled letter Dd. For many 5 year olds this is not an easy letter to distinguish from letter b. D led us to dragons and dinosaurs. As there had been a tidy up in the Forest with many lower branches lying under the trees, we had the perfect material to build a dragon's cave. Then of course the cave needed dragons. Our learners decided that other Forest dwellers needed to be warned about the possibilities of meeting a dragon, so signs were erected.
This week we tackled letter Dd. For many 5 year olds this is not an easy letter to distinguish from letter b. D led us to dragons and dinosaurs. As there had been a tidy up in the Forest with many lower branches lying under the trees, we had the perfect material to build a dragon's cave. Then of course the cave needed dragons. Our learners decided that other Forest dwellers needed to be warned about the possibilities of meeting a dragon, so signs were erected.
Once our dragons were established in The Forest we received a letter from the Dinosaurs who wanted us to think of a way to protect them from the dragon's fire. It was time for another fence. This gave us the opportunity for more measuring.
Our learners were very involved in a number of imaginary games this week. It was great to stand back and watch the complexities of the plots unravel and to listen to their complex sentence structures. Their oral language was full of words used to ensure co-operation and team work.
Once again, painting was a great relaxing pastime after a busy day. A mirror was used for our co-operative painting and quite naturally the painting became an exploration into mixing colours. This in turn, became an opportunity for lots of oral language.
Once again, painting was a great relaxing pastime after a busy day. A mirror was used for our co-operative painting and quite naturally the painting became an exploration into mixing colours. This in turn, became an opportunity for lots of oral language.
The end of another busy and rewarding week in Longworth Forest.
Week 8
Our most challenging week! The rain started on Tuesday and continued throughout the week.We all longed for the rain but after over 110mls we are hoping next week is a little drier!
We began our week with a nature ramble. It took us out of the Forest and up a steep roadway. We thoroughly enjoyed finding all sorts of seeds and seed pods. Our best find was an enormous perfectly formed mushroom. It was so magnificent that we decided to leave it growing by the roadside. Thankfully all other walkers felt the same because it continued to grow all week. It was also a good time to stand and look out at the wonderful scenery around us and to admire all the horses in our neighbourhood. We brought our "treasures" back with us and used some of them to make beautiful pictures.
We began our week with a nature ramble. It took us out of the Forest and up a steep roadway. We thoroughly enjoyed finding all sorts of seeds and seed pods. Our best find was an enormous perfectly formed mushroom. It was so magnificent that we decided to leave it growing by the roadside. Thankfully all other walkers felt the same because it continued to grow all week. It was also a good time to stand and look out at the wonderful scenery around us and to admire all the horses in our neighbourhood. We brought our "treasures" back with us and used some of them to make beautiful pictures.
We continued our enthusiasm for writing but this week we had to take our activities inside. Our learners now know quite a number of high frequency words and they have made a strong connection with the writing process. They love to identify the words they need and then take them off the felt board. We turn to learning the letter sounds to spell any tricky words. It was a great opportunity to try out our new extra large white board!
Surrounded by water this week, it was only natural that boats seemed to feature every day. We began by trying to make a ball of plasticine into a boat that floats. Once we had mastered this it was time to try out bigger boats and rowing boats. Our learners realised that by pushing them along with sticks they became speed boats and great fun was had with boat races all the way up and down the creek. Obstacles in the way were soon cast aside! The tricky problem of sailing under the bridge was soon mastered. Gumboots were filled with water and multiple changes of clothing were needed. We continued our outdoor activities despite the weather.
Longworth Forest vegetable garden has flourished with the rainfall and this week our learners picked their first lettuces to take home.
Week 9
It us hard to believe that this is the end of Term 1 at Longworth Forest. The rain this week did not dampen our spirits or prevent our need to be outside. Our very committed parents are now in the habit of delivering a big bag of clothes on the Tuesday and collecting those we haven't used at the end of the week. If their washing load has increased ( as I am sure it has) they have not complained. I thank them for their patience.
With all the rain we spotted all sorts of interesting fungi growing in the Forest. We were fascinated with the array of colours and decided to leave as many intact as possible. It is surprising how long they last under the damp warm conditions. Their appearance generated lots of oral language.
We seemed to go full circle with our activities and once again our learners were very keen to continue their water play and their need to try to catch a frog. The boats were floated and jet propelled up and down the stream. Finally after all our endeavours seemed to be hopeless, our learners caught a frog! This frog was no ordinary frog as it had a foot missing. There was much discussion as to the reason for this. The conclusion.....it was "born" that way. Our plucky frog was returned to the water and we watched it swim away slowly and awkwardly.
With all the rain we spotted all sorts of interesting fungi growing in the Forest. We were fascinated with the array of colours and decided to leave as many intact as possible. It is surprising how long they last under the damp warm conditions. Their appearance generated lots of oral language.
We seemed to go full circle with our activities and once again our learners were very keen to continue their water play and their need to try to catch a frog. The boats were floated and jet propelled up and down the stream. Finally after all our endeavours seemed to be hopeless, our learners caught a frog! This frog was no ordinary frog as it had a foot missing. There was much discussion as to the reason for this. The conclusion.....it was "born" that way. Our plucky frog was returned to the water and we watched it swim away slowly and awkwardly.
Our scarecrow had served us well and with the new grass sprouting, it was time to say goodbye.
With Easter just around the corner, it was appropriate to have a chicken treasure hunt, write a letter to the Easter Rabbit and make Easter baskets.
As there is a huge rabbit hole in the Forest, our learners thought it would be the best place for our letter. The baskets were hung from the tree above the rabbit hole Our learners were quick to point out that they had to hang low as rabbits couldn't climb trees....especially laden with eggs! The chicken treasure hunt was a great opportunity to introduce the Tens Frame. This will be used next term during our numeracy work.
As there is a huge rabbit hole in the Forest, our learners thought it would be the best place for our letter. The baskets were hung from the tree above the rabbit hole Our learners were quick to point out that they had to hang low as rabbits couldn't climb trees....especially laden with eggs! The chicken treasure hunt was a great opportunity to introduce the Tens Frame. This will be used next term during our numeracy work.
Another week in the Forest and the end of a wonderful term, We look forward to Term 2 with all the exciting learning possibilities ahead of us. What better way to finish this term than to have fun.
Term 2 Week 1
A brand new term! The beautiful weather has continued................mild and sunny! We are so lucky.
This term Longworth Forest welcomes Oliver to our little group of learners.
Recently, I have been asked by a few people to explain Assisted Discovery Learning. So, this term as I diary our weekly adventures, I will give examples of Assisted Discovery learning in the Forest.
Building seems to have been the chosen activity this week. It all began with a pile of old decking, a rope and some tools. Our learners decided to build a bridge over the creek using the decking. They soon came up with a great idea for making a safety harness ( see the middle photo). Listening to their conversations was a privilege! Lots of co-operation, great negotiating and amazing language. My role was to observe, listen and provide help when it was requested. My few suggestions were considered carefully but not always taken up. This was Assisted Discovery learning in action.
This term Longworth Forest welcomes Oliver to our little group of learners.
Recently, I have been asked by a few people to explain Assisted Discovery Learning. So, this term as I diary our weekly adventures, I will give examples of Assisted Discovery learning in the Forest.
Building seems to have been the chosen activity this week. It all began with a pile of old decking, a rope and some tools. Our learners decided to build a bridge over the creek using the decking. They soon came up with a great idea for making a safety harness ( see the middle photo). Listening to their conversations was a privilege! Lots of co-operation, great negotiating and amazing language. My role was to observe, listen and provide help when it was requested. My few suggestions were considered carefully but not always taken up. This was Assisted Discovery learning in action.
We have been learning about worms and hope to begin our very own worm farm next week. So, the vegetable garden was a great place to start digging! We had found out that worms become paralysed by light after one hour so we were quick to place them back into the dark earth. The largest earth worm ever found measured 6 metres. This was a great opportunity to practice our measuring skills. 6 metres is very long!
Our learners have become fascinated with speech bubbles and thinking bubbles. So, when given a choice of ways to write, they were keen to try out the speech bubbles.
This week, we discovered water beads. After leaving the tiny beads over night in a container of water, we were so excited to discover how big they had grown. It proved to be a wonderful sensory activity and a great opportunity for exploring capacity. We each chose a container and filled it with water beads to leave for a few days. It will be interesting to see what happens to them when our learners return to the Forest next week.
|
Week 2
Our learners began the week by setting up our worm farm. We followed a procedure and took photos along the way so that we could make a big book to read later. Everyone wanted to supply the worms with food straight away but they had to be left for a few days to get used to their new home. We hope the old woollen cardigan we cut up will contribute to their comfort! The tiger worms did prove to be a little disappointing as we expected large worms with stripes! As we made up the worm farm, we chatted about all the worm facts that we had learned over the last week.
On Wednesday, despite the darkening skies, we set off on an expedition. We took our nets and decided to investigate a new pond, we also hoped to find dinosaur bones. The pond did not yield any interesting creatures although one or two learners were convinced there was an octopus in the middle of the water. This led to an interesting discussion about creatures that live in salt water and fresh water.
Once over the fence we were delighted to discover lots of amazing bones. It looked like a dinosaur graveside. Everyone selected their favourite bone to take back to the Forest. Our next discovery was an old hut. We were all keen to look inside but thought we had better have another adult with us to check out how safe it was. Reinforcements were called for the next day. Imaginations were running wild especially as we saw an old bone hanging from the hut.We were sure we saw a skeleton in the hut! Not only that but it was wearing jeans!
An old steel pipe in the ground caught our eye and even Molly the horse joined our learners. Then it was time to return to the Forest and find a special place for our bones. They have become a great addition to the dinosaur pit and have started us off on investigations about bones and skeletons.
Another wonderful week of learning, playing and exploring.
Week 3
Reports and photos of the discovery of new dinosaur bones found in Argentina set our learners off on a dinosaur theme. We talked of the work of Paleontologists and of course we all wished we could be there digging up fossils and bones. So, with a great deal of enthusiasm our learners began digging!
Amazingly, our enthusiasm was rewarded and bones were uncovered. These had to be identified, washed and laid out in the sun to dry.
Reading about dinosaurs we discovered that they were reptiles who laid eggs. To do this the dinosaurs made nests so we decided to use the Forest materials to build dinosaur nests of our own.
"Dinosaurs " weren't the only focus for learning this week. We received a letter from the Fairy Queen asking the learners to build a pathway from her house leading away from the scary bones. She even provided some beautiful tiles. Our learners discovered how to mix concrete and set the tiles.
A pile of new round posts and the urge to build shields and swords also kept our learners busy. All our activities this week are great examples of Assisted Discovery Learning. Sometimes a suggestion, a problem, a set of circumstances or just choosing to wear a helmet to The Forest are enough to spark discovery and adventure. The learning this week has taken many twist and turns. It has been exciting and unpredictable but great fun!
Week 4
The sun continued to shine this week although each morning dawned a little chilly. Digging for dinosaur bones, making animal traps and exploding volcanoes kept our learners busy. In addition, our new bow and arrow proved to be a real hit! Fortunately this particular one proved to be perfect for 5 year olds and very unlikely to cause any harm. Even so, safety rules were discussed and put into place. By the end of the week, the eye, hand co-ordination of all our learners had improved immensely. Our learners were VERY excited with our new resource.
The interest in digging has continued and there was a great deal of discussion about how deep the hole had to be for animal traps. Elaborate covers were made to disguise the holes. They almost caught out the adults and one or two children.
Volcanoes and fizz and foam seem to go quite happily with traps and dinosaurs so we were pleased when Luke's sister brought her volcano along to the Forest to show the eruption. The next day we experimented ourselves with mixtures that foam and fizz.
Animals, insects and birds feature in some way every day at The Forest. Our learners have a wonderful empathy toward all the wild life. The Forest worm farm is progressing well. The worms are fed regularly and a wet tea towel ensures they are in a damp environment. Our alpacas and sheep are fed by hand each morning. The alpacas co-exist quite happily in the Forest environment and are often waiting by the gate for our learners to arrive. This week we visited the two goats on an adjoining property. As a bonus, we were followed all over the paddock by a fantail. It was very inquisitive and came very close. We were all intrigued with the fantail's bravery.
All the activities this week were driven by our learners. We followed their interests and built upon their knowledge and above all else we had lots of fun. We constantly love to challenge ourselves. Our reading, writing and maths continue each day and because our learners are engaged and happy, the progress in these areas is amazing. Our week finished with a maths day where we shared our favourite number and decoded secret messages to find hidden treasure in the Forest.
Week 5
This week we were treated to very chilly temperatures early morning but then beautiful sunny days. Our learners still have a great interest in digging, building and all things "dinosaur". So, we began to paint our beautiful dinosaur eggs. The colour of a dinosaur egg was discussed many times. The conclusion was that as no-one was alive when the dinosaurs ruled the earth, we were at liberty to choose any colour we liked!
We applied our literacy and mathematical skills to following a recipe. This occurred after reading "The Witch In The Cherry Tree" by Margaret Mahy. Following the mandatory making of witches, our learners made their own creations with the remainder of the mixture.
After explaining to our learners that visitors were expected at The Forest the following morning, our writing took on a new purpose. The table was moved outside to enjoy the sun and it wasn't very long before the welcome signs took shape.
As insect life is abundant in The Forest, we are often talking about and examining different insects. This week we extended our interest to spiders. We reviewed last term's knowledge about insects and quickly realised a spider isn't an insect. As our learners are still keen to make traps, we talked about the Trap Door Spider. A quick look on You Tube and our learners were amazed at the speed with which these spiders caught their food. We drew diagrams and then our learners chose to disguise themselves as preying mantis and a wasp!
After another busy week, we finished by experimenting with plaster of paris to make dinosaurs. Rather than buying modelling clay, it was great to dig up the clay from the paddock. The results may be dubious but time will tell! Our learners were happy to bury some of the dinosaurs in the mud pit for future explorations.
All the activities this week show Assisted Discovery learning in action.....the Teacher as a facilitator, suggesting, prompting, gifting knowledge where appropriate and providing resources. There is a time for all types of learning and the trick is to know when to assist and when to just observe. To this end, we are all still learners. The photo below was a time for me to just observe. Here are the learners in their "flying boat". Notice them leaning back just like the crews taking part in yacht racing.
Week 6
Tuesday dawned bright and dry. It was a special day with a visit from our next learner who is due to start in two weeks. The boys had great delight in providing conducted tours of the Forest. It is always amazing that children can be so inclusive and can make friends so easily. By the time farewells were called for our learners had well and truly opened up our circle of friends.
Wednesday and Thursday can be described as our most challenging days. Constant and heavy rain overnight on Tuesday altered the whole look of the Forest. So, Wednesday morning was spent marveling at all the changes to the environment. The creek had swollen, the dams and water falls were noisy with the constant flow of water and there was no need to turn on the hose to fill the trough for the water course.
Once all the changes had been checked out, our learners lost no time in making boats, bridges and markers to measure the depth of the water. I provided materials and chatted to them about their projects. I was told that one boat had a nail for a mast but "it's ok because it's got something around it like on the Sky Tower to stop lightening strikes".
Wednesday and Thursday can be described as our most challenging days. Constant and heavy rain overnight on Tuesday altered the whole look of the Forest. So, Wednesday morning was spent marveling at all the changes to the environment. The creek had swollen, the dams and water falls were noisy with the constant flow of water and there was no need to turn on the hose to fill the trough for the water course.
Once all the changes had been checked out, our learners lost no time in making boats, bridges and markers to measure the depth of the water. I provided materials and chatted to them about their projects. I was told that one boat had a nail for a mast but "it's ok because it's got something around it like on the Sky Tower to stop lightening strikes".
Lots of time was spent unblocking the creek and the dams. Our learners were intrigued as the where the water came from and where it was flowing to.
Even though the "climbing tree" proved to be particularly challenging in the wet weather, our learners ventured further along the branch and decided that the tree needed some trimming for better access. The task required a great deal of grim determination!
There was time this week for some indoor activities and we continued to try to master the art of working with plaster of paris. Our models were firm enough to paint and our learners took great care building houses for the animals.
Our learners have developed an interest in spiders. So, following on from the urge to make traps, we focused on the Trapdoor Spider. With the help of books and You Tube we developed a fascination and admiration for their skills. We also had fun making our very own Trapdoor Spiders!
Week 7
After many suggestions to our learners that our veggie garden needed some attention, Tuesday seemed to be the day they were motivated to clean up the old bean stalks and dig out the weeds. Broad beans were planted along with peas. It was a good opportunity to learn about the seasonal changes. Some plants like to grow in the cooler weather. The old bean pods were opened up to reveal more large purple bean seeds for our next planting in Spring.
Our next job was to clean up all the clay that had been dug up when a new fence was erected. We decided to use it to make mud monsters or in this case clay monsters. Our learners put their creative juices to work and decorated a tree with these impressive monsters. We are not sure what will happen when the clay dries out.
Every day our learners are keen to build bridges and contraptions from the planks of wood, nails and tools available to them. Their games around these items are becoming more and more involved.
On Thursday, illness hit and we were missing one of our learners. This was a great opportunity to give a real life purpose to our writing. Get well letters, with an update on news from the Forest, were written and delivered the next day.
Our learners were delighted to see that our worm farm had produced lots of worm wee. So, it was time to bottle it and take it home for the gardens. This proved to be more difficult than it looked. The tap was resting on the ground so our learners had to offer solutions as to how we could make the tap work. Planks of wood were brought to the worm farm until the tap was high enough to work. The process of emptying the worm wee was a perfect time to talk about capacity and to estimate how many more tins were needed to reach the top of the plastic bottles. Our next problem.......the bottles had labels for "Spring Water". We worried that the content was definitely not spring water. new labels were needed. The bottles of worm wee were duly taken home and hopefully proved to be wonderful food for the garden.
Our interest in spiders has continued this week. We have learned that different spiders have different ways of trapping their food. It was time to make our own spiders for the Forest. So, using black balloons and red paper, our spiders looked very fierce and ready for battle!
We are very excited to be welcoming a new learner to our Forest Community next week. It will be a great time to celebrate Matariki!
Week 8
Our week started with maths. As we are now four learners, it was decided that we needed four planks across the pond. So, after lots of estimating, measuring and carefully selecting the wood, the fourth plank was ready to try out. As it was a little narrower than the others the risk factor was higher. This didn't deter our learners who all wanted to be the first to use it. This was such a contrast to the very hesitant steps across the first plank when Longworth Forest first opened.
Our learners all have such a wonderful attitude toward writing. White boards are very popular and work really well in the forest environment.
Some interpretation is probably needed! I am going up the volcano. I caught a fish on a boat. I went on a tractor. We caught a digger in the pond. Our learners LOVE exclamation marks!
By the end of Tuesday, our learners were all set to challenge themselves ...........how to hang like sloths.
By the end of Tuesday, our learners were all set to challenge themselves ...........how to hang like sloths.
Some interpretation is probably needed! I am going up the volcano. I caught a fish on a boat. I went on a tractor. We caught a digger in the pond. Our learners LOVE exclamation marks!
By the end of Tuesday, our learners were all set to challenge themselves ...........how to hang like sloths.
By the end of Tuesday, our learners were all set to challenge themselves ...........how to hang like sloths.
Daily life in The Forest, surrounded by animals, birds, plants and insects naturally encourages empathy. When a dead thrush was discovered, it was a good time to be able to carefully observe the bird close up. Our learners decided it should be buried in the vegetable garden along with a dead frog. Holes were dug and the deceased creatures were laid in them with due reverence. Two of our learners decided they wanted to make crosses to mark the spot. It was a magical moment to witness such empathy from 5 year olds.
Our very busy and exciting week finished with physics. Large cardboard tubes proved to be the best ramps to race golf balls. There was plenty of discussion about how fast or how slow the golf balls would roll once one end was positioned on a chair.
With one last week to go of term 2, we will finish with another trip to our dinosaur site and we will hope that our beautiful weather continues.
With one last week to go of term 2, we will finish with another trip to our dinosaur site and we will hope that our beautiful weather continues.
Week 9
This week began with a maths challenge. We used our new metre rulers and set about making Forest Monsters that were 2 metres tall. Anything in the Forest could be used for the Monster. After some discussion, our learners decided to team up in pairs. This was not only a good way to try out some accurate measuring but it required a certain amount of team work. Team work and co- operation seemed to feature even more so in all our activities this week. The Forest Monsters looked pretty impressive and the measuring was spot on!
Wednesday was set aside to make another trip to explore the Dinosaur bones. However, by 10am this was the scene at the Forest! Falling in the pond is something they all want to avoid at this time of the year but despite that, anyone who does so seems to gain a certain kind of respect from all the others.
After a change of clothes and boots and sustained with morning tea, we set off to see the "dinosaur "bones. Our learners were able to choose their own bones but it was expected that if they didn't fit in the bag, they had to carry them back up a very steep hill. These bones were so prized that our learners helped each other to carry them back to the Forest. They were immediately changed into masks.
Assisted Discovery learning focuses on the process rather than the product. This was especially true with two activities this week. As we will not be in the Forest for two weeks and we wanted to help the birds to find food, we made new bird feeders from plastic pipes and sticky paper.Our learners found the most interesting part of this activity was using the electric drill to make holes in the tubes. Attaching the sticky paper was less interesting but they were all very impressed with the perches.
Our second activity required some tricky problem solving skills. How could we turn a cardboard tube into a musical instrument? This involved a discussion about trapping the sound. It took a few attempts to make the wax paper fit over one end of the tube....a great lesson in sharing ideas and understanding spatial concepts.
All our learners are constantly challenging themselves and the single swing found at most parks was past it's use by date. It was time for a swing that required team co-operation and a massive amount of fun. So, over a lunchtime they all helped to erect the new challenge!
On the last day of term our learners were asked to make some signs for the Forest. Visitors were expected at our open hour so our learners were asked to think of important information the visitors might need to know. Here are the results.
Team work and co-operative activities happen every day in The Forest. As we finish the term and break for the holidays it is time to reflect on how far our learners have progressed in all aspects of the curriculum. Longworth Forest has become a community of Learners, Parents and Teachers working together. We all look forward to term 3.
Term 3 Week 1
When Our learners arrived at The Forest after 2 weeks holiday, it was as if they had been away for just a weekend. They all explored the Forest to see the changes over the last fortnight and then settled to unblocking the stream. They all seemed very happy to be back together again. The team work and co-operation that is a feature of all our learning and play was immediately evident.
Our learners have a new project this term, to build a fort that will contain at least 4 children. A suitable site was chosen and plans were drawn. There was a lot of discussion around how many doors the fort should have, what the roof will be made out of and how they could climb from the fort to the big hill. Our learners dismantled a fence for their wood so we are well underway!
We have a very deep and large rabbit hole in The Forest and it is often used to hide treasure. Our learners wanted to know if it was still being used by rabbits. They came up with the idea to find out by leaving a carrot in the hole overnight. Imaginations were running wild when our learners were convinced the carrot had been nibbled!
Wednesday was our most challenging day weather wise. It was cold with sleety rain. We did spend the worst part of the day inside and it seemed a good time to make chocolate crackles. It was a good chance to practice our measuring and to discuss how heat changes solids into liquids. The chocolate crackles were a welcome treat on such a cold day. The recipe was taken home as part of our reading for the day.
Our interest in signs continues and when given the choice of how to practice their writing, everyone chose to erect signs in The Forest.
Despite temperatures hovering around 7 degrees and accompanying showers, it seemed that the urge to make "glue" could not wait another moment! Our learners were very precise about the recipe they were thinking about. The amount of water was crucial. Water that was emptied out of the bucket made the ground very slippery and it seemed that it was only a matter of time before our learners were covered from head to foot in mud. Fortunately that didn't happen.
Problem solving seems to occur continuously during the day no matter what activities our learners are involved in. It is amazing to listen to the conversations about which solutions should be tried out. Just how to retrieve a plastic bowl floated to the middle of the pond turned into a full scale problem solving activity with everyone offering solutions.
On Thursday, our learners discovered the plastic pipes that had been laying in the paddock since last term. We tested out our knowledge of water power and raced bars of soap, golf balls and marbles. Everyone thought the golf balls and the marbles would be faster that the bar of soap because of their shape. In the end the golf ball was the fastest and our learners gave reasonable explanations as to why they thought this should be so.
Our first week back in The Forest proved to be a very busy week. Next week we look forward to building our fort in the sunshine!
Term 3 Week 2
Despite the sunshine and war temperatures our learners were plagued with colds this week so our numbers depleted as the week wore on. Tuesday was like a summers day and we made the most of being outside in the sunshine.
We used fly swats to add interesting patterns. Once paint was added we explored mixing colours again.
With fewer helping hands, our building project proceeded slowly this week. The posts are in and it is now time to build the walls.
With fewer helping hands, our building project proceeded slowly this week. The posts are in and it is now time to build the walls.
With an abundance of lemons in the garden, we explored some uses for the skins and the juice.The juice was squeezed ready for some experiments next week but the skins made great boats. Once we had discovered that they float we tried to see how strong they were by loading them with glass beads. The strongest could hold 12 before it sunk!
We continued to enjoy the beautiful weather by building a hut and sliding down the hill.
At the end of a very quiet week it was time for our learners to dry out their gumboots and discover their artistic talents.
Next week we welcome a new learner to The Forest.
Next week we welcome a new learner to The Forest.
Term 3 Week 3
We were very excited to welcome a new learner to The Forest this week. Now we are five!
The main focus at the beginning of each day seemed to be the fascination of mud. Puddles were turned into mud traps. It was a great time to talk about sabre tooth tigers and how they were often caught in tar pits. Our trap managed to to trap two boys and one gumboot all of which had to be dug out! The conversations during this time were very involved with a free flow of all sorts of ideas on the technicalities of trapping adults and animals.
The main focus at the beginning of each day seemed to be the fascination of mud. Puddles were turned into mud traps. It was a great time to talk about sabre tooth tigers and how they were often caught in tar pits. Our trap managed to to trap two boys and one gumboot all of which had to be dug out! The conversations during this time were very involved with a free flow of all sorts of ideas on the technicalities of trapping adults and animals.
We are very lucky to have lots of animals in and around The Forest. Our learners love to visit them and feed them.
This week's poem about a blue whale was a big hit with our learners. We talked about all the interesting facts about the Blue Whale and as it is the largest creature in the world, we decided to use our metre rulers and measure thirty metres. Everyone was very impressed with the length! It also motivated our writing. We used speech bubbles for our whales.
Our worms seem to produce an abundance of worm wee. So, it was time to use the wee on our own veggie garden especially as our broad beans, peas and strawberry plants are growing so well.
Our learners did find time for some quiet pursuits this week. The dolls house was used for some imaginary games and the water beads continue to be a great resource for practicing capacity skills. Oral language is continuous throughout the day!
Our fort is taking shape. After sharing an interesting picture book called "Herbert and Harry" our learners were motivated with more ideas about what the fort will be used for and how it will look. After some digging and building, our learners decided to make themselves chairs in the hill by the fort. They even made footrests for themselves!
Next week we hope for more sunshine as we have a birthday to celebrate at Longworth Forest!
Term 3 Week 4
Our week began with a birthday celebration,a treasure hunt and a campfire. Whereas last week our learners seemed to be compelled to play in the mud, this week the mud was forgotten. Before our treasure hunt, our learners were happy to start the week with repairs to the fairy gardens and making magic potions. We never know with Assisted Discovery Learning how each day will start. We never know the twists and turns and the pathways our learning will take us.
Our learners who decided on making magic potions were completely involved in this task for some time. The conversations were rich with imaginative language. Each learner was totally involved in their make believe world........according to research this is the highest form of play. It is difficult to get close enough to take photos as the awareness of an adult present, very often interrupts the play and the "spell" is broken.
After celebrating our learner's birthday with chocolate cake, it was time for the treasure hunt. We revised our understanding of co-ordinates and looked on each individual map for clues as to where the treasure was hidden. With spades and shovels at the ready, it was time to explore and dig! Two of our learners had to negotiate an alpaca who had decided to sit on the spot marked X.
The birthday celebrations concluded with a campfire.....sausages, baked potatoes and a new way of eating our toasted marshmallows. One of our learners brought along chocolate biscuits to make marshmallow sandwiches! We did manage to find time to make alien heads to add to our menu
On Wednesday morning, our learners were keen to build their own tent. They were given the task to make it ready for us all to share morning tea inside the tent. They decided that floor boards were perfect for the seating. Although it was very "snug" we did manage to sit inside and eat leftover birthday cake and listen to a story.
Our poem this week was about an owl so we talked about how clever owls are and especially focused on our native owl the Ruru. We mixed up salt dough to make owls and other creatures. At the end of the week, once they had been baked slowly, we were able to paint them.
Ducks, water and concrete finished our week. We were surprised and delighted to see two ducks in the pond on Thursday morning. They stayed for quite a while as each of our learners arrived at The Forest. The ducks were treated with great respect. We watched them from a distance and we all moved and spoke very quietly, hoping they would stay a little longer.
As we had a concrete truck visiting the property, we packed up our morning tea and climbed over and up the paddock to see the concrete being laid. Our learners were very interested in the procedure and asked some great questions. We estimated the number of barrow loads to fill the cavity and we investigated the tools that were used to smooth the concrete. However, once we returned to the Forest, the biggest impact of the learning experience seemed to be their observations of the team work involved. Our learners had been watching the process very closely and could see that everyone had a job to do to complete the task. Before we knew it, we had our own team of concrete layers. Most of our learners had organised themselves into such a team and were busy "laying concrete". It was amazing to observe the mimicking of the process but even more amazing to watch the team work and co-operation.
There are many positives to learning in the Forest environment. Here in The Forest, we are easily able to seize a "learning moment". We are not tied to timetables or the pressure of following a planned programme. Our learning is often revisited many times and we are easily able to continue our themes from one week to the next. I am sure that "concrete' and it's properties and uses will follow us into next week.
Term3 Week 5
This week began with one of our learners bringing along an old DVD player to take apart. So, before morning tea time most of the little screws had been removed and the inside parts had become treasures. Three of our learners using one tiny screw driver meant everyone had to share. The co-operation was wonderful.
The week also began with a letter in the Forest letter box. We often use letters from fairies or other Forest dwellers to set up problems and generate writing for a purpose. This poor fairy lived too close to the mound of Alpaca poo and wanted us to find her a new home. We decided on a new house for her and we measured the distance from her old dwelling. We then had to draw maps to let her know where the new house was situated. It took us some time but the problem solving, the measuring, the oral language and the map work were all taken very seriously . Our maps and notes were then posted back to her. Some of our learners extended the activity and built a fence around the new fairy garden just in case the Alpacas trampled on it.
Overnight heavy rain meant that our learners were treated to a flood when they arrived on Wednesday. They immediately set to work to unblock the dams and drain some of the rain water out of the pond. They never seem to tire of this activity.
Last week all our learners requested that they would like to make their own volcanoes. When given some options of how to make them, they all wanted to use salt dough. So, as we spent some time inside this week, we sat and made our volcanoes. We looked at pictures of cross sections of volcanoes and spotted the side vents. Our learners were keen to put side vents into their own volcanoes.Once they had been baked in the oven, we used baking soda and vinegar to explode them. This had to be done three times before our learners were happy to place the volcanoes in their bags to continue the process at home.
Water play this week firstly involved using a plastic basket to float downstream. Then our learners decided to see if they could make it into a submarine using heavy rocks.
The second version of the raft appeared on Thursday. At first, there was some reluctance to try it out so it was decided that two hapless dinosaurs would be used as guinea pigs. Two of our learners were very brave and enjoyed a float down the stream. our third learner was even braver as the raft capsized and he fell in. We all enjoyed the fun but it remains to be seen if our learners decide to take a ride on it next week!
On Thursday we collected more worm wee and decided to give it to a neighbour for their garden. It was a good opportunity to incorporate our writing activity with the task, so we all made labels for the bottle and for future bottles. We went for a walk over to his house and left the worm wee on his doorstep with a note of instructions.
On Thursday we collected more worm wee and decided to give it to a neighbour for their garden. It was a good opportunity to incorporate our writing activity with the task, so we all made labels for the bottle and for future bottles. We went for a walk over to his house and left the worm wee on his doorstep with a note of instructions.
To continue the fascination with concrete, our learners were given the opportunity to mix their own concrete and to decorate it. They were very excited about this. The concrete "tiles" were left to set over the weekend.
Every day is a learning adventure. I am constantly reminded that children love to revisit activities and here in The Forest we seem to be developing some old favourites.......water play, mud, digging and building. No matter what the weather, our learners want to be active outside. They generate their own learning....from the environment and with each other. Every day is a pleasure!
Term 3 Week 6
When our learners arrived at The Forest on Tuesday morning, their concrete creations were waiting for them. They were very impressed with how they had set and enjoyed the feel of them.Where a few objects had fallen off, they understood the reasons why. They all enjoyed lifting the concrete out of the plastic casing.
Problems and problem solving seem to feature all week and every week. Often problems are invented by our learners. A long time and a great deal of discussion was spent on trying to drag the raft from one end of the stream under the planks and under the bridge. Everyone had an opinion as to how this should be done. The conclusion was that the rope needed to be passed under each obstacle as opposed to over and under. Once again, I was amazed at the team work.
Problems and problem solving seem to feature all week and every week. Often problems are invented by our learners. A long time and a great deal of discussion was spent on trying to drag the raft from one end of the stream under the planks and under the bridge. Everyone had an opinion as to how this should be done. The conclusion was that the rope needed to be passed under each obstacle as opposed to over and under. Once again, I was amazed at the team work.
Once again, we were visited by the neighbour's goat. It was a good opportunity to make friends but how to return the goat? Another problem to solve. This time our learners were delighted to watch the goat being towed home! The trailer was discovered and used as a seesaw which reminded us about balancing weights and odd and even numbers.
Most of our learners wanted to write a story and laminate it to take home. They were fascinated by the whole process. When the machine ate up one of the pieces of paper another problem presented itself. They all enjoyed taking it apart and fixing the problem.
Most of our learners wanted to write a story and laminate it to take home. They were fascinated by the whole process. When the machine ate up one of the pieces of paper another problem presented itself. They all enjoyed taking it apart and fixing the problem.
Our learners were introduced to cells and circuits. More problem solving.....how to make the light bulb glow? Everyone cheered as all the light bulbs glowed at the same time. They experimented with flickering lights and then built light houses . This is a work in progress and there are more problems to explore!
As with the introduction of the raft, sometimes just adding a piece of equipment opens up all sorts of imaginative play. This time it was a metal ladder that was tied to the bridge. Our learners became fully involved in a game of pirates. No need for formal oral language programmes.....the talk was endless.
Interest in the vegetable garden waxes and wanes. This week there was a sudden flurry of activity. The peas that had been grown in pots needed to be planted out against the fence and new seeds needed to be sown. Our learners were amazed at the root system in the pots. The pots now have new seeds....beetroot, pumpkins and more peas. Our new raised garden is having regular manure spread on it. There was something very satisfying about the six of us working together tending the plants in our tranquil environment. It was a lovely way to finish the busy week.
Term 3 Week 7
Tuesday was by far our worst wet day. The rain didn't really let up. Rain the previous night mean that the stream and pond were overflowing. It was an amazing sight for our learners and of course there didn't seem to be anything else to consider but water play! The bags of spare clothing that usually lasted a week seem to last only one day.
When the spare clothing started to run out, we went inside and worked a little more on our lighthouses. Using a soldering iron, the wires were securely attached to the batteries. The light houses were then attached to wooden rounds. They are starting to take shape.
When the spare clothing started to run out, we went inside and worked a little more on our lighthouses. Using a soldering iron, the wires were securely attached to the batteries. The light houses were then attached to wooden rounds. They are starting to take shape.
On Wednesday, we made pikelets for our morning tea. Our learners always enjoy measuring and mixing. They were very clever at flipping the pikelets.
After lunch on Tuesday, an old, dying tree had to be cut down. Once this had happened, our learners took to the tree with saws, a pretend chainsaw and clippers. Before long, a Fairy Cave was taking shape. Branches were being transported form the fallen tree to the other side of the Forest and everyone worked as a team on the project.
Before long, the Fairy Cave had it's own stream, pond, fences, bridge and boats. In fact it was fast turning into a miniature Forest just like the the environment the children find themselves in.
It was wonderful to observe the imagination, the level of co-operation and negotiations that took place to create this magical world. Everyone was totally committed to the task. Soon, our learners found short cuts to some of the laborious work. Dragging branches by hand across the Forest proved too slow so one of our learners had the idea to hook a piece of string to the back of the trike. This way, more branches could be moved at one time. Similarly, it was time consuming filling up bottles with water from the pond so it was decided to use the trolley to convey the water. Problem solving at its highest level!
After adding some decorations....bells, pipe cleaners, and other bright objects the Fairy Cave was finished!
When I asked our learners how will they know if the Fairies find the cave, they immediately responded with " they will write us a letter". And of course that is exactly what happened.
Our week finished with hunting for rabbit holes after seeing some new baby rabbits. Our learners loved climbing on a large gum tree that had been chopped down.
Our week finished with hunting for rabbit holes after seeing some new baby rabbits. Our learners loved climbing on a large gum tree that had been chopped down.
Finally after another busy week, it was nice to engage in a quiet activity. We made cards and drew pictures for our Dads on Fathers' Day.
Term 3 Week 8
Once again our week began with water play. Our learners never seem to tire of using the pond to experiment, invent and problem solve. Our learners also love to drain water from the paddocks by digging channels. They fully understand that the channels have to run down hill.
Everyone enjoyed experimenting with buckets even ones that had holes in the bottom. They were used as floatation aides and to transport water.
Everyone enjoyed experimenting with buckets even ones that had holes in the bottom. They were used as floatation aides and to transport water.
On Wednesday, we took another trip to see the dinosaur bones. Everyone enjoyed revisiting the site but we were especially pleased to catch up with the horses on the way. One of our learners spotted lots of cobwebs in the grass. The dew made them glisten.
We revisited our light houses and talked about conductors. After exploring a range of materials and sorting them into those that conduct and those that don't, it was time to look for conductors in the Forest. Our learners were very quick to hunt for metal objects.There was great excitement when the light bulb glowed.
We decided that with so much bird activity in The forest, we would replenish the bird feeders. As we looked through the wild bird seed, we found acorns. The acorns were shared and planted. Worm wee was collected and fed to the seeds. We then marked where the seeds had been planted. The whole process was taken very seriously.
Our learners rediscovered the plastic pipes, water and bars of soap. Sometimes, resources sit for days without being used and then our learners rediscover the equipment. This time everyone was involved in experimenting with objects traveling down the pipes as fast as possible. Water was added for speed and pipes were lifted to create the right 'fall'.
As we hadn't used the shaving cream and paint for quite a while, it was a good time to indulge in some free expression. Colours were mixed as blobs of paint were squirted on to the mirror.
Our week finished with everyone involved in making some new pathways in The Forest. Stones were taken off the ute and laid over some very muddy areas. We witnessed some great problem solving, like how do we stop the trolley from rolling down the hill? Easy....add some wedges under the wheels.
Term 3 Week 9
We all enjoyed the wonderful Spring weather this week. Our learners were involved in a tricky game of stuntmen. A large cardboard tube was rolled down the hill and our learners had to jump over it without falling over. They were very good at organising themselves and taking turns jumping and retrieving.
On Tuesday we had a "treasure" hunt in the Forest for a range of pictures to sort into living and non living things. It was interesting to see that trees and flowers were not considered living things. So, we discussed this and will revisit the concept again later.
Activities wax and wane in The Forest. Some constructions are not "played" with for days or weeks and then suddenly there is a flurry of renewed interest. The pirate ship, forgotten for weeks, was rediscovered. Woodwork constructions were made and after the adjustments were added to the ship, we were keen to make pirate hats.
Our maths topic at the moment is patterning. We all tried to continue to repeat patterns and then we made patterns of our own. We also observed patterns in nature. Our maths is often put to practical uses. the fort needed some flooring. So, it was an opportunity to practice estimating how many boards were needed and then fitting the rectangles into an almost square shape.
The bird life in The Forest is amazing now that Spring is here. We hear pheasants and quails each day. The swallows are back to using their nest in the alpaca shed. It was impossible to look inside the nest but as a swallow flew out every time we entered the shed, we knew that there must be eggs there. With the help of a mirror we managed to see four beautiful blue eggs.
Water play is a favourite activity and all our learners take part in some form of water play every week. This week was no exception. The large pipes were rediscovered and used to control the flow of water down the water track.
Our writing this week included making get well cards for one of our parents. We settled on a Forest theme with decorations of flowers and trees.
We took advantage of the beautiful weather and decided to take our morning tea to the top of the paddock. It meant a steep climb but we found ourselves looking over the top of the Forest trees and into the distance. There was reference to being like Yertle the Turtle and The King of The Mountain. We all gazed out on the scene and listened to the bird life. After sharing all the things we could see, we ate our morning tea and shared a picture book. It was a wonderful quiet time.
Term 3 Week 10
The last week of the term and contrary to my experience in a mainstream classroom, our learners have just as much energy and enthusiasm for learning. Most of the activities this week were old favourites that have been enjoyed all term. We planted swan plants in the old veggie garden and sweet corn in the new raised bed. This new garden had to be finished so it was a case of everyone lending a hand to fill it with dirt. The hard hat was very popular for the rest of the week. Whenever any digging happened, our learners took it in turns to wear the hat and be the boss!
Often when we are busy working in the garden or constructing in the Forest, we find all sorts of insects and mini beasts. This week was no exception. One of our learners was very excited to find a beautiful spider with the most enormous egg. We all marveled at how clever it was to protect the egg and we placed it back in the garden very carefully. Another of our learners brought to The Forest a praying mantis egg casing and over a couple of days we managed to watch the baby praying mantis hatch out. The babies didn't all hatch out at the same time. It was amazing to see how quickly they grew.
Our learners were happy to seek out some quiet activities and to enjoy the warm Spring sunshine. We had another excursion to the top of the hill to enjoy the scenery. Lunch times have gradually become a little longer as we enjoy sharing stories, experiences and discussions on various topics of interest. Our learners all have wonderful general knowledge and like to share their ideas.
The week finished with more digging! Our learners have a fascination for this activity and along with water play, it has been the vehicle for developing oral language, problem solving skills, negotiating skills, sharing, co-ordination......the list is endless. Most importantly it has provoked lots of imaginative play.
The end of another busy and rewarding term. I have had the opportunity to sit in the sun and quietly reflect on not only all the learning that has happened but also on how different my teaching has become.It has been a steep journey for me and I have learned so much from the five wonderful children I have the privilege of working with. We all look forward to next term as we spend the next two weeks recharging our energy levels.
Term 4 Week 1
We enjoyed beautiful, warm, sunny weather this week. It was a great way to start the new term. Our learners were in great spirits and pleased to be back together again. During the holidays the new raised garden was finished so it was time to plant our lettuces, carrots and beetroot. We also started some beans in plastic bags so that we can watch them sprouting. Our learners experimented with growing a baby house plant in a jar. Most thought the plant was going to die. So, we will be watching the jars eagerly over the next few weeks.
A kind neighbour left two plastic chairs and a plastic turtle on our driveway. Our learners found the plastic turtle floating in the trough and so began three days of imaginative play with the turtle as the central character. The turtle was given a new home. Chocolate milk was made because it was "sick". The turtle was rescued from being stuck inside a plastic pipe. It was set free in the pond and some interesting concoctions were made that passed as turtle food. It was amazing that one plastic turtle could provoke such imaginative play.
Our learners were quick to suggest ways of helping the turtle out of the pipe. A hook was placed on the end of a stick. At some stage the hook flew off and they were convinced it was caught up in the tree. One of our learners suggested making a ladder out of nails in the tree. When that didn't work, the ladder was brought over.
Everyone thoroughly enjoyed making all sorts of concoctions for the turtle's dinner. The main ingredients were vinegar, baking soda, water, food colouring and fish sauce.
There is mounting excitement in The Forest as we near closer to purchasing our Forest "chooks". The new chicken coup was unpacked and the parts were laid out ready to be put together. At the end of the unpacking, fun was had with the large cardboard boxes!
During the holidays two large tree stumps were placed in The Forest. Our learners were keen to dig around the roots and use the new drill to make holes in the stumps.
Work is underway to create a "dell" in The Forest. Everyone enjoyed watching the rotary hoe in action and then helping to flatten the seating area. Our trees are not easy to climb as they have very few low branches. So, it was celebration time when one of our learners mastered the skill of climbing up the trunk. We finished the week sitting in the Forest sharing our favourite poems.
Term 4 Week 2
Everyone began this week very excited about purchasing the chooks. Their new home was "discovered" and all the doors and openings were tried out many times to ensure they were in good working order.. We discussed the fact that the chooks would need to spend a couple of days inside their home so they could acclimatise to their new surroundings.
Often after a particularly wet and windy weekend, we find creatures who don't survive the weather. So, on Tuesday our learners discovered a dead baby bird and a dead frog. There was much discussion about their fate and after they were examined very carefully, they were buried in our "cemetery" in the veggie garden.
There are times during Assisted Discovery Learning when you know a magical moment is happening. Moving the pirate ship across the stream and reconstructing it was just such a magical moment. Our learners became so involved with constructing the new ship and then building a pirate garden that we delayed morning tea for fear of interrupting their learning through their play. Once again, their creative ideas were amazing. The discussions were continuous with everyone sharing their ideas about pirates and just how bad they were!
As our writing had been delayed because of the total involvement with building the Pirate Ship, we wrote a shared letter to the Fairy Queen warning her about the arrival of the chooks. She replied the next day by saying she had no idea what chooks looked like which sparked the task of drawing some chooks for her.
The worm wee was long overdue to be emptied so it was time to take some home and to make some new labels.
The worm wee was long overdue to be emptied so it was time to take some home and to make some new labels.
The warm weather invited water play so it was time to rediscover the large pipes. Boats were made for races. One of our learners had to modify his boat which called for some problem solving. The bottom of the boat was the wrong shape and would not touch the inside of the pipe. Plastic tops were added and the boat was refitted. As more modification was still needed, more tops were added. Finally the boat was able to slide down the pipe. The next problem was making sure that our two learners were pouring an equal amount of water. Once the problems were solved the boats were surprisingly fast and equal!
On Thursday it was time for "The Great Chook Expedition". We all met at the chook farm and our lovely birds were waiting for us. The owners kindly let us look inside the shed where a marvelous machine graded and sized the eggs. Our chooks were placed inside boxes and had a quiet trip back to The Forest. Some were even asleep when we arrived back.
Once back at The Forest, it was time to colour code our chooks and introduce them to their new home. The coloured bands placed around their legs enabled everyone to identify their own birds. Names were given out......Rocky, Rock Star, Fussy Pants, Sparky, Smoke Star and Blue. Very fancy names for our Forest birds!
Imagine our delight and surprise when we checked the chooks later and found they had already laid an egg! We decided they must be very happy chooks.
The kind owners of the Chook Farm, gave our learners some eggs that were thought to have double yolks. We used this as an opportunity to use our maths to divide up the eggs. One of our learners already has her own chooks so we had 15 eggs to divide between 4. Our learners soon spotted that one learner would be short of an egg. They quickly came up with the solution...to include the newly laid egg! Great to finish our "chook" week with an "eggy" problem!