This week was about food chains and forest webs. We read the 'Acorn' book which showed some of the animals and plants that can be related back to an acorn to give an idea of a wood web. The children found cards of forest animals and plants in the area and sorted them into producers (plants) like blackberries, primary consumers (plant eaters) like squirrels and secondary consumers (omnivores/carnivores) like the owl.
We then created a Forest Web using ropes, thinking about all the interlinked parts that occur in a forest like trees, water, sunlight, ferns, birds and foxes. The children imagined what would happen if we chopped a tree down and all the elements that would be affected.
The craft table had Elder branches on it today. Elder is special as it is soft in the middle. It can be identified easily by its white flowers, dark berries and opposite leaves. The children used secateurs and skewer sticks to make necklaces, bracelets and paint brushes. We have seen some great independence and perseverance as well as helping hands. To add to the natural paintbrushes, children used burnt wood, water and pestle and mortar to make their own paint.
The children could explore food webs with pictures as well.
Two of the raised beds needed filling up which some children helped with tirelessly.
There was a swing built under the tree, including a pulley lift! Amazing.
And finally, what would Forest School be without some bug hunting (including a cardinal beetle) and some mud cakes for the queen's jubilee celebration. We repeated the insect song to help the children remember the body parts.
Year 2 Forest School 10.5.22
