"I never thought it was this easy to just come out. I've realised how simple it is to use all your senses to explore outdoors. Its really got me thinking." Teacher after CPD
A Woodland Learning Project Officer was appointed to design, develop and implement a Woodland Learning Programme with West Lothian Primary Schools. The programme provided a unique opportunity for all children in and around West Lothian to swap the “indoor” classroom for an “outdoor” one!
By supporting, informing and working with teachers to remove the barriers to learning outdoors, the Woodland Learning Programme invested in the future.
The programme challenged perceptions that the outdoor classroom is only for natural history, a programme of woodland discovery days introduced other subjects, such as art, science literacy and geography. Pre-planning with teachers ensured that these multi-sensory sessions were well suited to their classes and linked to the curriculum.
Tree-planting weeks were organised involving hundreds of local primary school schildren, were organised which offered inspirational environmental activities as well as tree planting.
An outdoor learning pack has been developed. The pack features a range of activities, lessons and topic stimulus ideas. Each resource can be used as a stand alone activity.
The focus of the work was to inspire children of primary school, however it was realised that secondary school children were a key audience. The Trust looked for an innovative way to engage with an older audience and Young Roots was born. This small project worked with 5 secondary schools to address their attitudes to woodland through the medium of film.
The pupils involved would write, direct, star in, produce and edit a 10 minute film which would encourage others to visit their local wood.