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Year 6, 11th January

Posted: Jan 14, 2023 by: Tara (Tara) on: Forest Blog

Great to see Year 6 again!

This term we will be focusing on: classifying animals and plants using branching keys; climate change; waste and energy and natural navigation.

Of course, every session there will also be free choice as children navigate their own learning journeys.

This week we recapped vertebrates and invertebrates and looked at branching keys to help identify animals.

A classification key is a series of questions that determine an organism's physical characteristics.

We will continue to re-enforce this throughout the term as well as look at field guides.

We also played blindfold drum stalk.

Seth played the drum and the children, wearing blindfolds, had to listen and move towards the sound, as Seth moved around.

There was lots of environmental noise and they really had to focus.

By the end they were less like zombies, more stalking ninjas, kind of.

Lucas: I had to really focus during the drum stalk because I felt unsteady as I couldn’t see.

Olivia: It was kind of scary initially.

Harry: I had to live in nature for a while and trust my other senses, that became my eyes.

Lucas: I measured and cut the elder. I wanted to finish today, so used a glue gun, to be quick. There were frustrations and a blood blister but I am very pleased.

Children’s voice last week:

Maria: First I learnt how to make an elder whistle. First time wasn’t a successful as I broke it but persevered. Now I just need to add the reed, then I can have some fun.

Harry: Today I chose to make a spud gun. I thought it would be easy, it wasn’t. It took me two hours but it was fun. I am really happy I persevered. We started firing apple but when I get home I’ll grab a potato and practise.