Etchingham Forest School - Medium Term Planning

Six sessions of Forest School in which the expectations and principles of Forest Schools are discussed and explored with the children
including a progressive series of den building activities culminating in a den-building challenge and a selection of reflective woodland crafts.
Session Focus Leaning outcomes Activities

1 Mini-dens
2 Dry shelters
I can say 3 things that will help me learn
safely in the woods
I can say what I have used to build my
shelter and why
I can have a go at tying a whipping knot
I can remember 3 things that will help
me learn safely in the woods
I can say what is effective about my
shelter and what I need to improve
 Pre-talk to help children to gain a basic understanding of Forest
School Principles, Safety (e.g., no pick, no lick) and Expectations
 Welcome song around the meeting circle
 Intro to Forest School Site / Meeting Circle / explore (search
for coloured wool / return to circle to make team friendship
bracelets
 Intro to miniature den building through storytelling (making
shelters for the imaginary woodland creatures – ‘the Poggles’)
 Safety and respect talk about foraging for materials (e.g. do not
take anything that is still growing and handling heavy objects).
 Evaluating suitable den building Materials (identify trees, leaves,
plants along the way)
 Evaluate each other’s shelters; ask questions about their
understanding of the Poggles’ needs
 Forest School craft (memory stick) – whipping knot
 Welcome song around the meeting circle
 Reminder of Forest School Principles, Safety and Expectations
 Reflect on our miniature shelters from last week – have any
Poggles moved in do we think? Examine shelters for signs of
life. What went well and what could we improve?
 Invitation to create a human sized shelter in teams of 3 to
protect us and our belongings using natural materials. Think
about keeping everything dry. What do we need to consider?
 I know how to safely forage for den
building materials
3 Lean-to shelter I can describe an animal that might live
in the woods
I can identify and describe a natural
habitat
I can have a go at making a bird’s nest.
Cone shelter I can identify the Forest School
4 features and surroundings
I can recreate and the Forest School
 Safety and respect talk about foraging for materials (e.g. do
not take anything that is still growing and handling heavy
objects).
 Evaluate each other’s shelters – what are their strengths and
weaknesses? What could we do to improve?
 Forest School craft: Memory Frame: slip knot/ square lashing
 Welcome song around the meeting circle
 Reminder of Forest School Principles, Safety and Expectations
 Consider what we learnt from last session – what went well with
our shelters and what did not go so well? Are there any animals
in nature that the children know who are good at making dens?
How do they do it?
 Show children a bird’s nest. What do they notice? Weaving and
water tight, lots of materials woven together.
 Forest school craft: Can we have a go at making a bird’s nest?
Show children a basic willow circle loop and how it can be
fortified by adding lots of small bits of leaves, sticks, earth to
bind it all together. Identify and sort materials as they go.
What could we learn from the birds?
 Demonstrate a skeleton lean-to shelter against a tree – ask the
children what we could do now (what have we learnt from the
birds?). Can they add materials in teams to their own lean-to
shelter?
 Evaluate each other’s shelters. Test some with water and wind.
 Welcome song around the meeting circle
 Reminder of Forest School Principles, Safety and Expectations
 Making a 3D map of the area now that we have explored using
sticks, leaves etc.
 features and surroundings
I know how to use a potato peeler to
whittle safely
5 A resilient I can say what a den needs to make it
shelter secure and dry
I can work as a team using my knowledge
of den-types.
I can recall what I enjoyed about Forest
School.
6 Review I can say what is effective about my
shelter and what I need to improve
I can reflect on my time at Forest
School and talk about what I have learnt
 Review last session’s lean-to shelter – what if we don’t have any
suitable trees?
 Demo Cone shelter – knots 3D shapes – pyramid shelter.
 Can the children have a go in two teams of six
 Identify best trees and materials.
 Forest School craft: make a tent peg using sticks and potato
peeler
 Welcome song around the meeting circle
 Reminder of Forest School Principles, Safety and Expectations
 Explain that the children will be building shelters that will have
to survive until next session. Talk about making their space
secure, dry and windproof where possible. Build this in groups,
and set up the camps for their soft toys.
 Forest School Craft – using tent pegs create a circle of trust
place something in the space to how what is your favourite part
of Forest School so far
 Welcome song around the meeting circle
 Reminder of Forest School Principles, Safety and Expectations
 Evaluate shelters from last session. And build on children’s
interests