First off from all of us at FSFNS, a HUGE welcome (or welcome back) to all of our new students, parents, guardians and friends of Forest and Nature School! We are extremely excited for this upcoming year and all of the adventures that are waiting to be had. If you are new to our program and reading this for the first time, welcome to our weekly(ish) blog that recaps some of the highlights, learning and stories from our past week. We publish all of our blogs to our Facebook page, along with pictures and upcoming events, so be sure to follow us by clicking here.
As this was our first week back at FNS, we focused heavily on community building and getting to know one another. We wandered and explored all over our 86 acres of property; searching out new and exciting discoveries. Each day a different story unfolding as we followed emerging student interests. If, and when, we found something significant, students could add it to our giant Forest School Map. These discoveries could be anything from a good climbing tree, to trails, to a special frog place – anything students felt connected to.
Mapping is one of our Core Routines at FNS. In a nutshell, we like to always be oriented to the compass directions and understand our landscape from a bird’s eye view. We draw maps not only to locate features, but also to tell stories of the areas we explore. Students name the places we go – fossil mountain, maple forest, golf ball trail – that reinforce connection with the areas and give us a common language to use. It’s not about creating the perfect map, but rather engaging in the process. It’s something we look at every week – check out the map in our classroom the next time you are in!
Wandering is another one of our core routines. Sometimes, we like to set off and explore without an agenda or destination, or even purpose. The point is to be present in the moment – not worry about time and simply follow the curiosity.
And curiosity took us many places this week! We hiked along trails, set-up forts in the forest, chased after bugs and identified them in field guides, went canoeing, fishing, created dams, made fires and so much more.
It was a good kick-off to the year! Thanks for joining us on our first week of FSFNS!
Cheers,
Your FNS Team
(Aislinn, Matt, Michelle and Krista)
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