With 20+ years of teaching experience across Europe, I bring extensive expertise as a Reception Teacher and Forest School Practitioner. Passionate about play-based learning and the outdoors, I've developed a dynamic environment that fosters children's exploration and connection with nature. Here you'll find some of my outstanding resources to support your own teaching and learning!
With 20+ years of teaching experience across Europe, I bring extensive expertise as a Reception Teacher and Forest School Practitioner. Passionate about play-based learning and the outdoors, I've developed a dynamic environment that fosters children's exploration and connection with nature. Here you'll find some of my outstanding resources to support your own teaching and learning!
This lesson plan will guide you with your group of KS1 children in your outdoor area. The plan includes games (to develop confidence, team bonding and language - great for EAL children) and an activity which encourages children to explore and discover their natural environment while developing their skills in design and creativity. This activity fosters resilience, cooperation, imagination and problem solving skills
An introduction to gardening through a forest school ethos. This lesson plan contains games (warm up activities) to promote language, literacy and confidence. It contains challenges to promote resilience and confidence and an activity to develop an awareness and respect of/for nature. The lesson/activity is planned for around 2 hours.
This lesson plan/ activity will guide you through having a fire with your children. It is intended for children aged 4-8 but can easily be extended for slightly elder children.
The activity follows the Forest School approach to fire making and is an ideal means to introduce fire to children. the fire making is in a Kelly Kettle (Storm Kettle) and the plan guides you through the process of getting the children involved (gathering fuel) in order to boil water for their own hot chocolate! I have found this to be one of the most enjoyable sessions taught outdoors but I recommend it only be carried out when the practitioner has complete confidence in the behaviour of the chidlren. This suits nicely towards the end of a series of Forest School sessions and feeds beautifully into cooking on an open fire, which should follow the following week as a means of extending and imbedding the learning.
A complete lesson plan for to develop creative story writing through small world play outside.
This lesson plan will guide you to setting up your environment in a way that will inspire the children and develop their imagination.
This lesson plan is for an approximate 2 hour session but has the possibility to be extended to a second session. Ideas for extension are included.
This lesson plan fosters creativity, independence, confidence building and autonomy and is excellent for developing friendships and settling children in at the beginning of term.
Fairy World is an exciting and magical lesson for all the children and adults and the introduction of the dragon at the end just makes everyone want more!
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This lesson plan/ activity will guide you through cooking on an open fire with your children. It is intended for children aged 4-10 but can easily be extended for slightly elder children.
The activity follows the Forest School approach to fire making.
The plan guides you through the process of getting the children involved (gathering fuel) and having them prepare and cook the food (Camp Fire Pizza!). I recommend this session be carried out when the practitioner has complete confidence in the behaviour of the children. This suits nicely towards the end of a series of Forest School sessions.
This resource will enable you to take your children on an effective bug hunt in the garden of your setting. This resource will enable you to explore four different avenues to bug hunting while teaching children about habitats, names of insects/minibeasts, management of personal safety as well as fostering the development of confidence, independence, team work and communication and language.
Everything you need to create your own bug hotel!
This lesson plan clearly presents how to easily build your own bug hotel while teaching children the importance of garden wildlife.
The Bug Hotel lesson plan remains within the Forest School ethos and focuses on the social and emotional aspects of learning.
The Bug Hotel lesson plan can be adapted to suit a Maths, Science or Forest School lesson.
The Bug Hotel lesson plan is recommended for children in Nursery, Reception and Key Stage 1.
A complete lesson plan including resources for teaching your Nursery and Reception children about the life cycle of a pumpkin.
The lesson plan guides you with teaching the life cycle of a pumpkin and the PowerPoint aids this. There are also worksheets included which are differentiated into 3 abilities.
Learning Objectives are included to show what the children are learning from this plan. The Areas of Learning are taken from Development Matters.
A complete lesson plan and activity for baking Pumpkin Pancakes!
This is suitable for Nursery, Reception and Year 1 children.
The lesson plan first guides you with teaching a carpet session on baking, discussing the ingredients and process with the children.
Areas of Learning/ Learning Objectives are included to show what the children are learning from this plan. However, these are just examples as there are many Learning Objectives which could be applicable. The Areas of Learning are taken from Development Matters.
Complete Pumpkin Bundle which includes The Pumpkin Life Cycle Resource Pack, Measuring Pumpkins and Pumpkin Pancakes.
This complete pack includes lesson plans, presentations and resources ready to use for Kindergarten and 1st grade children.
The lessons in this pack can also be purchased seperatly.
Life Cycle:
A complete lesson plan including resources for teaching your pre-schoolers, Kindergarten and Nursery and Reception children about the life cycle of a pumpkin.
The lesson plan guides you with teaching the life cycle of a pumpkin and the PowerPoint aids this. There are also worksheets included which are differentiated into 3 abilities.
Learning Objectives are included to show what the children are learning from this plan. The Areas of Learning are taken from Development Matters, England.
Measuring Pumpkins for Halloween:
A complete lesson plan and activity for teaching your pre-schoolers, Kindergarten and Nursery and Reception children about measurement.
The lesson plan guides you with teaching how to estimate and find out by measuring with interlocking cubes (ideal units for young children). It also teaches children positional and mathematical language when, for example, identifying position and comparing in relation to the other (bigger than, the same as, next to)
Areas of Learning/ Learning Objectives are included to show what the children are learning from this plan. The Areas of Learning are taken from Development Matters, England.
Pumpkin Pancakes:
A complete lesson plan and activity for baking Pumpkin Pancakes!
This is suitable for Kindergarten, First Grade, Nursery, Reception and Year 1children.
The lesson plan first guides you with teaching a carpet session on baking, discussing the ingredients and process with the children.
Areas of Learning/ Learning Objectives are included to show what the children are learning from this plan. However, these are just examples as there are many Learning Objectives which could be applicable. The Areas of Learning are taken from Development Matters, England.
6 Lesson Plans/Activities including Art with Natural Resources, Bug Hunt, Building a Bug Hotel, An Introduction to Fire, Cooking on an Open Fire, and Small World Story Making with Faries (Fairy World). Also included is a Risk Assessment for having a fire and an Introduction to Forest School.
This is an ideal introduction to get you on your way to confidently leading a group of children outside.
The activities are designed for children from Reception up to Year 2 but they can easily be adapted for Nursery and older year groups.
Please be aware, these are designed for teachers and are there to be interpreted. True Forest School does not follow lesson plans. These resources are designed to give ideas and act as a back up for the practitioner to deliver a catalyst and prompts for learning whilst being prepared to follow the children in their learning journey! Forest School should be led by the children.
