Homeschooling Phase 1.5 - Forest schooling (September 2020 - January 2021)

    "Forest schooling" has been less of an independent phase and more of an ongoing exploration.  We are fortunate to have a creek and small "forest" (mostly honeysuckle and winter ivy) in our backyard.  Often whenever we'd finish with schoolwork for the day, we'd head to the forest and/or creek. We created and named trails, found mushrooms, and observed animal tracks in the mud.  On a couple days, we even set up trails in a little clearing and brought all our schoolwork to the forest.  While we were sitting there one day, someone noticed a raccoon climbing up a tree nearby.  It perched itself at the top, and we were all a bit mesmerized watching it, since raccoons in the daytime are a bit of a rarity.  

    Apparently, "forest schools" are an actual thing.  According to forestschools.com, forest schools are "nature-based communities where trained practitioners nurture learner-led exploration and discovery, nurturing meaningful experiences for positive lifelong impacts."  I'm not necessarily a "trained practitioner," but I let the kids lead the way in their discoveries and play. Occasionally, I would throw in a botany lesson or have them collect leaves for rubbings, but it was all very informal.  Although we'd not pod-schooling anymore, we still do a good bit of forest exploring.

Finding a puff mushroom

More fungi!

We found a teepee of sticks! (I knew that a neighbor had built one, but it was fun to stumble upon).

Using a fallen log as a chair

Making a bench with boards and crates

And making a bridge with the boards

Game time around the old spool

Copywork outside

Independent work time

Written reflection (translation): Forest school was okay. I didn't like Carter bothering us. Me and Henry threw rocks in the creek.

Sometimes the little boys would join us, too

Walking on a log

Candid...

...and posed

Measuring our heights and estimating tree heights

The raccoon!

Looking up at the raccoon

Climbing trees (I believe this is right before a fall)

The whole crew!