curriculum
children in the forest are led through an emergent, inquiry-based curriculum, which enables for the child
to remain the center of their own learning..
the curriculum is, therefore, driven by posing meaningful questions that the children are able to problem solve by experiment and evaluation guided by the teachers. the newly constructed knowledge is then the basis for new understanding.
early learners will be challenged to explore hands-on investigation in science through the use of natural materials in art and the environment that surrounds them. the goal is to respond to the children’s interests therefore creating within the child, a sense of wonder and passion for their own learning.
the emergent curriculum will be addressed through the following initiatives:
art
cultivating their understandings through and with materials and techniques of many genres children will be introduced to and use both traditional tools as well as those materials available in the natural world.
the children will explore the development of brush stroke to express thought and feeling, create necessary colors with paint and be introduced to varied mediums with which to demonstrate ideas.
artists and noted artworks will be introduced and threaded through current themes.
a portfolio of artworks will be kept.
literacy…storytelling...bookmaking
the provocations that develop into classroom themes will be explored through stories told to and by the children. knowledge acquisition from those wonderings and curiosities will be developed into both individual and cooperatively created stories, books and poems throughout the year. letters and prewriting skills will be threaded through the themes explored.
number
the concrete idea of numeracy and value will be encouraged through varied materials and learning theories and manipulatives.
song
to hear a song from all living things
children will be introduced to song through the many music genres. they will be encouraged to find the heartbeat of the earth…create the rhythm and learn from the forest.
we will explore music by listening to varied music genres and creating music with voice and natural environment.
dance
both traditional dance and creative movement will be explored through varied cultural traditions.
instruments & rhythm
through both the experience of visiting artists and through the use of instruments children will explore rhythm & tone. children will record cooperative works created with beats from their voices, movement and manipulation of diverse instruments. sound maps will also be explored in the natural environment.
about a tree
children will follow and document the changes in one tree in the forest.
the lost words
by, Robert MacFarlane and Jackie Morris