Evidence of Dragons
Engaging the imagination outdoors
In this playful session we will fire up our imaginations and explore our outdoor spaces with new eyes, eyes that look closely at the details in our environment, that see stories in the trees, in the hidden corners, in the cracks in the pavement, sharpening our senses as we seek evidence of dragons.
As well as inspiring poetry and creative writing, this approach is an opening to all sorts of projects and learning outcomes: How do species in this habitat interact? What changes has the giant beech tree seen? How do rats rap? What, exactly, is evidence? Explore and enjoy.
This is a session that I have developed over many years, delivering it to over 50 schools; for able pupil programmes for East Sussex and West Sussex; and for the South Downs National Park Authority. It started as a poetry and storytelling workshop at Woods Mill Nature Reserve in 2011, but since then I have run versions of this workshop for Key Stages 1, 2, 3 and 4, adapted to the students needs, adapted to curriculum needs in Literacy and English Language, Science, History and Geography and cross-curricular topics, and adapted to location needs of all sizes of schools and learning environments.
My day job is in a small school attached to a children's home, teaching boys who have suffered childhood trauma. I teach Science, Geography, and what I call Field Science, which is mostly lighting fires, making a cup of tea and whittling things. I try to teach outside as much as possible, where the science, the geography and the connection to the natural world is, and where most of the dragons are.
Our first online CPD session for teachers, in Partnership with South Downs National Park Authority, is on
Monday 19th October 2020 at 16:00 - 17:30
If you are a teacher wanting to identify outdoor stimuli for cross-curricular projects; to identify the particular needs of children that could be met with this approach; and to have fun, starting an “imagination audit” of your location, then please book your place by emailing
adventurepoetry@live.co.uk
All you need for the workshop is your device for accessing the meeting. Your phone, tablet or a device that you can move around with would be best. Bring something take notes if you wish.
Feedback from when I last led this for SDNPA:What was the best thing about the workshop?
Find out more about the Online CPD for teachers being run by SDNPA at www.southdowns.gov.uk/onlineteachertraining
Engaging the imagination outdoors
In this playful session we will fire up our imaginations and explore our outdoor spaces with new eyes, eyes that look closely at the details in our environment, that see stories in the trees, in the hidden corners, in the cracks in the pavement, sharpening our senses as we seek evidence of dragons.
As well as inspiring poetry and creative writing, this approach is an opening to all sorts of projects and learning outcomes: How do species in this habitat interact? What changes has the giant beech tree seen? How do rats rap? What, exactly, is evidence? Explore and enjoy.
This is a session that I have developed over many years, delivering it to over 50 schools; for able pupil programmes for East Sussex and West Sussex; and for the South Downs National Park Authority. It started as a poetry and storytelling workshop at Woods Mill Nature Reserve in 2011, but since then I have run versions of this workshop for Key Stages 1, 2, 3 and 4, adapted to the students needs, adapted to curriculum needs in Literacy and English Language, Science, History and Geography and cross-curricular topics, and adapted to location needs of all sizes of schools and learning environments.
My day job is in a small school attached to a children's home, teaching boys who have suffered childhood trauma. I teach Science, Geography, and what I call Field Science, which is mostly lighting fires, making a cup of tea and whittling things. I try to teach outside as much as possible, where the science, the geography and the connection to the natural world is, and where most of the dragons are.
Our first online CPD session for teachers, in Partnership with South Downs National Park Authority, is on
Monday 19th October 2020 at 16:00 - 17:30
If you are a teacher wanting to identify outdoor stimuli for cross-curricular projects; to identify the particular needs of children that could be met with this approach; and to have fun, starting an “imagination audit” of your location, then please book your place by emailing
adventurepoetry@live.co.uk
All you need for the workshop is your device for accessing the meeting. Your phone, tablet or a device that you can move around with would be best. Bring something take notes if you wish.
Feedback from when I last led this for SDNPA:What was the best thing about the workshop?
- Brilliant teacher/leader. Inspiring content, feeling of mutual respect.
- Collaboration - storytelling - giving everyone a voice
- Inspired to take a dragon walk with children at school. It was great!
- Letting imagination go!
- Roaring like a dragon!
- Taking English into the great outdoors. Slowing down and "seeing" nature
- Utterly brilliant, stop, look, go slow, let your mind be free, take the journey from an idea forward
Find out more about the Online CPD for teachers being run by SDNPA at www.southdowns.gov.uk/onlineteachertraining
