Outdoor Learning | Homerswood Primary and Nursery School

Spring Term 2025

The focus for the Spring Term will be Science and Geography. Science based activities include making bird feeders, constructing wormeries, investigating waterproof materials and making elf houses. We will also be conducting a bird watch, making fires and learning about fire safety. Geography activities focus on looking at the differences between human and physical Geography, map reading and orienteering.

Below are the Spring words. You can help by discussing the meaning of the words with your children.

herbivore, omnivore, carnivore, flora, fauna, organic, decomposer, consumer, producer, compass and navigation.

Encourage your children to bring in interesting finds or photographs.

Year 3, 4, 5 and 6 have participated in various orienteering and Geography activities. These included map reading and using a compass.

The pupils in year 6 and Reception worked together in the Outdoor Learning area. They could choose to draw a picture, read a book or go on a nature walk.

The pupils in Year 5 have been learning about litter pollution and participated in a litter pick. In total they found over 200 pieces of litter. They are thinking of ways to reduce the amount of litter.

The pupils have been learning all about fire safety. Years 3 and 4 have made a fire in an incinerator and years 5 and 6 have used a flint and steel to light their own mini-fires.

Autumn Term 2024

Welcome back!

We have lots of fun and exciting things planned for our Outdoor Learning sessions this term. The focus for the Autumn Term will be predominantly on English and Maths.

English based activities include descriptive writing, poetry, creating woodland characters and participating in and designing scavenger hunts. Maths activities will be based around shape, angles, symmetry and measurement.

The children will be creating Outdoor Learning Charters. Please encourage your children to familiarise themselves with our outdoor guidelines.

" 123, where are you? " "123, we're here " The children then return to base safely.

Be aware of your surroundings.

Do not eat anything or place your hands in your mouth. Always wash your hands thoroughly on returning to class.

Respect nature.

Each week we will learn a new word of the week and this will be displayed in the Outdoor Learning area. Below are the Autumn Term words. You can help by discussing the meaning of the words with your children.

nocturnal, predator, prey, camouflage, habitat, deciduous, diurnal, hibernation, evergreen and migration.

Please check the website for learning across the school from Year 1 to Year 6 and regular updates and photographs.

Thank you for your support.

This week the children have focused on Maths during our Outdoor Learning Sessions. Activities included multiplication games, Shape scavenger hunts and designing their own fun Maths games.

Year 2 have been using clay to create their own animal prints. The children also designed their own footprints for Sneezy Dragon.

Year 3 have been making magic potions.

The children decorated our new bench with some amazing designs inspired by nature.

Have a look at our Outdoor Learning competition winners. The pupils designed posters to promote our Outdoor Learning safety charter.

Year 2 have been writing descriptions of Sneezy Dragon and Year 4 have been looking for evidence of animal activity.

Summer Term 2024

The focus for the Summer Term will include the foundation subjects of Art, Religious Education, History, French, Music and PE.

Art activities will include close observation drawing, making dyes and constructing our own 'Big Art' from natural resources. The children will compose music and play with instruments they have made. History activities include placing events in chronological order on a timeline and French activities include using vocabulary for plants and animals. The children also construct their own obstacle courses.

Below is a list of the Summer vocabulary related to Outdoor Learning. Please discuss the meaning of the words with your children.

conservationist, en plein air, species, biped, climate, biodiversity, photosynthesis, weathering, mammal, vertebrate, and invertebrate.

Thank you for your support.

Year 1 pupils have been using natural resources to create their own Art Work. Year 4 have made patterns on calico using plants and flowers.

During Sports week the pupils created their own obstacle courses and carousels using natural resources.

Take a look at a variety of Key Stage 2 Art work including water colour pictures, rubbings and detailed observational drawings.

Book week activities and Outdoor Learning games with a Geography focus.

Year 3 have been making a womery. They have been investigating the conditions best suited to worms and how to care for them.

Year 5 have been learning about litter pollution. The pupils have participated in a litter survey and have come up with some interesting ideas to help solve littering.

Year 6 have been investigating different invertebrates and learning how to identify and classify and them.

The pupils have been making fires and learning about fire safety.

Have a look at our great outdoor learning display.

The pupils have used natural resources to create Christmas decorations.

Year 6 have been learning about co-ordinates.

Take a look at some of the amazing activities the pupils participated in during Math's Week.

The children entered a competition to design an Outdoor Learning Poster. Here are some of the winners and the prizes they won.

Year 2 have been looking at different animal prints. They designed their own ones in clay.

Scavenger Hunts. The children have been participating in a variety of different Scavenger Hunts. Some designed their own for the younger children to complete.

The children have been making mini fires and learning about fire safety.

Year 1 have been learning French numbers and Year 2 have been investigating different colours.

Year 1 have been investigating minibeasts.

Look at the great Art Work we have been doing outdoors. This includes close observational drawings, painting with water colours and making clay tiles.

The children in Year 3 have made a wormery. They learnt about the conditions worms need to live and how to care for their well being.

Year 2 have been investigating waterproof materials. They will choose the best material and use it when they design and construct their own elf houses.

Outdoor Learning Easter Art.

Autumn Term 2022

Christmas Art. The children used leaves and twigs to make these great Christmas trees. Each one is unique.

Year 6 have been working on coordinates during their Outdoor Learning session.

The children have been focusing on Maths activities during their Outdoor Learning sessions this week.

Year 4 have been learning about the legend of ' The Beast of Bodmin Moor.' They created their own beasts.

Year 2 have been investigating animal tracks. They created their own tracks in clay.

Year 3 have been investigating different textures. They made their own sensory sticks.

Year 4 have created their own mystery stories based on different clues and objects they found hidden in the Outdoor Learning area.

The children designed their own Outdoor Learning charters. These have now been displayed in our Outdoor Learning area. Well done to all the children who participated.

Take a look at all the great learning we have been doing this week, from scavenger hunts to Year 2's quest to find Sneezy Dragon.

Year 3 created some amazing tree characters. Take a look!

Bug Hotel

Homerswood Outdoor Charter

The children have been designing their own obstacle courses using natural resources.

Reception have been learning all about snails as part of their topic on minibeasts.

The children have been using natural resources to create a piece of Big Art.

Year 1 made their own looms and experimented with weaving natural materials such as feathers, leaves and flowers.

Reception boy and girl collages.

Year 1 have decorated clay tiles with a variety of natural resources.

Year 2 have created some amazing outdoor Art based on the artist Andy Goldsworthy.

Year 4 have been looking at the work of Max Ernst and the technique of frottage. Look at their amazing rubbings.

Year 5 have been creating leaf patterns using water colour pencils. Look at their wonderful designs.

Easter Art and leaf patterns

This half term we have been focusing on Geography. The children have been following rope trails, shape trails and arrow trails.

Year 5 Country and Capital City trails.

Reception used a map of the Outdoor area to find treasure.

Year 3 have been learning about worms. They made their own wormeries. They had to remember to keep moist and covered so the worms are shielded from the light.

The children at Homerswood have been participating in the Big Schools' Bird Watch 2022. Year 1 have been making some Eco friendly bird feeders.

Take part in your own Birdwatch. Collect a survey sheet from Mrs. Pumilia, find a quiet place to watch the birds and record what you see. Good luck!

Mr. Scully found an amazing green bug in the tree. Can you find out the name of the bug? Let Mrs Pumilia know and if you are correct you can win a prize.

Year 5 have been investigating absorbent materials.

Interesting finds. Freddie found this amazing wasp nest in his Nan's loft.

Year 3 have made symmetrical butterflies.

The children have been learning about the benefits and dangers of fires. They toasted marshmallows and made s'mores.

Year 3 made square frames and used them to create symmetrical patterns with natural resources.

Reception have been making wooden presses. They placed a small wooden object of their choice between two round discs and secured with an elastic band. Look at their great results.

Year 3 have been investigating symmetrical shapes. They constructed various 2-shapes and used coloured wool to identify any lines of symmetry they could find.

Year 5 have created their own special outdoor places based on the book Peter's Place by Sally Grindley and Michael Foreman. Year 2 have made magic wands and clay animal prints.

Year 1 made leaf people based on the story ' Leaf man ' By Lois Ehlert.

Year 3 have been creating their own tree characters and Year 4 have been making head dresses based on "The rabbit who stole the fire" by Joanna Troughton.

We have been busy designing our own scavenger hunts and looking for animal signs and activity. Check out our Outdoor Learning display at the front of the school.

Year 2 went on the hunt for Sneezy Dragon. They followed the trail of coloured snot that he had left behind. But he was very elusive. The children decided he was nocturnal and was asleep during the day and active at night. Here are some pictures of what they thought he looked like.

Year 3 investigated different smells. They made their own smelly magic potions.

Year 1 had a visit from Alan, the 3 legged hedgehog, from Hornbeam Wood Hedgehog Sanctuary. They learnt about the dangers facing hedgehogs and how to protect them. how to protect hedgehogs

Big Art inspired by Andy Goldsworthy

Big Art during our Forest School lesson with Year One.

Year 1 identified different types of trees at Homerswood by carefully observing the features of the leaves. They did really well. They spotted a hornbeam, a rowan, an oak and a Norwegian spruce.