Year 2
Plant and Bivouac Building at Painshill Park
As Year 2 set out on their adventure to
Painshill Park, there was a buzz of
excitement in the air. With the sun
shining brightly, they arrived to meet
their workshop leader, who
encouraged them to alert their
classmates to potential hazards during
the trek with shouts of ‘Stingy-Thingy’
and ‘Tractor Attack!’ - responsibilities
which they undertook admirably. After
walking almost the length of the park,
taking in sights including the lake and
water-wheel, they arrived at their first
activity – Bivouac Building. Eagerly,
they set about their task of
constructing a waterproof shelter to
protect them from the forecast rain
over lunchtime, scavenging natural
materials from around the pine forest
to construct walls and a secure roof.
Their problem-solving and team-work
skills were put to the test as they
worked together to carry logs and
branches, share out tasks and suggest
special features for their shelters. All of
them rose impressively to the task,
communicating their ideas confidently
and listening to others’ thoughts and
opinions, especially as they proudly
showed their shelters to each other.
The expected rain failed to arrive, so
the waterproof test was completed
with buckets of water instead!
In the afternoon, the group followed
the Plant Explorer trail back through
the park. Supporting their Science
topic about Growing Plants, the
children solved clues relating to
different parts of a plant. They also
used their map-reading skills to plot
the route to the next clue.
Everyone agreed that this was a very
successful day, with excellent
learning outcomes achieved by all!
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