We spend a lot of time in the woods teaching young people about bushcraft and our relationships with the natural world. Alice explains why these activities are still relevant in the digital age.
The Benefits of Bushcraft in a Modern World
Exploring Stop-Motion Animation
Last half term during our Arts Award sessions, we were working on creating stop-animation films, with a little bit of inspiration from Aardman studios, the creators of Wallace & Gromit!
To begin our module, we began making Thaumatropes, a toy from the Victorian period that, when spun, gave the illusion of movement. We also made some flipbooks to create our own ‘moving picture’ in the classroom.
Our students then watched a few stop-motion animations online as inspiration and were challenged to come up with their own ideas. What, or who would the main character be? What would the set design look like? What materials would they use?
Our students made prototype films to experiment with using the Stop Motion Studio app.
Then our students were tasked with creating their final set piece and characters. Our students made some really creative and fun final films – here is one called The Girl and the Whale!
Print-making
During our lino-printing module our students experimented with using different tools and creating different patterns to print.
Photography: Light Study
Today Alice did a photography lesson looking at light, aperture, and how we can completely alter the perception of the time of day by changing the focal length.
Making a Pot Holder
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Setting intentions
Wishing you all a very Happy New Year 
!
Today we have been thinking about changes that we would like to make and what we would like to ‘let go’ of in the coming year. How can we make ourselves feel a little lighter? How would we like to feel by the end of this year? What sort of person would we like to be?
Our students wrote in chalk on rocks what they were leaving behind in 2022, and then we threw them into the sea. It was very cathartic. It feels even better when you do a big roar as you do it, like a professional tennis player.
Then we wrote a message to ourselves to keep for 2023. What would you throw into the sea? What would your message be, to your future self?
Haikus with the John Muir Award
Writing haikus outdoors, immersed in nature, offers students a meditative experience. By observing natural phenomena and crafting poetic responses, they connect with the environment. Linked to the John Muir Award, this practice becomes a pathway to deepening appreciation for wild places.
A Road Trip To Tidal Arts
We’ve been off on a road trip this week, exploring Tidal Arts in Kingsbridge with our Arts Award students.
Portraits in the style of Giuseppe Arcimboldo
We explore the work of Giuseppe Arcimboldo, an Italian Renaissance painter, was famous for his imaginative and surreal portraits (most famously, Vertumnus). His works were composed of various objects such as fruits, vegetables, flowers, and other natural elements.
Halloween Skull String Art
Our students make some reusable decorations for Halloween.