As this class is a mix of Indigenous shelter study (Rabbits) and zipline exploration (Squirrels), we decided to combine the two, as they are quite complimentary! Some of our Rabbits have been working on adding a zipline to their shelters, so the Squirrel's knowledge has come in handy! We began with a stool workshop (morning); each family group made a stool using only three sticks and a piece of string! Let them recreate one in your outdoor space! Our free time included zipline time (Maddie let us know that the higher the rope is, the faster the zipline will go) and Milo figured out that "There's a little wheel that sticks in it" (the pulley). We will continue our zipline study; we have looked into gravity, and now will play with acceleration! As for the shelters, we are always learning new ways to build camp furniture, and will explore other shelter designs our First Nations used.
IDEAS TO CONTINUE AT HOME:
*ziplines: build ziplines either in your outdoor space, or in your home, using yarn or rope. Easy things to send down the zipline are toilet paper rolls, LEGO figures in LEGO baskets, homemade buckets...the sky's the limit! Experiment with the height of the rope, and the weight of the load. Does anything make it easier for it to go down? Can you slow it down? Can you add a brake at the bottom?
*Forts: Creating forts (real life sized) involve great discussions about architecture; usually kids want to add a roof, which causes tricky load-bearing issues! This can work inside or out; collecting sticks that are tall enough to use outside, with a tarp or sheet, or inside using chairs/cushions/blankets..then have a snack and do some book reading in there! See if they can make the stool again! Or, they could build a mini model of a shelter. Once they've made one shape (rectangle, for example) see if they can make another shape (triangular prism, round/yurt, geodesic). Have fun!
Every week we'll post some ideas from the class for you to carry on or participate in at home. You can send your pictures to me (whether you're in the classes or at home!) and I'll include them in the next post so the children can still see each other!