If you’re out and about in the great outdoors this summer, keep an eye out for East Ayrshire pupils and teachers as they try out a new idea, aimed at taking the classroom into the open.
‘Out of the Box’ literacy packs have been created by the Council’s Learning Outdoors Support Team (LOST) as part of the Scottish Attainment Challenge and these can be borrowed by staff in schools to deliver lessons.
The idea is to use outdoor areas as meaningful spaces for learning, with reading and writing rubbing shoulders with den building and fireside tales! Using exciting texts such as The Lorax by Dr Seuss, Wolf Brother by Michelle Paver and Wilderness War by Julia Green, the children will be working on a number of activities such as creating texts, following instructions, listening, talking and presenting. Councillor Fiona Campbell, East Ayrshire Council’s Cabinet Member for Skills and Learning said: “This is a brilliant idea! The new environment encourages pupils to become engaged in their learning and excited about reading in the dens they build. “The experiences create memorable, meaningful times that help young people enjoy their learning, so it stays with them into adulthood.” The ‘Out of the Box’ contains everything a teacher needs to take literacy outdoors, a class set of books, resources, materials and of course a good story! Recognising the value that partnership working can have on raising attainment, the packs make clear links to a wide range of resources from national organisations, Forestry Commission, Woodlands Trust, Soil Association and Royal Horticultural Society. The boxes also offer follow up lessons in other curriculum areas such as numeracy, science and social studies. So keep your eyes peeled, for if you go down to the woods today, then you might also come home with a story to tell!