School Workshops
Outdoor Poetry
Across both the centuries and the continents, poets have taken inspiration from the outdoor world. And this intriguing workshop gives your children the chance to do the same! Using your own school grounds as a resource in themselves, we’ll guide pupils through a process enabling them to see ordinary things in extraordinary ways – and weave magical tapestries of words.
Introduction
Schools’ outdoor areas offer a wealth of stimulus for learning in Literacy and our observational Outdoor Poetry workshop takes full advantage of this. Using your own school grounds as a resource in themselves, we’ll guide pupils through a process enabling them to see ordinary things in extraordinary ways. Working in small teams, children will construct their poems by responding to a series of prompts, inviting them to take a detailed look at the space around them. They may be used to seeing the outdoor area everyday, but have they ever really looked at it? What unusual features are there? What do they remind the pupils of? And, what would they like to know more about? Whether it is mostly concrete and brick or green playing fields and wooded areas, your outdoor space is a ready resource to enthuse your pupils and inspire some richly descriptive verses!
Exploring (according to age): descriptive writing, connection-making, simile, metaphor, poetic structure.
And Don’t Forget … we’re also experienced in designing and delivering Outdoor Literacy CPD programmes for teachers, including twilights, half days and full days!
| Year Groups | KS1-KS2 |
|---|---|
| Curriculum | Literacy |
| Pupil Numbers | Up-to 210 pupils per day |
| Duration | 30mins – 2hrs |
| Space | Your outdoor space! |
Workshop FAQs
How many pupils can take part?
30 pupils per session in up-to 5 x workshops – that’s up-to 150 children in one day.
What is the format of the day?
Suitable for up to 30 pupils at a time, Poet-Tree requires a minimum of one-hour.
These workshops have been designed to be shortened and extended according to the time available, so there is some flexibility on the timings. We will work with you to plan a timetable to accommodate the number of classes you would like to include, based around the timings of your school day.
9.00 – 10.00: Session 1
10.00 – 11.00: Session 2
11.00 – 12.00: Session 3
LUNCH
1.00 – 2.00: Session 4
2.00 – 3.00: Session 5
Are there any technical requirements?
Your visitor will need access to a laptop/ screen/projector set up in the working space, so that pupils can view the supporting PowerPoint.
“Thanks for a great course today Jo. I’m sitting in the sunshine planning my first of many weeks of outdoor learning.”
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