Workshops

Our workshops develop the themes of the stories further and more fully engage children with nature. Through the inspiration taken from these experiences the children are guided to create their own stories. The performance/workshop combination works well, creating a deep impact and making our workshops highly memorable. We believe that by making learning really fun and interactive we foster positive associations which can strongly influence the choices made by the individual.

These workshops are designed to:

• Create opportunities for children to connect with nature.
• Engage children more deeply with the themes of the stories.
• Enhance their understanding of folklore.
• Provide opportunities for artistic development through drama, stories, art and music.

Workshops may include any of the following:

• A storytelling performance.
• Drama games and exercises.
• Cooperative games.
• Nature engagement activities.
• Learning about local or natural history.
• Art activities.
• Music and movement.
• Story making.
• Development of a performance.
• Conservation activities including planting.

The activities selected will depend on the aim of the workshop, the setting and the needs of the participating group.

Drama with Milly

The children play fun, themed drama games to relax them and engage their enthusiasm. They will then take part in nature engagement activities designed to create direct experiences that connect children with the nature. Improvisations will lead to the creation of characters and to story making/telling.

Music with Ailsa

Possible outdoor activities – which comprise a good starting point – include listening to and integrating with bird songs etc, recording them in some way (such as with a Dictaphone/manuscript paper/descriptive words) for later reference if desired. Following on from this, the workshop can stay outside or move inside. If the workshop has not begun outside, it will begin with a brainstorm of our previous experiences in nature, with a focus on sound (therefore children are encouraged to go into the woods etc. beforehand). After some musical warm-up games, characters will be created and developed, inspired by the storytelling and nature. Characters will emerge from either a musical or a verbal starting point, involving the whole group in an improvisational exchange of music and word.

Children can bring any instruments that they play, but it is not at all essential for them for them to be already musically engaged. Ailsa will play cello and sing and bring a small number of percussive instruments to share.

Art with Peter

The art workshops will be fun and are designed to encourage the children to use all their thoughts and artistic abilities to create the visual element of a performance or a book.  They will show the children how to create their own characters and landscapes, either from their own imaginations or from the world around them. They will be encouraged to draw and paint or sculpt their characters, and then use these designs as the basis to build the elements required for their performance, which could be costumes, sets, puppetry, props, using  whatever materials are at hand, from paints to recycled materials or art from nature itself.

Example

We ran a workshop with a group of primary school children in a local nature reserve. The children were treated to a tour of part of the reserve; they watched the goslings and dragonflies from a hide by the lake and were serenaded by sky larks in the meadows. We then enjoyed bird themed games and acting exercises which involved imitating different birds and learning to move smoothly together in a group like a flock of birds. Hot, tired and hungry now, we returned to the visitors centre for a storytelling performance of Melangell (patron saint of animals in Wales) and her encounter with a Gyrfalcon.

After lunch we walked to another more forested part of the reserve where the children could see how land that was once an open cast mine could be regenerated and reinhabited by animals and birds. We engaged in story making activities and created a fabulous story of how a young girl gave her life protecting a large flock of swans from poachers and was magically transformed into a swan herself. Drawing on the mornings activities we turned the story into a performance.

Extended learning opportunities

Workshops can be one off or run as a series. A longer residency can be very effective at developing creativity, confidence and performing abilities as well as building on knowledge and deepening connection to nature. It is also possible to develop performances which can be presented at events.

Our projects are designed to inspire interest in nature. They link well with on site gardening initiatives taking part in the school and further activities can be offered to assist in the development of gardens and especially bird friendly areas.

Teachers packs

Resources have been created to provide further activities which continue to develop the children’s involvement with wildlife and particularly birds and bird gardens. It contains lesson plans which link to Key stage 2 curriculum subjects.