This term grade 1/2 students are reading ‘Snugglepot and ‘Cuddlepie’ by May Gibbs. As students follow the story they will be participating in a ‘Bush Craft’ lesson once a week. The program is organised by the wonderful Julie Harmsworth. Julie works with the children to create various crafts using only materials found within the grounds of Warrandyte Primary school. The crafts and tools are all completely natural (sticks, rocks, leaves, etc.) and students are learning to think and utilise the environment around them.
The Bush Craft has strong links with our literacy program, where our reading, spelling and writing focus for the week is formed around what students have seen and experienced from their session. Vocabulary building, understanding of nouns, verbs and adjectives along with the learning of spelling rules, and writing tasks have all been formed around our beautiful bush craft sessions.
The students have so far created a bush mobile, leaf head wreath, bracelet or necklace and are still to create a clay echidna, bush painting, wet felting, and a simple shelter home for a small animal or gumnut baby. All children are enjoying the experience and becoming more and more creative, and persistent as the weeks go on.
