26th June 2014
For our final Explorer week of the year, the focus was on using maps and compasses to be explorers ourselves. For the first three days of the week, each class learnt navigation skills and practised them around the school grounds. By going to the farm we were able to use our new skills in unfamiliar terrain.
In the morning Phoenix and Sprites explored the farm with Zoe Briggs, Creative Learning Manager at the Ambassador Theatre Group in London. She led a morning of games (and learning!) which culminated in a scavenger hunt around the farm, following a picture map to find our way.
In the afternoon we then went into the woods to complete the challenges which Griffin & Pegasus had carried out in the morning. Our friends from Bear Dog Outdoor, who we worked with last year, had set up a series of bases around the woods. We had to use our map reading skills to navigate from one challenge to the next one. While we were on our way we had a series of flags to identify.
Firstly, we had to cross a "quicksand" ravine, using two parallel ropes strung between trees. Then we had to quickly light a fire without matches to burn through string and release a bag of treasure from the treetops. When we reached the Brazilian jungle we had to use blow pipes to fight off attacking animals and angry natives. Finally, in Egypt, we had to solve the problem of the keys to release the treasure from the pyramid.
Key Stage 2 spent half the afternoon playing cricket and football with Mr Mould and the other half being set problem solving and team building activities as a group and teams with Mrs Brecht.
We all had a fantastic, educational and very tiring day! If any parents are interested in finding out more about the birthday parties and adventure days offered by Bear Dog, their website is http://www.beardogoutdoor.co.uk
Please visit our School Photo area for photos of the day!
