Our forest - Estonian forest

 THEME: ESTONIAN FOREST (project)

CHILDREN AGE: 4-6 years

OBJECTIVES: The child knows the worth of the forest in our nature. The child knows trees in Estonia. The knows the names of the trees and tells them (pine, fir, birch). The child knows what the tree needs to grow (soil, water, light). The child watches different pictures and books from trees. The child is active in discussions. The child draws favorite tree. The child cuts out and glues it on the given base paper. The child finds things made of wood in the group. The child knows that pen is made of wood. The child actively participates in doing group art work (tree from leftovers from sharpening pens). The child knows how to use digital storytelling pen. The child knows how to play digital game about forest and nature.

TOOLS/MATERIALS: different books and pictures about forest; wax chalks, paper, base paper, scissors, glue; pen, PVA-glue, leftovers from sharpening pens, crepe paper, base card; digital storytelling pen and its sets about nature.

ACTIVITY:

- Pictures - looking, discussions

3/4 from Estonia is covered with forest and bog. Forest is a part of our culture, our way of thinking. Estonia is rich of its untouched nature. 

With children - our forest values - made a concept map.

Then we discussed what is forest protected areas. We reminded concept nature protection. We found out that there is 3000 trees per person in forests. The average tree age is about 60 years. We discussed that who has planted trees in the forest. Talked about different forests is Estonia. The most we have pine trees, then comes birch, fir and so on. Then we looked the books about forests. 

We found out that from one average tree you can have 70 kg paper or 10 000 sheets of paper A4. Discussion, is it a lot or not?

Then we discover the trees on our kindergarten yard. Like the rowans are planted by children who graduated our kindergarten 13-15 years ago. And the birch trees are older then 60 years. We compare them and we name adjectives about them.

- Drawing

The children draw the tree that they like the best, cuts it out and glues on the base paper to make collaborative art work. Together it is a forest.

- Discussion

What is made of wood? Find things from the group room what is made of wood. 

Pens - are made of soft wood, without branch knot and is easily cut that's why it is easy to sharpen them. And all of the pen ends up in trash. We don't use it. Or can we use it? What can we do that less of pen ends up in trash? To use pen wisely, cut less and not so often. But how can we use the leftovers?

- Art work

In collaboration we made a tree from the pen sharpening leftovers. We drew a tree, put some PVA-glue on it, then on the glue went pen sharpening leftovers and we decorated it crepe paper leaves. 

- Embedding the topic - on free time

Children can use the digital storytelling pen, read and look books about nature, play board games of nature and so on.