Take Root’s Homeschool Forest School, a part of the learning community, uses an all-outside, place-based approach – providing forest school learning experiences that are experiential, curiosity-driven and fun!
Forest Homeschool meets Monday-Friday in a variety of ways…guiding young learners through the forest (ages 5 and up).
Some examples of what may emerge throughout the school year, September-June for ages 5 and up (5 as of September of forest school year).
- Natural History & Florida Ecology
- Nature Journals & Sensory Awareness
- Ethnobotany in the Forest
- Map-making for Kids – Sense of Place
- The Story of Nature – Reading, Writing and Sharing Language Outside
- Math in Motion – Think, Move and Live Mathematically in the Forest
- Live Science & Natural History – Observe, Theorize and Investigate the Natural World
- Cultural Studies – Nature & Culture
- Nature-based Learning Games
- Outdoor Games for Teamwork & Relationship Building
- Mindfulness & Movement in Nature
- Social & Emotional Navigation
- Community Building: Entrepreneurship & Stewardship
- Fine Arts in Nature: Handwork, Crafts, Art Projects
- Art History through Nature
- Music & Drama in the Forest
- Forestry Skills: Tracking, Knots, Shelter-building, Survival
- Woodworking in the Woodland
In the Homeschool Forest School, the kids gather to explore and learn during the forest school year, September-June. This seasonal, place-based program takes place outdoors and is facilitated using Take Root’s unique approach – combining the experiential earth-based principles of Forest School while gleaning from the holistic ideals of Waldorf, the child-based methodologies of Montessori and the flexibility of Agile Learning. The kids and their teacher guides come together to explore, discover and learn.
Take Root Forest School’s multi-subject approach to learning – integrating wider subjects while focusing on exploration, play and discovery allows for development of the whole child…Head (through transformative experience and reflection), Heart (through relating and or connecting on a deeper level) & Hands (through hands-on engagement).
Every morning, after arrival and play, the kids and teachers gather to sing and welcome the day during the Community Circle and Morning Meeting. This gathering time brings everyone together and sets up the day. There are two main focuses during each forest day – Focused in the Forest and Free Range in the Forest time. During Focused in the Forest time, the kids and their guides gather for community learning – exploration and discovery based projects, activities, and lessons. Free Range in the Forest time provides an outdoor space for self-directed exploration, play and socializing, reading, game-playing, project-completion, and resting.
At Take Root, students have the unique experience of learning in an oasis of trees – in parks and natural areas, with screens turned off and away from the fast-paced sprawl of the S. Florida urban jungle. Outdoor experience develops a sense of wonder for the natural world – creating a love and respect that will develop with the child as they grow, inspiring a healthy eco-literate culture. It is every person’s right to find their place in nature and their sense of self.
