ACORNS Forest Preschool Learning Objectives & Opportunities
To ensure your child has the opportunity to experience learning in all of these areas, we highly encourage attending school year-round.
Motor Skills: Walking on uneven terrain, running on various terrain, climbing over logs, crawling through brush, jumping, carrying daily items, small hikes, scrambling, and more!
Self-Care: learning to keep comfortable outside year-round through putting on and taking off appropriate layers, noticing and preventing thirst, managing sun exposure, keeping self dry, noticing and addressing hunger, managing boundaries with others, learning to take breaks to check in with self or others, learning to voice needs
Community: learning to play dynamic games with others, learning about and navigating similarities and differences, conflict navigation, accountability, sharing, communication, celebration, receiving and asking for support, learning boundaries and consent, learning about the needs and abilities of others
Concepts: value for nature and people, understanding of ecosystems and sustainability, community accountability, community support, conflict navigation, self-awareness, social responsibility,
Preschool Community Contract:
Pacific Northwest Nature Fluency Curriculum
Participants will learn about the creatures and plants, their natural environment, what kind of ‘home’ it lives in or where they can be found, their food sources, seasonal behaviors, its lifecycle, who eats it, what it moves like, looks like, sounds it makes and it’s tracks if possible. We will use this opportunity to teach literacy, math, biology, ecology, music, art, etc., organically as it arises through inquiring and exploration materials.
For any given topic teacher’s will bring songs, games, crafts, activities, books, ideas, questions and lead learning experiences to gain understanding and opportunity for exploration.
We've provided some examples of plants and creatures below that we will learn about in relationship to seasons and one another.
Animals
Bald Eagle, Crow, Great Blue Heron, Robin, Gray Squirrel, Douglass Squirrel, Buffleheads, Mallard Ducks, Chipmunks, Raccoons, Black Bear, Salmon, Pacific Wren, Black Eyed Junco, Stellar’s Jay, Osprey, crabs (type), Acorn Barnacles, Limpits (types), Moon Jellies, other jellyfish,
Insects
Banana Slug, Bark Beetles, Worms, Rollie Pollie’s, Various Larvae, Earth Worms, Ladybugs, various Ants, Sand Fleas, Butterflies, Moths
Plants
Participants will learn to identify plants, their ecosystems, edible properties, other animals that eat them, and how to sustainably harvest them.
Edible/Medicinal:
Dandelion, Plantain, Red Huckleberry, Evergreen Huckleberry, Western Red Cedar, Douglas Fir, Hemlock, Foamflower, Licorice Fern, Oregon Grape, Coltsfoot, Self-Heal, Usnea,
To ensure your child has the opportunity to experience learning in all of these areas, we highly encourage attending school year-round.
Motor Skills: Walking on uneven terrain, running on various terrain, climbing over logs, crawling through brush, jumping, carrying daily items, small hikes, scrambling, and more!
Self-Care: learning to keep comfortable outside year-round through putting on and taking off appropriate layers, noticing and preventing thirst, managing sun exposure, keeping self dry, noticing and addressing hunger, managing boundaries with others, learning to take breaks to check in with self or others, learning to voice needs
Community: learning to play dynamic games with others, learning about and navigating similarities and differences, conflict navigation, accountability, sharing, communication, celebration, receiving and asking for support, learning boundaries and consent, learning about the needs and abilities of others
Concepts: value for nature and people, understanding of ecosystems and sustainability, community accountability, community support, conflict navigation, self-awareness, social responsibility,
Preschool Community Contract:
- Teachers are here to help me.
- I will take care of myself, and my belongings.
- I will respect plants, animals, kids and teachers with my words and actions.
- I will stay near the group and listen to teachers.
- I must eat food, drink water and wear clothes that take care of my body.
Pacific Northwest Nature Fluency Curriculum
Participants will learn about the creatures and plants, their natural environment, what kind of ‘home’ it lives in or where they can be found, their food sources, seasonal behaviors, its lifecycle, who eats it, what it moves like, looks like, sounds it makes and it’s tracks if possible. We will use this opportunity to teach literacy, math, biology, ecology, music, art, etc., organically as it arises through inquiring and exploration materials.
For any given topic teacher’s will bring songs, games, crafts, activities, books, ideas, questions and lead learning experiences to gain understanding and opportunity for exploration.
We've provided some examples of plants and creatures below that we will learn about in relationship to seasons and one another.
Animals
Bald Eagle, Crow, Great Blue Heron, Robin, Gray Squirrel, Douglass Squirrel, Buffleheads, Mallard Ducks, Chipmunks, Raccoons, Black Bear, Salmon, Pacific Wren, Black Eyed Junco, Stellar’s Jay, Osprey, crabs (type), Acorn Barnacles, Limpits (types), Moon Jellies, other jellyfish,
Insects
Banana Slug, Bark Beetles, Worms, Rollie Pollie’s, Various Larvae, Earth Worms, Ladybugs, various Ants, Sand Fleas, Butterflies, Moths
Plants
Participants will learn to identify plants, their ecosystems, edible properties, other animals that eat them, and how to sustainably harvest them.
Edible/Medicinal:
Dandelion, Plantain, Red Huckleberry, Evergreen Huckleberry, Western Red Cedar, Douglas Fir, Hemlock, Foamflower, Licorice Fern, Oregon Grape, Coltsfoot, Self-Heal, Usnea,
