This week Second Class enjoyed a fantastic Forest School session with a focus on pine trees.

Our journey began with a walk to basecamp where the children were introduced to the Scots Pine, tall and straight with whispering green needles. We learned that although pine trees are too tricky to climb, since they lose their lower branches as they grow, they still have many gifts to share.

Waiting for us was a special letter from Grandmother Tree who told us about her pinecones. The children discovered that pinecones are clever weather forecasters. When the air is dry, the cones open, releasing their feather-light seeds to be carried away by the wind. But when the air is damp, the cones close up tight, protecting the seeds from getting waterlogged. Each child was invited to bring a cone home, perfect for deciding if a raincoat might be needed for school the next day.

We examined both open and closed cones, noticing the difference in their shape and texture. The children then experienced the sharp, refreshing scent of pine while making pine needle tea, which warmed everyone up on the cool autumn day.

Afterwards, we got creative using natural pine materials, and we used our bodies to move like the trees, stretching tall, swaying with the wind, and rooting ourselves firmly to the ground.

To end the session we gathered to listen to the old Irish tale of Deirdre and Naoise and the Pine Trees. The children imagined the whispering pines carrying messages on the wind, just as people once believed.

It was a day filled with discovery, creativity, and storytelling, another reminder of the wisdom and wonder that trees hold if we take the time to listen.