Author Archives: Mr.Bell

PL’s Fairy Castle Adventure

Posted on by

Yesterdays intrepid group of girls from Preston Lodge ventured out into the snow Lammermuirs to explore Fairy Castle. We had intended to drive up through Elmscleuch and walk over Packman’s Grave on Moneynut Edge. Unfortuneatly though the road up past the farm is sheet ice …. no-way in the mini-bus!

In the end we parked at Aikengall Farm and walked up the new turbine-access road, and dropped down into the Dunglas Deans. Most of the snow is now gone, and it was all pretty wet and boggy on the fields, and sheet ice on the tracks.

After a sheltered lunch in the teep-pee we walked up onto the top of Moneynut Edge for full veiw of all of the turbined before returning back to Aikengall.

While some of these pupils have done some Outdoor Activities before for many it was something new and quite a challenge. By the end of the day they all agree that they had enjoyed it, and had also learned about renewable energy in East Lothian. Thanks to Mr Bell and Mr Lynas for assisting.

Outdoor Learning 2010

Posted on by

Continue reading →

Apple Juice (cider?) Making

Posted on by

                                            

In one period we:

– made an apple crusher

– cut apples up

– crusher apples

– fed apples into press

– pressed apples

– collected juice

Ready to make a refreshing drink from locally (Wallyford) collected apples

Week Five

Posted on by

[rockyou 157117942]

 

Week  5

Went to school at 8.30am, went to registration, then went to get our boots and grey suits. Went to the van, started driving up there. Had fun signing on the bus. When we got there. We got changed and started walking to our wee base camp. This was the last week. We started collecting fire-wood. Mr Bell had bought Lorraine thank you card so I gave her it at the end. She loved it. Me, Amy, Jessica and Alana were walking around the woods, looking for loose wire. Me, Amy, Jessica and Alana had a singing/dancing comp and I was the best.! J obvi. I really enjoyed this morning. Then we had break, then did more hunting around the woods. Then it was Lunch time. Amy and Alana were in-charge of the cooking and the fire. She made pancakes. After lunch Lorraine showed us how to make dream catchers. The boys were making a bench. Which looked good. At the end we went back to school. What a nice day to end the course. J<3 I enjoyed it xx

 

Week 5;it was our last ever week at the camping place it was good for me but this week some of us just made another bench after we finished the other one this week was more fun because we did less work or maybe that’s just me at the end we made some dream catchers I didn’t I don’t like or believe in them its not true I used to have about 5 of them and I till had nightmares….so they don’t work when we had lunch and started a fire we made some pancakes they were not very good so I just had a lemon on its own about 3 of them haha before lunch me,Amy.Emma and ALnna went to play the xfactor it was a little a bit of a bore but it was a little fun erm so it started to rain a little so we all made a shelter and it was very cold but no wind was about or near….so after we made dream catchers we put them on a big tree and stood beside it and Mr.bell took a photo of us all after that we put out the fire and got really to leave until the next time we can visit.

Week 6: I went to regi then went to the learning zone and everyone came and we all waited for Lorraine to come and then she came and we went to the forest we changed and then we went to our base.we got logs for the fire and then we done our tasks me, Amy, Emma, Jessica went and put red tape on the broken wires and then it was break and then we went back to find more broken wire and put red tape on it then it was lunchtime at lunchtime we had pancakes they were really nice and then we made dream catchers and then we went back to the bus and got our overalls off and got ready then we went home.

 

 

The last day of forest schools

 

On the last day of forest school. I really enjoyed it because I was working with people I had never usually worked with and talked with. Here are some activities I had done at forest schools.

 

o    Mallet making

o    Gazzo making

o    Tent building

o    Cooking on fire

o    Bench making

o    Communicating and interacting with peers

o    Nightline and call of duty

 

Week 5

We went to school at 8.30 got on the bus went to the woods got set up with the tents and the fire when around looking for bites of barbed weir to put a bit of tape around it so the no were it was very cold and raining it was the worst week we had there finally it was lunch we had pancakes and toast it was goooooooooooood but emma had nothing she eats nothing but chocolate then we made dream catchers it was really good and they looked amazing……………..it was a fun experience and meeting new people was good but I wouldn’t  like to do it again…………………….good to be back at school J…………..

Best bites

  • Food
  • Meeting new people
  • Making dream catchers
  • Making woods look better
  • Seeing different animals e.g. pheasant

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Forest School – Week Four

Posted on by

[rockyou 157060354]

Week 4

Went to school at 8.30am, went to registration then went to get our boots and grey suits. Went to the bus got our stuff on. Lorraine had two students with her, Emma and Paul. When we got there we collected the fire-wood, we made a shelter because the forecast was meant to be poring. We made two good shelters. Me, Amy, Alana, Jessica and Lorraine started finishing of the stairs. We made 4 stairs all together and they are looking really good. The boys made a bench. And that’s looking good to. Then we had break. Then the next thing it started chucking it down. We all went into the shelter and started having lunch. After lunch me and amy set up a blind hold course and paul, emma and sean did it. It was really funny. After that we made musical instruments. <3 was a good day again. J

Week 4: I went to school and went to regi and then I went to the learning zone and waited for Lorraine and she came we went on the bus and picked up a guy from tranet his name was Paul then we went to the forest when we got there we changed into our overalls and then we went to our base and put our shelters up because it was raining and really windy and then we all went to the stairs that me, Jessica, Amy and Emma done last week and went back to our base and had our break and then me, Jessica, Amy, Emma and Lorraine went to the finish the stairs and after we done the stairs we went back to the base and had our lunch after lunch we all went to see the stairs and all went to see the seat the guys made and then after that me and Jessica went back to the base and me and Lorraine went out to look for logs and then we went back and i made a flute Amy and Emma went to do a obstacle course and after we made the flutes we went to the obstacle course that Amy and Emma made after that we went back to the base and cleared up and then we changed and then went back to school.

Week 4

Week 4 was just really finishing things of we finished the stars and the boys made a bench. Me and Emma had too go and get hardcore with a wheelbarrow Emma couldn’t life it at all so I had to carry it all the way “it was so heavy”…..

At lunch wee got the fire started and Shaun started too cook sausages……then wee made a shelter it started to rain really bad and the shelter fell down more than 3 times it was offal……after lunch me and Emma got the chance to make a obstacle course for Shaun and that………by the end wee were all tired and got ready to go home……

Week 4: we all went to the same camping place like always but two other people came too Paul and this other girl but I forgot her name when we all got there we first built some shelters up because it was raining or starting to anyways

Then the stairs that all the girls started needed to be finished it took all our hard work but it paid off in the end then we had break haha there was a really big bug on Emma’s bag we all screamed like little girls we then started the fire at the start of lunch I had hot soup that I brute with me after that we finished everything we had to be finished me and one or two girls finished doing the music things and Amy and Emma made this thing were you need to follow the rope while blindfolded I didn’t do it even though it looked so easy Shuan erm and the other girl and Paul did it…it was fun to watch but not to do because my right leg was swore anyways after it was time to go and next week will be our last. (^_^/)

 

Forest School – Week 3

Posted on by

week3-6          week3-17

Day 3

 

We did the same as we did last week got on the mini bus got the overalls and got boots on and headed up to the camp. Once we got there we set up the fire and got all the wood together to get reader for the fire at 1:00(lunch) then me and Shaun, Mr bell went down to do some more hardcore. When we got down there we cut some barb-wire and rolled it up then did some more hardcore.

 

There me and Shaun went to the mini bus because we left out bag and then went up to the camp had our break and we swap places with the girls they did hard coring and we cut of the tree stuff from the post  and separate the wood from the plastic roll and tied them up,

 

Then it was lunch me and Shaun set up the fire, then Jessica made cheese torte as, then we had a bit of hide and seek then we put up shelter because it was raining then we carved a peace of wood into an bit of musical instrument  

week3-41          week3-44

Week 3= I went to school and went to registration and went along to the learning zone where we waited until Lorraine came and we went on the mini bus and went to the place and when we arrived we got ready and got our overalls on and boots  and then went out and went to our base and we collected wood for the fire and after that we collected the tubes and then tied them together and then we had break and we done the stairs and we had lunch and we played hide and seek and then we made the flutes and then we went back on the bus and we all went home.

week3-48          week3-49

Week 3: We all went to the same camping area that we where at last time but this time some of us switched jobs this time I wanted to do the heavy work but I did get a really nice workout by it its Tuesday and I feel no pain from last day I guess I could call myself lucky.

All the girls tried to help make the stairs at a little hill but I did all the work Amy and Emma were up a tree and got stuck so I told them to stop monkying around and help but they didn’t…but I really enjoyed doing some hard work for a change. I wanted to make the lunch with the food we had it was really good then after we played hind and seek I didn’t want to play but after 2 games I joined in I guess it was fun but then I was ready to go home but it was like 2 and it was raining so was decided to make a shelter then once it was up the rain stopped and the sun came out….I was pretty annoyed. We then made some music things out of wood that was hard to do but after we all went back to school and we were all very tired I was ready for a nice hot coco and nice warm bed while watching some TV. So I could say am starting to like camping now. =]

 

·        communication with people you don’t usually

·        the fun games we play

 

Week 3

Went to school at 8.30am, went to registration then went to get our boots and grey suits. I was feeling excited again and we were waiting on the bus coming. When the bus arrived we got in and started driving to the woods. When we arrived at the forest we got our grey suits on and our boots on. We headed to the base and started collecting wood for the fire. Me, Amy, Jessica and Alana started tying the tubes together. Then we had break. Then Me, Amy, Jessica and Alana went to help Mr Bell with the building of the stairs. We made two stairs before lunch time. It was good fun, we did well. Sean and Jordan were in-charge of the fire this week. Sean made the hot chocolate this week and it was nice. After Lunch we played hide and seek it was very funny. Then we made some musical instruments out of wood was very good to. <3

Had another good day J