The PLACES Project

Combining Outdoor Activities with Storytelling to improve thinking skills and cooperation

Themes and Learning Objectives

  • Well-being quality education
  • educed inequalities
  • cooperation
  • being a member of a social group
  • integration in social and political life
  • civic education
  • using the story “School Camp”
  • outdoors learning

Séminaire Floreffe

Location: Floreffe, Belgium

Pupils involved: 50 pupils from 2 classes

Age Group: 10 years old

Class: Year 4 in Primary School

Implementation Procedures

Before going on a school camp, the teachers showed the video of the story ‘School camp’ to the pupils. 

They were asked to find the main topic of the video and then they did some activities around collaborative work.

Materials and tools used

Video story School Camp

Markers / big sheets of paper / scissors / stones

The pupils were told they were going to listen to a story coming from a European project and that pupils from other countries in Europe would also listen to the same story. While watching the video, their task was to find the main topic of the story.
In groups of five, the children received 10 pieces of a puzzle, making together a heart shape. The pupils represented, drew on each piece a part of the story. The pieces were mixed, and another group received the ten pieces to build the puzzle and the story again with emphasis on collaboration.
There were outdoor activities as well. They played ‘Stone Hunt’ where The pupils painted something from the story on a stone, they hid the stone outside, they explained to another pupil where to find it. Then, together they created a mosaic with all the painted stones. Further, they created ‘Land art’ where each child chose something in the nature, then together they created a work of art.

Back in the classroom the pupils reflected on the way they had worked together and wrote the results of their reflection on the blackboard.

Sharing Outcomes and Experiences

The story was chosen because these pupils were to go together to a school camp so it was good practice to link the teaching to real life. Using non-verbal, creative ways of showing one’s understanding was positive.
Collaboration was fostered to make the puzzle, the pupils had to discuss, negotiate and decide what would be represented on each piece of the puzzle. Working with the puzzle to represent the different steps of the story is a playful and creative way to show one’s understanding. The pupils were very active. Collaboration was necessary to make the puzzle and to give instructions to find the painted stone.

Also, regarding outdoors learning, the pupils painted on a stone, they hid the stone outside, they explained to another pupil where to find it, together they created a mosaic with all the painted stones ‘Land art’ was another activity outdoors, where each child chose something in the nature, then together, they created a work of art, improving collaboration, participation and team work.

Pupils’ reflexion after the activities was a good practice. Pupils discussed how they had behaved, acted, and negotiated during the lesson. This kind of reflexion helps to improve the social climate in the class by providing an opportunity for dialogue between pupils and reflecting on the actions that can be taken to live better together