Storytelling: A Nature Park Guide
Storytelling can provide a mechanism for learners to develop skills help tell their Nature Park journey, communicate their vision for the local and global Nature Park and share their experiences. Storytelling can allow children and young people to explore their school site from different perspectives (both human and nature), promoting inter- and intra-generational equity - developing the site for each other and for those who will use it in the future. This page features a guide on storytelling in, about and for nature, as well as a nature library catalogue of books to use as a starting point.
Guidance
This guide provides useful support for choosing nature-related stories, using nature-related stories to support the Nature Park process, positive nature connection and guides learners to create and tell their own Nature Park stories.
To support you selecting nature-related stories, this handy catalogue of books provides a starting point and ideas of themes that can be tackled through books. However, this is only a small selection of what is available, and local texts and anything that you can get your hands on in the library (or from parents and carers) can be effective too.
You can also find nature-related book recommendations from BookTrust in each of our units of learning, which support curriculum outcomes.
Storytelling resources
Use this template to encourage learners to tell a story from their Nature Park experiences and observations. You can start by doing the Hidden Nature Challenge or Points of view to explore outdoors and observe the nature around you.
We would love to share some of your Nature Park stories. Please email them to: [email protected]
The following activities invite the use of storytelling to explore and progress through the Nature Park process. Use these to support discussion and ideas, or inspire your own storytelling with learners.
Storytelling to empathise with nature
A storytelling and creative activity to overcome discomfort or fear around nature
Storytelling to imagine the future
Inviting learners to imagine the ending of a story, and what could happen if changes are made in a space or community
EYFS activity using storytelling to explore the improvements that could be made to your outdoor space
Thumbnail image: © RHS, Credit: RHS / Charlotte Ashe