Prado Primary School / Ferreiros Kindergarten 2010/2011

Title

Adventures in the Forest

Authors

Prado Primary School (students and teachers)Ferreiros Kindergarten (children and teachers)

Drawings

Prado Primary School (students)Ferreiros Kindergarten (children)

Edition

June/2011

Prado Primary SchoolFerreiros Kindergarten

“Our Very OwnTale”

It was spring, at last! The sun was hotter and brighter and the children around our school garden looked at the plants that grew so fresh and green and at the tree blossoms, which later would give us great and delicious fruits.

Next to the vegetable garden, in the animals’ barn, there were white, black and brown bunnies eating the delicious pieces of food the children gave them every day. There was also a cockerel that laid eggs for the kids to bake yummy tasty cakes.

Everything in the garden was beautiful! The children were proud of everything they had done to make the school gardens and playgrounds more useful and pleasant.

One day, Eva, the most interested student in nature and animals, realized that some of the new trees had been cut and gnawed.

She got really concerned about it and decided to schedule a students’ meeting in order to solve the problem.

-We must do something to protect our trees! – she exclaimed.The other children asked: What shall we do?

- We could found a club to help preserve the nature! And we could call it “The Nature Keepers”! - Martim suggested.

- It’s a great idea! Good job guys! – They all agreed.While they were looking at the trees, Sofia found some footprints and said:

- Look, we’ve found the first clue! It looks like squirrel footprints!

- Yes, let’s go to the forest! Let’s go find them!

When they got to the forest, they started a great new adventure. Once there they came across many and different tracks. They split into groups and followed the footprints but, shortly after the trail disappeared. Julia said:

-Oh, we’ve lost the trail? Now what? We’d better go to another place otherwise we’ll damage the vegetation.

Meanwhile Quico joined the group and shared the great news:- You won’t believe me! You know, there’s this tree... and it

talks! Come with me guys, let’s listen to it!- Good morning children! I’m a tree! Lovely, aren’t I? My

name is Elvira.- Who is this? - Eva asked.- It’s me, the tree of fantasy! What about a go on my

swings? Come on, what are you waiting for? Try me! I’m strong!- Wow! Do trees talk? - asked Martim.

- You bet they do! Fantasy inspires them! It was Quadradinhos, your scarecrow, who taught me this.

While they were walking through the woods they saw several species of trees, bushes and animals. Some of them talked about the importance of the forests.

Nearby the pine trees, they saw some gnawed cones and a bit of brown fur. Eva exclaimed:

- Look, this is the squirrel’s trail, isn’t it? We must find this squirrel. We need some answers. We’ll ask it if it has something to do with the damaged trees.

Suddenly they saw a squirrel eating a cone on the top of a tree. But soon after, it was gone and they never saw it again. They tried to follow it but didn’t succeed. Squirrels are very smart and fast! Instead of grabbing the squirrel they stumbled on a pile of garbage and fell on the ground.

-Ouch!

- Ouch! I guess I hurt myself……oh, my knee and my hand ache! - said Marta crying.

- How did you do that? – asked Quico.

- I cut myself in these dirty bits of glass.

- Oh!... and look at us, we’re all dirty too!

Martim, who was a very careful boy, always carried his first aid kit in his backpack. So he behaved like a real nurse! He disinfected and put bandages. Luckily the injuries were not as bad as they looked, otherwise the girl would have needed hospital care.

- What is this garbage doing here and who has left it here? - People are so careless!

- What poorly educated people! They don’t care about nature! - the children complained.- Why do people dump garbage everywhere? There are so many recycling points… recycling is so easy and it helps preserve nature!- This is an attempt against nature!- We were chasing a squirrel and look what we got: this huge pile of garbage!- yes… but we can’t just leave it here, guys!Quico, who was a very wise kid, said to the others:

- Of course mates! We do have to collect the garbage but it can be dangerous! There are lots of glass bits, old cans and who knows what more….We’ll come back tomorrow! We’ll bring garbage bags, gloves and shovels and we’ll clean this place up without getting ourselves hurt.

All of a sudden, a squirrel crossed their way! Then three others followed it. They weren’t running, they were flying!!

- Hey, did you see that? It was a squirrel! – said Eva.- And three more have just passed here! – Quico and

António said at the same time.Then all the children started to run after them.

The squirrels were very fast and they only stopped by Elvira, the Tree of Fantasy. They were playing hide and seek in Elvira’s highest branches. Then the kids asked them if they had gnawed the trees at school.

- No, absolutely not! We didn’t gnaw those trees. It was that bunny!- What bunny? - asked Eva.- Her name’s Salomé and she lives in that hole over there.

Elvira smiled and said:- Hey kids, squirrels do not gnaw trees! They just like to eat

our fruits, play with us and make their nests in our branches.- Yeah, you’re right! Thanks for telling us all these things.

Let’s go talk with that greedy and daring bunny!....

Off they went to search for Salomé. As they reached the place, Quico started to run. He was so curious about everything that he did not notice the prickles. He got really injured and cried. But his friends hurried to help him.

- Where are the prickles? Wait, I have a pair of tweezers in my first aid kit. We’ll get rid of them in a minute! It won’t hurt, you’ll see!

Salomé heard all that fuss and stepped out of her hole.

- Hi! What are you children doing in my neighbourhood?- Well, we’re looking for you! We need you to give us some

urgent information…

-

Me? You said you wanted to talk to me? I’m just a greedy, daring but harmless bunny!

- No way! You are a naughty bunny! You gnaw the leaves, the new branches and the tree barks in our organic vegetable

garden… you’re a green greedy creature!

- Do you want to know something? I can’t help it! When I see green, fresh tasty vegetables… I really can’t help it! Don’t you like vegetables, children?

- Yes, we do. But we follow the rules, Salomé! We don’t eat everything we see! But you are a glutton.

- Don’t get me wrong, kids... the thing is that I really can’t help it! I’m not naughty, I’m just always starving! But from now on, I’ll respect all that is yours. You have my word!

The children were amazed and said:

- We’re very proud to meet you, Salomé. You’re a good bunny after all. We hope you can keep your promise and don’t forget to follow a healthy diet too. That’s the most important thing in ones life. If you eat too much you’ll get fat and ill. And now that we’ve met, would you like to be our friend?

Salomé answered:- Yes, I’d love! And by the way, don’t you guys have a little

den where I could live comfortably and closer to you? I’ll tell you this: I live here all by myself and I’m always scared… and there’s more: it’s very difficult to find good fresh food around here! If you could help me with that I’m sure I’d change my eating habits and I’d be the healthiest bunny on Earth! Hum… and you could use my leftovers for compost!

Yes, that’s a wonderful idea! We have a wooden house at school and I’m sure you’ll be very happy there. You’ll meet the other animals we have there, you’ll like them! – Quico said.

- We could feed you, Salomé, and you could have your own family. You’re so cute! – Eva said.

- We’re friends already! You can count on us!Salomé gave it a second thought and said:

- With your tasty vegetables… I’ll be the happiest bunny ever!

So, they all agreed to take Salomé. When they got to school they showed her the wooden house, which she really loved.

- Thank you so much my dear friends! It’s lovely, just what I needed! I know you’re good friends: the kind of friends every bunny would like to have!

A couple of months passed and Salomé got pregnant. The children paid her short visits every day. They treated her very carefully. Sometimes she didn’t like to be disturbed and they respected that.

Then one day the little bunnies were born and there was a big party at school! They were seven beautiful bunnies and the children chose seven different names. Everybody at school was happy with the lovely news! Unfortunately, some days later Martim and Eva found out that something very strange and sad had happened.

The door was open and the wooden house was empty! The rabbits had vanished, all of them!

- Where are they? What happened? – they shouted. They went back to the classroom and told the others what had happened.

- Calm down kids! What are you saying? Who ran away? – asked Marta.

- The bunnies did and Salomé has gone too! They are not in the house, it’s empty and the door was open! – Martim said.

- Has someone taken them away? – Anthony wanted to know.

- We don’t know. We just know they’re gone! – Eva said.

- Let’s ask the teacher. She could have taken them home for a couple of days. I’m sure she knows something! – António suggested.

Unfortunately, the teacher couldn’t help them. The children then rushed to the wooden house and saw for themselves: it was empty, no sign of the rabbits at all!

- Look! There’s a footprint here! – Eva said.

- And here’s another! – Quico said. They look like dog footprints. They are big so it means it must be a big dog.

- Shall we follow the trail? – António suggested.The children followed the footprints that led to the forest.

However, soon after that, the trail disappeared…

- And now what? What shall we do? – Eva asks.

- Let’s ask Elvira. She is so tall, she may have seen something.

Elvira sees the children getting closer and says:- Hey kids! Are you wandering in the woods again? I kind of

missed you! Are you here to visit me?- No, sorry Elvira! We’ll come to visit you one of these days

but today we’re here on a mission.- Oh, I see. So, what happened? Is there anything I can do to

help?- Have you seen Salomé, the bunny, and her seven

offsprings? – they asked.- No, I haven’t. But I heard a lot of noise last night. It looked

like a dog, a big dog. Don’t tell me he wanted to eat the poor little bunnies?

- Maybe! Where did it go? – António asked.- Well, now I remember! I heard a dog barking last night.

The noise came from that place over there. Isn’t it Salome’s hole? Why don’t you go and see for yourselves. They may be hidden there.

- Good idea! Come on guys, but be careful! Mind the prickles. I don’t want to get hurt again!

Outside the rabbits’ hole the vegetation was treaded on and inside… they saw Branquinho’s scary eyes! They were all there!

- Salomé? Are you in there?

Salomé glanced outside and as she recognised the children she stepped outside. Right after her, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 little scary bunnies came out! Fortunately, they were all there!

Once outside, with all the children by her side, she explained the whole thing: the last person to take food the day before left the door open. During the night, a big black dog showed up and Salomé was scared. Thinking of her offsprings’ safety she decided to ran away with them. The bad dog chased them but luckily he got stuck in the school fence and they managed to reach the forest. “Tired but alive!”- she exclaimed.

When the dog got rid of the fence he followed them to the hole. Despite his accurate nose, the prickles where everywhere around the rabbits’ hole and that made the dog change his mind.

The childrenheld the bunnies tight and took them back tothe wooden house nextto the vegetable garden, where they had alwaysbeen happy!

And there they stayed. They were growing old and fat, living on fresh carrots and other delicious “school made” vegetables the children took them every day.

Meanwhile the school announced several safety measures to protect the trees and the vegetable garden from other greedy and daring bunnies. New fences and gates were set up around the gardens and the old front gate was repaired.

As time went by the children found out that there were other families of wild rabbits living next to the canteen. They like to see the rabbits playing at the end of the day! However, they don’t let them go to the playground or get near the vegetable garden, where the trees, flowers and vegetables grow.

Now, when someone forgets to lock the gate, the sneaky rabbits hang around the school, playing tricks on the children! But one thing is true: they no longer gnaw the tress… and we wonder why!